Any Dead Heads?

[garymd]

Well, I can't add too much to what has already been said, but I will put in a plug for the early solo Jerry albums.

Live shows are a bit of a crap shoot, IMHO, as deadheads are quite forgiving when it comes to their fav set, so you will find some fans of a particular show and when you listen to it you think, lordy, the boys took a while to warm up THAT night.

Have an 86(? I think) Winterland with a SMOKIN Morning Dew that has been hard to get off my player lately.

The good thing about the live shows is you shouldn't have to pay for them, so listen first, and if you like, look for a DP or similar to come out if you want better production values.

I do not advocate the digital copying bit though; that's only because I am not a fan of digital in general.

There were quite a few smokin' Morning Dews! One of the early DPs had my son's favorite version. He listened to it every night before bed for about a year when he was in high school.

I suppose finding something "similiar," meaning something with a similiar song list is OK for the casual GD listener but it's not something I or any other Deadhead I know could ever do. I could listen to Englishtown's Eyes Of The World over and over but any of the fast versions from the 80s are virtually unlistenable IMO. I think you find the era you like best and pick up live shows from that period (at first anyway). JMHO.

Most of the studio LPs are worth getting. American Beauty, Workinman's Dead, Mars Hotel, Wake Of The Flood, Shakedown Street and Terrapin Station at the very least.

Almost all the early Garcia solo LPs are great. Avoid "Run For The Roses." The live CDs released in the 90s were good too. Cats Under The Stars, Garcia (or The Wheel as we called it back in the day) and Reflections are all great. At one point about 10 years ago those were sold as a set.

According to Jerry, Terrapin Station was his greatest songwriting accomplishment. I have to agree. It was always great to see in concert, and the original album version is a masterpiece. The original CD release was horrible (my first ever CD purchase) but the LP is great and I've heard the re-release on HDCD is really good.

[spfl]

I've been a Dead fan since my first concert in 1971. You can download most live shows from the internet using Bittorrent. There are many sites to download from; a general music site that I like is dimeadozen.org. Right now, I'm into 5/26/77 Baltimore; some great playing by the entire band, especially at the end of the first set on through the second set, and Jerry is in great vocal form. The JGB 2/6/72 is also a current favorite. I have to say that the GD live concert experience sounds right on through my Cornwalls.

[meagain]

I just never could get into them. Never found their music interesting although did go to a show or 2 only due to the whole fun dealie surrounding the show. I'm finding a love for Jam bands but not Phish or Dead type stuff. I'm not a fan of rambling nonsensical guitar pieces, etc. What I like is the newer type that has some structure in it. Or has a bit of a hard-***/drum/bass backbone. I love the stuff Les Claypool is doing right now which does have some structure tho' I didn't care for his Oysterhead jaunt with Trey. I guess I like a rhythmic bent to the whole concept. More groove oriented?

[Audible Nectar]

Meagain, you should try Umphrey's McGee on for size. They are from Chicago and play there frequently.......and are playing smaller halls, which might not continue for long. UM is much more focused with thier jamming and more structured. More of a "hard rockin" outfit - they definitely won't "bore" you with the more "meandering" kind of stuff. I find lots of people who are more "turned off" by the "wandering" type of jamming who just love UM - they are exploratory, but instead of wandering, it's more like riding a wild roller coaster.

Of course, I like 'em all, so it's a matter of "picking a flavor"....and in the live concert setting, who is more "hot" at the time. UM right now? HAWWWWWWT. Like "On Fire".

[meagain]

Yes, saw them at the local area Rib Fest Husband is a bit more into them than I. They had their moments, but still droned on a bit with what I considered average playing in between bits where I opted to be the designated beer runner. I'm a sucker for interesting time-signatures type stuff. A band can jam all the way to kingdom come if they are jamming/grooving with interesting time signatures and amazing playing IMO. Then they can meander all they want.... if there's a bit of a groove backbone going on. Whatever that's called - I like.

[Mike Lindsey]

The String Cheese Incident is a good fun jam band.

http://stringcheeseincident.com/

Mike

[oldbuckster]

Gee, Blues Traveler is pretty darn good too....................Live at Red Rocks is great stuff.................

[Audible Nectar]

A band can jam all the way to kingdom come if they are jamming/grooving with interesting time signatures and amazing playing IMO...

How long ago did you see UM? Because the phrase you wrote (and I quoted) decribes them better than I........and in a very short and sweet version. I mention this because UM has progressed GREATLY from just a few years ago....I saw them in Iowa City a few years ago, and while I enjoyed them, I still thought of them as a "bar band". The last year has them stepping up a LOT.....they are hungry, youthful, and playing often - the perfect formula. They are getting really good from all of that playing and experience. If you see them again, don't catch a "one set" festival gig or opening appearance, either.....try to catch them playing as "thier own show" where you get two sets....and see a RUN (two or three nights in the same hall) to really get why one show really isn't enough. If you get unlucky and catch the so-so night, you'll make the mistake of finding out that you are missing out on something really good.

Oh, and speaking of Phish: Don't discount them until we have a discussion of "what era"? Because Phish was quite the "changeling" over thier 20 year career: 1995 and before, you have a much more edgy, jazzy, and "fleet-of-foot" band, where 1996 and 1997 was the "morphing" into a more funky style and bigger/fatter sound, and 1998 and thereafter got more repetitive and less creative (although many like this "rave" type feel more....to each his own, I guess.) Point being, if you listened to a more recent Phish performance and did not enjoy, I would encourage them to try something from earlier in thier career. Or, maybe it's the other way around, depending upon the listener.

With jambands, where "live" is "where it's at", it matters at what point in that band's career that you see them, and listen to them.

[Audible Nectar]

The String Cheese Incident is a good fun jam band.

http://stringcheeseincident.com/

Mike

Now those are "my guys"[] The sweet, sweet sounds of the String Cheese Incident are a staple of our listening, and touring time. The weekends at Bob Horning's place in Oregon was the stuff of LEGEND....and quite frankly, the people and band that make up the SCI "scene" are a big reason I don't see many of you Klipschers often. My travel time with the wife is reserved for SCI tour and other musical interests (and the occasional sporting event).....can't get the wife too interested in sitting around talking gear all weekend, especially when there is only so much time away from work that is feasible for us.

And that is sure to be an issue this year, as SCI is disbanding after this summer's short tour, made up of select weekends. Billy Nershi is leaving the band to persue other interests, which for all practical purposes means the end of SCI as we know it. No Billy, NO CHEESE. So catch them this year - it will be the last, for the foreseeable future. Next week in Denver and Vail (sold out though), and four or five select weekends this summer......ending August 10, 11, and 12 at Red Rocks.