Grateful Dead Live at the Greek Theater 1982-05-22 – A Review

I’ve posted the link to the audio at the end of this review, but I would love for you to check out the review first, listen, and then let me know what you think. 

I’ve been listening to every ’82 show I can get my hands on, and thanks to the Internet Archive, and specifically, their “Dead Zone”, I can stream these shows, and I often have a selection of several versions of the same show to choose from.  Back to 1982…  ’82 is a really hot year that sort of gets forgotten between the big years of ’77 and ’85, but it is fantastic music that should be heard.  The band seems fresh, and they have a couple of things going for them that the 2 big years above weren’t able to afford them. 

In ’77 (and ’78 to a larger extent) the Godchauxs were weighing the band down.  Donna for one reason or another (there are lots of arguments in her defense as well as arguments against her) Donna became very shrill, and Keith’s grand piano had locked the band into a place that made it difficult for them to be dynamic and evolutionary.  Besides, Keith’s battle with alcohol had made him little more than a sleeping fixture on stage.

In mid ’79, Brent Mydland essentially filled the spot that both Godchauxs had occupied, and came in with not only a new sound vocally, but he supplied a new array of sounds on the keys that really allowed the band to explore the bounds that they had previously occupied.  Although 12/01/79 is one of my all-time favorites, it really did take a couple of years for Brent to really settle-in and find his space in the music and probably took as long for the band understand where he was in the music as well.  It is interesting to note that in the previous Spring tour, Jerry had switched sides on the stage with Phil on 04/02/82 in order to be next to Brent, a position he would remain in while on stage for the duration.

Back to the concert…  What a show!  I’m a sucker for Jack Straw shows, and maybe I’m a total geek, but I’ve even got a Great Northern t-shirt.  The band is listening to each other, and playing well together.  The Jack Straw pleases, the Sugaree is fantastic, Cassidy hits those outer limits but brings it all back home, but that Cumberland Blues simply blisters–it is definitely one of the good ones that I asked about in a previous post about best versions/performances of Dead songs.

I was a bit worried when I saw the Lazy Lightning, but from the first notes, you realize that this isn’t 1985 where they play it much faster than their ability to make it sound any good.  This one cooks and satisfies, and so does the Deal to end the first set.  I love a good Deal first set ender.

In typical fashion, a first set starting with Jack Straw is coupled with a second set starting with China>>>Rider, and this one has all the components you would want.  This is a good one to listen to in order to get a feel of the band.  There is so much energy brewing here, but it’s all about how well it is harnessed.  In fact, and I’m not the first to say this, but the recurring train theme in Dead music is the perfect metaphor for the band–so much power moving on its own and the question is, how to control it.  Sometimes you just have to hold on, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Women Are Smarter is fun, Never Trust a Woman showcasing Brent’s personality is gritty, and the Lost Sailor>>>Saint of Circumstance is right on the money.  They explore, and as you’ll find typical of this particular show, they all coalesce around that emotionally climactic rallying-point in the music.  Again, you may not always know where you are within the context of the music, but you have the confidence that the band will help pull you out of it and allow you to make some sense of where the music has taken you.

He’s Gone, a usual jumping-off point, helps propel this one into that second half of the second set otherworldly realm and dumps you off into a short drums and then into space.  I agree with folks who say that Not Fade Away should pull out of space rather than end the show, and that’s exactly what happens here.  Maneuvering out of the fog, they give form to chaos, and before you know it, you are listening to the old familiar cadence of Not Fade Away, and it feels good.  Brent’s organ swirls while Jerry’s guitar shreds and Bob finds those funny angles in the music; all the while Phil is dropping sonic bombs and Mickey and Billy are laying down a gauntlet.

Once they’ve squeezed that one for every drop, they send you off on an up-tempo Wharf Rat.  I cannot stress this enough, but the Dead understood the power of silence as well as the power of volume, and it is readily apparent in this one.  They are spot-on in this version instrumentally, and their harmonies are quite good–again, a fact that owes a great deal to bandmates listening to each other.  Another aspect of the band that this song tells about is the overall physical condition of the band.  In later years when Jerry ballooned-up, he would absolutely struggle through this song, typically placed late in the second set, and it would be dreadfully evident in his vocals.  This one is very nice.

The Around and Around is, well, it’s Around and Around, and although the Good Lovin’ starts a little shaky, it settles down and yields a really nice Bob rap and build-up to the end.  The U.S. Blues encore is a nice one to hear and is a great exclamation point to this show, and this is not just a mail-it-in encore either; these guys are still at work, and you can tell by the crowd bleed-in through the mics that the crowd loves it.  This encore is a real thankyou from the band to the crowd–the band loves it too.

