Customer Reviews

Dead Set (Dig)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When these two Live Discs were released in 1980, It was indeed a BIG DEAL in Deadland. With "Loser","Candyman","Fire on the Mountian", "Franklin's Tower" and "Brokedown Palace" it was a kinda "Holy Grail" for Head's. My Girlfriend hated the Slowed-down: "Friend of the Devil". But, I was hooked on this one right from the get-go.

Now, this Re-Mastered Edition, adds on a Bonus Disc of 10 more Tracks. My 4 Star rating just got Bumped-up to 5 Stars. With, "Sugeree","Shakedown Street", "High Time", "Lazy Lightnin'/Supplication added into an already fine record it makes for "Primal Dead Listening".

I know, lot's of folks prefer the studio records...But, for the real Beast we call The Grateful Dead. Dive off the deep end and pick-up this one along with "Europe 72" & "Without A Net", and you'll see what all the Fuss was about.

If I Had My Way!!!...If I Had My Way!!!...If I Had My Way!!!!!! Yea, Bob Weir, sounding very "Dave Van Ronk Like", (actually it's a Rev Gary Davis composition) really ripping into the intro of Samson & Delilah. And Billy and Mickey stirring up some true thunder, along with Phil all perfoming yeoman's work as the Deads staleworth rhythm section. Turn it down a tad on the next cut as Jerry gives one his finest, heart-felt reditions of Friend Of The Devil. Once again Jerry's in great voice on Deal, sounding strong and inspired. Passenger, Franklin's Tower and Fire On The Mountain are also given the royal treatment, further testament to this collection's absolute greatness.

What I've always loved about this recording, (I still have my orginal vinyl 2-LP set in mint condition) is the sound. Recorded in the acoustically world acclaimed Radio City Music Hall, NYC, the music jumps right out at you...Crisp, Clean with hardly a trace of echo...Just brilliant. And of course the Bonus material on this new expanded version...Well I'll say, I can't understand why they didn't include everything here in the orginal 1980 release. This really is at the top of the heap in my book. Perhaps only Europe 72 ranks as high as this baby. *****FIVE STARS***** And More If I Could!!!

How could you not be totally head over heels crazy for this expanded and digitally remastered collection? If you were even mildly a fan of this set when it was initially released as a 2 record collection, on vinyl back in 1980, then get hip to this expanded version. From the opening drums of Sampson & Daliah to the majestic intro to Friend Of The Devil, true Dead-Heads will know they're in for a rare treat. The music simply jumps out at you, clear and crisp, almost as though you were center stage and Jerry was pickin' those cosmic licks right before your eyes and ears.

Both this and the companion acoustic set "Reckogning" have been digitaly remastered and expanded with lots of bonus tracks. Together they are representative of The Dead in one of their most productive periods. Get with it people...How can anyone rate these two collections anything less than five stars?

While initially not one of my favorite live offerings from GD, this remastered with bonus tracks double disc selection is certainly one to own. With all of the live GD options to choose from you will find that everyone has their favorite based on set list, performance date, performance level (individually as well as collectively), production quality, and their own personal state of mind. So, not being someone else's favorite shouldn't be a big factor in considering whether or not this disc (or any other disc for that matter) is for you the reader.

"Dead Set" contains very high quality performances and an outstanding set list from the band back in the fall of 1980. My initial impression upon first listen of the original 2-album vinyl release (way back when) was that the performances were highly disciplined as opposed to being dangerously close to the edge of something special or something tragic. This impression hasn't changed. Nonetheless, there are plenty of creative moments here so I'm sure that this point could be argued to the contrary as well.

Production on this release is balanced and clean. Brent Mydland's presence on keyboards can be heard quite clearly and is very prominent throughout. I especially enjoy his contributions to Candyman and Brokedown Palace which are fabulous renderings of these American Beauty classics. The crowd noise at certain key points of these tracks lets you know that they concur. The "special" version of Friend of the Devil presented here features Brent on organ in support of a very blue Jerry Garcia.

