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We woke up at 3:15am at our home near Asheville and by 11pm (8pm PST, haha) we heard the first notes of a killer opening Jack Straw about 3,000 miles away. Wow, talk about a long day. I was thinking about how Rude doesn’t even like to do a 4-5hr drive on show day, lol. Our son moved to Bellingham, so we combined a visit with him and these two shows. His first dso shows! His only prior exp with the Dead being a Dead & Co show I took him to in 2017 that was not very good. He was loving it last night!! Bertha in the 2nd song spot nodded 80’s to me, esp after the jack straw opener. From there it ripped. The Candyman was all melty and oozing goodness. Just love the guitar work in Brown Eyed and obviously Jeff does two. Those flourishes created liftoff!! TJed a raucous throw down and the Bucket kept us nice and sweaty up til set break. I actually called the China Rider (impressing my son, haha) which was more than adequate to get back in the groove after a cold break outside with flurries. After a soothing Looks Like, He’s Gone reminded me why I always yearn for that number! Jeff’s guitar work was crisp and emphatic. Then, the Spoonful>Jam>Drums>Space>The Wheel, wooooow! That was prob an hour of the second set and there was a lot to take in. I chose to let it take me in and really lost my bearings several times. Beautiful Black Peter and my second called song 😅 Knockin was a kaleidoscope of Dylan brilliance perfectly delivered! Don’t even need to say this, but Lisa slayed that Little Piece and left everyone with cups FULL. Venue very reminiscent of my local Orange Peel with all the shoulder rubbing and apologies to bystanders, lol. We got there right at show time to a line around the block but the band noodled and we walked in right at the first notes. Spent most of the night stage right by the ADA section where I had about a 3-4ft circle of space, best we could do. Couldn’t find Island Bro but will correct that tonite, haha! Thank you band and crew for hauling this party all over for the people that love it 😍!!

40 hours in Wilkes Barre was a whirlwind of excitement. Been so long…8 months of no DSO…that Dino sprouted a beard. Venue was an unobstructed view theatre with ga seats and balcony. Sound was great. Even with lax security there was plenty of dance space on first night with a more rowdy crowded in the aisles 2nd nite. From my 3 rd row aisle seat on left had no problem moving and grooving the whole time both shows. First night right in my wheelhouse with a 78 recreation. The set up had most of the band on left side of wide stage with Skip and Barraco on the right side back 40. I don’t think they even had mikes. From first notes of Jack Straw till end of show I was in bliss. Comes a Time was the highlight for me. Drums was indeed a jovial team effort with most of band and others. 2nd nite had same set up with different instruments and mikes for all for elective. HSF, The Stranger and Gomorrah were highlights. Also during Iko Dino sported sunglasses scrolling SANDY (a well known DSO admirer) across the lenses. Seeing her and Vinny acknowledge the gesture was heartwarming. Of course Dew was second set highlight and how can I not enjoy yet another Saturday Night…uh huh. I returned home thinking I know it’s only DSO but I like it….yes I do.

1978-05-16 Uptown Theater

Straight out of the gate the pendulum was swinging perfectly, with Skip dropping absolute bombs to lead the way. Very nicely picked setlist and absolutely amazingly played. You could refer to it as a masterclass in Grateful Dead if you ask me. I won’t go through the whole set but just want to touch on a few things quick. The Box of Rain, the unexpected and rarely heard Two Souls in Communion dedicated to Pigpen, and Bird Song hit me a little harder and I hadda catch a few tears during them, as I spent the night with a friend of mine, who recently lost his father, and I too lost mine when I was 16, the only person we were missing was my best friend and cousin who also became part of the club a few years ago and we woulda had the trifecta. I woulda liked to have been with both of them for this, as my cousin has been a fixture by my side at every DSO show for 20 years, but we will get em next time! That’s the thing about Dead, it’s cathartic and takes you to places where you can be vulnerable and go back in the annals of your mind and break you down to your core, but also put everything into perspective and put your mind at ease. So I hope in some way it did the same for my friend. Second set I was looking for Feel like a stranger, The Other One, as I know I heard a couple notes of it both nights, and Morning Dew. 2 outta 3 ain’t bad! And that Dew was super hot soaring into the neighboring galaxy!!! Safe to say all in attendance had an amazing weekend including the band, as there were nothing but smiles abound! Praise DSO, the keepers of the flame! Until next time!

