The Deadpod

This week I came across a fun show from August 19, 1989 at the Greek Theater in Berkeley California. The opener is so much fun -when you listen you just know you're in for a treat. A great 'Jack Straw' follows, played just at the right tempo :)  Brent follows with 'We Can Run' - and its hard not to reflect on how little has changed.. 'Tennessee Jed' is always a good time, and Jerry really rips it...

This week's second set from Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City NJ, is one of the best of that year, in my opinion. It starts out with a smokin' Help>Slip>Frank, the Slipknot here is particularly great. A wonderful summertime 'Dancing In the Street' follows, then 'The Wheel', and 'Samson'.. again Phil is way up in the mix and I only wish I could hear him so well more often.. 'Roses' follows, with the...

This week the Deadpod stays right in Jersey City, for this wonderful show from August of 1976. This show too, took place at Roosevelt Stadium on August 4, 1976.  We start out with a long, dreamy 'Sugaree' - clocking in at over 14 minutes. Jerry is in good voice at this show, and you will notice that Phil is quite up front in this recording as well. These songs are all played at the slower pace cha...

I can think of no better way to celebrate the 'Days Between' than with this fabulous second set from Jerry's Birthday show on August 1, 1973 from Jersey City, New Jersey.  All around excellence here. Just when you're settling in they give you a Dark Star for the ages - including probably the first 'mind left body jams'. They come up for air with 'El Paso' then deliver one of the all-time great 'Ey...

While Jerry's birthday is not until Sunday, I felt that there could be no better way to start off the 'Days Between' than with this humdinger of a show from August 1st, 1973. I realize this is only days after last week's Deadpod fom Watkins Glen, but, hey its one of the few, and probably the greatest of Jerry's Birthday show with the band. Now this version of the events is captured on what I feel...

I originally thought I would play Brent Mydland's last show with the band - 7/23/1990 - but at the last moment decided I would bring you something much happier - the famous soundcheck from the Watkins Glen festival that took place on July 27, 1973.  Long a favorite among Deadheads, you've likely heard this before - but this is one of those performances that deserve to be listened to again from tim...

Hey Now! what a great second set this week as we explore the rest of the band's performance on September 26, 1972 at teh Stanley Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey.  Right out of the gate we get a wonderful psychedelic ride with a 20 minute 'Playin In The Band'. Phil is all over this. They follow up with the very last performance of 'You Win Again'. 'El Paso' follows but things get sharp again wit...

A great show from a great run is showcased in this week's Deadpod. This is from September 26, 1972 at the Stanley Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey. The first show of a three night run, this features some great guitar work by Garcia throughout, even here in the first set. A fine 'Cold Rain and Snow' might be overlooked by the early 'He's Gone', but there is so much great music here. I love the 'B...

Happy 4th of July!  This week we present the second set of the band's performance from Anchorage Alaska on the summer solstice, June 21, 1980.  This is a fine setlist, and most of the songs are quite well-played. I think 'Big Railroad Blues' is a great opener, and the Samson and Delilah' that follows is quite swell. The pre-drums 'Terrapin' has a wonderful segue into the jammin' 'Playin' in the Ba...

A summer solstice show to celebrate the arrival of summer, this comes to us from the band's only trip to Alaska back on June 21, 1980. This first set opens with a strong 'Sugaree', and Jerry continues to light it up on the Minglewood that follows. In fact most of these first set songs are quite strong and fast paced, I'd particularly call your attention to the 'Lazy Lightni'>Supplication', Brent's...

This week we present the second set from the band's historic run at RFK Stadiuim in Washington D. C. the weekend of June 9, 1973.  This is a fine, long, wall-of-sound, show and it's no wonder that it ranked highly in Dick Latvala's estimation ( https://gdsets.com/latvala/1973_06_09.jpg) .  While there is some confusion over the exact start of this setlist, I'm choosing to include the Greatest Stor...

This week we bring you a fine recording of an often overlooked gem from the Summer of 1973. This comes to us from RFK Stadium in Washington DC on Saturday, June 9, 1973. This date is often overlooked in favor of the next day (which we played back in '08). On both dates, the band shared the bill with the Allman Brothers. On this very hot day, the Dead opened, and played two excellent sets.  The fir...

