The Deadpod

This week we go back 30 years to the band's second set at McNichols Arena in Denver Colorado on December 13, 1990.  I'm always a fan of a Help>Slip>Frank opener and here it heralds a fine show. A latter day 'Saint of Circumstance' is followed by a nice 'Eyes of the World' which opens up nicely towards the end as it goes into Drums and Space. The highlight of the set is the fine 'Other One' that co...

 We roll into December with a show from late fall 1990 - this one from McNichols Arena in Denver Colorado on December 13th, 1990.  This is a fine, energetic show, and starts off with a very uptempo Jack Straw into Sugaree. 'Wang Dang Doodle' follows to get everyone dancin', then Jer slows it down a touch with 'Friend of the Devil'.  Uncle>Big River contain some tasty Garcia tones, and I think the...

Happy Thanksgiving!  As is our tradition, I present an acoustic Dead show for your pleasure this Thanksgiving morning. While it is becoming difficult to find an acoustic set (in good quality) that  I haven't presented before, this is a wonderful recording and while the songs will be familiar to you they are still a joy to listen to, I think.    Grateful Dead Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA 10/1...

Two factors influnced this week's Deadpod; first a request for more 1969 Dead from a friend of the 'pod, and secondly my desire to find a one-set tape that wouldn't run over into next week's Thanksgiving podcast. The result, I think, is this outstanding recording from October 25, 1969 at Winterland.  Sure, its only four songs... but what songs these are.. I know I played a 'Dark Star' last week bu...

 Here is an appropriate Dead show for Friday the 13th! This is the second set from the band's performance at the Hofheinz Pavilion at the University of Houston on November 19th, 1972. A fine second set and while the tape has a few imperfections (the quality of the Sugar Mag>GDTRFB is degraded sadly)  I think overall it is certainly worth your time..  Why do I say its appropriate for a Friday the 1...

 Long considered a classic show, I decided to start off our November here on the Deadpod with this gem from 1972.. from November 19th in Houston Texas. While this tape does have some faults I think overall it is well worth a listen.. The band was originally scheduled to play this show with the Allman Brothers, but the tragic death of bassist Barry Oakley the prior week left them to fill the evenin...

We close out October.. and welcome Halloween :) with a great second set from October 21st, 1971 in Chicago. While this may be Keith Godchaux's second night of his tenure with the band, he sure doesn't sound tentative here - especially on his first 'Dark Star'! This one is made even more unusual when the band goes into 'Sittin' On Top of the World' then back into the Star.. (the first Sittin' since...

This week's Deadpod features a show from the Fall tour of 1971.. this one was the 2nd night for Keith Godchaux in the keyboard seat.. and features a whole bunch of songs that were still finding their way in the repertoire.. in fact five songs in this first set are being played for the 2nd time.. the first time being the night before for Tennessee Jed, Jack Straw (with some out of tune guitars :),...

This week we conclude our presentation of the band's performance from October 11, 1980 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco.  What great days when the band would perform three sets at a show! This is not a throw-away set by any means.. After a rather standard China>Rider things get very interesting 'Let It Grow' leading into Drums and Space, followed by a guest appearance by the late John Cipo...

 Great set this week - the 2nd set from the band's performance at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on 10/11/80.  Great quality tape - and right off they sound hot .. a wonderful 'Stranger' punctuated with some smoking guitar. Even the Mama Tried>Mexicali has some real smokin' licks. Personally I find the post-Donna 'Passenger' to be one of the best of this period.. really well done. There's n...

Here we are in October already?!! What an odd and unhappy year.. well I thought I'd try to brighten things a bit by paying homage to the acoustic sets the band played 40 years ago during the month of October 1980.. This week's Deadpod features one of those, a fine recording of the acoustic set from October 11, 1980 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco CA.  While there's not a great deal of sur...

 This week the Deadpod presents the second set from the band's performance back on September 23, 1972 at Waterbury CT. Another quite long, very interesting set awaits as the band starts out rockin' with a trifecta of Promised Land>Bertha>Greatest Story to get the place going. After a nice 'Brown-Eyed Women' they break out Chuck Berry's 'Around and Around' for the first time in 105 shows (4/18/71)....

