The Deadpod

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling the need for a little early jump into summer.... so this week I decided to bring you this excellent summertime Dead show, recently requested by one of my wonderful listeners. This sweet show comes to us from that weird town of Austin, Texas :), back in 1982. Just a day before Jerry's birthday I think you'll agree that he and the rest of the band were in a fi...

We continue this week with an excellent, virtually unknown or heard of show from the summer of 1980, this took place just over from me in Grand Rapids Michigan on August 24th, 1980. I tend to think of this time as the salad days of Brett's tenure in the keyboard perch, as I think the entire band was firing on all cylinders and this show is a good example of that. It is a unique setlist, with one o...

This week I'm featuring a tape that was just released - its an audience tape but quite a good one of the Dead's performance back on August 24th, 1980 in Grand Rapids Michigan.  I had never heard this show before and doubt that very many other folks have either so I think you'll find this to be a real treat. From the notes it sounds like not many people heard the show that night either - just a few...

This week the Deadpod remains in Vegas, for the second set played on  April 27, 1991. I believe this is as fine a second set as you're likely to find from this Spring tour of 1991. Jerry is in really good shape here it seems as he hardly forgets a lyric and the band certainly plays a wonderful pre-drums set! Opening with Sugar Mag, then comes a heady combination of Scarlet->Fire->Playin->Uncle Joh...

For this Good Friday edition of the Deadpod I've picked out a show from the 1991.. this was the first of what would become a regular stop in Las Vegas for the boys in the 90s. April 27th, 1991 at the Sam Boyd Silver Bowl. This is a fun first set, and I think that comes through in the band's playing and on the recording.  The weather from all accounts was perfect, unlike later years, and Santana pr...

I think you'll really enjoy this second set from 1982... I don't know exactly what the boys were into (judging from the Raven space there must've been some tanks backstage :) but I find the entire set to be very up tempo and well played. Garcia is in fine form throughout and particularly enjoy the stand alone, bluegrass tinged Franklin's Tower. Estimated is arranged quite uniquely as well, and a s...

This week I'm bringing out a show that was requested quite a while ago.. just goes to show that you should always let me know what you hope to hear and be patient :) This is a fine show from a fine tour - the spring of 1982. This show happened to be the last one on the east coast leg of that tour and took place on April 19th, 1982 in Baltimore MD. The first set we'll hear tonight is emblematic of...

The second set of the Dead's performance at Winterland on March 18th, 1977, is often singled out because of the fact that it was the only time the band performed the 'complete' Terrapin Station, including the instrumental section labeled 'At A Siding' and here noted in the track listings as 'Alhambra'. This performance most closely resembles the studio version released on the album of the same nam...

I often wait until later in the Spring to pull out a show from 1977, but the anniversary this week of this run of shows moved me to pull this beauty out of the archives and select it for our next couple of Deadpods..  This show took place back on March 18th, 1977 at Winterland in San Francisco. The band is already jelling into the tight unit they're going to become later that spring, and you can h...

March of 1969 was a seriously good month for the young Grateful Dead. The classic run at the Fillmore which opened the month showed us exactly how on fire these guys were at the time. I came across this little gem and was reminded of the energy and power of those days and thought I'd share it with you this week. This set starts out with the very first 'Hard To Handle' and while Pig isn't at his be...

This week I'm bringing out a show that has been on my request list for some time, I believe the reason I hadn't played it before is probably because I only have the first set in a soundboard format - the show is certainly good enough to warrant a listen as this first set contains the very first performance of 'Visions of Johanna' .. but that's not the only highlight of this first set.. Beat It on...

While this week's Deadpod may be one of the shorter 2nd sets of the year in 1973, there is still plenty to love in this week's setlist. The set opens with a wonderfully crafted Playin' in the Band, which leads into Row Jimmy and El Paso.. the Loose Lucy that follows has drawn complaints due to its slow tempo.. I also think this song works best when it bouncy, but the boys go into a pretty good Tru...

When Charlie Miller releases a new master reel sbd source, especially from 1973, i almost feel an obligation to get it on the Deadpod.. this is one of those rare occasions and it also coincides with a request I recently received from a contributor to the Deadpod so all signs pointed to playing this show on this week's Deadpod. This performance took place on July 1st, 1973 at the Universal City Amp...

