The Grateful Dead - Live Recordings

[Thermionics]

I only saw The Dead once (on the Dylan & The Dead tour in '86). The Dead were great (what I remember - some jackass dosed me and several other folks by spraying us with water / DMSO / LSD so I tripped for a decent portion), but Dylan was very much a disappointment (compared to the Dylan / Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tour of the prior year in which he was dialed in).

Nice to hear these shows, especially so well recorded.

 

[doglv]

Well, thank you.

I am in a constant loop of updating, archiving, and hopefully before too long, will back to real live recording.
The other day, I was going through the data discs, and, audio discs, and found this Vegas recording that had sort of been set aside, and never finished. So, I took to that effort, and, am really happy with the results. There is a lot of energy in this 84 Vegas recording.

The Vegas recording was done with my mentor in live recording, and, a small circle of friends in support. My mentors wife was expectant, at 8 months. We used my dads motorhome to drive to the concert from Orange County, and back. She was well tended to.

Then, a month later, JGB came to town, and we were going to gather at my friends house before the show.
Well, his wife chose this moment to have the kid, and, I was handed the gear bag, and told to handle it. This was my first solo effort (JGB 1984 Irvine).
It also had Robert Hunter as the opening act. And I needed to get a set list for him, as he plays some obscure stuff that I don't know the name of.
I decided, yesterday, to bring this recording into the hi-res digital realm, and, make another transfer some 20 years later (the original audio CD-R master was burned around 2000/2001)
So, as I was remastering the JGB recording to 2448, just yesterday, I searched the internet of things to find a set list. I found this blog site, which really made me smile: The Auds Have It - JGB at Irvine Meadows, May 18, 1984
It turns out that this blog is run by an acquaintance of mine that I haven't spoken to in the same 20 years since the original digital transfer.

So, consider this post a tease of what will be offered next; the next upload to WeTransfer will be of this remastered same JGB show.

Listening to JGB as I type.

That's a cool shout out in that link. I imagine it helps to be tall when taping at a concert. And love that guys prose, very groovy.

Curious as to what player you use?

 

[mfrench]

@doglv
I use a Marantz SD-63 3-head cassette deck -> Tascam DR70D portable hi-res recorder. Its a really simple signal stream.
In this instance, I'm not so sure if the remaster was able to better the original transfer. The deck is a war horse with many miles on it, and, it might have been a bit more gritty than the original transfer.
I'm still assessing it.

 

[mfrench]

Thanks! I look forward to having a listen.

I've always had a healthy confusion of archive.org.

Is it possible to DL shows, without having to manually type in all the metadata?

Or DL into a Music mgt software?

Or

The best way to use it is to just use their interface and stream only.

I dream of having access to this catalogue via ROON. I can dream cant I?

View attachment 12335

I just found your question; somehow missed.
Well, I'm hardly the one to answer this question, as I'm a bit of a computer novice.
I have just clicked the download button in the side column, regarding the file type desired. The LMA software does the rest, and deposits it on my desktop in a ZIP file.

 

[doglv]

I probably need to set aside some time and just conquer it. I love computer based audio but I seem to fight it. I should say I love listening and controlling it with my tablet. Everything else I find laborius and frustrating and alot like work... which i try to avoid when not working.

Anwyawy, have you tinkered around with "Relisten"? A friend just showedd it to me and it is pretty awesome. Besides GD and JGB, I love Widespread Panic and Little Feet and they seem to have a whole boatload of live shows. Not sure about dowloading here as well.

I wish I could just click a button and have it dl in my ROON.

 

[mfrench]

So, this past weekend, I decided that I was going to remaster this recording to hi-res digital, 24 bit, 48khz. I did this today, May 15, 2021, in preparation for an announcement-send on the 18th (today).
Is it any better than the original transfer to 1644 from like 20 years ago? I don't know. Its too soon to say. I don't think it is any worse.
I'm just trying to keep things current and properly archived, and shared, and for backup (hint hint). It sounds quite nice through headphones as my first listening, while editing. And I did do an A/B not-blind comp, and it holds up well enough.


