((((Thank you))))

Though this is one of the best shows of the tour, to get to the playing you have to contend with iffy mixes and pitch errors on all sources. Much of the appeal seems to be the venue, still with its cachet; searching for echoes of 5/8/77. This was their last time at Cornell, and the show is as good as, if not better than, 5/7/80. It starts a little flat and downtempo (played at concert pitch), but opens up.

First Set. Feel Like a Stranger has an opening bonus jam that kicks open the door. Friend of the Devil is smoother than a Zamboni on grease but somehow bland. Some of the dryness is because Bobby's guitar is turned down for much of the set, and Brent up [AUDs are little better]. Althea is correspondingly languid, but these are all solid enough. The first 10secs of the seg into/beginning of See, See Rider Blues is missing from the OFF/SBD [reel flip]. It's a fine version, and listen for Bobby's outta sight Hendrix impression. Suddenly the tempos increase, the mix improves, and the set takes off with Brown Eyed Women. They have found the magic pulse, and Jer takes over for an unusual Passenger with a wild end solo (listen for Phil backing this section). Jer had been teasing High Time and now he lays down a perfect version. Bobby takes that torch for a likewise Let it Grow. But the set's not over. The sudden Dough Knees tag is a surprise – and a killer.

Second Set. Shakedown has a shaky start but hang in there, it yields to some great sections, particularly the jam into the terse, ticking Bertha. Lost Sailor is perhaps the finest example of an '81. Saint itself doesn't really stand out but the jam bottoms out and then returns as a Spanish Jam, totaling 16½mins of must-hear-once [complete on AUDs; reel flip on SBD/OFF]. The drummers stay on for Space, but the rest is average '81. Although, Truckin' has a nice jam that Bobby pulls into a brief Nobody's Fault (sans lyrics). The SBD ends 33secs into Stella, and the best source from here [better than the OFF] is the 142974_set2, though either way Goin' Down the Road has bizarre live mixing for this late in the show (or were there tech difficulties?). Uncle John's is solid enough to spill them out happy.

1st Set:  B+
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 4 stars

Highlights:
Brown Eyed Women – suddenly speedy, set simply soars
Passenger – also listen for Phil
High Time – polished outing
Let it Grow – gustatory
Don't Ease Me In – tagging the set with a bonus
Bertha – terse, ticking, built on the Shakedown
Lost Sailor – a superb '81

SOURCES: The SBD (and the OFF) do not have great mixes, but they're better once you correct the speed. The miller_30647 runs slightly fast and needs -1% correction. The official (30 Trips) has essentially the whole show but runs way too fast, needing -2.75% for Disc 1 & 2 and -2.5% for Disc 3. The SBD did not record the last four songs and sources are patched with AUDs of various quality [the OFF also uses an AUD here, but why didn't they patch the reel flips too?]. The segue from Saint>Spanish is incomplete on the SBD/OFF, and complete on 142974_set2_aud_beckwith. It's also better quality for the last four songs, except for some crackling in Stella, and runs fast, needing -1.75% pitch correction. Also better for the last four is the wise_wiley_14714, which needs -2% pitch correction. It has the complete beginning of See, See Rider Blues. Definitive Live has Shakedown Street.

I really love Spring '81 - March through May there are a number of great shows. As c-freedom notes below, "Before B.E. Jerry was riffing one of his ballad tunes" - pretty sure that tune was High Time. A little tease before playing it 2 songs later. Good stuff.

I too would love to hear the SB of this Stella. It’s an AUD patch unfortunately because it’s unique-especially the end. The thing I love about Jer is his sincerity. He really f’ing means it. Almost every dang time. God he slays me. He reserved something special for a few of them and Stella was definitely one of the big fish

This is sweet without all the hype of 77.
Brent doesn't sing too much but big in the instrument mix.
Great 1st set-well played with secondary tunes
like Big River and C.C. Rider well jammed
Before B.E. Jerry was riffing one of his ballad tunes.
It has been a few years but Ithaca was one hard core hippie town
last time I happened to visit I dunno back in the late 80's
Passenger, I love this tune
So high energy
Always considered this and Cumberland
as connected to the Phil Zone.
Yeah, HIGH TIME -what a cool tune
Intro sounds a lot like Too Lay Me Down to my ear
but wow can't go wrong with High Time
Right into>LET IT GROW!
and >Don't Ease (this is an 11 song set)

Shakedown>Bertha
That is a serious combo
big jams in Shakedown
good dance hall Bertha
Sailor>Saint
One of those combo's
I liked but not everybody in my camp.
Not sure just going with Saint of Circumstance
really was an improvement
Spanish Jam-pretty lengthy and mellow

Truckin' Weir counts it off with the whistle
"You better get back Truckin' on"
A little late in the evening but getting some slide work in

Really solid playing. Jerry sounds good and is in command of his axe. Love this set list. Songs are tight and nicely drawn out renditions. Not the most perfect balance of voices and instruments, but it's more than pleasing to listen to. Love the Althea, Stranger, FOTD, Stella.

