The Deadpod

I so hope that everyone had a warm and happy Thanksgiving! As is my wont around the holidays, this week I'm posting an acoustic set, one of the most famous of those, this comes to us from the Milkweg in Amsterdam on Bobby's birthday, October 16th, 1981. From all reports a very impromptu appearance, the boys play on borrowed instruments, yet the boys put out a very fun and engaging performance. Whi...

This week's Deadpod features a fine second set from November 21st, 1985 at the Kaiser Auditorium in Oakland CA. Energetic and well-played throughout this one features a fine set list with two songs that would never again be played by the band, 'She Belongs to Me' and 'Walkin' The Dog'... They open with a wonderful 'Shakedown Street' that rather oddly, goes into a great 'Crazy Fingers'.. I've read...

Yikes! Friday the 13th! but not only is it Friday the 13th it is ODD day! - 11/13/15 :)  I decided such an auspicious occasion deserved an unusual show and I think this one fits the bill. It features *three* songs that would never be played by the band again - one in this first set and the other two in the second set that we'll hear next week.   This is from November 21st, 1985 at the Kaiser in Oa...

This week's Deadpod features the second set from the band's performance on November 2nd, 1979 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY. The set starts off quite uptempo with a great 'I Need a Miracle' going into a rousing version of 'Bertha'. Bobby performs a fine rendition of 'Lost Sailor' which goes into again a nice uptempo 'Saint of Circumstance'. The highlight of the set follows, at least for...

This week's Deadpod features another great request from one of my listeners, this time for the Dead's performance on November 2nd, 1979 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale N.Y. The first set starts with an amazing sequence of Mississippi Half-Step into a wonderful Franklin's Tower, marred just a bit by the fact that the first 2 minutes of the Half-Step are missing from the soundboard tape. I just...

This week on the Deadpod we'll finish hearing the end of the third set of the band's performance on 10/10/80 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco CA. This section starts with a wonderful verison of 'Big Railroad Blues' one of my favorite rockers. Then we get a nice jam that follows in 'Estimated Prophet' into 'Eyes of the World'.  This is probably my personal highlight of this week's set as th...

We'll continue this week with the Grateful Dead's performance during one of their historic performances at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, CA on October 10th, 1980. This week we will finish listening to the first electric set and being hearing set 3. While the sound quality may not be as wonderful as that for the acoustic set, I still really enjoy hearing them on these songs. We start with...

It is only fitting that we go back to the famous 'acoustic' shows of 1980 for this week's Deadpod. This was a request from one of my wonderful listeners for a show that not only features the famous acoustic first set, but outstanding electric sets 2 and 3. The first set is a treat for everyone who enjoys the acoustic Dead, and while I do like to feature this genre around the holidays, the arrival...

This week's Deadpod takes us back to the second set of the Grateful Dead's performance at Madison Square Garden on Thursday September 20th, 1990. Not only is the crowd fired up by a great first set, but it quickly apparent that the boys are not about to phone in this set, as it turns into one of the strongest performances of the 90s. They come out of the gate with a strong rockin' Truckin'.. then...

Generally considered the strongest show of one of the strongest runs in the band's Post-Brent Mydland career, this week's Deadpod pays homage to the band's performance on September 20th, 1990 at Madison Square Garden in New  York City, NY. I clearly remember how excited and happy I was when I first heard of, then finally got to listen to, this run of shows. There was much uncertainty about how the...

This week we return to the Berkley Community Theater for the second set of the band's performance back on August 14th, 1971. The tape cuts into Truckin' in progress,  luckily however the excellent jam that ends the song is preserved.. from there we go into an early set Drums, and then, suddenly if not unexpectedly, the bombs drop signalling a truly great Other One to follow. Phil really shines on...

A request from one of my supporters, as well as the fact that this past week marked Pigpen's 70th birthday inspired this week's Deadpod selection from the Berkeley Community Theater on August 14th, 1971. This is a great tape that showcases the early versions of many classics like 'Sugaree' and 'Playin' In the Band' as well as some outstanding Pigpen performances. Highlights include the opening 'Be...