In this remaster effort, I wanted to find the Robert Hunter set list, and, so I did a search, where I found his set at the Live Music Archive, and uploaded by RH himself, it seems. There, I found the set list, and, I followed a link that led me to a website the I found to be quite surprising, truthfully, as I always thought this recording to be a bit rough.


Here is an internet page that was dedicated to this show, it seems, with some reviews, and critical comments. I just found it today, while trying to find the Robert Hunter song list.
The Auds Have It - JGB at Irvine Meadows, May 18, 1984
So, this was an interesting find for me in regard to this long past event. He makes some interesting comparison comments about this recording, and, a sbd/fm mix-down effort by someone else. It made me smile to find it.


I humbly submit my first solo effort, with all of its bumps, bruises, nicks and scuffs. I do hope you'll enjoy.


peace love wellness


Mike





to the good stuff,.... links at the bottom.


Jerry Garcia Band
-with-
Robert Hunter, opening act

May 18, 1984
Irvine Meadows Ampitheater,
Irvine, Ca

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

05-18-1984 Irvine Meadows Amphitheater, Irvine, CA

opening:
Robert Hunter - solo acoustic

Taking Maggie Home
Don't Be Deceived
Jacob Baum (Water Witch) (only known complete version by RH)
Cruel White Water
-banter-
Box Of Rain >
Armageddon Rag
Promontory Rider
E: Boys In The Barroom


JGB Set 1
Cats Under The Stars
Catfish John
Simple Twist Of Fate
Run For The Roses
Rhapsody In Red

JGB Set 2
Mission In The Rain
Harder They Come >
Tangled Up In Blue

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ambient Analog Recording by Mike French
Sennheiser MD-421's 90º Near-Coincidence (modified XY90º past coincidence, or, a very narrow din, something like 8cm 90º) -> Sony TC-D5 no n.r., Maxell UD-XLII 90
Mics hand-held @ 6' "chin level", 9th row center orchestra

*My first solo stealth recording effort, after learning that my taping mentor and his wife were going to the hospital to deliver their first child, Erin Elizabeth. Happy Birthday, Erin Elizabeth P.

*This meant getting the big rig in (big thanks to my sister Kami, for wearing the pouch from hell), set up, hand holding, and level setting, flips, etc.

This fileset is the original digital transfer of this recording, transferred apprx., 2001/2002 (no transfer notes taken). It was burned as an audio burn via a Sony TC-D5M -> Tascam CDRW700 master audio cd recorder.

There was an edited version of set one, performed by JAH, to clean up a sudden level change. That was done before my awareness of flac, text files, etc. So, no notes were taken, as to that edit.

As an added measure, I've included the JAH edited version, and original transfer version of set2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Notes
Robert Hunter opened.

Recordings in Circulation
90 AUD : MAC>CD
Taper: Mike French
Original Equipment: Sennheiser 421 mics (90 degrees X-Y) > Sony TC-D5 cassette deck. Mics hand-held and performance recorded from 9th row center.


Adding 2021-05-15 remaster to 24.48 by MF
Marantz SD-63 cassette deck no n.r. -> Tascam DR70D 24.48

These links are good for one week from today. Then they'll expire. Grab em if you want em.

1644 remaster: 1984_05_18 flyer.jpg and 22 more files
2448 remaster: 1984_05_18 flyer.jpg and 22 more files

JAH Edit 1644 - Edited version of my original 20y.o. 1644 transfer:
1984_05_18 flyer.jpg and 18 more files
(only set 1 of the original transfer is the JAH edit, that cleaned up some issues. set 2 is as is, original transfer from analog to digital)
This is the version talked about in the The Auds Have It link above.

 

[mfrench]

Alrighty then, lets try this at a bit slower pace, shall we?

Starting at Day One, Friday the Thirteenth.
https://we.tl/t-JoBbem5RfZ
the WeTransfer link, ^, is good for one week.

