Arizona Dead: Small Crowd and Split Not Fade Away in Tempe, October 6, 1977

There is one very cool thing in this show; the rare post-retirement "split" Not Fade Away.  I was aware of this shortly after 1977, but its likely that the SBD of this show has not be completely released from the vault.  There is evidence some of this is from a different October show (see archive for a full discussion)

But, there was no other NFA>Black Peter>NFA, which is pretty incredible and just another example of a 1977 sweet unique one-off.   The Arizona Republic did not know exactly what to make of the Band, similar to how Arizona feels about California to this day. :)

Likely King Biscuit Broadcst

Promised Land*, Tennessee Jed*, Jack Straw, Dire Wolf, Looks Like Rain*, Loser, Minglewood Blues, They Love Each Other, The Music Never Stopped Bertha-> Good Lovin', Friend Of The Devil, Estimated Prophet*-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> Not Fade Away*-> Black Peter*-> Not Fade Away*-> Around & Around, E: Uncle John's Band

Set Structure II: Garcia Mood Shifters, 1972-1995

Borrowed from Blair Jackson's Book

There were ten Jerry songs that fit that slot for the slow song right after the chaos and confusion of the Jam. Jerry made us feel calm and already until Bobby would pull a Chuck Berry or a rocker to close things down at the end.  This went on about 90% of the time during the last 1,590 shows the Grateful Dead played during the last 24 years of the group.

Until the late 1980's, there were three major selections, Wharf Rat, Stella Blue and Black Peter that occured in about 61% of the shows during this slot.  If you were lucky, you might get a Comes A Time, a China Doll or a Morning Dew which occured about another 20% of the time.  Towards the end, Bob Hunter got his pen and worked with Jerry to add a couple of other classics Standing On the Moon and Day's Between.  

Light Into Ashes made some serious comments on this issue back in 2011

It sure felt to me, that with the exception of some special situations, in was a Jerry decision in the moment. 

https://archive.org/post/375297/a-question-about-grateful-dead-sets

So did Thoughts on the Dead in 2012

http://thoughtsonthedead.com/tag/brent/page/2/

When compared with the changes occured at the top of the Jam in my first piece on Second Set Structure,  the Jerry slow down slot was relatively consistent and almost a sure thing (note in 1973 and 1974, you would often get two of these as Eyes>China Doll might occur in addition to a Stella or Wharf Rat.

I still will analyze the Jam from 1983 to the end in 1995 as I sense that the band, as it added a large number of songs, played a more varied second set jam.

MY 80 SHOWS

During my 80 trips to the plate, I experienced similar findings (86% of shows vs 91% for the band as a whole). I saw Wharf Rat in 33% of my shows (as opposed to the 23% played by the band), and I was fortunate to see 6 Morning Dews, 4 China Dolls, and 2 Comes A Times.  During the timeframe 1978-1982 which Phil Lesh called "a holding pattern", I was pretty much only seeing Black Peter, Wharf or Stella Blue in that slot. I was sad to miss If I Had the World To Give by one show (11/20 and 11/21/78).

Edit: Take a listen to the 6-12-76 and 6-14-85 sets above; two special unique nights

https://archive.org/post/1014270/wharf-rat-and-gtstella-blue-or-wharf-rat-and-gtcomes-a-time

http://mikesgratefulblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/comes-time-grateful-dead-song-review.html

http://liveforlivemusic.com/news/warren-haynes-shares-playlist-of-his-favorite-grateful-dead-songs-listen/

Second Set Structure, 1972-1982

The pairing of Estimated Prophet and Eyes of the World in May 1977 marked the beginning of the more solid set structure.  True Dead Historian Blair Jackson wrote about this in his book on Garcia.

After this it would be rare to see a fully explored Playing In the Band in set one. I've decided to analyse second set structure because it played a part in how often and excited I was in seeing the Dead.  I love back five years to 1972 and look dead ahead five years to 1982.  No need to look before 1972, since those were the freewheeling days of the old West where anything could happen and often did.

As late as 1976, second set structure was far less fixed, much more similar to the 1972-1974 feel than how it felt from 1978-1982.  I saw 63 of my 80 shows from 1976 to 1982 (seven years or an average of nine shows per year), and only 17 from 1983 to 1995 (13 years or an average of  1.3 shows per year). Although Jerry's demons played a part in my seeing the band less in the later years, it was also the lack of diversity in second set structure. Even Phil Lesh told a writer, per Blair's book below, he felt the band was in "a holding pattern" as early as 1980.

KEY JAMMING VEHICLES, 1972-1982

1972:  The Other One, Dark Star, Truckin', He's Gone

1973-1974: Dark Star, Truckin, The Other One, Eyes of the World, Playing in the Band

1976: The Other One, Eyes of the World,St Stephen, Help on the Way, Playing In the Band

1977: Estimated, Eyes added to the 1976 mix

1978-1982: Estimated >Eyes, Terrapin>Playing, He's Gone>Truckin

Phil's holding pattern comment reminds me of when Bruce joined the band and tried to get the boys to open a show with Wharf Rat. 

In 1972, you either were going to see a monster Dark Star jam into any number of songs or The Other One monster jam, often paired with Truckin. There was only one show with both (1972-05-07) and less than a dozen shows with neither.  He's Gone was moving from set one, song two to a jamming event as well. Sign me up.