All in all, this is a fantastic show.  Sure you will find problems with it, but this show comes from a time when they were playing really well and enjoying themselves.  I would definitely recommend checking this show out as well as challenge you to listen to that whole ’82 – ’83 period and weigh it against what might be your favorite period.  This is good stuff and it rocks.  Here is the link (enjoy, and again, let me know what you think, and while you’re at it, tell me what YOU are listening to):

http://www.archive.org/details/gd82-05-22.sbd.gorinsky.5215.sbeok.shnf

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15 Concerts in 15 Minutes (well, not exactly)

Recently, I was tagged on Facebook in a note that asked me to come up with 15 albums in 15 minutes – albums that were basically influential enough on me to make me change the way I looked at (or listened to) the world.  I think this is a great exercise, because if you are like me, you find that 15 albums is such a small allotment that it forces you to throw out a number of good albums in order to create a pretty concentrated list.  Rather than using this space for that list, you can see it here on our website.

 My cousin liked the Dead-leaning list and suggested that someone put a list together of Dead tunes along with a date for a favorite performance of that song.  I love the idea, so I will be working in collaboration here with him – he’s supplied the list of tunes, and I will now supply the dates.  I hope you enjoy (and I hope you know that I didn’t put this together in 15 minutes): 

• Morning Dew – 08/06/71 – This is the way this song should sound.  This is not quite primal Dead – they’re starting to come into their own – but they really know how to build this one up.  Bravo.  LISTEN
• Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain – 09/15/85 – This one was easy for me because this performance always blows me away.  The entire second set is a must have, but especially the Scarlet>Fire opener.  This one is silky smooth.  LISTEN
• Peggy-O – 10/30/77 – This one was pretty easy too.  I’ve long loved this version first because it has some sentimental value based on where it was performed, my alma mater, but beyond that, it is the right arrangement of verses and instrumental breaks that gives this one a certain gravity that really conveys the message and meaning of this song.  Also a very good show.  LISTEN
• They Love Each Other – 09/10/93 – This one was easy as well.  Two college roommates of mine were at this one and I have just always loved this version – Jerry really gets funky on this one.  If you are a Jackstraw fan, as I am, you cannot go without this show.  LISTEN
• Althea – 07/19/90 – This is one of my favorite shows-perhaps because I’m a bit partial to the home turf, but both sets are just so solid.  Althea can be a snoozer for me, but this one is really well-played, and upbeat.  Please listen to this whole show though, and let me know what you think.  LISTEN
• Row Jimmy – 06/10/90 – I really had to think about this one.  I’m not a huge fan of this song because it tends to drag for me, but this particular one’s got a bit of a bounce to it that moves it along quite nicely, and the interplay between Jerry and Brent at the end is very nice too.  LISTEN
• Wharf Rat – 07/27/73 – I couldn’t resist this one.  The Wharf Rat is kind of the dessert to the famous Watkins Glen Soundcheck Jam.  If that doesn’t mean anything to you, lots of luck.  This Jam>>>Wharf Rat combination is otherworldly; that’s all I can say about it.  LISTEN
• Help on the Way>Slipnot>Franklin’s Tower – 10/31/91 – This wasn’t my first choice which would have been the 08/13/75 version released as One from the Vault, but that would have been too easy.  This one has a certain intensity to it; in fact the whole show does, and I would definitely recommend sticking around and listening to the entire show.  LISTEN
• Terrapin Station – 06/15/85 – I’ve always liked this one.  I thought about selecting another date, but the interplay between Jerry and Brent during the solo is ethereal, and despite his strung-out sound during that period, he manages to hit this one out of the park.  The outro from this one is very nice too.  LISTEN
• Bertha – 07/08/78 – This one for me is so good because the band utilizes all of the different rhythmic qualities of the verse AND chorus, and they don’t just play it straight…Does that make sense?  Listen especially about half-way through Jerry’s solo.  This is a stellar version from a really stellar couple of shows that summer from Red Rocks.  LISTEN
• Loser – 05/08/77 – Tough one.  Loser isn’t a song I’m typically looking for in a set, although it is one that is fun to play on the guitar, so I know why Jerry played it.  I have to admit that this one I didn’t choose so much for the performance of the song, but for the show itself.  If you follow the music, then you know this date pretty well, and this version just happens to be very tight and powerful.  LISTEN
• Candyman – 10/14/80 – This too is a tough one.  Candyman is not the first song that comes to mind, but I do know that I like those early Brent versions of the song because of his ability to carry the harmony.  This is a nice quiet version of the song with a very laid-back pace to it.  LISTEN
• Stella Blue – 10/14/83 – This is the last easy one on the list.  You’re either a Stella Blue fan or you aren’t, and I happen to be one, and I can say that I don’t know of a single other performance of this one that combines the loneliness and eeriness of the front end of this song with such a warm and redemptive ending.  Unfortunately, the AUD does not capture it like the SBD.  Update:  Well, it looks like you get the AUD you wanted; the concert has been released as a Dick’s Picks edition.  LISTEN
• Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad – 02/20/71 – First of all, I love this one because it is the meat in a Not Fade Away sandwich, but the thing that makes this one smoke is how they work it out after the And We Bid You Goodnight instrumental part.  Truly a one-of-a-kind version as far as I’m concerned.  The Lovelight screams too.  LISTEN
• Throwing Stones – 10/09/89 – This one’s a bit tough for me because I think of it more as a setup tune than anything else-a kind of appetizer to the main course.  Having said that though, I’ve always liked this one mainly because it carries the mood of this show into the final number.  It also happens to be one of my absolute favorite shows ever.  Talk about intensity.  That Dark Star is a monster.  LISTEN 