Grateful Dead

November 13, 1987 (day 1.3)
friday the 13th

Long Beach Civic Arena
Long Beach, Ca
USA


~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~


Hell In A Bobby >
Sugaree
New Minglewood Blues
Friend Of The Devil
Far From Me
Bird Song
The Music Never Stopped

intermission

Bertha >
Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
Ship Of Fools
Estimated Prophet >
Drums >
Space >
The Wheel >
Gimme Some Lovin' >
Wharf Rat >
Sugar Magnolia
Sunshine & Daydreams

Encore:
Knockin' On Heaven's Door

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Analog Ambient Recording by Mike French
TFH — A Journey to the Impact Zone
Sennheiser MKE2002 HRTF stereo -> Sony WM-D6C
From FOB DFC, 1st row in front of SBD, center.

Transferred to CD-R apprx. 2001, by Mike
Sony WM-D6C -> Tascam DA20mkII DAT
Tascam DA20mkII -> Tas. CDR700Pro for CD-R master by Mike
(no real digital editing possible for me at this time)

<THEN>
CD-R Masters extracted to single files (x2) via xACT CD-Extraction for remastering, and cleaning up sound fluctuation issues (see below).

Some sound level fluctuation issues present, as the mics had just gotten back from Sennheiser Service Center, after having had a capsule short out earlier that year, in August. This was the first concert recording attempt since their repair, return.
They did some circuit board repairs, and replaced the capsule. In the effort, the mics came back with a hotter output,.. more sensitive?
This was the first run of concerts with the newly repaired mic pair; And, also into a Sony WM-D6C for the first time, live, as well; essentially a new rig at this show.
I thank you for your tolerance.

A fair amount of time was spent in digital post-editing, in a Dec.2021 remastering, trying to correct some fluctuations in sound levels. Hopefully not too distressing to the listener.

Mike

 

[mfrench]

The righting of the mornings blunder continues.


gd1987-11-14_md441.ots_1644/DSCN9184 copy.jpg and 22 more files 1644
Link good for 7 days from now.


This one is from the opposite side of the mixing console stand, about 25' back from the day before; from what was known as the Official Taping Section, or, OTS; and 1st row center OTS


Grateful Dead

November 14, 1987 (day2.3)
saturday

Long Beach Civic Arena
Long Beach, Ca
USA

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Shakedown Street
Little Red Rooster
Althea
Masterpiece
Pockey Way
Deal

intermission

Maggie’s Farm
Cumberland Blues
Playin’
Terrapin Station
Drums
Space
Miracle
Stella Blue
Tossin Rocks
Love Lite
E: Quinn the Eskimo

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Analog Ambient Recording by TFH — A Journey to the Impact Zone
Tom D. -> Mike French patch chain.
OTS - 1st row center behind soundboard staging.
Sennheiser MD441 hyper-cardioid pair as P.A.S./DIN stereo
Sony TC-D5M Tom -> Sony WM-D6C Mike

I had nose-bleed seats for this show, in an assigned seating series of concerts; way too far back, and up to the side.
So, I went OTS, with Tom, as it was far better than my seats for this evening.

 

[mfrench]

So, day 3 of 3.
With each passing night, Dan Healy seemed to be testing just how hard he could push the bass response. This one was monsterous.

This also had what was purely blissful moment of The Other One, with a massive lead-in by Phil, but, also, and incredibly so, a huge Morning Dew right out of the Other One. And, Phils bass playing is so incredibly articulate. It does get to a point of tape saturation in a few moments due to this; seriously, this was the kind of loudness that caused heart palpitations from chest crushing, your shirt felt like it was being peeled away, and your hair, was blown straight back kind of loud.

gd1987-11-15_mke2002hrtf_1644/DSCN9184 copy.jpg and 24 more files

25 files sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

^ link good for 7 days from now

Grateful Dead

November 15, 1987 (day 3.3)
sunday

Long Beach Civic Arena
Long Beach, Ca

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Iko Iko
Walkin’ Blues
Candyman
Me and My Uncle
Mexicali Blues
West L.A. Fadeaway
Cassidy
Dough Knees

intermission

Scarlet Begonias
Fire on the Mountain
Looks Like Rain
Hes Gone
Drums
Space
The Other One
Morning Dew
Round and ROund
Watchtower
E: Black Muddy River



