Stop being so grumpy and talk about the that music back in my day we had a listen through the hiss just to see what we would get it didn’t matter it was about the music I feel disappointed in this generation of deadheads is all they can do is complain about the sound it wasn’t about the sound it wasn’t even about the adventure it was about the word of the boys. I couldn’t tell you how many shows I saw because we didn’t bother to count back then we didn’t remember a set list we were lucky enough to remember the show and we are we were so please enough for the Crap and just listen to the good music. From a grumpy old deadhead

In the middle of a string of notable shows, this one comes the day after one of '79's best, and is almost as good; the two play like a Left Show & Right Show. It seems some are in the 1/10 camp and others in the 1/11 camp (song choice probably accounting for some of the difference). Personally, I rank the night before in the Top Five for the year, and this night in the Top Twenty. This show is known for opening with a nearly 14min Sugaree of highest standards, and for a super second set sequence. The Jack Straw is also a fave for some Heads. As with most of this SBD-poor tour, this show is best as an AUD experience, though I made a matrix of one of the tracks and it sounds good (I don't have the skilz for the whole show).

First Set. Opener Sugaree is like fireworks a week early (its superbness more apparent on the AUD). The next few are great, but you may need a BandAid under your jaw after Big River. Jer really wants to play out the excellent Peggy-O; a 9min version that tickles entertainment. By Cassidy the SBD is worthless. It's a zippy version, and though not the tightest it is fun at this tempo. Friend of the Devil is as slowed as Cassidy is sped. The SBD improves some for Minglewood Blues. The rest is average, except for the fine Jack Straw (has the "used to play for acid, now we play for Clive"), which is not quite 10/27 or 11/6, but good. The SBD finally settles for Deal which, while not as good as the previous night, impresses in the first half.

Second Set. The SBD for I Need a Miracle badly wavers. Again the night before sets the standard, with this one close behind. Ship is smooth if rote, and Estimated is quite solid. The tempo is trudgy for He's Gone, at least relative to the show in general, but it has some good sections (the SBD is almost listenable here, but for a severe BAL issue). After a brief Space comes a smiling version of Truckin', the brio coming from Jer playing around with it (the SBD is better here but the AUD is still preferable). That energy is handed straight to Bobby for The Other One. Check out how Phil & Bobby work together to stir the tempest. Stella Blue is one of the longest versions, reaching satori along the way. Good Lovin' is tight, if nothing very special, but they are in a very good mood for Casey Jones and the Heads are elated, satiated (AUD crucial).

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: B+
Overall = 4¼ stars HG

Highlights:
Sugaree - fireworks
Big River - jaw meet floor
Peggy-O - Jer plays it out
Truckin' - smiling tempest...
The Other One - ...into a kick-ass TOO
Stella Blue - satori along the way
Casey Jones - ending by laying waste to the Heads

SOURCES: Unlike most of the tour, the SBD exists - but isn't very usable. It has bad speed wavers in places and no freqs above 8k, so the cymbals and so forth are hiss. It's mainly of historical interest, but if you use it for the first set it needs pitch adjustment, running ~1 to 2% fast until Jack Straw, which then runs a bit slow (it isn't worth detailing more than that). Luckily the 132250_aud_fob is a great AUD and makes the show shine (a matrix might be good). It needs some BAL and EQ, has a 30sec cut in Drums, and also needs slight pitch adjustment: M&MU, River, Cassidy & Truckin' need -1%; Friend needs +1%.

Like the previous night, it tries, and mostly succeeds, though ragged around the edges.

Quick Let it Grow tease at end of Ramble on Rose?

Let's face it, this sdb has pretty sub-par sound compared to other boards from the late 70's. I guess it's kind of a shock it even exists, since for years we all believed there were no sdbs available from this tour. But, here it is. There is one well-circulated AUD (Gatto), but that's not the greatest sounding tape either.

That's why I think this might make a good candidate for a matrix ( are you listening Hunter). The boards hissy and muddy, and the audience is clappy and a little oversaturated. Might just make the worst matrix ever. Oh well, it just seems like too historic a show to wallow in such disrepair. Maybe not historic, but it is a great show---Sugaree, Jack Straw, Miracle, Estimated, Stella, Casey Jones are all great versions.

Thanks to Charlie Miller for doing what he could with the source material---What the hell happened to these tapes anyway???

a reference to Clive Davis( Arista Records).

Highlights are Sugaree, Peggy O, Jack Straw, He's Gone, but especially Stella Blue where Jer's guitar gently weeps into a four minute outro solo.

The show itself is stellar, especially considering the "problems" in the organization at the time, and the band shift a month later. Too bad the pitch is off at times, and vocals are often dropped. Not sure if its a recording problem or if they just flubbed. Also Stella Blue thru Casey Jones sounds like an audience heavy matrix. Definitely well balanced though.

Thanks for this classic.
4 for sound
5 for a stellar show
0 for Donna's screaming at the end of Deal (yuck!)
SOLID 4 stars. Thank you Charlie!!!!

clive?