Sakalli

(Review from dead.net)

From the Spring Tour of 1988, this is a triple set of all the March 27, 1988 show from the Hampton Coliseum.

Every year in the Grateful Dead’s touring history contained shows that were justifiably considered to be the best of the year. For 1988, this is it. Those who were present agree that there was magic in the air that night. It is an incredibly dynamic concert with an impeccably clean, crispy pure recording, which reveals every nuance of this amazing concert.

Highlights are many, with some rarities mixed in the fold on this special night alongside stellar versions of several Grateful Dead classics.

Early in the first set, we are treated to the first and one of only two performances of Bob Dylan’s “Ballad Of A Thin Man”, followed by the country one-two punch of “Cumberland Blues” and “Me and My Uncle”. Next up is the return to the rotation of “To Lay Me Down”, its first appearance in almost five years.

The second set features the most powerful version of the trio of “Sugar Magnolia>Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain” since the Closing Of Winterland, preceded by the only version ever played of Miles Davis’ “So What”. Later, the second set includes terrific renditions of “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” and “Dear Mr. Fantasy”, all capped by the expected “Sunshine Daydream”.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, Vocals
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Iko Iko – 5:06
02. Little Red Rooster – 8:32
03. Stagger Lee – 5:33
04. Ballad of a Thin Man – 7:04
05. Cumberland Blues – 5:02
06. Me and My Uncle – 3:10
07. To Lay Me Down – 8:03
08. Let It Grow – 11:22
CD2
01. Space – 2:19
02. So What – 0:57
03. Sugar Magnolia – 5:13
04. Scarlet Begonias – 10:55
05. Fire on the Mountain – 10:39
06. Estimated Prophet – 10:29
07. Eyes of the World – 8:31
08. Rhythm Devils – 7:33
CD3
01. Space – 7:31
02. Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad – 5:52
03. I Need a Miracle – 3:19
04. Dear Mr. Fantasy – 4:53
05. Sunshine Daydream – 4:45
06. U.S. Blues – 5:43

Link in comments.

(Review from thebestofwebsite.com)

This is the complete 6/18/76 concert, minus one song, “Tennessee Jed,” which was omitted because the master tape was plagued with technical problems that could not be fixed in mastering. This is a typically hot and surprisingly exploratory show.

New songs recently added to the repertoire, such as “The Music Never Stopped”, “Crazy Fingers”, “Samson and Delilah” and “The Wheel” are all present here, and sound as though they’ve been a part of the band’s song book for years, along with the revitalized “St. Stephen”, “Cassidy” and one of only five Grateful Dead performances of Garcia’s “Mission In The Rain”. The highlight of the big second set jam is a wonderful “Eyes Of The World” that begins with a very long instrumental passage reminiscent of the 1974 jazz-influenced version of this song.

To round out the release, highlights from the next run of shows in Philadelphia are included, featuring stellar versions of “Candyman”, the new “Lazy Ligtnin’> Supplication,” an incredibly jammed-out performance of “Scarlet Begonias” and a 23 minute “Playing In The Band” featuring a very distinct “Fire On The Mountain” jam in the middle, led by Lesh. To cap it all off, a sweet reading of the newly-returned-to-action “High Time” from the tour’s penultimate show in Chicago ends the release.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / Piano
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. The Music Never Stopped – 5:54
02. Sugaree – 11:02
03. Mama Tried – 3:06
04. Crazy Fingers – 13:06
05. Big River – 6:22
06. Brown Eyed Women – 4:49
07. Looks Like Rain – 7:57
08. Row Jimmy – 10:28
09. Cassidy – 4:44
10. Mission In The Rain – 7:44
11. Promised Land – 4:18
CD2
01. Samson & Delilah – 6:44
02. St. Stephen – 4:39
03. Not Fade Away – 11:16
04. St. Stephen – 1:02
05. Eyes Of The World – 12:31
06. Drums – 2:16
07. The Wheel – 4:42
08. Sugar Magnolia – 11:25
09. U.S. Blues – 5:50
CD3 (Bonus)
01. Scarlet Begonias – 10:59
02. Lazy Lightnin’ – 2:48
03. Supplication – 5:18
04. Candyman – 7:05
05. Playin’ in the Band – 23:25
06. Drums – 2:30
07. The Wheel – 4:59
08. Playin’ in the Band – 3:26
09. High Time – 9:27

Link in comments.

