Customer Reviews

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Grateful Dead

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a collection of exceptional songs played by a band that was clearly "on" those five nights at the Fillmore East. I have never heard such energy on the meager amount of concert tapes and live releases in my music collection. LAGTGD is bound to appeal to everyone. First of all, there is the amazing song selections. A few of the "hits" (i.e. "Truckin", "Sugar Magnolia", "Uncle John's Band") have been included, and this would serve as an excellent introduction for the newer listeners. Secondly, there are several songs that have "typically" played in an acoustic format but appear in its electric counterpart (i.e. "Ripple", "Dark Hollow"). Lastly, there are the jams...from Dark Star-->St Stephen-->NFA-->GDTRFB-->NFA to Alligator-->GDTRFB-->Cold Rain and Snow. And to top it all off, there's plenty of the Pig. (I just get a kick from listening to his extended "raps" on "Good Lovin" and "Lovelight").

(And you just can't beat the sound quality that these discs have to offer. I swear, you can even hear the boys breathe!)

Wow, there is just so many goodies on these discs to keep one interested for a lifetime. Yes, I might be a bit biased, as I am a Deadhead, but, trust me (as one who appreciates the musical and spiritual gifts these guys had to offer), this is the ONE that you should purchase (followed by: Live Dead, One from the Vault, and many of the Dick's Picks releases).

Thanks Jerry, Bobby, Phil, Billy, and Pigpen for the music. Thank you DL and the rest of the GDP staff for the spreading this gem to the masses.

With Pigpen still in fine form and a multitude of new songs, this actual recording looks similar to many a "dream set" this reviewer has imagined over the years. First and foremost, all of Pigpen's signature tunes are here together on one recording for the first time. Where else can you find "Lovelight," "Next Time You See Me," "King Bee," "Good Lovin'," "Hard to Handle," "It Hurts Me Too," "Alligator," and my personal favorite, "Midnight Hour," all on one excellent quality recording. This concert marks the perfect combination of raucous rock n' roll and free-flowing jams that took center stage about three years after the Fillmore East concert. I could go on to list off great song after great song, or I can simply say that IT IS ALL HERE. This is desert island Dead for sure. If you love the group or if you've never loved them before, this is the album to buy.

This is kind of a companion piece to the "Skull & Roses" live album recorded during this same time frame and beloved by fans. It's culled from a 5-night run at the Fillmore East, a closing run actually. The fidelity is great - clear and strong and crisp. The band were a stripped-down 5-piece, down to one drummer and only Pigpen on keyboards. They would alternate between styles all night and between Garcia, Weir, and Pigpen taking lead vocals. They had a large songbook and could go in one of many directions at any point in time.

There's lots of hard-rocking Dead here, and lots of Pigpen fronting blues-edged material. There's lots of Garcia and Weir here too. Lots of country-inflected stuff, lots of psychedelic tinged jamming, lots of rock and roll. There's just boatloads of stuff. There are many great moments, starting with the opening version of "Truckin'" that boogies slow and strong and proves Bill Kreutzman a superb drummer. 1971 was a fine vintage and this is a caseload of the stuff.

Every Deadhead has thier personal favorite live Dead show. Maybe you were at a particular show and the recording brings back fond memories. Maybe it was a highlight of your favorite band line-up. Or maybe it has that one Jerry solo that makes your hair curl. This show however stands out as perhaps thier finest recording ever commercially released. I know it's a pretty ballsy thing to say, but one listen and you'll be carting this 4 disc set around with you wherever you go. First, the quality of the recording is flawless. The mix is perfect, it doesn't have that flat "soundboard" sound some of the Dead's tapes have. There's a real presence to the mix, like you can locate where everybody is just by listening. But that's just the beginning. The versions of the songs are some of the finest I've ever heard. Jerry's "Second That Emotion" is amazing. The jam in the middle of Pig's "Too Hard To Handle" is some of the best blues ever played by anybody. Bobby's version of "Me And My Uncle" is actually inspired. I could easily go on & on about every song in this collection, but I'd be wasting your time. Even if you think you don't need another live Dead album, you've GOT to have this one. (I actually haven't played a Dick's Picks in about a month!)

I am disapointed by the previous reviews of this box set which documents the final shows at the Fillmore in 1971. These CDs offer insight into one of the bands greatest runs at one of their greatest venues. Now if you've never heard any live grateful dead before, I'd actually recommend starting with "Live Dead," "Dick's Picks Four," or "Two From the Vault." For those who are acquainted with the band in a live setting, these shows are must have. By '71, they were mixing their full-blown psychedelia of the 60's with solid originals off American Beauty, Workingman's Dead, etc. So with this compilation taking the best of five nights, there's plenty to choose from. The last night of the run is widely considered an all-time top show, and the quality here is superior to bootleg versions that any one might find. The Jam>GDTRFB with a Saint Stephen tease is simply awesome. The biggest suprise for me was the third CD, which is incredible, possibly even stronger than the forth. It is from the 28th and consists of a mind-blowing Dark Star>Saint Stephen>NFA>GDTRFB>NFA. The reason I am giving only four stars, as opposed to five is the mediocrity of sections of discs one and two (when compared to the latter two.) But if you enjoy live grateful dead, be sure to pick this set up!