I loved doing this, but I’ve got songs that I’m curious to know what you think about.  If you are reading, please try and come up with some dates to put next to the following songs: 

• Cumberland Blues
• Dark Star
• Let it Grow
• Shakedown Street
• Jack Straw
• Black Peter
• China>>>Rider
• Cassidy
• Sugaree
• Viola Lee Blues
• Uncle John’s Band

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Grateful Dead Live 12/01/79 – A Review

This is something that I was going to start doing a long time ago, but haven’t gotten around to it until now.  I’m going to start doing some reviews of some of my favorite live shows – primarily Dead shows – and will ask that if you have a particularly good show, let me know; I’d be happy to listen to it and give you my opinion. 

To quote Bill Graham, the famous concert promoter, he said of the Dead, “They’re not the best at what they do; they’re the only ones who do what they do”, and in that spirit, these shows that I review may not be THE best shows, but they are shows that have stuck with me and have stood the test of time.

With that said, I’d like to start this series by reviewing one of my favorite shows:  December 1st, 1979 at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, PA (The link for the show is at the bottom of this review, but please read on).  For me, this is the best of that run of year-end shows, but pick anything from the beginning of November up to the New Year’s show, and it’s worth a listen.  There is plenty of energy, the band is on, the sound quality is good, and there is a certain raw edge about the music that just makes it different, and I think the crowd feels it too.  This is one of those shows that looks like many shows from that time period on paper, but turn it on and start listening and you’ll hear the difference.

The first set, though not outstanding or even out of the ordinary features a beautiful and stretched-out ‘Sugaree’ that really takes the song to some new places for me.  The ‘Me and My Uncle>>>Big River’ that follows COOK, and ‘The Music Never Stopped’ really rocks and provides a nice setup for the real jewel of this show:  The second set.

The second set starts off with my all-time favorite ‘China>>>Rider’ combination.  The ‘China Cat Sunflower’ is really upbeat and bounces along with alot of energy, and holds that energy between songs before transitioning into that familiar lick that tips off the ‘I Know You Rider’ to come. 

What makes this ‘China>>>Rider’ transition so wonderful is not just the musicianship – although it IS great – but it is the chemistry working between these guys.  Jerry is right on the money because he’s listening to Phil who’s dropping his bass notes right around Mickey and Billy’s rhythm lines, Bobby’s angular guitar works in thrusts and massages the music into the direction it needs to go, and Brent, who’s only been around a few months now, sounds like a seasoned veteran as his keyboards glisten over the music.

The ‘I Know You Rider’ simply soars.  It is hard driving and unbridled in parts, but has some contemplative and downright quiet passages, especially leading into the “Wish I was a headlight on a north-bound train” verse (by the way, I think the arrangement of the solo before that verse also helps make it superior to its peers).  Jerry really belts out that verse and brings it home, but everyone is really spot-on here.

We get a break now and relax to Phil and Mickey make the sound of thunder for the perfect lead-in to ‘Looks Like Rain’.  Sometimes this is one of those tunes that I could personally do without, but this one is so well-done…  Bobby sounds good and doesn’t over-reach on the vocals which he can have a tendency to do on this one, but for me the thing that seals the deal on this one is the end segment where Brent and Jerry are noodling around and building up the momentum with Bobby matching the intensity with his vocals.  Again, I would have to say that this is one of the best versions of this song I know of. 

