The Deadpod

We open the month of May here on the Deadpod with a great second set from 1977, as we continue our presentation of April 23rd, 1977 at the Springfield Civic Center Arena in Springfield MA. This set starts with the famous 'take a step back' exhortation to the crowd, but the band fires things up most excellently with a very tight 'Estimated Prophet'. Not only are the harmonies great here but Jerry h...

Well as we ease out of April it seems like a great idea to bring you s show from 1977... I have always tried to feature a show from that stupendous month of May '77, but all of those have either been featured already or commercially released, so I decided to go with this relatively unknown but excellent show from April 23rd, 1977 in Springfield MA. The show has an easy mellow feel to it, reminisce...

Happy 4/20!    This week's Deadpod features the 2nd set from the band's performance on April 15th at the college of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. I think you'll enjoy this one, as it continues the fine recording of set 1, with some strong playing as well. I'm especially enamored of the 'Playin' in the Band' and an unusually long and jamming 'Not Fade Away'. 'Morning Dew' follows, a song th...

This week's Deadpod features a fine show from the great Spring tour of 1978. This one starts off with a wonderful 'Mississippi Half-Step' -love Jerry's enthusiasm here! 'Passenger' follows - a song that I always enjoyed as a real rocker in the band's repertoire. A nice 'Friend of the Devil' follows, then stand  alone 'El Paso'. 'Brown Eyed Women' is always a treat, and is followed by a long and ni...

This week's Deadpod features the 2nd set from the band's March 30th, 1987 performance at the Spectrum in Philadelphia PA. In general, while Jerry's vocals may not be top-notch, his playing throughout is. We start out with a bouncy 'Iko,Iko', always flavored with Brent's tasty keyboards. A somewhat unique stand-alone 'Saint of Circumstance' follows and  flows into one of the highlights here, a long...

This week we go back 30 years to one of the boy's shows from the Spring tour of 1987. This took place at one of their favorite venues - the Spectrum in Philadelphia PA on March 30th, 1987. While this first set is rather short, I think you'll enjoy Garcia's enthusiasm on this set, besides who doesn't love a good Shakedown opener?      Grateful Dead - March 30, 1987 The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA S...

Hello Friends! I have to tell you, the ol' Professor has not had a great week.. been down with an awful case of the flu since last saturday night, which forced me to cancel a trip I had planned to the great Southwest :( However my week was brightened by a very sweet note and donation from Stephen and Kristi of New York City (who are dealing with their own nasty weather problems this week). Thanks...

This week we go back to the start of a legendary run that took place in the Spring of 1972, in New York City at the Academy of Music on March 21st. Off and on there are a few sonic problems with the tape - Garcia's vocals are buried in the opening 'Bertha' and there is a hum here and there, but overall well worth a listen. Garcia is on fire throughout and while some of the songs are still being de...

You've probably heard that Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have been playing some wonderful 'duo' shows together this month.. while I'm still contemplating playing one of the audience tapes of one of these gems, I decided to bring you another 'Phil & Friends' acoustic show that started the genre - this took place back on September 24th, 1994 at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley CA, a benefit f...

March will come in like a lion for us with the second set from the band's performance at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles CA from February 11th, 1989. We are treated right off to a superb China>Rider, with a very nice jam into Rider. I love hearing Brett here.. what better song to bring in March than 'I Know You Rider'? and Jerry sells that 'northbound train' line :) . 'Man Smart, Woman S...

This week's Deadpod features the first set from the band's performance on February 11th, 1989 in Los Angeles, CA. I love the opener, Mississipi Half-Step, and Jerry doesn't let me down here.. 'across.... the lazy river.. :) An energetic Minglewood follows, then a lovely 'Candyman'.. I love the color that Brent added here, but no one sounds like Jerry on this. Next a rockin' 'Big River', followed b...

This week's Deadpod features the beautiful 2nd set from February 9th, 1973 from Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Plenty of breakouts make this a rare and unusual set, including 'They Love Each Other' , 'Eyes of the World', 'China Doll' and 'Wave that Flag'. Some great exploratory jamming in Eyes marks a unique version that sounds unlike any other played that year. There are a few splices here...

45 years ago today the Dead premiered the 'Wall of Sound'.. they also premiered the following classic songs:  China Doll, Eyes of the World, Here Comes Sunshine, Loose Lucy, They Love Each Other, Row Jimmy, Wave That Flag (Later US Blues).. this week we'll listen to the first set from this spectacular show, from February 9th, 1973 at the Roscoe Maples Pavilion at Stanford University, Palo Alto Cal...

