=>

This is one concert that the Dick’s Pick series could have released but didn’t.  Listen to it now before they charge you for it, it is available free on the Internet Archive.   This is part of the great spring tour which produced so many memorable Scarlet Begonia –> Fire On the Mountain.  He it appears in the unusual position as the first set closer.  Keith Godchaux was playing the Hammond B-3 organ for much of the concert that night which contributes to the unique sound of this concert.  Row Jimmy in the first set was a stellar performance.  Jerry and Donna’s voices are tightly intertwined, Keith is adding just the right minimalists organ and Phil sounds great playing notes so low they don’t sound possible on an electric bass.  Jerry and Bob are both on slide guitar and Jerry’s heartbreakingly beautiful sole is a gift. Twelve minutes and 24 seconds of intimacy.  The whole concert is well miked and the bass performance of the recordings are excellent.  The second set starts with Estimated Prophet and the sequence:

The Music Never Stopped –> Help On The Way –> Slipknot –> Franklin’s Tower

is on fire (so to speak).  The Dark Star was shinning bright on this night. wOw.

Springfield Civic Center Arena: 1977-04-23

• 01 13:58 Sugaree Listen
• 02 06:36 Cassidy Listen
• 03 10:03 Loser Listen
• 04 06:31 New Minglewood Blues Listen
• 05 07:59 Ramble On Rose Listen
• 06 06:34 Me And My Uncle Listen
• 07 12:24 Row Jimmy Listen
• 08 08:03 It’s All Over Now Listen
• 09 07:08 Scarlet Begonias -> Listen
• 10 11:01 Fire On The Mountain Listen
• 11 01:38 Tuning/Take A Step Back Listen
• 12 08:30 Estimated Prophet Listen
• 13 10:02 Bertha Listen
• 14 08:11 The Music Never Stopped Listen
• 15 05:38 Help On The Way -> Listen
• 16 08:24 Slipknot! -> Listen
• 17 10:33 Franklin’s Tower -> Listen
• 18 07:06 Around And Around -> Listen
• 19 08:50 Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad -> Listen
• 20 12:59 Not Fade Away Listen
• 21 04:51 One More Saturday Night Listen
• Concert Length: 02:16:51

=>

While getting ready to do a blog post on Microsoft’s MVC Web API I dumped my CouchDB database of Grateful Dead Internet Archive tapes into SQL Server 2008.  To test the full text search on SQL Server I produced this list.  I hope you enjoy it.  Here is a list of Soundboard or Matrix concert recordings on the Internet Archive where Scarlet Begonias and Fire On The Mountain are played during the same concert.  This is a computer generated list.  There are 163 concerts listed here. There are 217 concert recordings with this song combination if we were to include audience tapes also.

Click On the image below of a list of ‘best’ SB –> FOTM concert Recordings

[this is a hypertext list - click on a date and you will jump to the Internet Archive Music Player for that concert]