In 1973 and 1974, Wake of the Flood introduced Eyes of the World to the mix as well as the conversation of Playing In the Band to later part of the show.  Although Dark Star occasions slowed down considerably, in 72 shows you were very likely to see Playing (51), Eyes (49) and/or Truckin (48). And I am not even counting the Here Comes Sunshines and China>Riders. Sign me up again.

1976 was truly the wild west version 2. totally dissimilar to the 1968-1971 era, but well rehearsed and different nearly every night.  1977 continued in this vain, with the introduction of Estimated and Terrapin, of course.

One of the biggest issues for the band;post-1977 was the lack of variety if the band didn't have a new jamming tune.  Estimated followed by Eyes, for example was played at about 20% of shows in 1977 and 1978, and still the same number of shows in 1981 and 1982. There was nothing brand spanking new , either revived like St Stephen in 12 shows out of 41 in 1976.

So in 1978, at a random show, you had a good chance of seeing either a Truckin jam, Estimated/Eyes, Estimated/He's Gone, or a Terrapin Playing (often followed by a sandwich). And by 1982, you pretty much had the same odds  (although you see Sailor Saint drums which wouldn't be considered tier 1)

FROM BLAIR's BOOK GARCIA

MORE FROM GARCIA

http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2013/12/eyes-of-world-field-guide-guest-post.html

http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-other-one-timings-guest-post.html

UCLA PITB>UJB>Dew>UJB>PITB, November 17, 1973

Ok. I'll only call this the Second Best College Show Ever

After the whole trilogy is played (3 songs, 2 twice) they still find room for Stella Blue, El Paso, Eyes>Sugar and Casey, almost like a set three.  This is also an all male affair as Donna was sitting home about to give birth.

I am kind of in love with this show at my grad-school alma mater and I never got to see a show at Pauley (but once I fought the power and  cashed me outside Public enemy for free at lunch with Paul C in 1987).  14 Years too late Dave, too late. Boy this Here Come Sunshine is good.

This is a good reason to release streaming versions of the limited edition CDs because I am not going to pay some dude $100 bucks for a copy of this show that came out in 2013. I would much rather pay $25 to Rhino or dead.net; you guys need to get on the ball about reissuing sold-out.  Nothing released since 1980 can be a fucking "collectors item" that allows some dude to sell them to me at $100-$200 because I spaced a few years back or gave my copy to my brother Ralphie. You guys are leaving alot of money on the table. Don't listen to me because I advised entertainment companies for 30 years. listen because it's the right thing to do.

Also two years prior to the date, the heat came by a bit much for the Nov 20, 1971 GD/NRPS show at the same venue (less than a mile from me as i sit) and I have a few artifacts at the end.

Of course there is ana amzing Grateful Dead Listening Guide of this Show

http://www.deadlistening.com/2008/12/1973-november-17-pauley-pavilion.html

There is limited Daily Bruin coverage, I had hoped for a good review, but at least they show Bobby and mention Playing In the Band

Me and My Uncle

Here Comes Sunshine

Looks Like Rain

Deal

Mexicali Blues

Tennessee Jed

The Race Is On

China Cat Sunflower

I Know You Rider

Big River

Brown Eyed Women

Around and Around

Row Jimmy

Jack Straw

Ramble On Rose

Playing in the Band

Uncle John's Band

Morning Dew

Uncle John's Band

Playing in the Band

Stella Blue

El Paso

Eyes of the World

Sugar Magnolia

Casey Jones

SOME BONUS 1971 COVERAGE
http://deadsources.blogspot.com/2012/07/november-20-1971-pauley-pavilion-ucla.html

Caught In The Middle Of A Runaway Train with World Champion Bill Walton in Portland, 1977-10-02 (With Jerry Interview)

After Englishtown, the guys started up within a month and played about 8 week of excellent shows often overshadowed by the Spring 1977 tour (see my shows 11/4 Colgate, 11/5 Rochester, 11/6 Binghamton).

On the third night at the beautiful Paramount in Portland (after 2 nights at the beautiful Paramount), the band decided to play Casey Jones. Only they forget how the song goes, so they do what they have to do, and keep playing and keep playing it.

This is one of my favorite moments of 1977, only it took me until at least 2007 to hear it (30 years).  I think up in Heaven, Jerry still might be playing this

Also of note is the terrific long Jerry interview after the show, where he mentions going to Eqypt in 1978 (Funny I didnt learn of this until John Scher put in the big screen at Giants after the 9/2/78 show ended). Have fun as usual, some goodies here   Also Bill Walton went to school as a member of the World Champion Portland Trail Blazers.  Good thing Bill won it in game 6 so he could get down to Winterland in time for June 7-8-9.   Think he ran to Hartford on May 28, got jazzed and ran the table to get to SF. Would one of you ask him for me?   He and his wife Lori were really nice to Nancy and I at a Dark Star Orchestra benefit at the Fonda a few years back, but I forgot to ask him about Spring 1977.

https://halmasonberg.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/backstage-with-jerry-the-interview-portland-oregon-1977/   (also mp3 of interview)

Reviewer: ripple95 - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - June 20, 2005
Subject: 1977: The year that keeps on giving
I got this show from a friend, and boy was I psyched for a Casey Jones opener! This version highlights what made the Dead so different from other bands. Casey hadn't been played for some time and Jerry's spotty memory leads him to forget the "trouble with you" verse uh oh? Nah! The band jams for a while, making this a unique version of the song. Jerry sure fixed that one! Dupree's is another breakout and has that 1977 wallop behind it. The scarlet>fire is also great (as it usually is.) Playing is also a delightful beast. Another great 1977 show.

four from 10-29-77