Now we get one more break before we start off on our musical journey.  This ‘He’s Gone’ is an extremely relaxed version and tends to drift comfortably along, again with quiet as well as loud passages throughout the song which is a very nice performance but the quiet and soulful “nothing’s gonna’ bring him back” followed by the very spacey section at the end not only foreshadows the musical trip you about to embark  on, but it is a real treat for the ears.  You could hear throughout the month of November that they had been working on this ending but it had not yet clicked the way it does here.

Jerry noodles for a while and allows the music to meander like an old river until Mickey and Billy start speeding things up a bit with Bobby zinging-in with that metallic sounding effect.  The experiment builds a bit and then Jerry flips the switch on his guitar and that warm fuzz starts working, and the boys play around a bit until they build things into a frenetic rhythm punctuated by phil’sbass who moves the rhythm into a hard driving ‘Gloria Jam’.  As far as I know, this is the first of its kind.  What follows is a very strange and trippy segment where Brent works the keys in a most psychedelic way, but somehow it works and the boys are point so they just feel when and where to pull out of the darkness and back into a cohesive jam.

This jam works its way into a nicely paced blues style jam with Jerry warbling notes all over the place and Bobby on the slide.  All of this happens seamlessly as they transition into a new key and into the first ‘CC Rider’.  Bobby sings this better than he would ever sing it again, and what can I say about Jerry and Brent on this one?  Jerry starts out nice and easy but absolutely ends-up shredding, and Brent’s organ break makes me feel like I’m in a church.  They end this one emphatically, and drift right back into the ebb and flow of that background jam that got them here.

Jerry begins his trilling again and the boys build-up a heavy rhythm that works right into the drum sequence of this show, and let me tell you:  It is inspired.  It is roughly 10 minutes of Mickey and Billy playing off of each other and taking this show to new places.  We know where we are going when we begin to hear that all too familiar cadence.

‘Not Fade Away’ materializes out of nowhere and as laid back as it comes on, don’t let it fool you – this one is serious and they mean business.  Brent zaps along with his synthesizer and Bobby slides as Jerry tries to pull it together while Phil is pounding out the bass line and really driving this one with the rhythm section.  One point I always notice in this one is how Brent snatches the first instrumental break from Jerry and really cooks it up, but Jerry will not be outdone and just smashes through the next one, fanning at a blistering pace.  As he wraps-up, we get the fuzz again and work our way back into the jam, and this is a fantastic little sequence that deserves your attention.

This amazing jam rockets into the stratosphere and they slow things down once they  have us all in geo-syncronousorbit and work us down into the most touching ‘Black Peter’ I know.  Jerry sounds so close to the mic and the music sounds so quiet that the crowd must hush to hear it, and I personally think Jerry sounds ‘good’ on vocals – well, you know what I mean by ‘good’:  as in just right for the mood of the song.  Bobby is great on the slide effects that he works throughout the song and the rhythm is right on.  Jerry’s solo is nice too, but the end part has Jerry singing “come and see” and mimicking the refrain on his guitar and it sounds as authentic as ever could:  Soulful and heart-felt.

We then roll out of ‘Black Peter’ into a raucous and hard-driving ‘Sugar Magnolia’ which can be another one of those novelty tunes, but this one is beautiful and Bobby keeps himself in-check.  They stretch this one out a bit and I don’t think anyone minds because it is just like the rest of the 2nd set in terms of the musicianship and creativity, and what a way to end this 2nd set.

‘One More Saturday Night’ is the encore that caps this fantastic and highly recommended show.  Yes, it’s a good performance of the song, but it’s more of a message of thanks to crowd than anything that says, “we had just as good a time as you guys.”

The long and the short of this show is that the 2nd set is what makes it different than most shows (hell, I didn’t even know the 1st set existed on tape until years later), and though it might look the same on paper as other 2nd sets, this one has an energy which is hard to put your finger on it, and it kind of reminds me – I was reading an article the other day and the author cited someone who said that he couldn’t define romantic love, but he could point it out when he saw it – that’s what I mean.  Although I know people will totally disagree with me, for me the sound quality of the performance is great.  I think I said it before, but the vocals sound so close and the instruments are mixed very well and the percussion is well defined.  The thing that really does it though is their use of soft and loud to emphasize mood and gravity, and I think they exhibited this masterfully, and I think this is a nuance that can often be lost on even good audience recordings. 

It really is my favorite show, and I hope you take the opportunity to listen to the show HERE (there are other versions toward the bottom of the page HERE) and then visit the music resources section of our website where we talk about much more than Phoenix real estate.  I hope you enjoyed this review and I can tell you that there will be more, but if you have a show that you would like reviewed, let us know – it’s something we love doing.