The Deadpod

My hope is that this podcast, this music, can bring a little joy and light into your life during this dark and scary time...  This week we'll hear the second set from the band's performance on March 23, 1972 from the Academy of Music in New York City. While it is not as long as that massive first set from last week, I think it is uniformly good. 'Truckin' starts things off, nice tempo, lots of ene...

This week brings a *huge* first set Deadpod for you, from the famous run of shows at the Academy of Music in New York City on March 23, 1972. This set runs over 2 hours and contains 18 songs!  The band was gearing up for the upcoming Europe tour and I think this is one of the best shows of that run. Some of the many highlights include a great 'I Know You Rider' , Pigpen's 'Chinatown Shuffle', the...

Here we have a fine second set from the band's last performance at the Uptown Theater in Chicago IL, on February 28, 1981.  I think this is a very nice recording and an interesting set list, starting with the 'Cold Rain and Snow' opener, through the heart of this one, the 'Terrapin Station' into drums and Space, then a fine 'Other One' and 'Stella Blue'. While there is a bit of funky echo in spots...

39 years ago the band played a fine show at the Uptown Theater in Chicago, which I'm pleased to begin to present to you today. A fine 'Jack Straw' opener begins things on a high note, and the rest of this first set is varied and quite well played on this fine recording. Some of the highlights include a 'Little Red Rooster' with both some fine slide work and some nice color added by Brent, a great...

Boy is this one going to eat up my quota! There is almost 2 1/2 hours of smokin' Grateful Dead music in this week's Deadpod, from the second set on 2/23/74 at the Winterland in San Francisco CA. I'm bound to overlook something that you will enjoy in this set, nevertheless I'd call you attention to the wonderful opening set (Row Jimmy through Stella Blue).. as well as the HUGE segment from He's Gon...

Happy Valentine's Day!  I couldn't think of a better love letter to send to all of you than a fine portion of classic Grateful Dead from 1974.. from Winterland no less..  this beauty comes from the February '74 run - in this case February 23rd. This first set starts with a rocking 'Around and Around' - a different and welcome way to open a show. They follow with three ballads - 'Dire Wolf', 'Me &...

This week's Deadpod features the debut of another classic Dead song, 'Standing on the Moon',  as well as a fine pre-drums 'Playing in the Band' featuring a nice interplay betwen Jerry and Phil. I think this is a well played set, while it doesn't feature a ton of fireworks, it does have an interesting, if slightly dark, feel to the drumz segment and Brent's 'I Will Take You Home' always tugs at the...

As we close out the month of January, I decided to feature the first show the band performed back in 1989. This one comes from the Henry J Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland California on February 5, 1989.  While there was alot of anxiety among the faithful that this might be the last time the band would be allowed to play in the relatively intimate confines of the Kaiser, the band came out this...

One of my favorite periods of Dead music to explore is this January 1969 run at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco CA, and this week I decided to feature this set form January 26th. Is it complete? probably not.. is it pristine? certainly not the opening Cryptical which has a spot not far from the beginning that will test your patience.. be patient it is worth it, most of this tape sounds *great...

This week's Deadpod starts out with a unique Scarlet>Fire that was released back on Dick's Picks 13 as a 'hidden track'. This one doesn't sound like your usual Scarlet>Fire, the jam is unlike any other and Brent plays, I think, a bigger role (as he does throughout this set). I happen to dig it, hope you do as well. The rest of the (long) pre-drums set contains a fine Samson, a quite long 'Terrapin...

Hello Friends!  This week, a show that caught my fancy that for some reason has never been featured here on the Deadpod, but certainly deserves to be..  This comes to us from November 1, 1979 and teh Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale NY.  I think the band always enjoyed the NY area and this is I think, quite a fine and energetic outing.  This recording starts with an audience patch in 'Jack Straw' but...

Happy New Year!  Well.. not so happy NYE for me -- as my computer was infected with a zero day malware attack that has encrypted much of my digital music files (as well as the rest of my files)..  but the show must go on! So this week we will bring you the excellent 2nd set from the band's performance on 12/28/91 at Oakland CA.  I think this is quite a strong second set. with a nice 'Foolish Heart...

Our post-Christmas Deadpod for this week features a show from the band's New Year's run in 1991, this one from Saturday night December 28, 1991.  While it is a Saturday night, the band surprises us by opening up with a (partial) version of  'One More Saturday Night' before heading into 'Jack Straw'. Bobby screws up his line, resulting in a roar from the crowd, but the real story of this set is tha...