That’s pretty much it ;-))

They debuted Terrapin Station on my mom’s 22 birthday. Yesterday she turned 70! And she can still groove~

It got cookin! Let it Rock, Duprees Diamond Blooz, Same Thing > On the Road Again > Rosa Lee McFall, Loser > Ain’t no Bread in the Breadbox > Desolation Row > Roadrunner > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklins Tower Easy Wind > Born Cross Eyed > Cryptical Envelopment > That’s It for The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment Reprise > Turn On Yo Lovelight > Throwin StoneZ > Playin in the Band > Drumz > Playin Reprise, Unbroken Chain > Truckin, Evangeline E: Mighty Quinn

25/02/17 Dance Lab Set One 82/08/07 Alpine Valley Music Theatre Music>Sugaree>Music, Me & My Uncle>Big River, Must Have Been the Roses, CC Rider, Ramble On Rose, BIODTL>On the Road Again, Althea, Let It Grow. Set Two 71/04/13 Scranton Catholic Youth Center Casey Jones, Mama Tried, Loser, Big Boss Man, Me and Bobby McGee, Bertha, Cumberland Blues, Big RR Blues, Playin' in the Band, Hard to Handle, Sugar Magnolia. Set Three 74/07/31 Dillon Stadium Hartford, CT To Lay Me Down, Truckin'>Mind Left Body Jam> Spanish Jam>Wharf Rat>US Blues, Saturday Nite. E: Uncle John's Band. Piercing the dark winter cold, BDP 25 provides the sanctuary of warm audio delights. Opening stanza an untouched BDP year, the Roses and CC Rider early standouts, a gooey Althea preceding a similiarly strong Let It Grow highlight the uneven first. Second an amazing snapshot of the band in transition, Mickey's recent departure and Pig's decreasing contributions, with Jerry and Phil rushing to fill the sonic voids. The band's play an unstoppable freight train of energy. Primitive versions of new material- Loser, Bertha, Playin' (5 min), along with the set highlight, a hammered H2H, which display the virtues of others from April 71. Closing sequence a Wall of Sound dreamworld, an over the top 18 minute Truckin' melting into Mind Left Body (was feeling you Tea)>Spanish Jam, Garcia going alphadog for a good thirty minutes. Most impressive. Music started at 9:30P, wrapped around 2:00A with full post show silliness and the 6A fresh donut run. Big Fun. Praise DSO.

Foggy morning coffee with 76/09/24 William and Mary. Wormhole thoughts regarding Help on the Way. To DBX. Played 110x. 75-77 27x. Shelved for 401 shows. 83-85 27x. Shelved for 284 shows. 89-95 56x. Played every year. Interesting there were more plays after the 'breakout'. All 27x plays between 83-85 located in the second set. Led to associated wormhole, how often was H>S>F interrupted? EVERY Help followed by Slipknot. Slipknot NOT followed by Franklin's a total of 8 times. Slipknot appeared twice in 1974 as a stand alone (6/20, 7/25). Slipknot>Music 75/09/28. Lindley Meadows. Franklin's Tower played several songs later. Slipknot>Fire on 91/09/20 Boston Garden. The only instance of separation after 76/12/31. Franklin's Tower not played. Left are four occurances of Slipknot>something else, all in 1976 and all followed by Drums. 1. 76/09/24 William and Mary Help>Slipknot>Drums>Slipknot>Franklin's. 2. 76/09/27 Rochester Help>Slipknot>Drums>Other One>Wharf Rat> Slipknot>Franklin's. 3. 76/10/09 Oakland Stadium Help>Slipknot>Drums>Samson and Delilah> Slipknot>Franklin's 4. 76/12/31 Cow Palace Help>Slipknot>Drums>Not Fade Away. No Franklin's Tower this evening. The Rochester and Oakland shows read like something JRAD, Holly Bowling, or perhaps our band would do in elective form. More evidence of the 'anything anywhere' setlists of 1976. End Wormholes. Praise DSO.

