Spring Tour 95

rough stuff. sad. 

I preferred Spring Tour '85.

     "rough stuff. sad."

     This is what I absolutely do not get about some of you people...I realize there are individuals who fancy themselves aficionados to one degree or another, but I never recall leaving a performance of Jerry Garcia playing guitar feeling anything other than having been in the presence of genius.

     I'm trying to brainstorm possible dynamics to this phenomena, my best guess is people that think such erroneous thoughts don't play musical instruments.

was jerry not capable of sleep playing? b/c that’s what the video shows from that spectrum show. dude was a musical

genius, but 95 dead is extra sad. 

>>>people that think such erroneous thoughts

One's interpretation of art is a subjective thing and, therefore, cannot be deemed erroneous.

>> I'm trying to brainstorm possible dynamics to this phenomena, my best guess is people that think such erroneous thoughts don't play musical instruments. <<

Don't sprain your brain, Bryen.

I have learned to embrace 1985 because the jams are fucking HOT. Yes, Jerry's voice is sub-par, but the actually playing is white hot. 1995 you get weak/thin singing and sub-par playing. Enjoy.

Still, Slacker could’ve been there, but he wasn’t....

Why not Slacker?

>>> but I never recall leaving a performance of Jerry Garcia playing guitar feeling anything other than having been in the presence of genius.

Listen to giants 95 wharf rat.     You may think differently.  

And I don't mind 95 as much as most people

>>>>>> Why not Slacker? 

I followed these psychedelic warriors to dozens of better shows. Punk rock acid tests. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju7CgjmFjs0

>> dozens of better shows. Punk rock acid tests.

Oh, yeah, way better than hearing Jerry sing Visions of Johanna, I guess, eh?

Apples and Oranges.  I like them both.

My cost/benefit analysis for seeing shows in 1995:

Benefits:

- a few moments of Jerry's brilliance

Costs:

- $40 ticket prices

- more people outside than in

- Longer than ever traffic jams

- more aggressive douchebags than ever

- more aggressive cops than ever

- Watching Jerry nod out and barely play

- major gate crashing

For me the costs outweighed the benefits.

samba in the rain>so many roads, barf.

Nope

But you try keeping me from a summer show

My first time hearing Visions of Johanna was my friends tape from the Oakland shows he went to. 

I don't regret going to see WASH instead. 

I like the GD but I love the life I've lived so far. 

>but I never recall leaving a performance of Jerry Garcia playing guitar feeling anything other than having been in the presence of genius.

This is DUMB 

I left several shows in the Spring of 92 wondering what the hell was wrong with Jerry, so did the people I was with, we discussed it all the time. I mean, take a Landover 92 for instance....Jerry is clearly off his game, leaves the 2nd set early then the rest of the band teasing Dark Star until Jerry comes back out and they play it (a mediocre and short version). 

I quit in 93, didn't make it to 95 THANK JEEBUS I had other awesome shit going on. Sad about Jerry though. He should've taken a year or more off but his health was too far gone clearly, and carpal tunnel too....

I am glad I got to see the first night of Copps Spring 92 though! Jerry dug deep that night. 2nd night was total shit though

B-ry is a conservative bliss ninnie. You have to love the paradox.

Even with the wheels falling off (sometimes completely) in 94 and 95, every show still had kernals of something interesting. Phil playing top notch. A Garcia ballad where he seemed to snap out of it, if only for 9 minutes.

Sometimes perplexing and occasionally sad but never boring.

i saw the oakland & shoreline shows '95.

i really enjoyed the second set of the last oakland show w/David Murray. 1st set that night was probably the worst set i'd seen them play.

walking out of the sunday shoreline show i knew i'd never see Jerry again. it wasn't a conscious decision, just a gut feeling.

i also walked out of the 2nd to last JGB show during the Maker.  i had a train to catch.

"I have learned to embrace 1985 because the jams are fucking HOT. Yes, Jerry's voice is sub-par, but the actually playing is white hot."

