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Turn On Your Lovelight… And Leave It On

{ March 8, 2010 @ 9:51 pm } · { Audio, Grateful Dead }
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Ronald “Pigpen” McKernan, founding member and original leader of The Grateful Dead, died 37 years ago to the day on March 8th, 1973. Pigpen died at the young age of 27, due to the debilitating effects of Biliary Cirrhosis. Pig was the original bandleader, main vocalist, and persona of the band – growling out blues, jug, and rock tunes like nobody else could. To celebrate his life and amazing contributions to the Dead community, enjoy the following “best of Pig” mix – 3 discs full of choice Pigpen cuts, with all tracks tagged, good quality, and even album artwork taboot!

THE BEST OF PIGPEN (1966-1972)

DISC 1
1. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (5-14-70)
2. Operator (9-18-70)
3. Smokestack Lightning (2-19-71)
4. Easy Wind (9-20-70)
5. In The Midnight Hour (2-14-68)
6. It’s A Man’s World (4-12-70)
7. Pig’s Kiss
8. Alligator (1-22-68)

DOWNLOAD DISC 1 HERE

DISC 2
1. She’s Mine (5-15-70)
2. Katie Mae (5-15-70)
3. Next Time You See Me (9-20-70)
4. Hard To Handle (4-21-71)
5. Good Lovin’ > (4-17-71)
6. Drums > (4-17-71)
7. Good Lovin’ (4-17-71)
8. Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub) (electric) (4-5-71)
9. I’m A Hog For You (4-6-71)
10. Big Boss Man (7-16-66)
11. I’m A King Bee (2-24-71)
12. Pain In My Heart (7-16-66)
13. Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub) (acoustic) (11-6-70)

DOWNLOAD DISC 2 HERE

DISC 3
1. Turn On Your Lovelight (9-19-70)
2. Mr. Charlie (12-6-71)
3. Chinatown Shuffle (5-13-72)
4. It Hurts Me Too (5-11-72)
5. The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion) (3-23-72)
6. Good Lovin’ > (4-14-72)
7. Caution > Who Do You Love > Caution (4-14-72)
8. Good Lovin’ (4-14-72)
9. Big Boy Pete (?)
10. Searchin¡ (8-29-69)

DOWNLOAD DISC 3 HERE

Thanks to Jeff Cook for putting this wondeful compliation together!

Grateful Dead ~ 06/23/74 ~ Miami, FL

{ February 11, 2010 @ 10:31 pm } · { Audio, Grateful Dead }
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With all the great music making going on these days, it’s easy to forget about the history of great music over the past half century. Countless musician’s creativity, hard work, and inspiration have laid the foundation for today’s musical explorers – providing the musical framework and vocabulary for new jams and grooves. In the spirit of looking back at some of those musical pioneers, let’s groove on a classic Dead show from the summer of 1974.

The Dead in the Summer of 74'

This show is one of the band’s final before their few-year hiatus that began later in the year. The show features the Dead playing their famous ‘Wall of Sound’ speaker rig and the sound is just perfect – a clear and rich mix of everyone. Check out a solid audience recording stream/download below! The band busts out ‘Let It Rock’ for the only time ever, and Phil and Ned Lagin debut their electronic music composition ‘Seastones’ between sets. This show is a gem and a must-have for any true Deadhead’s collection.

The Wall of Sound (courtesy of Richard Pechner)

The Grateful Dead
6/23/1974
Jai Alai Fronton
Miami, FL

Set 1
Ramble On Rose
Black Throated Wind
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Beat It On Down The Line
Row Jimmy
Jack Straw
Let It Rock
Cumberland Blues
El Paso
To Lay Me Down
Weather Report Suite Prelude ->
Weather Report Suite Part ->
Let It Grow ->
China Doll

Set 2
Seastones
Ship Of Fools
Big River
Black Peter
Around And Around
Dark Star Jam ->
Spanish Jam ->
U.S. Blues
Uncle John’s Band ->
One More Saturday Night

Encore
Casey Jones

Stream Link
Download Link

Today in Grateful Dead History

{ November 7, 2009 @ 7:01 pm } · { Audio, Grateful Dead, Today in GD History }
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The early 70s were an interesting time for the Grateful Dead – a period of massive songwriting, creative, and musical growth and at the same time an era of sadness over the loss of Pigpen and growing weariness due to building troubles of years on the road. The weight of these troubles would eventually lead to the band’s brief hiatus in the mid-seventies.

It never ceases to amaze me that the band onstage continued to build on each night’s performance, with unbridled abandon, regardless of what was going on in their world. This show from 1971 is a great example of this relentlessness. This is one of Keith’s first shows with the band, filling in for the ailing Pigpen. Despite some sound issues early on, this show is pure bliss from start to finish. Give it a go and see for yourself.