This week's Deadpod celebrates the season with a show from December 23, 1970 at the Winterland in San Francisco CA. I have three different sources for this show, each of them slightly different - I decided to put two of them together. I'm sure the order is probably not right, but the recordings each sound quite nice and I'm hoping that you'll enjoy them this week, as we celebrate the holidays and...

Lucky us! We get to listen to this wonderful second set from December 1, 1979 at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh PA on this week's Deadpod.  This is a fine recording and the music is quite good, even thrilling at times. The China>Rider opener is just right, then pay attention to the fine opening to 'Looks Like Rain'.. quite unique. 'He's Gone' is done quite well alos, and leads into a wonderful...

Here's a show that I attended and found to be quite magical at the time.. it is from December 1st, 1979 at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh PA. A beautiful, small venue, the energy on this night was unmatched and I'm sure it comes through on this nice recording. The show starts with a smoking 'Jack Straw', which Jerry then takes into a long and beautiful 'Sugaree'. After this we know we're in for...

Happy Thanksgiving!    As always we present an acoustic performance from the Dead for your Thanksgiving listening and relaxing pleasure. This one is from June 4, 1970 at the Fillmore West in San Francisco California. A fine recording, with a minimum of flaws, I hope you enjoy this as I wish for you a peaceful and happy holiday.    Grateful Dead Fillmore West San Francisco, CA 6/4/70 - Thursday    ...

Hey Now! Here's a great second set for your pee-Thanksgiving preparations.. from 11/2/84 at the Berkeley Community Theater, this was probably the highlight of the run, as the band turns in a solid performance highlighted by some great Garcia licks, some amazing Phil sounds and some excellent work from Bobby and Brent. The 'Help>Slip>Frank' is as always, a great opener, and the band revs it u...

This week I chose to bring you an unusual show from November 2, 1984 at the Berkeley Community Theater. This was the 4th show of a 5 show run at this small venue, close to home for the band and their fans and it has an intimate feel to it. The band is quite loose, too loose sometimes (listen to Bobby completely lose the lyrics to El Paso) but also interested in mixing things up as you can see from...

'I want to tell you how it's gonna be.....' and let me tell you this second set from November 24, 1972 in Dallas Texas is one rockin' hour + of fine Grateful Dead music. Unlike most of their four other Texas shows during this leg of the fall '72 tour there is no 'Dark Star' or 'Other One' here.. and this second set is notable for being fairly straight-ahead rock and roll. The show really gets movi...

On this week's Deadpod we feature a somewhat rare 'ish' show from November 24, 1972 Dallas Texas.  Quite a well-played show, it has  a few hiccups here and there, but overall a nice recording as well. Bobby tells us that Pigpen isn't here, at the end of Don't Ease, as he is home sick. I think Jerry throughout is quite on it. Some of my highlights are the Brown Eyed Women, a very nice Black Throate...

This week's Deadpod features the second set of the band's 'From Egypt With Love' performances at Winterland on October 18, 1978. This is an interesting set, it starts out rather slow, with a less than inspired 'Bertha'>'Good Lovin'. If you're a fan, Donna Jean's 'From the Heart of Me' follows.. I rather enjoy it, but it may be an acquired taste. 'Ship of Fools' follows, then the pre-drums highl...

We go back 41 years to this day in 1978 at Winterland in San Francisco to revisit the band's 2nd in the series of  'From Egypt with Love' concerts. This is a tight, well-played set with the band playing as well together as anyone could ask. The opening 'Sugaree' is massive - don't let the first few minutes of audience patch deter you from listening to this - Garcia soars here. I have to mention 'B...

This week's Deadpod features the band's performance at the Rainbow Theater in London England on Saturday October 3rd, 1981. This second set contains some wonderful improvisational music and both a fabulous pre-drums setlist and a spectacular Morning Dew. I think you'll agree that the music here flows beyond the structure of these songs to explore some unexpected places before settling back into fa...

We start out October with a show from across the pond in London, England on October 3rd, 1981. A well-played, rockin' first set gives a few hints as to the improvisation that will follow in set 2 next week. 'Alabama Getaway' is the opener, not uncommon for the time, and while the sound is a bit dicey at first things clear up nicely for the rest of the set. There's a really nice 'Peggy-O' here, and...