This week we set the way-back machine to 1972, and travel to Waterbury CT, for a show the band played on September 23, 1972. The first set, which we will hear this week, while fairly standard for the period is still quite long compared to later day Dead sets.  The start off with a still-new 'Big River' and I think this is a fine opener, shame they didn't leave it here more often.. There are a pass...

 Here's a request from a friend of the Deadpod from down under... this comes to us from the beautiful Red Rocks Ampitheater, on September 8, 1983. Now I only have set 2 in a soundboard format so that's all I'll present of this wonderful show, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  They come out of the gate with a smokin' Scarlet>Fire, the Scarlet almost has a calypso feel to it to my ears as they start, a...

 Happy Labor Day Weekend!  This week we bring you the second set from the band's performance on August 23, 1987 at the Calavaras County Fairgrounds in Angel's Camp CA.  It's a nice setlist, and opens with a Scarlet>Fire. Playin' in the Band leads into Drums and Space and we get a 'Dear Mr. Fantasy' post drums.. The highlight of this set however is the 'Morning Dew' where you feel like they really...

This week we travel to the home of the celebrated jumping frogs - Calavaras county - to bring you the band's performance from August 23, 1987.  I find this to be quite an enjoyable first set as it features many songs not often broken out, including a set opening 'Box of Rain'. The 'Jack Straw' and 'West LA' are both solid and well played. 'High Time' is really a pleasant surprise but the highlight...

 August flies... and we are favored this week with a second set from August 12, 1972 in Sacramento California. While most of the band's performances are quite good from this time, each are unique and this second set contains some very good and unique moments.  The recording unfortunately has a short cut in the opening of the first selection, 'Greatest Story Ever Told', but it, and the following 'R...

 Here's a long and strong first set from that great year in Dead history - 1972. This comes from Sacramento California from August 12, 1972. This is an especially long first set with some nice surprises therein. 'Sugaree' is tinged with some bluesy elements, and I find it quite enjoyable. There's some interesting chatter to the crowd before 'Uncle' :) and the 'Bird Song' that follows is nicely mel...

This week we end the 'weekend at the beach' .. and the Days Between... with the second set from the band's performance at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on July 22, 1984.   The boys break out a rockin' Samson and Delilah in honor of the Sunday, then make a sharp turn into 'Ship of Fools'. Following that, Brent breaks out 'I Just Want to Make Love To You' for the first time the band has played it s...

This week we hit the beach for a most excellent time with the band as they play the Sunday show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura California on July 22, 1984.  This is a fine recording of a very energetic set which I am sure you'll enjoy. We start appropriately enough, with 'Dancin' In the Streets' - a better than average version in my opinion. The boys keep rockin' with 'Bertha'. Weir...

A great second set from July 18, 1976 from the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco is on the table for this week's Deadpod. You'll have plenty to choose from here, as the boys stretch it out and deliver a smorgasbord of many of their best songs on this two hour marathon. There are too many highlights to mention all of them, but I would call  your attention to the fine 'Lazy Lightning>Supplication>Let...

Hello Friends! This week we begin listening to the last show of a famous 6 night run at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco CA, back on July 18, 1976. This was an exceptional run of shows, and this last night was perhaps the topper. It features an exceptional second set, which we'll have the pleasure of hearing next week, but this first set is quite well played as well. The show was originally br...

This week we get a second set that is almost as hot as the weather around here this week - it comes to us from July 1st 1980 in San Diego California.  An excellent China>Rider opens the set and contains some of my favorite jamming of the evening.. the China cat jams from Garcia in particular are noteworthy, as is Brent's contributions.  A rare 2nd set Peggy-O follows CC Rider, then we are treated...

Happy July 4th!  This week's Deadpod takes place back on July 1, 1980 in San Diego California, where the Dead would play a very nice show at the Sports Arena. This week we will hear the 1st set, which opens with a great Jack Straw > Franklin's Tower combo. They only did this opening combo eight times, but I think its a great way to open a show. El Paso and Tennessee Jed folow, then another combo,...

This week on the Deadpod we have another monumental set from the seminal year of 1974. This week of course from the show in Springfield MA, on June 30, 1974.  Following Seastones, the boys came out with a fine 'China>Rider' a combo often used to good effect as a second set opener. The transition is quite fine. 'Big River' follows and shows the spark it had which made it an excellent second set tun...