1977-03-18 – Winterland Arena

1977-04-23 – Springfield Civic Center Arena

1977-04-27 – Capitol Theatre

1977-05-04 – The Palladium

1977-05-05 – New Haven Coliseum

1977-05-08 – Barton Hall

1977-05-11 – St. Paul Civic Center Arena

1977-05-13 – Auditorium Theatre

1977-05-17 – Memorial Coliseum

1977-05-25 – Mosque

1977-10-02 – Paramount Theatre

1977-10-09 – McNichols Sports Arena

1977-11-06 – Broome County Arena

1977-12-27 – Winterland Arena

1977-12-31 – Winterland Arena

1978-01-31 – Uptown Theater

1978-04-08 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum

1978-04-11 – Fox Theater

1978-04-16 – Huntington Civic Center

1978-04-24 – Horton Field House – Illinois S

1978-05-07 – Field House – Rensselaer Polyte

1978-07-07 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

1978-09-02 – Giants Stadium

1978-10-17 – Winterland Arena

1978-11-18 – Uptown Theatre

1978-12-16 – Nashville Municipal Auditorium

1978-12-30 – Pauley Pavilion – University of

1979-01-17 – Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum

1979-02-10 – Soldier’s And Sailors Memorial

1979-04-16 – Unknown studio

1979-04-22 – Spartan Stadium – San Jose Stat

1979-05-05 – Baltimore Civic Center

1979-08-05 – Oakland Auditorium

1979-09-05 – Madison Square Garden

1979-10-24 – Springfield Civic Center Arena

1979-11-01 – The Nassau Coliseum

1979-11-08 – Capitol Center

1979-11-30 – Stanley Theatre

1979-12-03 – Uptown Theater

1979-12-10 – Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Aud

1979-12-30 – Oakland Auditorium Arena

1980-03-30 – Capitol Theatre

1980-05-11 – Cumberland County Civic Center

1980-05-30 – Milwaukee Auditorium

1980-08-17 – Kansas City Municipal Aud

1980-08-30 – The Spectrum

1980-10-22 – Radio City Music Hall

1980-10-27 – Radio City Music Hall

1980-11-30 – Fox Theatre

1980-12-26 – Oakland Auditorium Arena

1980-12-31 – Oakland Auditorium Arena

1981-02-27 – Uptown Theater

1981-03-10 – Madison Square Garden

1981-03-20 – Rainbow Theater

1981-05-11 – Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum

1981-05-15 – Athletic Center – Rutgers U

1981-08-16 – MacArthur Court – University of

1981-08-31 – Aladdin Theater

1981-09-12 – Greek Theatre, U. Of California

1981-09-25 – Stabler Arena

1981-10-04 – Rainbow Theater

1981-10-19 – Sports Palace

1981-12-03 – Dane County Coliseum

1981-12-09 – Events Center, U of Colorado

1981-12-26 – Oakland Auditorium

1982-02-17 – Warfield Theater

1982-03-14 – Recreation Hall – University of

1982-04-03 – Scope

1982-04-15 – Providence Civic Center

1982-05-23 – Greek Theatre – University of C

1982-07-25 – Compton Terrace Amphitheatre

1982-07-31 – Manor Downs

1982-08-06 – St. Paul Civic Center

1982-09-20 – Madison Square Garden

1982-11-25 – Bob Marley Performing Arts Cent

1982-11-26 – Bob Marley Performing Arts Cent

1982-12-27 – Oakland Auditorium

1983-03-26 – Aladdin Theatre

1983-04-13 – The Patrick Gymnasium, U of V

1983-06-18 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

1983-06-27 – Poplar Creek Music Theater

1983-07-31 – Ventura County Fairgrounds

1983-09-04 – Park West Ski Resort

1983-09-13 – Manor Downs

1983-10-14 – Hartford Civic Center

1983-10-21 – The Centrum

1983-12-27 – San Francisco Civic Center

1984-03-31 – Marin County Veterans Aud

1984-04-13 – Hampton Coliseum

1984-04-20 – Philadelphia Civic Center

1984-04-26 – Providence Civic Center

1984-06-21 – Kingswood Music Theatre

1984-07-13 – Greek Theatre – University of C

1984-10-15 – Civic Center

1984-10-30 – Berkeley Community Theater

1984-12-31 – San Francisco Civic Auditorium

1985-02-20 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Cent

1985-06-16 – Greek Theater, U. of California

1985-07-01 – Merriweather Post Pavilion

1985-09-15 – Devore Field

1985-11-11 – Brendan Byrne Arena

1986-02-12 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Cent

1986-05-03 – Cal Expo Amphitheatre

1986-12-28 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Cent

1987-01-29 – San Francisco Civic Center

1987-03-01 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Cent

1987-04-02 – The Centrum

1987-04-09 – UIC Pavilion – University of Il

1987-05-10 – Laguna Seca Raceway

1987-06-14 – Ventura County Fairgrounds

1987-06-30 – Kingswood Music Theatre

1987-07-08 – Roanoke Civic Center

1987-08-15 – Town Park

1987-08-23 – Calaveras Co. Fairgrounds

1987-11-15 – Long Beach Arena

1988-03-16 – Henry J Kaiser Convention

1988-03-27 – Coliseum

1988-04-15 – Rosemont Horizon

1988-06-28 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

1988-07-15 – Greek Theater – University of C

1988-09-02 – Capital Centre

1989-03-27 – The Omni

1989-04-06 – Crisler Arena – University of M

1989-04-16 – Mecca

1989-08-06 – Cal Expo Amphitheatre

1989-10-20 – The Spectrum

1990-02-26 – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

1990-03-22 – Copps Coliseum

1990-06-15 – Shoreline Amphitheatre

1990-07-04 – Sandstone Amphitheatre

1990-07-21 – World Music Theatre

1990-09-10 – The Spectrum

1990-09-14 – Madison Square Garden

1990-10-19 – Internationales Congress Centru

1990-12-09 – Compton Terrace Amphitheatre

1990-12-27 – Coliseum Arena

1991-03-21 – Capital Centre

1991-03-27 – Nassau Veterans Memorial

1991-04-27 – Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, U.N.L.V.

