2024-12-29 @ Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA

[Tea]

1978-09-15
Sound n Light Sphinx Theatre

Giza, Egypt 
 

Set One:

Ollin Agreed > Promised Land, Friend Of The Devil, Mama Tried -> Big River, Loser, I Need A Miracle, Stagger Lee

 

Set Two:

Jack Straw, Ship Of Fools, Estimated Prophet -> Eyes Of The World -> Drums -> Space -> Terrapin Station -> Sugar Magnolia

F: Samson & Delilah (Sunday), Shape I’m In, That’s What Love Will Make You Do, Volunteers > Brothers and Sisters 

[Greg from Chestertown]

Yet another stellar performance by the band. It’s just so much fun. Started the night right up front but had to head for space when Estimated started. I spun  right up with that tune, twirled until the end. Aaahh, all better. They had a camel on stage that had its own microphone. Everyone was chill,  Ollin Agreed was cool, got me right in the mood. Loser, miracle, Stagger Lee was a nice run. Jack straw got killed by Dark Star. Estimated on was just amazing. I can’t say enough good things about these guys and girl. Thank you 

[springFallandWinter]

setlist correction:

no filler.

just a special surprise 3rd set:

samson & delilah, shape i’m in, that’s what love will make you do, volunteers > brothers and sisters

[springFallandWinter]

a little back story on the giza shows.

when the dead went over to egypt for these concerts in sept of '78, they brought along alotta recording equipment because they planned on releasing a live album from the shows to help defray the costs of the venture.

 

however, when they got home and listened to the tapes, they found that, due to internal medicine and external forces, the performances, sound, playing, vocals and recordings were, to be kind, pretty sub-par. they dtiched the entire project and never put out a record.

 

so when we got to philly and saw the big ole camel on stage and heard the egyptian chant to open the show, it was pretty obvious we were being transformed back to the desert for one of the pyramid shows (we got the 2nd of the 3 nights). that would give one pause knowing how not-good these actual shows were. 

 

well all i can say is that the dso probably never listened to these actual recordings and just saw some of what they thought were interesting setlists.

 

because this was one of those rare occasions where the show the dso put on, was actually waaaaay better than the original grateful dead concert.

 

first set--- well theres not much even the dark star orchestra could do with that, though fotd was decent and loser was really powerful.

 

a 7 song (8 if you count the opening chant) set ending with miracle/stagger lee, one of the weirdest vibe/image songs the dead ever wrote, was predictably uneven and short.

both stagger and miracle were brand new songs that had only been played a handful of times in sept of  '78 as the album shakedown street wasnt relased until november of  '78, following the egypt trip.

 

the 2nd set however was freakin nails with a jumpin jack straw complete with perfect bomb breaks between jeff, eaton, headband and skip. it was a monster jack followed by a beautiful ship, sitting in its normal placement for '78. the rest was just jamtastic---est/eyes/drums/terrapin (after drums)/sugar mag.

 

eyes was dancin all over the place. terrapin, after-drums placement, was a fantastic sweet surprise and again, the breaks were built up and exploded. stellar.

this was an out-there terrapin. really strong. and sugar mag was rollicking and perfect with eaton taking his sweet time in the break before starting sunshine daydream, and lisa giving him the hands on her hips, stink eye business. lotta fun goin on.

 

yeah everyone just having so much fun.

fun was the key word. this band is enjoyin each other and the audience so much and and the good vibes and energy just bounce back and forth which sets them apart.

 

from the opening crowd chants of e a g l e s, following their teams demolition of the hated cowboys and clinching a playoff spot to eaton sparring with the crowd by stating "sorry, for me its all jets and mets" (2 of the phillies main adversaries), well it just got all the fun started.

 

and since the giza shows were short and without an encore, it left plenty of room for an unofficial pre new years unannounced real 3rd set which was one of the great surprises you will ever see the dark star orchestra pull off.

it was the energizer bunny. it just kept going and going. and it kept on going to the jaw dropping surprise and amazement of the crowd.

 

first a blow out samson and delilah. then the band gem shape im in. everyone thought that was it. nah. not a by a mile. here comes a long, jammy, silky, sweaty the way you do the things you do.

man oh man.

ok well thats it-- right-- time to go.

wait a second. band still isnt leaving.  and then lisa just smokes it with look whats comin down the street..... got a revolution. crazy volunteers. franklins music hall was losin its mind. 

 

ok drive safe. see you next time. the end. right?

nope. volunteers morphed into a sublime and jammed out brothers and sisters.

pretty amazing concert and evening for a grateful dead show that the actual grateful dead thought sucked.

 

this was a blowout.

following the previous nights anthem statement, these were back-to back pearls.

a great time was had by all.

[John A]

I like it when a song like Stagger Lee is so new the Dead weren't sure what to do with it let, thus the set closer spot. And IIRC, Jerry really belts out this one.