Hairy Jerry

11/07/71
Harding Theater
San Francisco, CA

Set 1: Truckin’, Brown Eyed Women, Beat It On Down The Line, Hideaway, Sugaree, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, El Paso, Big Railroad Blues, Comes A Time, Mexicali Blues, One More Saturday Night

Set 2: Ramble On Rose, Me And Bobby McGee, Loser, Sugar Magnolia, Dark Star-> Drums-> The Other One-> Me & My Uncle-> The Other One, Deal, Brokedown Palace, Playin’ In The Band, Casey Jones, Not Fade Away-> Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: Johnny B. Goode

Encore: Uncle John’s Band

SBD Stream Link

Tie Dye Sky

{ October 19, 2009 @ 7:30 pm } · { Grateful Dead, Ratdog, Rumors }
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As we speak, the Empire State Building is being lit up in tye dye colors in honor of the Grateful Dead. Specifically, the celebration is for the opening of an exhibit at the New York Historical Society honoring the band and cataloging the career and accomplishments as of one of America’s most socially influential bands. On Wednesday night, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh will attend a charity fundraiser to celebrate the opening of the exhibit.

On a side note, rumor has it that Phil will be sitting in with Bobby tonight for the first of his 5 Ratdog shows in the city this week. Today is truly a proud day to be a New York Deadhead!

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Furhtur NYE

{ October 17, 2009 @ 2:26 am } · { Dark Star Orchestra, Furthur, Grateful Dead, Upcoming Shows }
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It’s official. Dark Star Orchestra’s John K. will abandon his band and his fans to play two shows with Phil Lesh and Bob Weir as ‘Furthur‘ in SF for NYE. Phil Lesh once said the Grateful Dead lives forever – is it worth reaping havoc with the heirs to the throne for one last hurrah with old man Bobby behind the wheel? See what HiddenTrack has to say about it here… Starheads everywhere are outraged, especially those that bought tickets to see DSO NYE over the last month(!) prior to the annconcment that they were onsale.

Furthur?

Ain’t Nuthin’ New

{ October 7, 2009 @ 9:12 pm } · { Audio, Grateful Dead, Phish }
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While Phish has been pumping out the tricks, mysteries, and secrets like it’s their job as of late, they aren’t the first to adopt this cosmic humor.
Back up 20 years, the Grateful Dead make a historic return to none other than Hampton Coliseum – The Mothership (and yes, hippies were calling it that long before Phish debuted there) – by booking a secret 2 night run under the name “Formerly The Warlocks”. The Dead had been banned from the historic arena years earlier due to the unruly parking lot/line scene. The circumstances surrounding these shows is historic in and of itself and the band really brought it both nights with top-notch playing and many long-shelved songs being reborn. This is a piece of Dead lore’ not to be missed…

The Warlocks, 1965

Formerly the Warlocks
Hampton Coliseum
Hampton, VA
October 8th and 9th, 1989

10/8/89
Set 1:
Foolish Heart
Walkin’ Blues
Candyman
Me and My Uncle
Big River
Stagger Lee
Queen Jane Approximately
Bird Song
The Promised Land

Set 2:
Help on the Way >
Slipknot! >
Franklin’s Tower
Victim or the Crime >
Eyes of the World >
Drums >
Space >
I Need a Miracle >
The Wheel >
Gimme Some Lovin’ >
Morning Dew

Encore:
And We Bid You Good Night

Download Link
Stream Link

10/9/89
Set 1:
Feel Like a Stranger
Built to Last
Little Red Rooster
Ramble on Rose
We Can Run
Jack-A-Roe
Stuck in Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
Row Jimmy
The Music Never Stopped

Set 2:
Playing in the Band >
Uncle John’s Band >
Playing in the Band Reprise >
Dark Star >
Drums >
Space >
Death Don’t Have No Mercy >
Dear Mr. Fantasy >
Hey Jude Reprise >
Throwing Stones >
Good Lovin’

Encore:
Attics of My Life

Download Link
Stream Link

Time Turns Acoustic

{ September 25, 2009 @ 10:43 am } · { Audio, Festivals, Grateful Dead, Phish, Rumors }
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In a surprise move yesterday, Phish announced a special ‘crack of Noon’ acoustic set to take place at high noon on day 3 of Festival 8. The band also released the official schedule for their Halloween weekend jamboree as part of the announcement. In other Festival 8 news, Trey gave two radio interviews this week to discuss the upcoming festival and the Phish reunion at large. For the most part, these interviews seems to be marketing tactics for the Festival which has been rumored to be struggling with below-desired ticket sales. As a result, these interviews are mostly fluff (not the good kind), though one interesting tidbit was revealed: the band had chosen a musical costume and learned half of it when Page vetoed the selection sending the band back to the drawing board. Some sources are reporting the shelved selection was none other than the Grateful Dead’s ‘Workingman’s Dead’…

Speaking of the Dead, let’s not forget the critical role the band played in defining many of the now ingrained traditions of the jam world – from LSD soaked audiences to following fanbases to tie-dyes to the rarely played ‘acoustic set’. Let’s look back in time 29 years ago to the day to one of those special evenings where the Dead treated their fans to a special acoustic set (followed of course by a raging electric set for set 2) on their home turf at the Warfield in San Fran. Stream the crispy SBD here or download an audience recording here.

