This is an excellent set, starting off with a rockin' 'Shakedown Street'. While the 'Lost Sailor' provides a bit of a counter-point, the 'Saint of Circumstance' should put you back in the groove. Garcia's 'Wheel' that follows is a real treat - especially the jam afterwards that goes into Brent's 'Good Time Blues'. Following Drums and Space is a wonderful 'Spanish Jam'. A great bit of music to drift away on! 'Truckin' follows, and I'm afraid Weir is once again a bit lyrically challenged.. 'Wharf Rat' follows in the ballad slot.. once again combining the pathos of August West with the hopes and fears of us all.
A rousing 'Sugar Magnolia' closes the set, with the boys returning, and helping us bid adieu to summer, with 'US Blues'.
Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA (8/28/81)
set 2
Shakedown Street
Lost Sailor
Saint of Circumstance
The Wheel
Good Time Blues
drums
Spanish Jam
Truckin'
Wharf Rat
Sugar Magnolia
U.S. Blues
You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:
I want to thank the fine folks whose contributions make the Deadpod possible!
Have a safe and happy Labor Day!
3 comments:
"Following Drums and Space is a wonderful 'Spanish Jam'. A great bit of music to drift away on!"
Such a wonderful comment to attempt to describe this band beyond description!!
A song that's new to me (Good Time Blues)! Can't wait to hear it! A clever little oxymoron. =)
1) The staccato-fest that started in Set 1 continues here. But in this case the staccato sound, especially with the sixteenth+ note runs Garcia was favoring, sometimes made the jams seem more like noodling than exploring (though there was plenty of that too)
2) As "The Wheel" transitioned into a blues, I was delighted to hear Brent coming in with the lead vocal (or was I just relieved it wasn't Bobby? ;~) In any case, like Anonymous, GTB was new to me too. I loved the song itself, Brent's vocal, and the whole way the band sounded with Brent's vocal on top.
3) Loved the way what started as a song ending crescendo turned into a a percussive jam that then transitioned to "Drums"
4) Never a down-tempo song, "Truckin'" comees in at a surprisingly faster clip than usual.
5) By giving the Sweet Jane a sex change, Weir manages to link the Hunter/Dead Sweet Jane to the Reed/Velvet Underground Sweet Jane.
6) Later in Truckin' Weir stumbles on the vocals and the remainder of the set is less inspired (to my ears) than what preceded it. But the band turns it back around halfway through the U.S. Blues encore when Weir stops playing slide and Garcia comes in with some stinging (legato) leads.
I don't think I've ever used so much Italian as I did in these comments. Rock on.
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