Thank you sir (again)...the Jax Coliseum was an acoustic dump - I grew up in that city and attended many shows in that arena. The sound was horrific - echo, reverb...like playing in a dumpster. I realize it is a SBD = but leave it to Charlie to provide such a pristine copy. I agree with other comments regarding 78...well played shows. Spring 77 gets a lot of love, deservedly, but the band sounded tight in this year as well. We are fortunate to have Charlie Miller and all of his musical contributions. The Fatman Rocked!!

Had to edit this...Dale Cakes...LOL...the shrills were Bobby's territory...! Not gonna debate, just going to share my opinion. Donna took more than she added....there were dozens of PITB where her shrilly screams were startling. Like scary, in a ugh kind of way. I have no personal issues with Donna Jean, she seems to be a fine woman, I hope she has had a wonderful existence on our planet --- but her participation in the Band was not a good thing. As Dale points out...Bobby territory, the sticker read "Bobby Spit On Me" - not Donna.

Killer work on this one. Turned a great recording into one that is transcendent.

"Thank you!"

This version just before Atlanta is equally hot, can’t miss a single Scarlet> Fire from the Spring of ’78. I like the Scarlet transition jam even better. The first Fire solo is tremendous, Jerry’s tone is very fat, starts to fan a little, then the “You really can’t fake” line is delivered with authority, very nice. The finale is not as hot as Atlanta, but still very good.

Is it just me or is one of Phil's upper strings exceedingly flat on Scarlet?

I used to be a Donna basher, but the more I get into the band, I releaize that she was an important part of the group. I cant really add much to what you said because you summed up my feelings with you post. Give Donna a break. She was part of the group when they were at their peak.

Mr. Cakes,.. I never said Donna was " as good as" Jerry. that would be crazy. i said she was part of the band. she was not a guest vocalist. she stuck with them during a time when they were not making that much money. she gave the band almost 10 years of her life on the road. what pisses me off is people thinking it's just a coincidence that their best years included her on stage. the dead were very astute musicians and each line-up changed their sound drastically as they responded to each individual musician's unique approach. sure she was not perfect every night, none of them were. and your use of the word "sacrilege" illuminates all that is wrong with the typical Dead-Head attitude, they were not holy-men, Jerry is not some all-knowing Oracle, they were just people, and people have lives, and Donna gave much of it to the band she loved....so..LAY OFF!!!




If you can't hang with Donna then don't fuckin' listen. she was just as much a part of the band as any of them. she trucked it out on the road with them for almost 10 years. LAY OFF!!!!!!!!!!

everything you touch turns to gold. great work with the quality of this show.

In response to Babyblu's comment... How dare you say that Donna was 'just as much a part of the band as any of them'. Please tell me you are joking. It is a sacrelige to even think that Donna is within light years of Jerry's contributions to the Annals of Music.

I love the Bobby fakeout at 7.06 of Samson, he led Donna right into the chorus and then quickly changed it up. Everyone in the Coliseum was on the same page as the boys, except Donna Jean. Thats what Donna gets for trying to one-up Bobby's screaming. Everyone knows that random shreiks, screams, and shrills are Bobby's territory.

If you ever want to test how good your stereo is.....this might just be the one. During Samson the bass jumps out in the middle of the room!!! The whole first set is philled.

Maybe one of the best under the radar shows out there.
thanks betty

Namaste

78 is very forgotten and underrated
1-11-78
4-10-78
10-21-78
11-23-78
12-12-78 1/2 step

Sampson Phuckin' rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

What a fantastic sound upgrade to a 5-star, underrated gem of a show. Next to May of '77 April of '78 might just contain the best run of awesome performances and this is among them...right up there if not better than 4/12, 4/16 and 4/24.

Pay particular attention to the Samson in 2nd set and the truly amazing Scarlet>Fire that follows...has both hard rocking energy and beautiful stretches of mellow gold (Keith shines in the transition into Fire)...The Estimated also is a treat and the first set contains well-played rockin renditions of half step and bobby's cowboy tunes.

Enjoy

This is a great show! Does anyone know how I can download this show or any other SBD? Thanks!
SwanSong_79@hotmail.com

Another excellent rehab by Charlie Miller -- thanks dude!

Have to disagree with one of the comments on an old version. Donna may be better here than in some other shows of this vintage, but she's still a flat, generally off-key, horribly-inflected shrieking howler. She just kills Deal...

I think her presence during the Dead's salad says is one of the great tragedies of rock & roll history. Especially given that since with the arrival of Brent in late '79 Bobby's guitar practically dropped out of the mix in many shows, she's barfing all over some of the finest rhythm guitar playing that we have good recordings of. It's just unfortunate.

Still, this show ranks quite high. I'd give it a 4/5 stars (or 9 out of 10) if I could, but out of the spirit of generosity learned in no small part at my couple of hundred shows, it gets a 5.

RIP, Jer....