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Grateful Dead Live at Rainbow Theater on 1981-03-23

by Grateful Dead

Publication date: 1981-03-23 ( check for other copies)

Topics: Live concert

Collection: GratefulDead

Band/Artist: Grateful Dead

Resource: DeadLists Project

Jack Straw, They Love Each Other, Cassidy, It Must Have Been The Roses-> El Paso, Ramble On Rose, Minglewood Blues, Sugaree, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication Bird Song, Samson & Delilah, To Lay Me Down, Terrapin Station

Notes

AUD> MC> DAT> CD

Addeddate: 2004-04-26 11:45:56

Discs: 0

Has_mp3: 1

Identifier: gd81-03-23.aud.macdonald.6685.sbeok.shnf

Lineage: AUD> MC> DAT> CD

Location: London, England

Shndiscs: 2

Source: Audience Recording

Type: sound

Venue: Rainbow Theater

Year: 1981

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Reviews

Reviewer: stratocaster - - March 25, 2022
Subject: One of best shows of the year

This is the best aud source. Although Rainbow Theatre acoustics didn’t do much to help Phil, this is a very listenable recording and my thanks for this effort. Outstanding TLEO, Terrapin, Playin, Stella Blue and the Sugar Magnolia rocks…5 performance 4 recording

Reviewer: Ivan Balakhonov - - September 3, 2017
Subject: Close to '81 summit

Among the audience recordings of this show I prefer this one: it is much clearer though lacks ambience and Phil in comparison with Koucky recording. As for the music itself I'm ready to proclaim this gig one of the best of 1981. Fantastic energy, almost perfect (to my opinion) song selection and flawless execution.

I believe this is the best first set of the spring run. And ye, pay your attention to Stella Blue.

Reviewer: JamsOnly - - June 6, 2015
Subject: Warming Up

Highlights: It Must Have Been The Roses, Bird Song, To Lay Me Down

Reviewer: Wally Gator - - June 12, 2011
Subject: can't remember

I can't remember which version I'm listening to now but I've listen to two and both are grrrrrreat!!! Buffalo doesn't stand a chance against this one for the best of '81.
Wg

Reviewer: jamiejoon - - August 31, 2009
Subject: Fantastic show, OK recording

Wish there was a great Aud/SBD blended version of this show. I like being able to hear the audience, but the sound is a little bit remote and tinny.

It is simply a brilliant first set, one of my favorites. 5 stars for performance, 3 stars for recording. Check out Sugaree and Lazy Lightning. Very tasty indeed.

Reviewer: Rob M - - September 27, 2005
Subject: My first Dead concert!

Not only was this my first Dead concert - it was also the first time I had heard any music by the Dead!

25 years later it is a pleasure to listen to this - what a long strange trip it has been! Thanks for making this available.

I do not remember much from the show after all those years. What I do remember was a stunning song, early in the concert, where 3 or 4 of the musicians did a solo, 1 after the other (at the time I did not know who was who!). The song built and built up to a huge crescendo - I was blown off my feet, and that is why I am still listening after 25 years.

And the song? it was the first set version of New Minglewood Blues, where Brent, Bobby og Jerry play solos one after another and finally all hell breaks loose.... Brent's hammond organ sounds fantastic on this song...

Many thanx again for a fantastic show!

Reviewer: Seperation of Dead and State - - May 28, 2004
Subject: Bird Song.....

This show has a warm ambiant feet with a little two much high end for this writer. The show is a throwback with a Bird>Samson>To Lay Me before the meat of the second set. The first set also has nice placement of Sugaree in the back half of the set. The bird song is spacey and full of jazzy accents very similar to the legendary Cole Bird (3-7-81). PLayin in the Band is over seventeen minutes long and features the band gelling together for a long journey to the Curry house following the show. I think it would be wise to grab this one while it is still hot. It gets a four star because it is a little too Phil-Lite.

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