Two factors influnced this week's Deadpod; first a request for more 1969 Dead from a friend of the 'pod, and secondly my desire to find a one-set tape that wouldn't run over into next week's Thanksgiving podcast. The result, I think, is this outstanding recording from October 25, 1969 at Winterland. Sure, its only four songs... but what songs these are.. I know I played a 'Dark Star' last week but I'm confident you'll forgive me when you hear this rendition, complete with the very first 'feeling...
Nov 20, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Here is an appropriate Dead show for Friday the 13th! This is the second set from the band's performance at the Hofheinz Pavilion at the University of Houston on November 19th, 1972. A fine second set and while the tape has a few imperfections (the quality of the Sugar Mag>GDTRFB is degraded sadly) I think overall it is certainly worth your time.. Why do I say its appropriate for a Friday the 13th? Take a good *long* listen to this Dark Star.. :) I'm going to leave the music speak for itself ...
Nov 13, 2020•1 hr 40 min
Long considered a classic show, I decided to start off our November here on the Deadpod with this gem from 1972.. from November 19th in Houston Texas. While this tape does have some faults I think overall it is well worth a listen.. The band was originally scheduled to play this show with the Allman Brothers, but the tragic death of bassist Barry Oakley the prior week left them to fill the evening alone - and they more than did.. The opening 'Bertha' suffers from poor mixing but that clears up i...
Nov 06, 2020•1 hr 43 min
We close out October.. and welcome Halloween :) with a great second set from October 21st, 1971 in Chicago. While this may be Keith Godchaux's second night of his tenure with the band, he sure doesn't sound tentative here - especially on his first 'Dark Star'! This one is made even more unusual when the band goes into 'Sittin' On Top of the World' then back into the Star.. (the first Sittin' since 11/5/70).The 'Brown Eyed Women' is only the 3rd time they've played it, and this is the second time...
Oct 30, 2020•1 hr 12 min
This week's Deadpod features a show from the Fall tour of 1971.. this one was the 2nd night for Keith Godchaux in the keyboard seat.. and features a whole bunch of songs that were still finding their way in the repertoire.. in fact five songs in this first set are being played for the 2nd time.. the first time being the night before for Tennessee Jed, Jack Straw (with some out of tune guitars :), Mexicali Blues, Comes a Time and One More Saturday Night! For the most part these sound great.. and ...
Oct 23, 2020•1 hr 27 min
This week we conclude our presentation of the band's performance from October 11, 1980 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco. What great days when the band would perform three sets at a show! This is not a throw-away set by any means.. After a rather standard China>Rider things get very interesting 'Let It Grow' leading into Drums and Space, followed by a guest appearance by the late John Cipollina from Quicksilver Messenger Service. Together they do a most interesting post-drums, featurin...
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Great set this week - the 2nd set from the band's performance at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on 10/11/80. Great quality tape - and right off they sound hot .. a wonderful 'Stranger' punctuated with some smoking guitar. Even the Mama Tried>Mexicali has some real smokin' licks. Personally I find the post-Donna 'Passenger' to be one of the best of this period.. really well done. There's nothign shabby here, and the closing Sailor>Saint has some great jamming in it. Grateful Dead War...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 16 min
Here we are in October already?!! What an odd and unhappy year.. well I thought I'd try to brighten things a bit by paying homage to the acoustic sets the band played 40 years ago during the month of October 1980.. This week's Deadpod features one of those, a fine recording of the acoustic set from October 11, 1980 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco CA. While there's not a great deal of surprises here, the recording is very nice and warm and the performance is as well. While I often prefer...
Oct 02, 2020•56 min
This week the Deadpod presents the second set from the band's performance back on September 23, 1972 at Waterbury CT. Another quite long, very interesting set awaits as the band starts out rockin' with a trifecta of Promised Land>Bertha>Greatest Story to get the place going. After a nice 'Brown-Eyed Women' they break out Chuck Berry's 'Around and Around' for the first time in 105 shows (4/18/71). They follow that breakout with the first rendition of 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue' in 156 sh...
Sep 25, 2020•1 hr 47 min
This week we set the way-back machine to 1972, and travel to Waterbury CT, for a show the band played on September 23, 1972. The first set, which we will hear this week, while fairly standard for the period is still quite long compared to later day Dead sets. The start off with a still-new 'Big River' and I think this is a fine opener, shame they didn't leave it here more often.. There are a passel of great standards here in the first set, including Sugaree, a speedy 'Friend of the Devil', a ver...
