• The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast: Season 3 – Episode 9: Skull & Roses 50: Garcia

    All about Jerry’s first solo record, Garcia, recorded 50 years ago last month. Great stuff, and then also a little pedantry from yours truly. The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast is a national treasure!

  • Rolling Thunder Data

    Rumor has long had it that Mickey has a massive trove of tape and information related to recordings made at his barn studio, a.k.a. Rolling Thunder, at 2495 Novato Blvd. between about 1971 and sometime in the early 1980s. As usual, Corry has done outstanding work pinning some of this down, but there’s probably oodles…

  • Ike Stubblefield with the Jerry Garcia Band (aside on Bernard Purdie)

    Thanks to commenter Patrick, the following claim has been brought to my attention: “In the ’70s, during which he moved between London, New York and San Francisco, Ike Stubblefield shared the stage with the Jerry Garcia Band.” I guess Mr. Stubblefield just passed away (RIP). His wikipedia page notes gives a timeframe for the JGB…

  • In Case of Emergency, Break Glass: JGB at Keystone, March 22, 1984

      LN jg1984-03-22.jgb.all.aud-corley.22191.shn2flac Over the years, I thought that maybe February ’82 was my least favorite JGB month, supplying a “warmish-dampish-Motel-6-towel feeling, without the hygiene”, the drugs starting to really take their toll, not so much terrible as just vaguely gross. Well, it has come to my attention that March 1984 is pretty bad, too. I…

  • 42

    Regular reader Dr. Jeff once asked that I post listening notes for Jerry’s 42nd birthday show at the Stone, 8/1/84. I have dutifully done so, some years later, and have just about nothing to report. Jerrybase tells me that he hadn’t opened a second set w How Sweet in over three years, so there is…

  • How about the Mouth on that Beast? JGB at the Stone, February 2, 1980, as recorded by Bad Bob Menke

    LN jg1980-02-02.jgb.all.aud-menke-motb-0038.105635.flac1644 I recently revisited an old favorite, 2/17/80, and surprised myself by not noting anything about the “After Midnight -> Eleanor Rigby -> After Midnight” medley, to say nothing of an old favorite of another kind, “Positively 4th Street”. I have vowed to revisit these. Someone was also extolling old favorite 3/8/80 on its recent…

  • Donny’s Debut: JGB at the Warfield, February 4, 1994

    LN jg1994-02-04.jgb.all.aud-vasseur.146010.flac1644 Friday, February 4, 1994 through Sunday, February 6, 1994 are super interesting, for reasons that may not be independent. The amazing drummer David Kemper was let go at some point between the end of the fall ’93 tour and the first night of this run, for reasons that seem unclear even to him. After…

  • Rocks, Bottles, and a Tired-Sounding Jerry: JGB at the Warfield, February 27, 1993

    Apparently 12 people were arrested after this Saturday night show, allegedly for throwing rocks and bottles at police. Ten months earlier had seen unrest in the area, not necessarily caused by Jerry’s kids, but related instead to acquittal of the cops in their trial for beating Rodney King in LA. No idea what might have…

  • Soft, Gentle and Round vs. Burning, Fiery and Huge: JGB at Laker Hall, SUNY Oswego, February 17, 1980

    LN jg1980-02-17.jgb.all.aud-gatto.9017.sh2flac The adjectives in the subject allude to the contrasts that really defined Garcia’s guitar playing in 1980. Some tunes, like “I’ll Take A Melody” featured both modes, the contemplative and the rockin’. “Friend Of The Devil”, here in one of its last electric GOTS performances, features long, gentle, lovely progressions, as does “It Takes…

  • Upon Further Review: Various and Sundry Listening Notes on the Last Night of the Fall ’83 Tour: JGB at Wilkins Theatre, Kean College, December 13, 1983

    LN jg1983-12-13.jgb.early.aud-newberger-seaweed.133469.flac1644 LN jg1983-12-13.jgb.early-late.aud-minches.31253.flac1644 LN jg1983-12-13.jgb.early-late.aud-newberger.77710.flac1644 LN jg1983-12-13.jgb.late.aud-nak300.151810.flac2496 I first heard 12/13/83 in 2003, when Andrew Faintych sent me tapes from both shows recorded with Senn 421s from the 10th row by “Tom from Avon, NJ”. In 2005, Bu lent me his DAT of an unattributed aud, and minches and I did our transferring and…