Kate

Oi. Pabulum for the toothless. I know you speak with the sharpest tongue on the site, JS, so I expect venom; but really? Why dilute excellence. Anyway, for my part it's meat and potatoes - Sound as big as shown. My reluctance to purchase a contiguously repetitive playlist, which reviews largely acknowledged as 'Dylan alone w/ guitar, harmonica, and/or piano', were dispelled immediately with the first takes of "If you see her..." and "You're a big girl now". A voice of protean emotionalism such that even Spartan musical accompaniment yields significant distinctions between nuanced vocal tonality, pitch, inflection, and tempo. Death before exposure would be a mortal omission; order now.

Nicely done! Expanding the site's sociocultural horizons to encompass proto-shoegaze. Scorching Stormy & YDLM from the 3/13 show! If you don't have the full release, then you might as well just sacrifice the disposable income in the name of Christmas cheer. As with "strenuous exercise", some of your peers will require medical clearance before listening.

MB/MT in an impressive free-fall over the last few days: currently $76 https://www.amazon.com/More-Blood-Tracks-Bootleg-Vol/dp/B07H5VTTDD/ref=sr_1_1_twi_aud_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1543891114&sr=1-1&keywords=more+blood+more+tracks+dylan

Weight your line so that your baithook is trolling at a depth of 19 years, you're looking to capture any Phish circa 12/99. The sensible Millenial would simply subscribe to stream the band's vault for a set phee; but I do so love physical product. 12/16/99 arrived in the post-TGiving-post this a.m., and, Dear God, the 23+ min. opening-2nd set-salvo "Sand" constitutes some of the finest recorded improvisatory music of the late 20th century; then a brilliant 9+ minute "Mango" into perhaps my favourite musical tune, "Velvet Sea", then a mind-bending 'whale-call' session followed by an EPIC "Tweezer" (that reprises as an encore) , and concludes with the modern day country rock standard "Runaway Jim". That I've lived to see - and tour! - with such a band. Dig "Sand" (pt.I) starting at 27:58 in this comp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsHJSB_ht_0 I s'pose it would be overly optimistic to say, 'order here': https://www.livephish.com/browse/music/0,936/Phish-mp3-flac-download-12-16-1999-Reynolds-Coliseum-Raleigh-NC Boomer Sooner and Go Bucks!

The Band: Pink; S/T; Stage Fright; Cahoots; Rock/Ages. It's taken me a bit to get around to what's largely regarded as a marquee name in Classic Rock circles - perhaps b/c my initial exposure in college was to the sloppy, ego-driven indulgences of "Last Waltz". Still, if Brown and The Pelvis are bedrock, then early Band has got to be upper strati Regolith. Like sinking your hands into rich black earth - at least thru the 3rd year of Nixon's first Tour of Shame.

Za, Pollock & a Baker on drums Bit of a tamer journey to Louisville to see Music of Cream (v. the recent Fall Phish tour), performed by Jack & Ginger's boys with Eric's nephew (attenuated) on lead. Extraordinary to experience such unique and seminal hard psychedelic blues played by those with a DNA-level affiliation; a heavy dose of improvisation proved a welcomed rebuttal to the notion of a mere cover act. What the trio did with "White Room" in the 'tween spaces was revelatory (who'd have thought!). A favourite moment, which underscored the group's aesthetic risk-taking (and perhaps only a Deadhead or jazz aficionado could distill great significance from such a thing), occurred during "I'm So Glad" when groupmind completely broke down: 4-5 minutes of utterly failed attempts to find some sort of freeform melodic construct (Will listening to Malcolm while looking pensively, lips pursed at the ornate ceiling and Malcolm listening headcocked to Will while staring holes with laser focus into the stage flooring) until Kofi declared 'enough' and pulled the crew back onto the page of written notation. And in the beautiful historic Brown Theatre! Worth the time and money. Louisville is also home to a little-known artistic jewel in the Midwest: the Speed Art Museum located on the edge of U of L's lovely campus. Currently hosting a Modern Masterworks exhibit that comprises movements "from Picasso to Pollock"; really an extraordinary capsule of major artistic schools during the first half of the 20th century. Finally, in years past I'd eaten at the pizza altar of Impellizeri's, though friends of a competing faction insisted that Wick's is the inarguable Alpha predator among River City pizzerias. So I went, and in the shabby-chic boho bar environs of Wick's, watched the busy midday traffic along Bardstown Road, deep in the magnificent Highlands, while a crazy patch of the season's first snow moved through. Good - no, really good - pizza, BUT certainly not Impellizeri's...sauce too thick, no fennel (or not enough), and clearly inferior crust. Have to admit, I brought 4 pieces home and it was better cold the next day.

