The Deadpod

This week's Deadpod, a request from a supporter of the show, comes to us from Long Beach CA, on August 28th, 1981. They open with "Jack Straw" (the beginning here is patched from an audience source).. and Bob does the 'we used to play for silver now we play for Clive" line.. but still a solid effort as is most of the first set. I'm particulary fond of the Big River, Althea and the closing 'Let It...

This week I'm going to try something a little bit different on the Deadpod and bring you a sample of this summer's Dead & Company tour. Personally this happened to be the only show I had the opportunity to attend, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and since I've had some requests for this material I thought I'd share some with you... This is the first set of Dead & Co's show at the DTE Energy Theater in...

We seem to have entered the dog days of August.. lots of heat and humidity, but I'm hoping you don't find this second set from April 22nd 1986 to be a dog too! It starts with a nice China->Rider, and following a 'Looks Like Rain' we get treated to a nice long Terrapin Station.. clearly the highlight of this pre-coma show. Post drums and space is dominated by Weir, with a 'Spoonful ->Throwin Stones...

This week's Deadpod is the result of a request for something from 86 or 87 from a longtime supporter of the Deadpod so I decided to pull out this show, which is one of my favorites from the early 86 shows.. This comes to us from the Berkeley Community Theater, April 22nd, 1986.  The set opens with a wonderful coupling of Box of Rain -> Visons of Johanna.. the last time the band would play that Dyl...

A quintessential 1972 Grateful Dead second set is on the docket for this week's Deadpod. This set from July 26th, 1972, at Portland's Paramont Theater clocks in at a little over two hours.. It features a number of wonderful highlights, including one of the last performances of 'You Win Again', and early  'He's Gone', and to top it all off, a 30 minute+ Dark Star. While this Dark Star is clearly th...

This week the Deadpod goes back to July 1972 to bring you a show from what could be viewed as a transitional period for the band, July 26th, 1972 from Portland Oregon. This is only the 6th show the band did without Pigpen, and some of the songs we get to hear in this first set are still relatively new. I don't feel the band disappoints  however, certainly not in the massive Dark Star we'll hear ne...

After an admittedly somewhat bumpy first set, we return to Foxboro during the Summer of 1990 for the second set of the band's performance there on July 14th, 1990. They come out of the gate (following an amusing 'Take a step back') with a pleasant and somewhat jazzy Eyes, followed by a reggae inspired Estimated Prophet. There's some great work by Phil here, followed by a dreamy 'Crazy Fingers'. Un...

As we roll into the heart of summer, it seemed appropriate to me to bring you a show from the fine summer tour of 1990. A request from a listener to the Deadpod, we feature the first set of the Dead's performance on July 14th, 1990 at Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro MA. As was often the case during this tour it was a hot, hot day (my own memories of several shows cause me to break into a sweat). The bo...

Happy 4th of July weekend! While this week's Deadpod didn't take place on the 4th, or feature a U.S. Blues, I do think there are plenty of fireworks right here to entertain you during this long holiday weekend! As usual for a '73 show, there are a number of tunes in this second set that you'd expect to see in a first set - alongside some wonderful exploratory jams. While this isn't a perfect recor...

It took me quite alot of consideration before I decided upon this week's Deadpod. There are a large number of great shows to choose from that took place in the latter part of June over the years, but I decided upon a show from one of my most favorite years - 1973.  This show is from June 26th, 1973 the Seattle Center Arena, in Seattle Washington. This show has some issues - the first three songs c...

This week we feature the second set from the band's 15th Anniversary show which took place on June 8th, 1980 at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Colorado. A very nice 'Feel Like A Stranger' opens things up, and I think it contains more than its usual share of Garcia explorations.. 'Ship of Fools' follows, it always struck me as almost anthem-like in how it skates over the edge...

36 years ago this week the band performed at what was billed as their '15th Anniversary Concert', at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Colorado. While the band members denied that the date held any special significance at the time, the setlist and level of musicianship that emerged belied that. This first set opens with just an incredible, and unheard of, Uncle John's Band-> Pl...

This week we are treated to the fine audience recording of the second set of the band's performance back on May 6, 1978 at Patrick Field House at the University of Vermont in Burlington VT.  This is a continuation of the fine Garcia performance put on last week in Set 1. We are treated to some wonderful vocals and even better jamming in this second set. The Samson is a perfect start to get the bal...