This week's Deadpod continues with the second set from the band's performance on September 6th, 1980 at Lewiston Maine. Wildly praised by those in attendance, I think you'll enjoy this recording even though it has its share of flaws, and several of the songs are only from an audience recording. The set starts with one of those funky 80's Shakedown Streets.. always a great way to get the crowd on t...

This week we feature yes another show from 1980.. this one was the last show of the summer tour that year, and took place up in Lewiston Maine, at a big outdoor festival there at the State Fairgrounds on September 6th, 1980. This is a wonderful show, and while this recording does suffer some issues (this is a soundboard/audience matrix) it still captures what is a superb performance and I'm certai...

Here is the second set of the Grateful Dead's performance at the Glen Falls Civic Center in Glen Falls New York on May 8th, 1980. This set displays the same energy as the excellent first set, starting off with an unusual 'Uncle John's Band' opener. Estimated->Eyes follows, certainly not an unusual combination, but nevertheless Garcia makes the transition worth listening to. The Truckin' into Stell...

This week's Deadpod is the result of a request from one of my long time listeners' who reported that his wife had one of those annoying incidents where some lout dumped a beer on her during this, her very first Grateful Dead show and nevertheless remained tolerant enough to accompany him to yet another Dead show 15 years later where the same thing happened to the poor lady! Despite all that this i...

This week we present the third and final portion of the Grateful Dead's performance from the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Racecourse in Watkins Glen NY on July 28th, 1973. This may not be the best show of the year, but there is certainly some fine music here to recommend itself and to fuel many a thought as you listen. This section begins with a nice Stella Blue, and when you think well there is the Je...

On this Blue Moon Friday, we present the 2nd installment of the Grateful Dead's performance at Watkins Glen Speedway on July 28th, 1973. We start with the last song of the 1st set, but arguably the highlight of the show, a classic 'Playin' In the Band'. This one is in my opinion, on a par with the famous soundcheck of the previous day. It doesn't take them long to jump off on a psychedelic musical...

This week I'm going to start to present the Grateful Dead's performance at the famous Watkins Glen racecourse from July 28th, 1973. Not only was this the largest rock concert attendance wise ever up to this point, it of course is most famous perhaps for the soundcheck the band did the day before the actual performance which I'm going to showcase these next 3 weeks. I think that is somewhat unfair,...

On this week's Deadpod the band shows plenty of excitement and enthusiasm throughout a pretty great second set during their first visit to Red Rocks back in 1978. I've always been a fan of Cold Rain and Snow, and this is a great way to open the set. Garcia starts several of these songs rather slowly but they tend to  build up to a great climax, and I think that is apparent especially on the Scarle...

As I pondered what show to bring you this week, in the shadow of the emotion and excitement of last weekend's Fare Thee Well shows, I settled upon this show which marked the band's first visit to one of their very favorite venues, Red Rocks. This took place back on July 7th, 1978, and while I've previously played the next night's show, which is perhaps a bit more famous and of which probably bette...

Happy 4th ! and of course Happy Fare Thee Well Weekend!    This week i thought it appropriate to feature a set from Chicago so we will finish up with set 2 from the Auditorium Theater in Chicago Il that was played back on June 29th, 1976. Not only is this a very fine sounding recording but I am willing to bet you'll enjoy how the band sounds .. there is quite a bit of very fine jamming going on he...

With much excitement building for this week and next week's Fare Thee Well shows, I decided to feature a show from the windy city on this week (and next week's) Deadpod.. this one comes from the Auditorium Theater back on June 29th, 1976. The first thing you'll notice, as with any shows from this period, is the slower tempo. Some people love the more deliberate pacing, some hate it, but I enjoy he...

This week, set 2 of a wonderful recording of a rockin' show from the Summer of 1980 - 6/20/80 from  Anchorage Alaska. This is really a wonderful classic set of Grateful Dead music for the period, and this second set starts out with a fabulous Alabama Getaway into Greatest Story Every Told. The crowd knows they're in for a treat here as the boys rock this one out! Ship of Fools follows and then a w...

As I sat outside on my porch last night at 9:30 PM, noticing that it was still light, I thought that it might be time to bring you a show from the land of the midnight sun, Alaska. This week I'm playing a great show from the Dead's only visit to our largest state, back in 1980. This is from the middle of a three night run in a high school auditorium, on June 20th, 1980. I think you'll agree this i...