The Dead acoustic in 1980

The Grateful Dead
9/25/80
The Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA

Set 1 (Acoustic): Bird Song, I’ve Been All Around This World, Dark Hollow, Rosalie McFall, Monkey & The Engineer, It Must Have Been The Roses, Jack A Roe, Ain’t No Lie-> Ripple

Set 2 (Electric): Alabama Getaway-> Greatest Story Ever Told, Friend Of The Devil, Mama Tried-> Mexicali Blues, Loser, Little Red Rooster, Althea, Jack Straw, Deal China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Samson & Delilah, Ship of Fools, Playin’ In The Band-> Drums-> Wharf Rat-> Around & Around-> Good Lovin’

Encore: U.S. Blues

Furthur Night 3, 9/20/09

{ September 21, 2009 @ 8:17 am } · { Audio, Furthur, Grateful Dead }
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Well, as soon as they came, they’re gone. What a weekend blowout it was though with Furthur at the Fox, they really proved that the Dead’s music is alive and well, still able to take on new forms and flavors. All we can do now is hope for some more dates to be announced. John K. posted via the DSOForums website that ‘more dates are in the works, but likely nothing on the east coast until at least 2010′. It’s also yet to be seen if Dark Star Orchestra or Furthur will be playing NYE this year. So far, DSO has announced shows for Dec 28th and 29th only, both in Virginia. Look for New Year’s announcments in the coming weeks. Until next time - furthur on up the road.

Furthur - 9/18/09

Furthur
9/20/09
The Fox Theater
Oakland, CA

Set 1
Samson and Delilah
Casey Jones
Mississippi 1/2 Step
Sugaree
Pride of Cucamonga>
Throwin’ Stones>
Passenger

Set 2
Viola Lee Blues (v1-2)>
Cumberland Blues>
Viola Lee Blues (v3)
King Solomon’s Marbles
Cassidy>
Space>
Dark Star>
Welcome to the Dance (new Phil song)>
Dark Star >
Uncle John’s Band
Sugar Magnolia >
Sunshine Daydream

Encore
Cosmic Charlie

Download – Torrent

Download – MP3s (part 1)

Download – MP3s (part 2)

A little bit FURTHUR, just a little bit more
A little bit FURTHUR than we’ve gone before!

Furthur Night 2 at the Fox

{ September 19, 2009 @ 10:54 pm } · { Audio, Furthur, Grateful Dead }
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Furthur
9/19/09
The Fox Theater
Oakland, CA

bbacce11-6f9f-49b5-ac7c-ec42ce42628f

Set 1
Bertha >
Good Lovin’ >
Estimated Prophet
Friend of the Devil
Feel Like a Stranger
Brown Eyed Women
Hell In a Bucket

Set 2
Shakedown Street >
New Speedway Boogie >
China Cat Sunflower >
I Know You Rider
Playing In The Band >
Eyes of the World >
Unbroken Chain
Help on the Way >
Slipknot! >
Franklin’s Tower

Encore
One More Saturday Night

Download – Torrent

MP3 Download – Part 1

MP3 Download – Part 2

‘Stranger’ Jam:

Friend of the Devil:

And some shots from 9/18/09:

Phil - 9/18/09

Bobby - 9/18/09

John K. - 9/18/09

Furthur Debut

{ September 18, 2009 @ 11:03 pm } · { Audio, Furthur, Grateful Dead }
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Phil and Bobby’s new project ‘Furthur’ debuts tonight with their first of 3 nights at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Everyone’s eager to see how this new take on the Dead will go and if this band can really gel. Here’s to hoping and here’s to the goin’ Furthur!

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The Fox Theater, Oakland, CA

Furthur
9/18/09
The Fox Theater
Oakland, CA

Set 1
Jam >
The Other One >
The Wheel
Jack Straw
The Music Never Stopped
Bird Song >
Born Cross Eyed >
Let It Grow

Set 2
Lost Sailor >
Saint of Circumstance
Althea
Scarlet Begonias >
Fire on the Mountain
St. Stephen >
The Eleven >
Foxy Lady Jam >
Terrapin Station >
Not Fade Away

Encore:
Touch of Grey

Torrent Download

Download – MP3s (part 1)

Download – MP3s (part 2)