This/\

"leaves the 2nd set early then the rest of the band teasing Dark Star until Jerry comes back out and they play it (a mediocre and short version). "

I was in the 15th row for this show, Jerry clearly signaled Bobby before leaving the stage that he would be right back.  You can debate the quality of the Dark Star that followed (I think it was okay), but he clearly intended to return to the stage and wasn't drawn back out by the band teasing the song.

But one of the few shows I left early was the first Spectrum show that year, just a pathetic performance that not even a Morning Dew could save.

"Sometimes perplexing and occasionally sad but never boring."

About as close to the truth as one can get.  I was perplexed by the consistently short first sets, it seemed disrespectful to the people that made an effort in time and money to be there (not to mention to the crew that went to a lot of work to get everything set up) to come out and only play for 45-50 minutes before taking a break.

*

It was over after 93........

>>>>every show still had kernals of something interesting

This is something I truly believe in.   There are some really interesting nuggets of opportunities in those later years.

>>I was perplexed by the consistently short first sets

Worst first set ever:   https://archive.org/details/gd95-02-26.aud.5495.sbeok.shnf

>>>I don't know zang this stella is pretty sweet jerry doesn't really miss any words 

But I said Wharf Rat:  https://archive.org/details/gd95-06-18.aud.2543.sbeok.shnf

Enjoy

>>>It was over after 93........

While that's the popular opinion, the same opinions rank some of the later versions of songs pretty high.  Is that due to larger crowds who were there and people who are more plugged in and more recent dates?  

I'm thinking the Fire from MSG 94, stella from Phoenix, Richfield, and the Palace, He's gone from Richfield to name a few.  

As far as complete shows....you're probably more right than wrong.  95 was a train wreck.   94 was up and down.    

>>>  i really enjoyed the second set of the last oakland show w/David Murray. 1st set that night was probably the worst set i'd seen them play.

>>> Worst first set ever:   https://archive.org/details/gd95-02-26.aud.5495.sbeok.shnf

that's the one.

>>>>>>  i really enjoyed the second set of the last oakland show w/David Murray. 

I recall you couldn't hear Murray at the venue at all.   His opening set was the shit and I'd love to get a copy of it if anyone has it.   But I read somewhere that they had technical issues with his sound through the pa during the second set.   I think the soundboard has it fixed and it sounds ok.  Can't recall as it's not a show I go back to.  

Double post with the most. 

>>> Worst first set ever:   https://archive.org/details/gd95-02-26.aud.5495.sbeok.shnf

Not sure I would say worst but certainly the shortest. I remember thinking that maybe I space out and missed a few songs but no, that was it. I'd have to imagine is it one of the shortest sets they ever played. 

Second set much better. Garcia wasn't in a great state of well being...but the old man digs down deep and rallies. 

The Days is haunting and beautiful and a good example of how he could still summon the spirits even at the very end. I love this chilling version. They follow with a rousing and rollicking NFA. Box is subtle and particularly ethereal, like a dream. Warts and all, a great night to be in the building.

>>>>I don't know zang this stella is pretty sweet jerry doesn't really miss any words

Greg, in "Long Strange Trip", Dennis McNally talks about how the Dead were using "TelePrompTers" during '95.

"Sometimes ignoring them" he says, but it may have helped deliver a great "Visions" in Salt Lake. Saw all three of those shows in February of 1995. 

https://archive.org/details/gd1995-02-21.sbd.miller.114144.flac16/gd95-0...

Per Dead.Net:

Oakland Coliseum 12/9/94

First show with Teleprompter...

Feel Like a Stranger
Stagger Lee
Same Thing
Loose Lucy
El Paso
Broken Arrow
Ramble on Rose
Music Never Stopped

Scarlet Begonias
Fire on the Mountain
Long, Long Way To Go Home
Truckin' 
That Would Be Something
He's Gone
Drums
Space
Box Of Rain

Johnny B. Goode

I saw Chatlotte and SLC - the Visons Of Johanna in UT was stunningly perfect! 

...also saw the mess at Deer Creek and the last shows in Chicago. Even more sadness soon followed.