1991-06-25 – Sandstone Amphitheatre

1991-08-16 – Shoreline Amphitheatre

1991-09-04 – Richfield Coliseum

1991-09-13 – Madison Square Garden

1991-12-27 – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

1992-05-21 – Cal Expo Amphitheatre

1992-05-31 – Sam Boyd Silver Bowl

1992-06-12 – Knickerbocker Arena

1992-06-22 – Star Lake Amphitheater

1992-12-17 – Oakland Coliseum Arena

1993-03-28 – Knickerbocker Arena

1993-06-21 – Deer Creek Music Center

1993-08-25 – Shoreline Amphitheatre

1993-09-13 – The Spectrum

1993-09-24 – Boston Garden

1993-12-10 – Los Angeles Sports Arena

1993-12-19 – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

1994-03-16 – Rosemont Horizon

1994-03-30 – The Omni

1994-06-19 – Autzen Stadium – University of

1994-10-01 – Boston Garden

1994-10-14 – Madison Square Garden

1995-05-26 – Memorial Stadium

(More Concert Info is available by clicking on the image below)

1989-03-27

There are over 2,000 concerts of the Grateful Dead available on the Internet Archive.   Some nights it’s good and other nights its great. The tour for 1989 is marked by some great shows and these are two of them.

The rhythm section (Lesh, Kreutzmann and Hart) is firing on all cylinders (and is well recorded).  Jerry and Brent are locked into a tight dance, trading leads like nobody’s business.  The second set includes a phenomenal run of:

Scarlet Begonias –> Fire On the Mountain –> Estimated Prophet –> Eyes of the World

Which I clock at just under 30 minutes of almost continuous lead work by Jerry.  Not bad for an old, fat man. I understand from other more informed than me that this is last time this 4 song combination was played by the band.  Taking a break for Drums and then returning for Space, Jerry again takes center stage with great versions The Wheel, Standing on the Moon and an encore of U. S. Blues.

Not to be missed if you love the Grateful Dead’s post 1970’s work. So live from the Internet Archive, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

The Omni: 1989-03-27

• 01 01:43 Tuning Listen
• 02 08:26 Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo -> Listen
• 03 09:19 Walkin’ Blues Listen
• 04 06:32 Built To Last Listen
• 05 04:45 We Can Run Listen
• 06 07:59 Queen Jane Approximately Listen
• 07 07:31 Candyman Listen
• 08 07:45 Cassidy Listen
• 09 06:32 Touch Of Grey Listen
• 10 09:30 Scarlet Begonias -> Listen
• 11 11:25 Fire On The Mountain Listen
• 12 11:05 Estimated Prophet -> Listen
• 13 08:53 Eyes Of The World -> Listen
• 14 10:36 Drums -> Listen
• 15 07:54 Space -> Listen
• 16 05:29 The Wheel -> Listen
• 17 03:51 I Need A Miracle -> Listen
• 18 06:33 Standing On The Moon -> Listen
• 19 09:27 Turn On Your Lovelight Listen
• 20 05:44 U.S. Blues Listen

Concert Length: 01:47:59

1989-03-28

Although not reaching the heights of 3-27, The Dead returned to the Omni on the next night for another fine set. This is a little less Jerry centric. The opening set starts with the great combination:

Let The Good Times Roll –> Franklin’s Tower –> Feels Like a Stranger

The second set includes the combo:

Playin In the Band –> Foolish Heart.  Taking a break for Drums and Space the full band returns with :

Gimme Some Loving’ –> Wharf Rat

More mellow then 03-27 but variety is the space of a Dead Head’s life.

The Omni: 1989-03-28

• 01 00:56 Tuning Listen
• 02 03:44 Let The Good Times Roll -> Listen
• 03 09:16 Franklin’s Tower -> Listen
• 04 09:06 Feel Like A Stranger Listen
• 05 06:12 Stagger Lee Listen
• 06 10:05 Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again Listen
• 07 08:06 Ramble On Rose Listen
• 08 11:19 Let It Grow -> Listen
• 09 03:33 Don’t Ease Me In Listen
• 10 01:33 Tuning Listen
• 11 07:05 Samson And Delilah Listen
• 12 06:59 Ship Of Fools Listen
• 13 13:18 Playing In The Band -> Listen
• 14 08:15 Foolish Heart -> Listen
• 15 08:14 Drums -> Listen
• 16 13:30 Space -> Listen
• 17 06:07 Gimme Some Lovin’ -> Listen
• 18 09:32 Wharf Rat -> Listen
• 19 08:54 Throwing Stones -> Listen
• 20 11:38 Not Fade Away Listen
• 21 05:47 – Listen

Concert Length: 01:44:09

Dead Heads in the Twenty First Century

if mercy’s in business

i wish it for you:

more than just ashes

when your dreams come true.