Sometimes the inspiration for a Deadpod will hit me when I'm looking over setlists, trying to see which one fits my mood for the season we're in. This week, i was turned onto a show I hadn't listened to before from one of our contributing listeners, who told me about this , his first Dead show. This comes to us from May 6th, 1978 at the University of Vermont in Burlington VT. This is a fine record...

This week we go way back to some of our earliest great recordings of the band for this beauty from November 11th, 1967. A request from a birthday kiwi down in New Zealand, (Happy Birthday Lawrence - and to my friend Jay as well!!)  this is a fabulous show highlighted with tremendous performances from Pigpen on keyboards and vocals. Garcia has a couple of really nice solos on the amazing 'Death Don...

Friday the 13th finds us featuring the second set from the band's performance 30 years ago at Cal Expo on May 3rd, 1986. A nice bouncy Scarlet starts us off, with some pleasing trills from Brent (if  you enjoy his additions).. the transition into Fire is one of the highlights of the set.. quite unusual.. Jerry gives a great reading of 'Fire on the Mountain', his voice in relatively good condition,...

I do hope it is a beautiful day in May whereever  you are! As we go back 30 years to a day that started out rainy but ended up beautiful out in California on the first weekend in May when a horse named 'Ferdinand' rode by the great Willie Shoemaker took the Kentucky Derby back in Louisville KY., but the Dead celebrated the day with a fine show at Cal Expo.  They chase away the raindrops with a fin...

I think we have a really top-notch set for you this week. The second set from April 19th, 1978 at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Columbus Ohio is filled with wonderful jamming and great song selections. It starts with the always energetic 'Samson and Delilah', then moves into a great version of 'It Must've Been The Roses' .. I think you'll find Donna (and Keith) both shine in this set. A nice...

This week we travel back to the spring tour of 1978 to bring you an excellent recording of a show the boys did back on April 19th, 1978 in Columbus Ohio. They come to play as they open up with a smokin' hot 'Bertha' which then goes into 'Good Lovin' to start the set. This serves to highlight perhaps the slower paced but still beautiful 'Friend of the Devil' that follows. 'Passenger' shows how stro...

Here's a wonderful record of a time when there truly was noone who did anything like the Grateful Dead.. this comes to us from April 12th, 1970 at the Fillmore West. This recording combines an audience and a soundboard source and does have some flaws, but I'm confident you'll listen to it with the same amazement it brings me. Of course the fact that they played with Miles Davis on the same bill du...

  This week's Deadpod features a fine second set from the April Fools' show of 1980.. I particularly enjoyed the China->Rider and Estimated->He's Gone.. Listen for the delightful keyboard work Brent gives us between The Other One and Drums :) A Shakedown encore is always fun too!! The ol' Professor is suffering through a nasty cold this week so I'm keeping this short, but this is a fine seco...

Hey Now! No April Fool here!! well yes there is, but its the April Fool the band pulled on its audience 36 years ago, on April 1st 1980, when the boys took the stage and proceeded to swap insturments - Bobby on keyboards, Brent and Jerry on drums, Billy on bass, Michey on rhythm guitar and vocals and Phil Lesh on lead guitar for the weirdest Promised Land ever.. Just had to bring that to you on th...

This week's Deadpod features the second set from the band's performance on March 14th, 1982 at the Recreation Hall at the University of California at Davis. This is a fine set of music.. starting out with a powerful Samson & Delilah, the centerpiece of this set being the exceptional Playin->Scarlet->Fire. They really shine on these pieces, with a very tight jazzy sound, accentuated by so...

This week I decided to bring you a relatively unknown but very nice sounding show from the spring of 1982. This is from the University of California at Davis on Sunday, March 17th, 1982. The boys come out and Bobby announces that they forgot something last night and they proceed to play 'One More Saturday Night' as the opener. A very nice Sugaree follows, then after an Uncle->Mexicali, a very soli...

As you listen to this second set from March 9th, 1981 it won't take you long at all to realize that fans were treated to a special evening of music 35 years ago. The China Cat -> I Know You Rider is such a wonderful beginning to what is a special night of music. Even a casual listener will soon be captured by the wonderful jam into Rider here. The band doesn't let up either, as this is just the...