Here is the second set of the band's performance at the 'In Concert Against AIDS' event that took place on May 27, 1989 at Oakland California.  Clarence Clemmons sits in on the first four songs of set 2 and the closing Lovelight, and I think to particularly nice effect on the 'Fire On the Mountain' and 'Lovelight'. There are two very nice Brent tunes here - a good version of 'Blow Away' and a swee...

Hey Now! Summer is here and the time is right... :) Anyway I think this is a fun show for this Memorial Day weekend - not a great show, but a fun show.. this is from May 27, 1989 - 'In Concert Against AIDS'. The band appeared with several other groups (most notably perhaps John Fogerty who Bobby and Jerry shared the stage with), and this set features Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band on much o...

This week we continue with the second set of the band's performance from The Ohio State University on September 30, 1976. This features an unusual setlist starting with an unexpected and rather powerful 'Lazy Lightning', and then, after some lyrical stumbles, goes into a heated 'Supplication'. 'It Must Have Been the Roses' starts out somewhat slowly but builds to a very nice finish. An excellent '...

I'm going to shuffle the deck a little bit and bring you a real treat, a show from the fall of 1976. This comes to us from September 30, 1976 at Mershon Auditorium at The Ohio State University. This special request from a friend of the Deadpod features a fantastic first set. The opening 'Music Never Stopped' is quite unique - and features some wonderful playing by Garcia in the cresendo leading in...

This week's Deadpod brings us the second set of the band's fine performance at Cal Expo on May 4, 1991. They continue what has been a solid show, opening with the perhaps odd choice of 'Victim or the Crime'. That darkness has to give however as they then move onto a wonderful 'Crazy Fingers' and 'Playin In the Band'. It sounds for a bit at the end of the latter that they will move into Drums, but...

This week on the Deadpod we feature a Kentucky Derby Day performance by the band back in 1991. This was at Cal Expo, in Sacramento California on May 4, 1991.  The band starts out hard and tight with a roaring 'Hell In a Bucket'. They are without Hornsby here, and in some ways sound tighter and more together (although I'm well aware that opinions differ on how Vince sounds here). The 'Sugaree' that...

This week the Deadpod goes back to the Spring of 1969 for a set the Dead played in Chicago at a place either called 'The Electric Theater' or the 'Kinetic Playground' depending on where you look :)  While this is a short set, the story goes that the Velvet Underground was on the same bill, and played before the Dead. Apparently they played a very long set and the Dead were left with only enough ti...

We have a very fine second set this week from the Grateful Dead's performance at the Hartford Civic Center on April 18, 1982. While the show is known for the famous 'Earthquake Space' that Phil creates following drums, the interplay throughout is wonderful from all the members of the band and this fine recording captures that fun and joy completely. I would draw your attention in particular to the...

This week we have the first set of a legendary show from April 18, 1982 in Hartford CT. Those of you familiar with either the history of the Grateful Dead or of San Francisco know that April 18, 1906 was the date of the great San Francisco Earthquake, and this show is famous for its legendary 'Earthquake Space'. Since I prefer presenting complete shows, and since this first set is quite good on it...

This week we are fortunate enough to hear the second set of the band's fine performance from March 20, 1977 at the Winterland in San Francisco. A Sunday show, this set starts out appropriately enough with a great 'Samson and Delilah'. A beautiful 'Row Jimmy' follows with very soulful Garcia vocals. The heart of this set comes with the St. Stephen>Other One> Stella Blue combo. Following the excelle...

Spring has sprung a bit earlier than usual here in the north, and it's a perfect time to break out the sweet, silky sounds of the Grateful Dead from 1977.. Here's a beauty from March 20, 1977 at the Winterland in San Francisco.  As usual its marked by the extremely smooth and intricate ensemble playing that characterize the year. The band is clearly paying attention to and responding to each other...

This week's Deadpod features an outstanding second set (only) from March 13, 1982 in Reno Nevada.  While I wish there existed a soundboard of the first set to match this exquisite recording I decided there was no reason not to let you enjoy this great set because it didn't exist.  This set starts out with a powerful reading of 'Feel Like a Stranger' into 'Franklin's Tower'. Jerry is all over both...

A rare but lovely third set is up on this week's Deadpod.. from Winterland in San Francisco, the first show the band played in 1974 on February 22, 1974.  'Hello baby I'm gone goodbye'... as the band opens this set with a beautiful 'Mississippi Half-Step'... love Garcia's silkly guitar on this one.. Bobby revs it up with a smokin' 'Promised Land', nice work by Keith on the piano here. They switch...