Sep 18, 2020•1 hr 36 min
Here's a request from a friend of the Deadpod from down under... this comes to us from the beautiful Red Rocks Ampitheater, on September 8, 1983. Now I only have set 2 in a soundboard format so that's all I'll present of this wonderful show, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. They come out of the gate with a smokin' Scarlet>Fire, the Scarlet almost has a calypso feel to it to my ears as they start, and Phil is driving that train.. as it progresses Jerry just soars.. this one builds and builds and ...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 56 min
Happy Labor Day Weekend! This week we bring you the second set from the band's performance on August 23, 1987 at the Calavaras County Fairgrounds in Angel's Camp CA. It's a nice setlist, and opens with a Scarlet>Fire. Playin' in the Band leads into Drums and Space and we get a 'Dear Mr. Fantasy' post drums.. The highlight of this set however is the 'Morning Dew' where you feel like they really woke up and took the plane off the runway.. Always nice to have a double encore, with the 'Brokedown...
Sep 04, 2020•1 hr 21 min
This week we travel to the home of the celebrated jumping frogs - Calavaras county - to bring you the band's performance from August 23, 1987. I find this to be quite an enjoyable first set as it features many songs not often broken out, including a set opening 'Box of Rain'. The 'Jack Straw' and 'West LA' are both solid and well played. 'High Time' is really a pleasant surprise but the highlight of the set, when they really let loose, is when Carlos Santana, who opened for them, joins them on s...
Aug 28, 2020•59 min
August flies... and we are favored this week with a second set from August 12, 1972 in Sacramento California. While most of the band's performances are quite good from this time, each are unique and this second set contains some very good and unique moments. The recording unfortunately has a short cut in the opening of the first selection, 'Greatest Story Ever Told', but it, and the following 'Ramble On Rose, and 'Beat It On Down The Line' are rocking, and this is quite a fine recording in my op...
Aug 21, 2020•1 hr 32 min
Here's a long and strong first set from that great year in Dead history - 1972. This comes from Sacramento California from August 12, 1972. This is an especially long first set with some nice surprises therein. 'Sugaree' is tinged with some bluesy elements, and I find it quite enjoyable. There's some interesting chatter to the crowd before 'Uncle' :) and the 'Bird Song' that follows is nicely melodic. Another highlight of this set is the 'Playin' In the Band' which has some fine improvisational ...
Aug 14, 2020•1 hr 43 min
This week we end the 'weekend at the beach' .. and the Days Between... with the second set from the band's performance at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on July 22, 1984. The boys break out a rockin' Samson and Delilah in honor of the Sunday, then make a sharp turn into 'Ship of Fools'. Following that, Brent breaks out 'I Just Want to Make Love To You' for the first time the band has played it since 1966. The heart of this second set goes to the Terrapin>Drumz>Space>Morning Dew that fol...
Aug 07, 2020•1 hr 41 min
This week we hit the beach for a most excellent time with the band as they play the Sunday show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura California on July 22, 1984. This is a fine recording of a very energetic set which I am sure you'll enjoy. We start appropriately enough, with 'Dancin' In the Streets' - a better than average version in my opinion. The boys keep rockin' with 'Bertha'. Weir brings out 'My Brother Esau' - which debuted back in '83 but wouldn't be released until 'In The Dark'...
Jul 31, 2020•1 hr 2 min
A great second set from July 18, 1976 from the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco is on the table for this week's Deadpod. You'll have plenty to choose from here, as the boys stretch it out and deliver a smorgasbord of many of their best songs on this two hour marathon. There are too many highlights to mention all of them, but I would call your attention to the fine 'Lazy Lightning>Supplication>Let It Grow' trifecta that occurs early in the set - Jerry lays down some extremely interesting no...
Jul 24, 2020•2 hr
Hello Friends! This week we begin listening to the last show of a famous 6 night run at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco CA, back on July 18, 1976. This was an exceptional run of shows, and this last night was perhaps the topper. It features an exceptional second set, which we'll have the pleasure of hearing next week, but this first set is quite well played as well. The show was originally broadcast on KSAN FM, but this tape's lineage is supposed to be from the soundboard, and I don't detec...
Jul 17, 2020•1 hr 16 min
This week we get a second set that is almost as hot as the weather around here this week - it comes to us from July 1st 1980 in San Diego California. An excellent China>Rider opens the set and contains some of my favorite jamming of the evening.. the China cat jams from Garcia in particular are noteworthy, as is Brent's contributions. A rare 2nd set Peggy-O follows CC Rider, then we are treated to an early Brent contribution of 'Far From Me'. The boys take off from there with some great combo...
