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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

10
Black Peter
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

After 10/29/77 this should be your go-to BP. Emotion oozes and Jer shreds the outro.
11
Beat it on Down The Line
March 22, 1990
Copps Coliseum

A breezy bouncin' bubbly Bobby Beat it...best of the 90's.
8
El Paso
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Jerry in serious bluegrass mode. Most country-westernized version ever. At the end Phil sez "Thanks, Texans" even tho' they're in NYC. Awesome version
23
Let It Grow
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Hornsby gets on board in a big way & Jerry jazzes up the jam sections. Weir slashes away & sings w/passion. Strong candidate for Best of the 90's.
4
Desolation Row
April 17, 1987
Irvine Meadows

This song was only as good as Bobby was committed to it, and on this night he was 100% in Dylan-idoling mode. Gorgeous rendeition, lovingly sung.

Comments

The Other One
June 12, 1970
Civic Auditorium

Check out Tod Snider's immortalization of the Doc Ellis no-no: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG2SPjcKM4M
Eyes Of The World
Aug. 30, 1978
Red Rocks Ampitheatre

A nearly 4 minute intro sparkles and anchors this underrated gem from '78...a really fine even-paced entry that has Jerry plucking beautiful jazzy notes as if rolling along a river on a lazy afternoon. Up it!
Aiko Aiko
April 7, 1984
Irvine Meadows

I'm always on the search for great Aikos and this fits the bill. Thanks for pointing it out. Brent as mentioned is in full on Michael McDonald harmony mode (not in a bad way at all!) His ringing high backup is very much needed to counter-balance beautifully Jerry's growly 1984 lead vocal...but Jer is into this one and he nails his vocal parts w/gusto. The band is rolling in a half-fast/half slow rhythm that moves things along nicely. Great up n'down bop jam prior to the last verse--and that's when Jer really lets loose w/the growling. Perfect version for next Mardi Gras or any time you need a slice of the Crescent City.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 12, 1981
Greek Theater

This comes from a show that I would nominate for the greatest set list in GD history. You get in set 1 alone a Shakedown>GSET opener, a Birdsong>Cassidy (among other gems) closing w/a China>Rider. Then in set 2 a Scarlet>Fire opener, a CC Rider (!) 2nd set placement???really?, and an Estimated>Eyes. I truly cannot recall another show with that many marquee tunes all played under one roof on one night. (Did I mention the double encore of OMSN and Baby Blue?) One persnickety problem: all the available sources are AUDs and none of them are great. The CM source is predictably the best of the lot but even he couldn't save this from making you say "I wish there was a SBD of this show available." Still, it's a fine early 80's S>F....the jamming is exploratory and inventive and it's upvote worthy, but it's a little cruel listening to such an amazing show with so many golden nuggets sprinkled throughout and not having a very good sound to do it justice.
New Minglewood Blues
April 22, 1978
Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Final jam section starts with Keith, ends with Jerry, vocal rejoin just growled by Bobby. Gotta up it.