~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Analog Ambient Recording by Mike French
TFH — A Journey to the Impact Zone
Sennheiser MKE2002 HRTF stereo -> Sony WM-D6C
From FOB_DFC, first row in front of SBD

Transferred to CD-R apprx. 2001, by Mike
Sony WM-D6C -> Tascam DA20mkII DAT
Tascam DA20mkII -> Tas. CDR700Pro for CD-R master by Mike
(no real digital editing possible for me at this time)

<THEN>
CD-R Masters extracted to single files (x2) via xACT CD-Extraction for remastering, and cleaning up sound fluctuation issues (see below).

Some sound level fluctuation issues present, as the mics had just gotten back from Sennheiser Service Center, after having had a capsule short out earlier that year, in August. This was the first concert recording attempt since their repair, return.
They did some circuit board repairs, and replaced the capsule. In the effort, the mics came back with a hotter output,.. more sensitive?
This was the first run of concerts with the newly repaired mic pair; And, also into a Sony WM-D6C for the first time, live, as well; essentially a new rig at this show.
I thank you for your tolerance.

A fair amount of time was spent in digital post-editing, in a Dec.2021 remastering, trying to correct some fluctuations in sound levels. Hopefully not too distressing to the listener.

Mike

 

[mfrench]

From the 11-15 day3.3 HRTF stereo recording (a variation on binaural stereo)
Other One: gd1987-11-15_mke2002hrtf_1644_s2t07.mp3
Morning Dew: gd1987-11-15_mke2002hrtf_1644_s2t08.mp3

 

[mfrench]

this is the 7 hours left on the links bump, ^,

and, a slight hint about a busy sleepless weekend a while back.

Yep, a whole $9.45!
By the time I kicked down for tapes, and batteries, I might have doubled the expenditure for the evening (I don't drink; especially not when recording)

 

[mfrench]

Grateful Dead - Frost Ampitheater - Stanford Campus April 30, 1988 & May 01, 1988
David Lindley and El Rayo-X Catalyst Theater - Rasta Cruz, Ca April 30, 1988
Three Shows in under 40 hours - Another sleepless weekend.

Wake up early, hit airport early saturday morning, from O.C. -> San Jose airport, with hopes of connecting with friends for a ride to the Frost Ampitheater.

Hook up with friends, accomplished. We arrive at the legendary Frost Ampitheater.

Some back trackin,....

Prior to this concert run, there was rumor of an FM broadcast from the college campus at Stanford. So, I came prepared with a newly purchased FM tuner by Sony, a Walkman; my other portable FM tuner was a Realistic, from the 08-87 Mtn Aire Fest., from the Angels Camp recordings. I felt that the Realistic tuner, a true analog dial tune, had channel drift ism's, based on the drift experienced at Angels Camp. So, I bought this new-fangled Sony Walkman FM tuner, as it had a step-locked "digital" tuner, that locked to each .1 step in the radio, and lockable presets, rather than landing on some looser, wandering tuning stages with the analog tuner; the Sony tuner was not truly digital, just digitally-stepped tuning. 


We still experienced some channel drift, or, just plain FM isms; not bad, but not perfect either. But, what they represent is a massive part of the experience, as there were tons of DeadHeads in the Eucalyptus tree stands outside of, and around the venue, who were there, and, just intending on partying to the concert via this broadcast.

And the recordings carry a lot of heft, sonically speaking.


Upon arrival to pick me up at the airport, our friend, and host, Leigh McK., announced that he had purchased tickets to go see David Lindley, and El Rayo-X in Santa Cruz, at the Catalyst Theater, this show was after the Dead 04-30, day one. 

Lee and I are rabid Lindley heads.