For this Valentine's Day edition of the Deadpod i chose this set from February of 1986 - true 86 is not on my list of 'great' years, but this is a very fun show, one where the Neville Brothers opened and came out to guest with the band in set 2. The first set sets  the tone for a high-spirited, fun evening I think.. the band opens with a rare China->Rider, which, while perhaps a little rushed,...

I felt it was high time for some vintage Dead.. here's a show from one of my favorite places that showcases the boys sick run of shows that occurred back in February of '69. This night they were opening for the Iron Butterfly - the story goes that once IB heard their set they refused to come out for awhile, so the band came back with the smokin' Cryptical ->Other One->Cryptical sandwich.... In any...

A truly special show for Super Bowl weekend ;) - the second set, aka  the 'Close Encounters' show - from McArthur Court at the University of Oregon, January 22nd, 1978. I still remember when I first heard this show, it blew me away, and not only because of the weirdness of hearing Jerry quote that theme from the Spielburg movie - but the entire jam that builds up from the Drums and the Other One i...

The anniversary of this show rolled around this week, and as far as I can tell I've never played it on the Deadpod which is astonishing to me as its truly a great one, so I decided to feature it this week and next. This one comes to us from early 1978, While this show is deservedly famous for its second set, in particular being known as the 'close encounters' show, the first set we'll hear this we...

A classic second set from the great year of 1971 on this week's Deadpod. This one features a massive Other One, an early look at Keith who was playing with the boys without Pigpen on this night and a very well played Goin' Down the Road Feelin Bad->NFA->GDTRFB sandwich.. definitely a favorite!  Phil is all over this massive Other One as well, and I think this is a good choice to warm those bone on...

Here's a show that was recently requested over on the Deadpod's Facebook page.. since this is an excellent recording, I decided this would be a good time to play it. It comes to us from October 29th, 1971 from teh old Allen Theater in Cleveland Ohio. While I never saw the Dead at this venue it was an old movie house that saw lots and lots of rock shows around this time. The band was going through...

This week we stretch out the New Year festivities with a really BIG Deadpod featuring the 2nd and 3rd sets from the NYE show of 1979-80. This is a very long show, so I suppose that we  might forgive Jerry for getting lost occasionally.. he more than makes up for it on some really excellent numbers in these two sets.  The boys' ring in the new year with, as often the case, Bill Graham's favorite, S...

Happy New Year! Well close enough ;) that said I decided to bring out one of the band's famous NYE performances for this week's (and next week's) Deadpod. This is from 12/31/79 at the Oakland Auditorium Arena in Oakland CA. While many would argue that this was not the best show of this NYE run (after all 12/28/79 was released as Road Trips Vol 3 #1, and 12/26/79 was Dick's Picks #5) there is still...

I've always been fond of how the band sounded in 1979, and this week's Deadpod shows some of the reasons why. Brett hadn't been in the band a year yet, but by now he is well integrated in the sound and you can really hear his contributions in this show from Kansas City. The rest of the band is quite tight as well, and in this first set the solid 'Jack Straw' and 'Loser' openers show us that we're...

This week the exciting (and super long!) second set from the band's performance at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester NY on November 8th, 1970. The band was clearly developing quickly at this time.. and in many ways we can look upon this as a turning point, away from perhaps the rawer, more psychedelic sound to a more polished version that would come to dominate in 1971 and beyond. The set list c...

Happy Thanksgiving (and Hanukka)! While this Deadpod comes on the day after I hope you'll enjoy this week's show as a tasty desert and a sweet way to start off your holiday weekend. I always enjoy bringing you acoustic Dead on the holidays and while I was tempted to save this tasty nugget for Christmas I decided I would play it right now instead. The last official acoustic set of the 70s, the band...

On this week's Thanksgiving Eve Deadpod :) we get to hear the second set from a wonderful show that took place on November 14th, 1973.. This second set in many ways is a long improvisational jam on the Other One theme, for after a nice Truckin' the band goes in and out of The Other One for much of the remaining set. Of course the set is punctuated with a delightful 'Eyes of the World' and a great...