1979/01/15 Springfield Civic Center Springfield, MA Jack Straw, Jack A Roe, Cassidy, Row Jimmy, Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues, Stagger Lee, Passenger, Deal I Need A Miracle > Shakedown Street, From The Heart Of Me, Terrapin Station > Playin' In The Band > Drums > Space > Playin' In The Band Reprise > Casey Jones E: Johnny B. Goode F: Next Time You See Me, Don’t You Do It, Werwolves of London > Brokedown Palace

And the filler actually started with Next Time You See Me for the quad pack filler… ’twas such a doozy… All I can say is what a gift it is to have the opportunity to visit the dreamy space where there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of men… May we all continue to be able to return there to fill our cups ♥️

That Miracle -> Shakedown transition from the original shoe never fails to astound.

Springfield shows were some of the most fun DSO experiences. I cannot believe with all of his contacts Rude cannot find a federal judge somewhere to force DSO to play in a state that has no salt water on one of its borders. DSO can play Kennedy center: the Darkstar—>YMCA—>Darkstar would be epic.

Quite the variety pack there. Praise DSO.

6/28/74 Boston Music Hall

Original Recipe - setlist incomplete Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower, Black-Throated Wind, Keep On Growing, Gomorrah, Cumberland Blues, My Brother Esau, Hell in a Bucket, Iko Iko, Box of Rain > Day Job Feel Like a Stranger, The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion), Eyes of the World > Bird Song > Drums > Space > Corrina > Morning Dew > Viola Lee Blues E: Oh! Darling > One More Saturday PM

I never think about the story the original author was trying to tell whenever I have heard it. Whether it was delivered live from either the fat man himself, John K, or Jeff.

They are young musicians. I can think of many terms to describe Dew but “dirge” is not one of them. God help you if you asked about Desolation Row.

Thanks, I’ll relax now.

When I try to click on a heart and like any posts, a screen pops up that says “sorry, there was a problem reacting to this content.” I would like to participate but I do not have to.

Passenger mashed. Business picked up in The second. Comes a Time elegantly delivered. All powerful elective tonight probable. Praise DSO.

I am prescribed 12.5 pills daily to control me thank you. Oh doctor please, some more of these. GD age diversity is and has been quite profound. What a drag it is getting older. Stones Kennedy center invite also unlikely. On the bright side…DSO Wilkes Barre a week from tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Terrapin Station. Praise DSO.

1990/09/11 The Spectrum Philadelphia, PA Jack Straw, Bertha > Greatest Story Ever Told, Candyman, Queen Jane Approximately, Brown Eyed Women, It's All Over Now, Tennessee Jed, Hell In A Bucket China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Looks Like Rain, He's Gone > Spoonful > Jam > Drums > Space > The Wheel > I Need A Miracle > Black Peter > Around x2 E: Knockin' On Heaven's Door F: Piece of My Heart Ahhh the Philly Rectum! Saw some good shows there (10/20/89 was my fave). Also a place/area where some really weird bleep happened - every single year I went. It's a Philly thing I guess

https://archive.org/details/20250222_20250222_0616

https://archive.org/details/dso2025-02-14.akg483.schoepsMK4.flac24

Skeleton Crew, Newton New Jersey: 2 Barraccos a Steve, Tom and Barry. If you have not seen these guys it is a must! Hunter/ Barracco collaborations are very good fun exciting musical productions. Old time Dead and Dylan favorites were done keeping the Integrity of the original score but still making it their own 😁. I will say it again, if you have not seen these guys it is a must!