Back in the old daze, Dead Heads traded concert tapes (a primitive early non-digital recording technology).  Some of these were recorded by fans and others where sound board recordings made by the Dead organization which found their way into general circulation (i.e. stolen).  Eventually, the Dead organization began to publish selected concert tapes as LP records (another primitive non-digital recording technology) and later as CDs and internet downloads.  For more information on the history of the Dead recordings see this article.  Online you can buy recordings of Dead concerts at the official Dead $ite.  Recording information is also available ( and in a more organized format) here. But what if: you don’t like the concerts released by the Dead Organization or if you just want MORE.

The Internet Archive

There is a unique organization and web site called The Internet Archive.  TheInternet Archive isa truly vast catalog of public domain audio and video recording which are in the public domain.  There is no internet collection which is larger.  Their slogan is simply: Universal Access To All Knowledge.  The Dead organization has released a vast number of Dead concert recordings to The Internet Archive, to which are added the large number of fan recordings.  In all there are over 7,000 Grateful Dead Recordings in their collection.  Let me write that again, 7,000 concerts recordings. Fan recordings are often available for direct download and most sound board recording are available in streaming (only) format.  But see my note at the end of this post for a resent development.  The only exception is that concerts which were the basis for Grateful Dead official releases or which concerts which have been commercially released on Dead.Net.  These are not available on the archive.  Sound quality ranges from ok to GREAT, mono to full stereo.  The search facilities of the archive are well thought out.  Search by song, venue and/or date.  The only problem is that there are so many recordings over such a long period (1968 – 1995) that you may not know where to begin.  You could focus on a particular year (when did you first attend a Dead concert) or a favorite song.  The Internet archive does provide some help with a “Recently Reviewed Concert” link; and a “Dead Concerts on this Day in History” link.  You can also look for postings by Chris Miller and “Matrix” or the key word: soundboard.

What’s on my IPod Right Now

Well, let me by honest here:  I am obsessed with the song sequence:

Scarlet Begonias followed by Fire On The Mountain

The Dead played this combination over 250 times between 1977 and 1994.  This sequence runs from 20 to 30 minuets in length (tending towards the high end in the 1990′s).  From my samples the best tours for this sequence are 1977, 1978, and 1989-1992.  There are some bad versions (typically during the 1982-1988 tours and the 1977 tour when Donna signs off key many nights!).  Here is my very subjective list of good to great versions based on what I have listened to so far.

The Offical Releases:

Dick’s Picks #18 (Jerry and both Godchauxs are on this night).

Dick’s Picks #13 (This is a hidden track.  Put on Disc 2, Track 4 “Saint of Circumstance” at the end of this track is 20 seconds of dead air after that comes a November 1, 1979 version of Scarlet Bagonias -> Fire on the Mountain.  The rest of Dick’s Picks #13 was based on records made May 6, 1981.  This is a kick ass version and is my reference track for the best version of this particular sequence).

Dick’s Pick #06 (skip this one, slow and lack luster)

From the Internet Archives (these are all streaming only version but see my notes at the end of this blog on how to make a local copy:

Great Versions:

1977-05-08

1988-03-31

1989-08-06

1990-03-22

1991-06-25

1992-05-21

Not So Great but worth a listen:

1978-04-11

1978-04-24

1978-09-02

1981-02-27

1981-10-21

1983-10-21

1988-03-31

1990-03-22

1990-10-19

1994-10-14

1994-06-19

Making Local Copies Of Streaming Media

There are several different free or inexpensive programs which will grab the audio stream and save it to an mp3 (or other) format.  I have had good luck with Replay Music 3 ($19.95) combined with the Google Chrome Browser.  Replay Music will allow saving to WAV format in addition to MP3.  The downside of this approach is, of course, that this is real time recording only.

There is a Better Way

If you run the Chrome Browser and access the Internet Arhive, when you go to a stream only Dead concert the screen will look something like these before and after pictures:

With the Chrome (and maybe Safari) browser, Internet Archive will offer you the ability to convert to the HTML5 Audio tag  in place of the embedded browser (which uses the Object tag). Say YES to this offer. Having done so follow these steps to allow SAVING of the audio files directly WITHOUT streaming.

• Start playing a track you wish to save
• Right click on the time slider bar at the top of the music player,
• select “Save Audio file”
• select a save location
• click ok

That’s it.  Here is what the right click drop down list looks like:

Thank you HTML5 Audio Tag.  Jerry would be proud.

Remember you must start playing a track for this technique to work.

Question:

Does the Internet Archive know that using the Audio tag defeats the intend of streaming media only?

Will they plug the hole?

Can they plug the hole or is this basic to the nature of the HTML5 audio tag?

Save now while you can!!