Democracy denied.

DaP 2019 scrip open, and though the opening salvo is a brute classic - Swing '77, one of my top 5 performances from a top 5 year - I'm simply fatigued by the density of releases from even preferred 70s' tours; moreover, recent shows outside the comfort zone have ranged from poor (#20) to unexceptional (#27). I suspect my appetite for new Dead can now be sated with prospective box sets, if desired, based on the higher degree of quality required to market a non-subscription (albeit limited), high ticket item. It seems most participants on the Dead boards/threads are too close to see the specious fog of rationalization that both acknowledges the increasing hit-or-miss and duplicative nature of the series while justifying re-subscription based on affordability. Then again, the community picked up a lot of new members with FTW in '15 who don't have everything - or nearly so - that's been released and no longer affordable in physical format, for whom any 72/73/74/77 shows are unqualifiedly positive additions to collections. https://store.dead.net/dave-s-picks-2019-subscription.html EDIT: I suppose I mentioned it somewhere else, but I've been moving west with Phish since Hampton last week and just concluded two shows during my inaugural visit to Nashville on Tues/Wed; though I hit all the prominent places (incl. Music Row, CMHOF, Cash Museum) and even had breakfast at Loveless Café, the high point of my touristy endeavors - outside 2 really good P performances - was the Frist art museum, which is currently hosting a 1900 Paris Exposition themed exhibit through early January. Given the way they edged in toward me, I suspect I made the omnipresent security personnel anxious with my nose-to-canvas admiration of stuff, esp. a couple Gervex works. Clothing, furniture, early film, and jewelry from the era as well. It would be well worth the trip if such things - perhaps with further online investigation - interest you. Moreover, if you haven't visited Centennial Park and the full-scale recreation of the Parthenon - do so as well (they're just down Broadway/West End from Frist). On to the Allstate in Rosemont!

Nothing sacrificed: sneering sax, brash horns, screaming lead guitar, colon bouncing bass, funky e-keys. Hard-to-find-physical media though, which has a become a common problem lately; but I've tagged a reputable Euro seller with the CD on discogs for about $20. hmmmmm. EDIT: The Dan "Do It Again" instrumental cover you didn't know you were waiting to hear! (Kind of like Bale as the Batman you couldn't image getting excited over again, or Craig as a relevant resurrection of the obsolete womanizing suave-spy archetype.)

Phish tix in the po'box this p.m.; unlike Lockn where I at least feign roughing it in rolling 4 **** accommodations, I've decided my Outback and bricknmortar lodgings will do just fine on what should be an adventurous run from Hampton to Vegas between 10/19 and Halloween Night in Sin City. I'm only taking one show in Rosemont to facilitate a leisurely slog west, to include a one-night cabin rental in Grand Teton before spending another night in SLC (never visited either!). Near-universal wifi and a mobile workstation have revolutionized my quality of life more than quilted toilet paper, hot water heaters, and Trader Joe's Cookie Butter (though none are indispensable at this point). I've got trail running routes mapped along the way in addition to having identified a couple Y's where I can day pass into lap swimming. Happy.

Though my initial reaction was, "Oh my God, yes!", the profligate abuses of "OMG" in the interweb age precludes invocation in proper society. So I won't. The crown jewel might well be "Down in The Flood", with Dylan rollin and Toussaint's quintet adding uncharted ornamentation you can almost hear the crackle of electric charges jumping between players. Some Saturday night heresy: It's a stone cold lock over "Last Waltz".

Hiatus-bound Winterland 74 stand ... upper echelon - nay, elite - stuff; just a comp of course, w/ movie soundtrack plus, and the "plus" is critical as there warn't a dispensable note struck or chord played during the Ides of October that year. 5CDs/$18. Prime deal, though. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007PAMN8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For some reason, perhaps a melancholia imported by interminable rains over the Appalachians, I pulled my ZepII Ludwig pressing tonight; no talent for procurement or investment on my part, simply a component of a considerable vinyl collection bequeathed by an uncle I miss terribly.