5/20 blue gate performing arts center Shipshewana, IN that popped up on CashorTrade. Someone made a mistake letting dates slip or a date. (Edit: this is actually announced on Dso tour page so not an an accidental release)) Unfortunately Tuesday before jubilee is such a bad date :(((( 7 hour drive. Would pretty much have to stay up there and head to jubilee. Getting home Wednesday late then leaving for jubilee Thursday AM makes no sense but can’t do an extra 2 days leaving Tuesday and getting home Monday. on that note even though we did a show before jubilee last year, after the Caverns gave half the crowd covid and kept bill k and toomuchfun from making jubilee I vowed to quarantine pre jubilee to avoid potential illness before the best weekend of the year. Being around 2000 people releasing aerosols on a Tuesday and the flu kicking in Friday afternoon of jubilee would be a nightmare. Can’t imagine anything worse than getting a 102 fever at jubilee and having to go to a hotel 3 days. But I’m guessing the music would sound pretty weird but more in a make it stop way. Jubilee is still a game time decision and would be GA with a backpack, AT style. 1 load

That second set was chock full of energy and bliss. Help, Slip, Franklin’s is the ultimate party starter and it did its job!! From the slow drippy Low Spark on it was pretty continuous for the rest of the show. No break, an unadulterated dance party for the last 2hrs. Not to cast shade on that first set that ripped from Lazy on, but come on, electives are for the adventurous and we got paid!!!! So love our boy Island Bro for adding to the bliss of this trip! He’s got a grate fam and group and keeping it real in PNW! Me personally thinks dso has outgrown that venue, makes Orange Peel seem spacious, haha. It’s prob the size of OP, but in a city 10 times bigger. Can’t wait to come back! Thanks to the hard working band and crew that bring this joy! You’re the best!!

Praise BillK! 😍

Strange grateful festival at NLRQ is selling tickets for their July 25-noon on the 27th without any lineup? I'm going to confirm that Hyryder is resident band on Friday when they play Brightside in Dayton. ET assured me two years ago that they were going to be there for awhile. My band Red Dirt will be playing in the pines all weekend. I'm trying to recruit a mandolin player and a banjo to join in with my violin player and me on acoustic. All are welcome. I'll have a few harmonicas and some bean shaker percussias

With all the respect in the world for Deadbase, which has been the beloved and go to reference for decades, gratefulsets is the bomb; state of the art research portal for all things Dead lists.

it’s definitely great. But the way deadbase is set up and I have mine with Tabs so I can go right to every time played plus 10 other important tabs. If you don’t make tabs, deadbase can be a bitch. Now I bet at least 1 is gonna take my advice. Get some thick index cards and cut some tabs. I used sticky flags at 1st. They last a bit but eventually flattened out and hard to read.

Reminder to make use of this amazing on line resource created and maintained by Count2 here on the forums: https://www.gratefulsets.net quick and easy for tons of stats and info 😉

I wish you better luck than we had getting them to play Eye of the Tiger at the Ledges.

yes. We need to file an emergency injunction. But I have been calling for A China cat>cat scratch fever> Rider but it will say cool Utah rain.

Filler was Piece Of My Heart

Original Recipe Set 1: Let The Good Times Roll ; Day Tripper ; West L.A. Fadeaway ; My Brother Esau ; Hard To Handle ; Masters of War ; Cumberland Blues ; Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues ; Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance Set 2: Cold Rain And Snow ; The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion) ; Victim Or The Crime > Foolish Heart > drums > space > Tomorrow Never Knows > Dark Star > Man Smart (Woman Smarter) > Dark Star > Black Muddy River > (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Encore: Love the One You're With ; Volunteers ; Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu ; Ripple

That's a interesting double Jerry / double Bobby show opening sequence, especially given that those aren't songs that go together. Research uncovers two other Mississippi -> Roses (all in the week of this show) , and no other Jack Straw / BIODTL. Interesting indeed!

Same here, for a while now.