This week we feature the second set from the band's performance on April 10th, 1983 at Morgantown, West Virginia. This is a fine sounding, energetic set, in which I think Brent's contributions really shine. I love the intro out of space into 'the Wheel' and of course the 'China Doll' that comes out of the return into 'Playin'.  The jamming in Playin' may not quite get out there as far as you'd lik...

This week's Deadpod comes as the result of a request by a friend .. some say the highlight of this show is the opener, I wouldn't go that far but it is a surprise, even for a Sunday! The 'Samson & Delilah' opener only happened a couple of times in the band's history but I think the rest of this set is quite entertaining as well. From April 10th, 1983 in Morgantown West Virginia.. I found the i...

Here's hoping that this set of fine early Dead music will help warm  your bones in the middle of this cold cold January... We continue with the band's performance from January 16th, 1970 at Springer's Inn in Portland Oregon. While we start out with a Cumberland Blues that is a bit shortened, this tape more than make sup for it with early versions of classic songs that are delightful to me as I lis...

A fresh new year brought to my mind a good time to hear the band when they sounded fresh and young - - thus this week's Deadpod from 1/16/70 at Springer's Inn in Portland Oregon.  This is the start of what was a momentous year for the band, and we can hear the enthusiasm and talent of each of them on this fine recording. While there are no long jams or songs on this recording, there is a passion a...

We usher in the New Year with a long, fantastic second set from the Dead's performance on 12/30/78 at the Pauley Pavilion in UCLA, Los Angeles, CA. The bands opens with a trifecta of rock and roll -  'I Need a Miracle' (check out Weir's shouting here) into 'Bertha' into 'Good Lovin'. This leads into a fantastic, long Scarlet > Fire (almost 18 minutes). You might think they'd head into Drums and Sp...

First off - Happy New Year! Always a significant date on the touring calendar, the NYE run has seen many great shows over the years. I've decided to bring you one from 39 years ago, 12/29/78 at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in Los Angeles CA. This rather long first set is a combination of slower Garcia ballads and rockin' Weir covers.. but it all works and I hope you'll enjoy it.  An opening 'Jack Straw...

First off - Happy New Year! Always a significant date on the touring calendar, the NYE run has seen many great shows over the years. I've decided to bring you one from 39 years ago, 12/29/78 at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in Los Angeles CA. This rather long first set is a combination of slower Garcia ballads and rockin' Weir covers.. but it all works and I hope you'll enjoy it.  An opening 'Jack Straw...

First off - Happy New Year! Always a significant date on the touring calendar, the NYE run has seen many great shows over the years. I've decided to bring you one from 39 years ago, 12/29/78 at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in Los Angeles CA. This rather long first set is a combination of slower Garcia ballads and rockin' Weir covers.. but it all works and I hope you'll enjoy it.  An opening 'Jack Straw...

First off - Happy New Year! Always a significant date on the touring calendar, the NYE run has seen many great shows over the years. I've decided to bring you one from 39 years ago, 12/29/78 at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in Los Angeles CA. This rather long first set is a combination of slower Garcia ballads and rockin' Weir covers.. but it all works and I hope you'll enjoy it.  An opening 'Jack Straw...

Our annual Christmas Deadpod features a very entertaining acoustic show from the summer of 1970. While it is true that the mandolin and the guitars are higher in the mix than optimal, I am of the opinion that the quality of the recording, and the originality of the set list, make this a worthwhile pastime on a cold winter's day. I do hope you agree.    I wish for all of you peace and happiness and...

This week's Deadpod features a one-set wonder (as it is only the 2nd set that we have a soundboard tape of) of a superb show from December 1st, 1971 from the Boston Music Hall in Boston MA. This is a beautiful recording of the young Dead and I'm quite certain you'll enjoy both the stand alone songs and the insane jamming of 'The Other One'. The ending 'Not Fade Away'>Going  Down the Road Feelin' B...

This week - a really fun second set from the early Winter/late Fall of 79. This set starts out with a great Shakedown Street into a drummer's favorite - Samson and Delilah. Jerry slows things down a bit with a beautiful 'High Time' bu tthey pick back up with a long and well jammed-out Estimated->Eyes of the World. The jam going into Drums is particularly tasty. 'Black Peter' comes out of Drums,...