"Billy Sue" - she's what's yer life's been missing. Caution: the related video library is quite nearly addictive as the ETOH in Billy's 64 oz, genetically attached megathermos.

Technology fosters a certain audiologic pedantry that discounts the practical difficulties of archival transfers. Still, while a bit of the 2-track blues is understandable here, Plangent alchemy has affected significant sonic upgrades to existing sources. Portland 74 is a well-known quantity, but the Truckin' Jam is a luminescent passage that defies contempt for even acute familiarity. While my favourite GDTRFBs tend to grind like roughly upshifted semi gears in transition from the preceding track, this strong rendition ascends from NFA with deliberate fluidity; also, Keith's assertive - sometimes catalystic - play makes many first-set standards remarkable. Edit: I can't imagine a more comprehensive, aesthetically pleasing release - from accompanying book cover and CD digipack art to the CD themselves and - of course - the stellar box, right down to the tactile overlay stencil design on the lid's underside.

Familiarity with the related bootleg catalogue seems to have dampened enthusiasm among the tribal elders*, but I know only the album proper, so I find this selection for #14 optimal. What an exceptional year for box sets - Szell Columbia, Zappa Roxy, Dead PNW, Lips first six+ .... and a few others that have left indelible imprints on my VISA. Because the amazon.uk page appears to address a Japanese import edition, I shouldn't imagine that the price quoted for this (purportedly) 6-disc release will be as exorbitant for the conventional Euro & US versions. Curious as well to see whether the Dylan site will exclusively offer an expanded edition as with the GospelBob release. https://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Blood-Tracks-Bob-Dylan/dp/B07GVXL5DQ/ref=s... *https://www.bobdylanisis.com/access-all-areas-blog/

Tomorrow night: Phil/Friends' Headcount benefit at the Apollo - my first visit (bucket list!). Saturday, I safari for a new deli (lunch) and pizza (dinner), among whatever else might be happening in that sleepy city (I've heard rumours).

It has been a terribly expensive year for musical acquisitions, fomented by a daunting confluence of magnificent boxes and increasingly deep discoveries for which OOP catalogue prices can accumulate at an alarming rate with just single CDs or LPs. Recent exploration of the oft fluid punk, post, new wave, alt & mod continuum has precipitated a revaluation of the late 70s/early 80s in general...particularly spawn with (at least some) Brittanic DNA. Balanced with considerable attention to the new Szell box, the variegated listening menu has been great fun, if a bit gaudy on the monthly statement.

Staples of Bannon's diet, but also a magnificent early-ish effort from a band historically lodged somewhere within the positive amplitude of Brit punk's initial wave.

fantastic rendition from my favourite score of a personally beloved film...what a joy to see every nuance of this magnificent composition produced organically on stage

An above average show during a mediocre year within the mid-80's Dust Bowl. With a wish list now dwindled to a mere handful of titles, my continuing blind participation in Dave's Vault roulette is inexplicable. I suppose the $100 pittance of a table minimum has something to do with it. I do hope DL recognizes the big five-oh with a 68 release for #4.

My indoctrination. Life will never be the same. Today: Quebec, DC, Asbury Park. Starless & Sailor's box sets due in tomorrow, less than a week after receiving Red. If your heart still contracts, your lungs draw air, and your eyes open to daylight, then why would you not be listening? Took me 33 years; Christ's life span. My hope is for another 4+ decades to explore this catalogue.

My initial foray, which proved maddening, yet curiously rewarding; were this ensemble a purely instrumental affair the yield might be legend across multiple genres. Seems FZ finds the notion of musical flow and momentum anathema to the circus. I was going to call it 'performance art', but that's spuriously high gloss. Nonetheless, I've got a sizeable order of the catalogue now trickling in from Bezos' Dark Hole Sun.

Spectacular sound in the now-complete canon of related compositions from the early-mid '70's courtesy this expanded reissue. Phenomenal! My favour tends toward the final handful of tracks that bespeak interstellar transmissions of an alien insect intelligence...the kind of sound that made the Seastones session of Jai Alai 6/23 such a perfect intermission companion piece to that spectacularly bizarre and utterly elite Dead show. http://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1974/6/23-7/seastones On order: Szell Complete Columbia and the next edition of Bear's Sonic Journals - ABB Fillmore East '70. Days of Riches!