(Review from thebestofwebsite.com)

The two disc, complete show was recorded on October 26, 1971 and was the fifth show with new band member Keith Godchaux on keyboards.

Delightfully showcasing their enthusiasm for both their new material and new keyboardist; the band is well-balanced, the vocals are more than usually accurate and the performance energy is good.

“Bertha” starts the show, with Keith’s obvious enthusiasm. Unfortunately Garcia’s guitar is so flatly out of tune that it distracts his singing (we can hear him turning back to the mike at the beginning of each line).

“Playing in the Band” jumps out the gate with all the intensity of a 1972 version, leaving no surprise that it should shortly become a major jam vehicle. Very auspicious indeed, and worth respinning even in this short version.

Equipment trouble almost has Bob Weir telling us a story, but instead they soldier on into what must be the fastest-ever “Tennessee Jed” — even those tired of this song should find their toes tapping.

“Cumberland” is well-jammed out, and not one second wasted. “Cold Rain” is on the slower side; whether intended or accidental, Jerry exploits this for some passionate singing — even if it means not playing the guitar for a moment here or there; a nice rendition.

The disc closes out with a “Loser”. Weir’s fills are unendingly inventive, and Garcia’s pinched-harmonics guitar solo really hits the heartstrings. Plus, of course, it’s still a “Sweet Susie” rendition, and Jerry definitely gives this song the belt that it needs to go over.

The second set opener, a sprightly “Ramble On Rose” picks us up where we left off. Lesh hits the downbeat, and Keith bounces on the off beats until Weir takes over. They lock together into a single sound. Then one or the other breaks off, contributing to this song’s fall-apart-then-fall-together mood.

It’s “Sugar Magnolia” next. Though the format is set, the boundaries known, the second half contains an unknown duration, a desire for intensity of expression, and a strongly visceral feeling to it.

“Truckin” rightly follows, taking us into this show’s jam portion. Five minutes of song, and we’re launched: Lesh & Weir throb, Garcia soars, Keith pounds over Kreutzmann’s decisive shuffle.

Kreutzmann takes seven minutes of solo spot, sometimes sounding like two drummers thanks to his skill and the excellent stereo separation. Lesh lets this go on for seven minutes before finally giving us “The Other One”.

On conclusion, they break out a sock-hoppin’ “Johnny B Goode” as if it were the only natural follow-up to what they’d been doing — and, of course, they’re exactly right.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Bertha – 7:38
02. Playing in the Band – 6:41
03. Sugaree – 8:09
04. Me & My Uncle – 3:59
05. Tennessee Jed – 6:55
06. Jack Straw – 5:29
07. Big Railroad Blues – 4:04
08. Me & Bobby McGee – 6:16
09. Cumberland Blues – 6:12
10. Cold Rain & Snow – 5:59
11. Mexicali Blues – 3:30
12. Loser – 6:45
CD2
01. El Paso – 4:43
02. Comes A Time – 8:08
03. One More Saturday Night – 4:55
04. Ramble On Rose – 6:54
05. Sugar Magnolia – 6:34
06. Truckin’ – 10:34
07. Drums – 6:54
08. The Other One – 16:06
09. Johnny B. Goode – 4:20

Link in comments.

(Review from allmusic)

Another previously uncirculated gig from the Grateful Dead’s tape vault, from January 17, 1970 at Springer’s Inn in Portland.

The third show in a quick jaunt to the Pacific Northwest, including a gig two nights earlier at the same Portland bar, the Dead were in the process of introducing what would define the two albums they recorded later that year, Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty.

The Dead are clearly comfy on the (presumably) tiny bar stage. Indeed, six of the nine tunes the band perform are covers. Only one tune from either of the band’s soon-to-be-recorded classics gets played here, the stunning, month-old “Black Peter” (more bar-bandy and less dirge-like than usual).

They also charge through a six-minute take of the new (and rare) “Mason’s Children”. The short-lived garage psych number was written (along with Workingman’s “New Speedway Boogie”) as a response to the Altamont festival still only a month in the past, “Mason’s” would be abandoned by February’s end, but here manages to touch on a short psychedelic solo from Garcia.