While fun, I knew this trip was going to be an all-dayer, and, an all-nighter, literally. And, quite correctly, the Mr. Dave set started near midnight on saturday night, 04-30

So, I decided early on, that there was no way that I was going to get through this day with the Dead, if I went up front to record, and, cover a mic stand, and, battle the crowd. So, I decided to just go with the FM broadcast recordings for this run of concerts. My compatriots in this day, they joined in, and we laid around on the lawn, inside the Frost, at the back of the OTS, and we were plugged into the FM tuner. We had the tuner on its own small mic stand, strapped to the top, with the headphone jack serving as line-out, and the cable acting as an antennae.

Reality,.. I was in the Bay area for probably 36 hours, and, attended and recorded three show in those two days.

Sleep?
Not on the 30th; no way. I might have napped on the lawn, in the Frost, on sunday, 05-01 Then, show over, dropped at airport all nasty and stinky, and home I flew on the last flight into OC airport that evening, like 10:30pm, and a taxi ride home.


Grateful Dead Frost Ampitheater 1984-30_&_05-01 - KZSU 90.1 FM Stanford Campus radio live broadcast - recorded in-house, in concert.

> This is these tapes first time into digital circulation. 
I looked at LMA, and no FM's were present. So, I dug the tapes out, and, ran them through the digishizzer thingie.
I was actually looking for the Lindley recording, which I thought was from Oct. 87, during the GD Shoreline run. But, it was not that run. It was from the Frost '88 run that we also did the LIndley gig. So, finding the Lindley, caused me to look for the Dead, where I found these tapes, as of yet, not transferred to digital.
I guess its a good thing to find uncirculated GD recordings in buried boxes under the storage bed?

David Lindley and El Rayo-X - Catalyst Theater - Rasta Cruz, Ca 1988-04-30 MKE2002 AB stereo "Hat Trick"

Yep, I'm a fan. I think the guy is utterly amazing. 
El Rayo-X was a rather short-lived variation on the theme of Mr. Dave. It was definitely the hard-rockin' loud version.
They were a band from around 1986->1990
I was fortunate to see them at least a half dozen times. I totally dig his variation on reggae, and, how he delivers a solid Dub. But it is not limited to his reggae. His style also consists of so many world beat styles, and, is played on those same native world stringed instruments, but, with many twists away from traditional.
Example: 5-string Banjo played with a cello bow, and like a cello, to imitate bag pipes.
This might sound annoying, but it is totally amazing to see.

And just when you think you've nailed down his style, he pulls out something else.

This band, they played in hard-drinking, hard-partying bars, with rowdy audiences. Don't expect chamber music audience ethics. This energy drove Mr. Dave. And, his theme in this, his personality, was, Mr. Dave for President (because I'm scared shitless of G. Bush).


So, it was a crazy whirlwind adventure.

I do hope you'll enjoy!

peace love wellness


Mike

to the good stuff, below,...






good for 7 days, from now.

GD 04-30 Frost Ampitheater - Stanford KZSU 90.1 FM - First circulation
2444: gd1988-04-30_kzsu.fm_2444/04-30.jpg and 25 more files
1644: gd1988-04-30_kzsu.fm_1644/04-30.jpg and 25 more files

Lindley and El Rayo-X 04-30 Catalyst MKE2002 AB omni ambient stereo "Hat Trick" -> Sony WM-D6C cassette,...... yep, a whole $9.45
2444: lindley1988-04-30_catalyst_2444split/DL1988-04-30_catalyst_mke2002_2444.ffp.txt and 22 more files
1644: lindley1988-04-30_catalyst_1644split-sbeok/DL1988-04-30_catalyst_mke2002_1644.ffp.txt and 22 more files

GD 05-01 Frost Ampitheater - Stanford KZSU 90.1 FM - First circulation
2444: gd1988-05-01_frost_fm_2444/05-01.jpg and 24 more files
1644: gd1988-05-01_frost_fm_1644/05-01.jpg and 24 more files

 

[Jay C]

These are such great recordings. Brings back so many memories. Thank you so much!
J