Third and final outing at the renowned Barton Hall at Cornell. Of course there's 5/8/77, 5/7/80, and this 81 gem. Love this 81 sound and 5/16 ranks pretty high among "Favorite Tapes" in deadbase. It's sixth (18 votes), just behind 10/16, 5/6, 12/31, 3/28, and 10/6. To be sure, it's not as good as 5/6 (Dick's 13), but it's in the immediate vicinity. I love the sound and feel of this first set. But really you should hold on for that second. Set opens with a long mellow funky patient Shakedown - also opens disc 3 of the 30 trips definitive live story - that makes its way into a fast paced Bertha. It's a fine double dose of Jerry dusting things off in the second. That leads right into the Bobby combo, Lost Sailor->Saint, where we get more speed-work and a treat with its transition into Spanish Jam. Through drumz and beyond, this set never lets up. It closes with a final 30 minute suite featuring a post-Truckin' Nobody's Fault Jam into a choice Stella Blue.

Guess what..It's not '77~!! I reach more often for this beauty than the infamous one that everyone must compare to..ENERGY>FUNKY= Ithaca '81~~~Give it a whirl~Forever Grateful>Forever Dead~!!!

I was intrigued by the Althea > CC Rider - kind of a silky combination.

Turns out that Althea and CC Rider were player in the same show 51 times. Only once both in the second set and 40 times both in the first set.

Of those times that they were played in the same set, 15 are CC then Althea, 11 are Althea then CC and 15 they are split by other songs. There are 127 CC Riders all told, so about 20% of the time they are played one after the other.

Interestingly, the CC then Althea combination was dominant in the early years and Althea then CC was more common later, so this example was somewhat rare for its era.

Pretty good show. Great set list, Spanish Jam and Nobody's fault Jam is special....Fantastic sound quality, of course, thank you Charlie!
I thought I heard some Mickey hootin and hollerin and chanting during Drums that made me laugh as well.
Probly more like a 3.5, but I'm tryin to be extra discerning as this is my first ever post on the archive. Hey everybody. :)

Great show!! Check it out!!

Bob musta been feeling it in Truckin, "What in the world ever became of sweet Jane? She lost her spot and you know she isn't the same. Ever since she went and got her sex changed, all a friend can say is ain't it a shame."

Lost Sailor is nice here too. solid show

High Time, Shakedown, Lost Sailor>Saint, Stella Blue, Going Down The Road and Uncle John's Band are excellent! This show was well played, good vibes all around. Jerry was really on his game and Phil is engaged...

30 years ago today, this was my first show, and it still remains my favorite. So glad to hear the soundboard after 25 years of audience recordings. Thanks!

To come back at a later date.

Can anyone help me out? I have Aud and this was one of my top shows of all time. I was there and i did say woah! for the rest of the year and forever after this show. It just sticks out for me.

Thanks

Passenger packs phil's boom

A+ sound. Some gems and Tasty jams.

This is a great show indeed. Sailor>Saint>Spanish Jam - pretty incredible. Had i been at this show - I might have said - whoa, didn't see that one comin'!
Lots of wonderful sound - thanks again guys!




~ Let the good times roll

Really?

ANOTHER GREAT CLEAN-UP JOB BY CHARLIE MILLER

I think this has to rate as one of the best '81's I have heard. Recording is excellent, until Stella (as noted), but evern Stella till the end is more than listenable.

1st set highlights:

Friend of the Devil is really hot, in particular Brent and Jerry really get off hard.

Big River has a really tight quaility with hot Brent solo to boot.

CC Rider fabulous, with a High Time tease between CC and Brown-eyed Women.

The rest of the set is a really, really good performance with wonderful listenablility due to the great recording.

2nd Set highlights:

Nice Shakedown opener.

I little bit faster tempo Lost/Saint makes for a great rendition. Lost/Saint is really a highlight for the band through this entire year. You could tell all members were digging on this combo big time.

Saint goes into an always cool Spanish Jam.

Stella is killer version. I'd love to hear the "Soundboard" recording of this song.

GDTRFB through UJB all really great listening.

After listening to 5 or 6 shows from '81 over the last 2 weeks, one undeniable truism is that Brent has made his mark in the band with a combo of great rhythm section accompaniment, soulful and generally in harmony backgound vocals and really sizzling leads, with a series of really good writing not far off in the future. Since 4 and 1/2* (for the slightly less crisp patch from Stell onward) is not an option, I go with a 5* on this one.