Count Basie 5/17/18

[Hardpan]

The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (11/5/79)

China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider
Cassidy
Friend of the Devil
El Paso
Stagger Lee
Passenger
Peggy-O
Music Never Stopped

Althea
Easy to Love You
Eyes of the World
Estimated Prophet
Franklin's Tower
drums
Lost Sailor
Saint of Circumstance
Sugar Magnolia

Casey Jones

Box of Rain

Edited May 18, 2018 by Hardpan

[LangeradoSoul]

That's fun. I've always loved Fall 79 shows, and this one is no exception. The original has one of the most exhilarating Eyes of the World in the post-74 era. Garcia just hangs out on the opening chords and intro of eyes for an eternity, setting up a amazing groove. On the auds, you can hear it hypnotize the audience. 

[PoetryGirl]

Agreed! I love the disco style of keys in 79 shows. Such a delight to my ears. So of course,  I love some Blondie played on a jukebox at 3 am in a punk rock dive  bar in NOLA.😜

[Hardpan]

 This was a really good show last night. China Cat opener immediately set the tone and had the entire audience hooked and very happy. This continued for the first set, very good playing by the band and a very receptive and vocal audience cheering the band on through the musical peaks. Most of the house on their feet, even though the theater was full of seats.  

 

Kind of tough to pick highlights, as the band played very strong renditions of all first set songs, but after a quick build up to the peak during China/Rider, Cassidy kept it moving right along. Friend of the Devil was a nice breather, with El Paso getting everyone moving again. Stagger Lee's groove was fun to dance to, Passenger delivered straight intensity, Peggy O again was a bit of a breather, followed by yet another dizzying, frenzied climax to end the first set with TMNS.

 

Set two eased us back in with a strong and well played Althea. Easy to Love You was the calm before the highlight of the night, Eyes of the World. Eyes contained some very delirious peaks, as good I have ever seen the band play. Estimated came out of Eyes, as juicy and treacherous sounding as ever. Franklin's continued the high, and by this point I was nearly spent. Drums and short space section let everyone catch their breath, another slow build with Lost Sailor/Saint, Sugar Magnolia and Casey Jones allowed us all to cut loose again, followed by Lisa joining the rest of the band and Dino swapping out on drums for a guest drummer on Box of Rain.

 

So, this night was why I go see these guys. Really beautiful music. 5 hours of insane traffic coming from CT, made it just in time, was nicely surprised by a front row aisle ticket waiting for me at will call, plenty of room down in front, drive to Long Island last night, missed my turn, Lincoln Tunnel, center of Manhattan, another tunnel, finally wound up at my brother in law's around 4am, long day,  😴 😴 😴 

 

 

[JStraw]

I was at that GD show!  China Rider opener was unprecedented at that time. Crowd went wild...

 Wish I could have seen this DSO rendition.

Can;t wait for Hampton and Maine this summer :)

[yetivanmarshall]

Great show as usual at the Basie, but forget about trying to get a beer there. They lost at least 10 combined sales between my wife an me because the beer lines were 30 people deep, but it's my fault too because I didn't properly lubricate pre-show due to time constraints.

[Jerseyman]

Agreed about EOTW. There was a power in there that took you out of yourself. AS an old DH- first show 68, I love DSO's rendition of the Dead experience. They really deliver. Wonderful night of non-stop jive, boogie, and whirl. Very nice crowd and very comfortable venue ( except, didn't men pee when the place was built?). Right about the beer lines, but again, the bartenders were nice and working hard- plus, if you like whiskey- they gave it to you and but good.

 

I brought my friend. He loves rock, but is a Dead neophyte. We went to Citifield for D&Co last year, but I think that, for him, was more the experience than the music- much tailgate action- and his stamina was low by time we got to the front of the "pit." For the DSO show we were 20 rows back dead center and the acoustics were super. I really think DSO taught him what all the Dead love is about last night.

I loved Box of Rain encore- it's a song of my life- that and RIpple are part of the golden summer of 1972 in Eugene, Ore. 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Jerseyman
spelling

[BillK522]

China>Rider out of the shoot,

that's a helluva way to open up.

Go To Heaven second set.

Always up for an eternal Eyes.

+1 on the disco keys.

 

Praise DSO.

[Lovelight]

Awesome show if anyone has a tape of the show let me know!

[Brian NJ]

Great show at red bank.. Had plenty of room for dance in front for first set and balcony for second set. Cool crowd .. They are expanding count Basie for the drinkers..