The aforementioned Brokedown Palace closed out the original "Dead Set" release and is among my personal favorites. As the tune ended I couldn't help but feel that there had to be more. After all, it couldn't possibly end there, could it? It did then but it doesn't anymore and that is enough to boost what I would have rated a 4+ stars release up to the full five star max. The bonus tracks on disc two provide a more freewheeling example of the band during this era making the remastered "Dead Set" an even more valuable treasure to own ...

wife picked me up some of the grateful dead live albums for valentine's day. can't get over how good this one is. the entire disc 2 was unreleased. sound is great, songs are great. lots of the slower, more methodical tunes here. shakedown street (an unreleased track) is incredible, clocking in at over 10 minutes. high time, let it grow and sugaree are also new previously unreleased versions, and they are great. candyman is very nice. loser is an essential. next to europe 72, this one is my favorite live dead. what wasn't essential dead listening now has become so with this expanded set.

Nice job studio-mixing the live shows. The rendition of Fire on this album has long been one my favorites.

This was given to me as a gift and it truly turned to me one of my favorites! There is an awesome Sampson and Deliliah on here and they just sound great overall!

Yikes - I was there at the Radio City shows ... how long ago ... don't say. Album has upbeat songs and a great rock sound. You won't find anything esoteric though. Compliment this with the acoustic songs from the same shows, Reckoning, which has a mellower vibe.

In 1980, the band was celebrating it's 15th Anniversary with a run of shows at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco and Radio City Music Hall in New York in September and October 1980. The band opened the shows with acoustic sets with were released in April 1981 as Reckoning (Dig). Dead Set was released in August and shortly after it's release, Jerry said "I was looking for a progress report, not the best of but something like a report card. It's like if you just walked into a Grateful Dead concert on any night." Bob Weir told david Gans after the albums released, that he was "surprised by some of the choices". Because Dead songs could run long back in the days of vinyl, some songs were edited like Friend Of The Devil has a minute and a half cut from it.

The release starts off with a sluggish Samson And Delilah while Friend Of The Devil is a bit better. New Minglewood Blues and Deal smoked the Warfield. Candyman is fine while Little Red Rooster had only returned to the set lists the month before and the band still hadn't all the verses of later versions. Loser is hot in it's slow blues way while Passenger is on the right track and headed for you. Shortly after the release, Jerry went on about how strong this Passenger was, and, I can't help wonder if that isn't why they stopped playing it not long after. Feel Like A Stranger is a strong early version which is then followed by a nice mid tempo Franklin's Tower. An edit of Rhythm Devils is next and is followed by the end of a Space jam which goes into a nice Fire On The Mountain. Greatest Story Ever Told is an okay version but the Brokedown Palace is very sweet.

Many of the tapes that were used to make this record were recorded over not long after the release. There was enough left over to make a bonus disc. The bonus disc starts with a great Let It Grow and is followed by a hot Sugaree. C.C. Rider is a nice song and this is a well played version. Row Jimmy is a song I always like and this one is super mellow. Lazy Lightning->Supplication is very hot and rocking while High Time is hot and sweet. Jack Straw is very good but I'm not sure why they split it up from the Sugaree near the beginning of the disc and put Let It Grow here since this would've been where it would've occured in a concert. Shakedown Street is smokin' and while the Not Fade Away is good, it does seem a bit out of place split from the jam. I think I would've ended the disc with something like The Wheel but that's just me.

First of all, I wasn't there.

I was disappointed by this set.
The music is lifeless and driven by a plodding disco-ish beat.
I much prefer the 1972-era material which is almost uniformly on fire.
Many of the songs on this CD are performed in a much more lively manner on Dick's Picks #3, from 1977. In particular, compare the two versions of "Samson" and "Franklin's Tower". The Dead Set versions sound like the kind of songs a has-been band pays on a summer cash in tour, while the DP3 versions boil over with drive and energy. In particular the DP3 "Franklin's Tower" is a shimmering, grooving all too short 15 minutes long, while the Dead Set version sounds forced just to make it to eight minutes.
Still looking and listening!