I've always seen the `71 Dead as a band changing its sound, or making it more diverse (EVEN more diverse). The dual drum attack was gone with Mickey Hart, Tom Constanten keyboard work was gone too, and new numbers were being added to the band's repertoire. Thus, the Dead's sound was changing. Bob Weir was gaining more well-diserved prominence on stage, usually performing cowboy-like songs (El Paso, Me & Me Uncle), and the sound of the group in general was tighter, less free-form-jam-rock. Anyway, that year featured some expanded "Other Ones" and "Dark Stars" too. So, as you can see, it is not easy to describe what was exactly going on, for it was band with a really continiously-evolving sound. To these ears of mine, it is a year of transition, the immediately preeceding step to the extremely beautiful `72 tour when the sound got richer (EVEN richer).
Anyhow, amongst this confusing commentary, there is surely a certainty: it is a very nice set (recommended most of all for people who have already got into the Dead world). The sound quality is simply great and clear, Pigpen was (as the liner notes rightly say) in his last healthy tour (the "Lovelight" included here is one of the best ever released); Jerry Garcia was playing beautifuly as always; Bob Weir was, as I said before, really growing, Phil Lesh kept on being an outstanding driving force; Kreutzmann was playing better than ever and we even get some nice keyboard touches from special guest T.C.
Who cares 'bout reviews anyway? Let there be songs to fill the air.

I was introduced to the Grateful Dead back in 1983 when I was 16 years old. One of the first "bootleg" tapes I procured was a section of this CD-set-- the Alligator>>>Jam>>>Going Down the Road>>>Cold Rain and Snow. I don't know how many hours I spent back in those days with the headphones on being absolutely blown away by the Garcia, Lesh & Weir telepathic-guitar synthesis. Now 17 years later it's back in my life--this time clearer--and at the original speed!--(my tape was a little bit fast due to too many recording generations)

If you love the Grateful Dead already, then you, like me, have probably already heard this, and it will no doubt blow your socks off once again.

If you aren't familiar with the Dead, contrary to other reviewers here, I wouldn't suggest this as a starting point. Buy American Beauty, then Europe 72', then Skulls & Roses--then you'll be ready for this little gem.

One thing I have to admit...and this is why I give this CD-set 4 stars instead of five...is that while the Dead hold a special place in my heart, and they're eclectic beyond comparison, they are sometimes hard for me to listen to. The often out-of-tune guitars--(too bad they didn't have electric tuners back then)-- and the often out of tune harmonies make them often a band only a Deadhead can appreciate. Still, the imperfections also enhance their attraction in some sort of weird way.

My suggestion: Employ your relaxant of choice, make sure you're very relaxed, and just enjoy.

If you don't have a bootleg tape collection, how often do you get to hear a hopping version of Pigpen's Aint't It Crazy? Or an electric Dark Hollow (yes.. it works!)? Or Cold Rain and Snow brought to a new level as part of a second set grouping? Like never, except in this exceptional 4 cd set. True, not everything works (Truckin' should NOT open a first set!) but most does. And with only 1 drummer and Pigpen on part-time duty, Bobby steps up and plays some of his tightest and clearest guitar ever.His singing is in top form as well, sounding young and smooth. The mood of the whole set is very unrushed, so all of Jerry's rifts stand out clearly. All your favorites are here somewhere, so no need to list all the songs. Buy the set, and enjoy one of the more uniques Grateful Dead recordings out there.

This for the most part is picked very well. There are some noteworthy moments that didn't make the cd for various legal reasons like The Beach Boys and Duane Allman. This has the only currently released versions of I Second That Emotion and Ain't It Crazy as well as including an electric Dark Hollow and Ripple. This album also draws on alot of Pigpen material which wasn't used on Grateful Dead like Hard To Handle, ect. TC returns for the Dark Star jam on disc three. The jam after Alligator is one for the books. Some people are not as fond of this period as I am, the jams are REAL short as were the shows during this time, I actually perfer the jazzier period of '72-'74 to spring '71, but this is a pretty good collection of the era in question. Get this with Grateful Dead(Skull & Roses) and relive some really cool music from the spring of '71.

OK, OK. I'm a fanatic. I have 800 Dead shows on tape, including all five from the Fillmore East run from which these four CDs were culled. I have all 18 Dick's Picks -- well, EVERYTHING. I still bought this CD, despite having it all on tape, because it's nice to have some good stuff to throw in the CD player. I wasn't prepared for the fantastic job of sequencing that was done on this. OK, no Duane Allman or Beach Boys (all of whom made cameos during this run), but what's here is essential Dead. If some starry-eyed newbie asks what the Dead were like, this is a great CD to introduce him or her to the band. Most of the '60s Acid Trip classics are here, Pigpen is caught in truly spectactular form just before he began the decline that led to his death two years later, and spread among everything are the country-folk classics that came from the American Beauty/Workingman's Dead sessions. CD 3, with a Dark Star>St. Stephen>NFA>GDTRFB>NFA is awesome. The whole 4-CD collection is great from beginning to end, and beats the heck out of the much more expensive 5-CD "So Many Roads" box set that came out a year or so ago. This is a must-have for any Deadhead, or anyone who simply appreciates truly awesome music. Buy it, then do yourself a favor and enjoy some newer music and pick up the 6-16-00 Katowice, Poland, live CD by Pearl Jam. Between the 6 CDs, you'll be home-bound with headphones stuck to your ears for several days!