Grateful Dead Live in Oakland, October 31, 1991
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One of the handful of Epic post-Brent shows. I will never forget it, or that whole week.
Grateful Dead Live at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on 1991-10-31
https://archive.org/details/gd91-10-31.sbd.gardner.2897.sbeok.shnf
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
Yeah, since the 25th there's
Yeah, since the 25th there's been a lot of remembering of all the events from that horrible week 30 years ago.
It was a terrible time for a lot of people, but some brilliance came from it as well.
So odd how so often the worst brings out the best.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
Agree. A sad/amazing
Agree. A sad/amazing/heartbreaking/beautiful week/5 shows.
Having the opportunity to see the band play for free in Golden Gate Park was something I thought I'd never witness;
just too bad it was under such a circumstance.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Roarshock
Incredibly sad and beautiful
Incredibly sad and beautiful week. The soot from the Oakland Hills Fire still lingered along with everybody who died up there, along with Bill Graham dead in the aftermath and as a direct result.
The first night of the run was also intensely emotional. From going inside the Coliseum where the doorman (the famous fellow who had long reminded us to have our tickets out and ready) just stood silent as the sunset and we all filed by and he had desolation and grief in his eyes.
Then the band opened with Sugar Magnolia (Bill's favorite song) and the "any man alive" line cut me to the quick. After the first set, David Graham came out on stage and said a few words about his father concluding with "bottom line he loved you all" and everybody inside fired up their lighters in the universal call for an encore. I was not the only one weeping in that moment. We want more, Uncle Bobo, We Want MORE!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
saw all of those and concur
saw all of those and concur
gnarly darkstar.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: joy
<<<<Phil's bass line before
<<<<Phil's bass line before and during Kesey's appearence>>>>
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: doctor
Willie
Willie was his name right?
He was at the Garcia on Broadway shows in 87. Bill sure treated him good!!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
Willie was his name, but most
Willie was his name, but most of us called him Clyde.
Never got the story as to why or which was his real name, but he answered to both.
He was a truly kind man.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
Shows in 87. Bill sure
Shows in 87. Bill sure treated him good!!>>>
Also at the Telluride shows
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
That Halloween show is as
That Halloween show is as heavy as it gets. When Kesey is on stage the cosmos expand and explode. Greatest eulogy of all time.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
One might even say it was as
One might even say it was as big a time as it gets
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dj_easy_wind
What do you think of your
What do you think of your blue-eyed boy, NOW, Mr. Death?!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: doctor
Willie or Clyde at the Stones
Willie or Clyde at the Stones 75 Colorado show. Bill must have took him everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQr4LsvLpHQ
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Greasyheart
No such thing as an epic post
No such thing as an epic post Brent show. Some decent ones, nothing epic to these ears....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
Well, if we're talking about
>>>No such thing as an epic post Brent show<<<
Well, if we're talking about just music, an argument could be made that there were few if any "epic" GD shows post Keith.
It all comes down to how one defines "epic". The official definition is in part, "telling a great and heroic story/heroic or impressive because of great size or effort".
In this particular case it's pretty easy to say that what makes this show epic isn't just the music, it's everything that was a significant part of it, and really a significant part of that entire run of shows.
This show may not play as legendary on tape, but in the room, with the incredible weight & power of raw emotion and feeling and sense of time & loss that was palpable, that was HEAVY among the audience, the band, those putting on the show, everyone there, the true gravitas of that run and that show in particular with Kesey performing with the band and telling a great and historic story, it WAS an "epic" show.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Greasyheart
Lance, yea true dat on Keith
Lance, yea true dat on Keith's era and Brent's and what was epic in those days. Fortunate that I got to see the Keith & Donna incarnation several times but "epic" is in the ears and eys of the listener and one man's epic is another, hmm, that was OK but like Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart once said about porno--"I know it when I see it" and I guess the same is true about what might be considered epic in Dead land. My take is by the time Vince was slotted in, they were long passed anything I consider to be epic as Garcia was well into his decline and they weren't listening as well to each other on the stage--in my view. But, if you were at a Vince ear show--or any era and feel it was an epic performance, then by golly, it was epic..to you!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rando
As awesome as 10/31 was, I
As awesome as 10/31 was, I thought 10/27 was better. It was my only CAT so that may have had something to do with it.
The whole run was great and GGP at the end was the best. Ah the life of a 20 y/o. RIP Father Bill.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
I think you're thinking of 12
I think you're thinking of 12-27-90 Rando. No CAT during that Oct. '91 run...
I was about 12 feet away from Kesey and Garcia on 10-31-91, and that part of the show sure as hell was epic to me.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
>>>Garcia was well into his
>>>Garcia was well into his decline and they weren't listening as well to each other on the stage<<<
Oh yeah, I agree with that, except I think that happened LONG before Vince came along, and I'd also say that for at least a short time Hornsby got Jerry listening & reacting again. And when Jerry was truly engaged, the band was as well.
Either way, the particular show in question here was so much more than just a music event. It was truly HEAVY, on a personal and a historical level.
The feeling & reaction to the tragic loss of one of the main players, one of the original CORE players in the scene, both locally and globally, but in this case mostly locally, was deep and truly intense.
Bill Graham's death was a MASSIVE jolt, and those shows were performed under the serious tremors of that jolt.
Was the music good, great, not so great? Whatever. That entire run, and that show in particular WAS epic, far beyond the music played.
Sometimes you're in a room, and you just know that there's something much more than you and your good time happening there.
Personally, to this day I can still feel the vibrations of those shows.
They were a perfectly timed part of something much bigger than just another run of shows.
And that something was heavy, shocking, tragic, life-changing, brutally sad, and ultimately epic.
In the end, they were just another example of how the worst so often brings out the best.
And that's pretty epic, IMO.