Jul 10, 2020•1 hr 46 min
Happy July 4th! This week's Deadpod takes place back on July 1, 1980 in San Diego California, where the Dead would play a very nice show at the Sports Arena. This week we will hear the 1st set, which opens with a great Jack Straw > Franklin's Tower combo. They only did this opening combo eight times, but I think its a great way to open a show. El Paso and Tennessee Jed folow, then another combo, Lazy Lightning into Supplication. A very nice Althea follows, with Jerry in good form. Then Bobby ...
Jul 03, 2020•1 hr 5 min
This week on the Deadpod we have another monumental set from the seminal year of 1974. This week of course from the show in Springfield MA, on June 30, 1974. Following Seastones, the boys came out with a fine 'China>Rider' a combo often used to good effect as a second set opener. The transition is quite fine. 'Big River' follows and shows the spark it had which made it an excellent second set tune. A stand-alone 'Scarlet Begonias' lets Jerry stretch out a bit next. The meat of this set howeve...
Jun 26, 2020•1 hr 54 min
This week's selection - a birthday request from a good friend of the Deadpod - takes us back to the last show of the June 1974 east/midwest tour which took place in Springfield Massachusetts on June 30, 1974. The first set, which we will hear this week, features some outstanding leads by both Jerry and Phil and a great song selection. Be patient during the opening number 'Don't Ease Me In' which is plagued by mix problems (as were most opening numbers in the Wall of Sound era), they clear up for...
Jun 19, 2020•1 hr 27 min
This week we continue listening to the band's performance at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia PA on June 24, 1976 with a somewhat short, but quite sweet, second set. As with many great second sets, this one starts with a fine 'Help>Slip>Frank' containing an exceptional 'Slipknot!' . This fine recording, which has been available as a soundboard and an FM long before the first set, continues with a smoking 'Samson and Delilah', then a beautiful 'Wharf Rat', certainly one of the best of the ...
Jun 12, 2020•1 hr 6 min
This week's Deadpod features a fine show from June 24, 1976 at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby PA, near Philadelphia. This spring '76 tour features mail order tickets for the first time, and rejuvenated vocals from Bob and Donna, who seem to have benefited from the time off. This particular show was broadcast on FM but this is a soundboard copy and I think it sounds great. This one also has a hilarious opening by Bob and Phil - worth keeping the rather longish tuning in place ;) I think you'll ...
Jun 05, 2020•1 hr 31 min
A energized show from 49 years ago highlights this week's Deadpod, from Winterland on May 30, 1971. We only have a partial second set from this Sunday night show but its in fine quality and the band is in top form for this period. The recording starts with a partial 'I Know You Rider' and you immediately wish the entire show survived. A fine 'Sugar Magnolia' follows, and then 'Cumberland Blues' rocks out. Pigpen makes himself known with a powerful 'Big Boss Man'. 'Me & My Uncle' and 'Deal' f...
May 29, 2020•1 hr 23 min
This week we are treated to the second set from the band's performance in Troy NY at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on May 7, 1978. This is a solid set throughout, featuring the opening Scarlet>Fire which clocks in at over 20 minutes with some exceptional Garcia licks. The 'Estimated Prophet' that follows features some nice Garcia work on the wahwah as well. 'He's Gone' slows things down a touch and leads into Drums. A great 'Iko, Iko' comes out of drums - and I read that Donna and Bob ...
May 22, 2020•1 hr 45 min
This week's Deadpod will take us to May of 1978. This show took place in the Field House at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on May the 7th, 1978, a place that was described as basically an aircraft hanger with terrible acoustics and hot as hell. Luckily the tape we have is pretty good overall because this was a show where you can tell that the band was in great spirits and having fun throughout. I think you'll find that Jerry and Donna, in particular are in great voice, and Keith an...
May 15, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Happy Mother's Day Weekend! This special Deadpod goes out in honor of all our Mothers..and this one is a huge dose of big ol' Grateful Dead lovin! This is the second (and third?) set from the band's performance on Mother's Day, May 12, 1974 in Reno Nevada. As I mentioned last week, this was an outdoor, Wall of Sound show with quite high winds, which complicated things a bit. In fact, Garcia was quite unhappy with their performance, saying afterwards that he wouldn't blame folks if they wanted a ...
May 08, 2020•1 hr 55 min
Hello May Day! hoping this finds you and yours healthy and safe.. This week I'm bringing you the show that kicked off Spring Tour 1974, from the University of Nevada in Reno Nevada on May 12th, 1974 - Mother's Day.. We will listen to the first of this three set show this week, then sets 2 & 3 for a Mother's Day treat next week. This was an outdoor Wall of Sound show, as well as the first real show of Spring tour, and as usual with Wall of Sound shows, there are some sound issues off the bat ...
May 01, 2020•52 min