Though the set has no real centerpiece, the highlight is unquestionably a 13-plus minute version of Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street”. Garcia, Bob Weir, and Phil Lesh’s harmonies are big and enthused, the San Francisco ballroom scene encapsulated in one vocal arrangement. The jam makes its way into deeply spaced jazz, Garcia especially wearing his John Coltrane love on his sleeve.

A cover of the Young Rascals’ “Good Lovin’” gets into similarly breathless Garcia territory, though the band doesn’t push it as far. In general, the jams stay compact, including a run through the standard pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” into “I Know You Rider” (only four months old at that point) and a set-closing “Turn on Your Lovelight”. The Bobby “Blue” Bland rave-up had been the band’s set-closer for several years, often verging on the 40-minute mark, and here doesn’t even break the 20-minute barrier. Positively minimal!

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / vocals, percussion
- Tom Constanten / keyboards
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
01. Cold Rain & Snow – 6:10
02. Big Boss Man – 4:48
03. Mason’s Children – 5:53
04. Black Peter – 10:44
05. Dancin’ in the Streets – 14:04
06. Good Lovin’ – 10:17
07. China Cat Sunflower – 4:36
08. I Know You Rider – 5:08
09. Turn On Your Lovelight – 18:07

Link in comments.

(Info from allmusic, wikipedia)

This first release of the “Download Series”, features the complete show from April 30, 1977 which was the second of a five night run at New York City’s Palladium. In addition, in order to fill out the third disc, bonus material is included from the previous night at the same location.

The spring of 1977 found the Dead playing at their platonic best. It was during that period that the Dead struck what, for many, remains the perfect balance of tightness and energy of performance.

A 15-minute “Not Fade Away” veers into deep, melodic abstraction before languidly seguing into Garcia’s heart-wrenching ballad “Stella Blue”. Though not as quiet as some readings of the tune — by the Dead’s standards, this version is downright chipper, spiraling gracefully back into the “St. Stephen” ending.

The spring of 1977 was a fine time for Garcia ballads, and this release has several. In the first set, there is Garcia’s stunning slow-burn staple “Peggy-O” and — in the second — the newly slowed-down version of “Friend of the Devil”, premiered after the band’s 1974-1976 hiatus. The third disc also comes with a 14-minute bonus version of “Sugaree”, recorded a night earlier, with Keith Godchaux’s organ mixed with odd prominence.

For the most part, though, the band keep the energy high, and the spring of 1977 was defined by the then-new combo of “Scarlet Begonias” into “Fire on the Mountain”. The Palladium show is no exception, and features a long, meandering version to open the set, punctuated by the even-lamented-by-many-Deadheads moans of Donna Jean Godchaux. Other high-energy jams include the recently revived Rascals cover “Good Lovin’” sung by Bob Weir, Weir’s new oddball 7/4 reggae epic “Estimated Prophet” and Garcia’s magisterial “Terrapin Station” as the encore.

Combined with the adventurously punchy 30-minute “St. Stephen” > “Not Fade Away” > “Stella Blue” > “St. Stephen” suite, the first volume of the Dead’s download series is totally solid.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. The Music Never Stopped – 7:05
02. Bertha – 6:19
03. It’s All Over Now – 8:03
04. Deal – 6:11
05. Mama Tried – 2:37
06. Me & My Uncle – 3:03
07. Peggy-O – 7:46
08. Looks Like Rain – 9:39
09. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 10:05
10. Promised Land – 4:53
CD2
01. Scarlet Begonias – 9:04
02. Fire On The Mountain – 11:27
03. Good Lovin’ – 5:46
04. Friend Of The Devil – 8:41
05. Estimated Prophet – 9:01
CD3
01. St. Stephen – 4:34
02. Not Fade Away – 14:57
03. Stella Blue – 9:09
04. St. Stephen0:48
05. One More Saturday Night – 5:32
06. Terrapin Station – 10:13
07. Sugaree (Bonus) – 14:21
08. Scarlet Begonias (Bonus) – 9:44
09. Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad (Bonus) – 10:17

Link in comments.