Grateful Dead - Cornell 77 and Veneta 72

Here's a pair of classic Dead shows for your listening pleasure.  If you haven't grabbed them before, now is the time.  First up is the Veneta, OR show from August 27, 1972.  This is one of my favorites and the sound is stellar for the era.

Grateful Dead
08/27/72
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds
Veneta, OR

SBD Recording

Set I
Promised Land
Sugaree
Me & My Uncle
Deal
Black Throated Wind
China Cat Sunflower->
I Know You Rider
Mexicali Blues
Bertha

Set II
Playin’ In The Band
He’s Gone
Jack Straw
Bird Song
Greatest Story Ever Told

Set III
Dark Star->
El Paso
Sing Me Back Home
Sugar Magnolia
Casey Jones
One More Saturday Night

Download it here.

Next I have perhaps the most famous Dead show ever...Cornell 77. Some say it is overrated, which may be true, but this version of Scarlet>Fire is worth the download alone. I guess it holds up so well for so many because it was one of the first pristine soundboards that circulated back in the day.

Grateful Dead
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall
Cornell University

Set I

1. Minglewood Blues -> (AUD splice provides beginning of track)
2. Loser
3. El Paso
4. They Love Each Other
5. Jack Straw
6. Deal
7. Lazy Lightning -> Supplication (Aud Splice during transition)
8. Brown Eyed Women
9. Mama Tried
10. Row Jimmy
11. Dancin' In The Streets

Set II

12. Take A Step Back/Tuning
13. Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain
14. Estimated Prophet
15. Tuning/Dead Air
16. Saint Stephen->
17. Not Fade Away->
18. Saint Stephen->
19. Morning Dew
20. Encore: Saturday Night

You can get this here.

Keep checking back. Many more shows to come over the coming days, weeks and months. I have collected a lot over the years and it's time to give back. As always...thanks to the tapers wherever you are.

The SteelDrivers - Grey Fox 2011

Gotta say up front...I Love This Band!  I was a little worried when Chris Stapleton left and Gary Nichols took over on guitar and vocals but those fears have long since subsided.  The SteelDrivers performed two sets at Grey Fox this year (dance tent and main stage) and both were killers.  I have found a copy of the main stage set that you can find here.  I am still looking for the other if anyone comes across it.

A couple of years back I was not a big time bluegrass fan, you might say I was a fringe fan.  Some newgrass and some jamgrass but that was about it.  Sam Bush and Railroad Earth.  I saw the SteelDrivers on the Opry and was hooked.

The Steeldrivers
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
Walsh Farm
Oak Hill,New York
7-15-2011

Setlist:

1.Introduction
2.Two Angels>
3.Peacemaker
4.Good Corn Liquor
5.Where Do You Go When You Don't Come Home
6.Can You Run
7.You Put The Hurt On Me
8.Drinking Dark Whiskey
9.Heaven Sent
10.To Be With You Again
11.Midnight Tears
12.Guitars,Whiskey,Guns And Knives
13.Sticks That Make Thunder
14.If It Hadn't Been For Love
15.Band Introductions
16.Ghosts Of Mississippi
17.Blue Side Of The Mountain
18.Encore Break

Encore:

19.Where Rainbows Never Die
20.outro

Tammy Rogers-Fiddle,Vocals
Mike Henderson-Mandolin,Vocals
Mike Fleming-Bass,Vocals
Gary Nichols-Guitar,Vocals
Ricahrd Bailey-Banjo

This may not be Bill Monroe bluegrass, but the sound is just fantastic.  How about we call it "Soul Grass"?  I for one can't wait for the next album and hope they'll be back on the bill next summer.  Just another great set among many at this year's festival.

Talented Artists Can Make Boring Records

I am kind of a little bored with some new releases.  They sounded good on paper, but on record...not so much.  The first one I am not thrilled with is the new release from Beth Hard and Joe Bonamassa "Don't Explain".  She can flat out sing and he is a great guitarist and singer as well but for me this is, well just dull.

It does everything right.  Perhaps what's woring is it is too perfect sounding.  Soul music with very little soul.  You want to have a blast check out the JJ Grey & Mofro live album "Brighter Days".  A shout bam-a-lama greasy southern soul stomper.

Another couple of artists I try to dig time after time are Derek Trucks and his Mrs.  Susan Tedeschi.  Both have gobs of talent but frankly bore the hell out of me.  The new album "Revelator" is no exception.  Well played, good vocals and still not worth my time.  I tried to like it.  Played it a bunch of times which makes listening to music work instead of a joyful experience.

Both releases prove that the sum is not always greater than the parts.  And don't get me started about the Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton collaboration...BORING!!!

I know I am in the minority on these releases, but music is so personal and it's really what I am feeling.  Nothing here sucks, but for me none of these warrants another listen.

Sam Bush - Grey Fox 2011

This year's Grey Fox Festival was a blast. I have a bunch of shows from the festival and will be putting a few up over the next day or so. To start things off here are both of Sam Bush's sets (Main Stage and Master's Stage).

Sam Bush Band
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
Walsh Farm
Oak Hill,New York
Main Stage
7-16-2011

Setlist:

1.Introduction/Tuning
2.Old Joe Clark>
3.Long Haired Country Boy>
4.Old Joe Clark
5.The Mahavishnu Mountain Boys
6.One More Love Song
7.Roll On Buddy Roll On
8.Unconditional Love
9.Riding The Bluegrass Train
10.Circles Around Me
11.Out On The Ocean
12.Band Introductions # 1
13.Key And locket
14.Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle
15.Bringing In The Georgia Mail
16.Blue Mountain
17.Howlin' At The Moon *
18.New Country
19.Friends Of The Band Introduction/Banter
20.Laps In Seven
21.Band Intro #2/Encore Break

Encore:

22.Banter/Tuning/Neck Jeenie
23.Up On Cripple Creek>
24.Arkansas Traveler
25.Thank You Very Much,Have A Great Evening!

Masters Stage – Workshop 6:00 pm

Sam Bush - Mandolin
Stephen Mougin - Guitar
Scott Vestal – Banjo
Mark Schatz – Bass

1.Soundcheck and Introduction
2.Little Girl Of Mine In Tennessee
3.Sam talks about last year's shortened set...
4.Paddy On The Turnpike
5.Sam talks about Bill Monroe
6.Heavy Traffic Ahead
7.Q & A about Sam's favorites
8.Revival
9.Sam talk
10.Ralph's Banjo Special

Time: 55:15

You can get them both here in one big package.  As always...thanks to the tapers.

Railroad Earth - A Pair of Shows

Railroad Earth is one of my favorite "new" jam bands.  They jam, but in an organic, acoustic, sorta bluegrass kind of way.  A RRE show will for sure put you in the right frame of mind.  These are a couple of shows from the NYC area that sound fantastic.  Thanks to the taper for his/her efforts!

Railroad Earth
12/10/09 (Thu)  
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY
    

Set 1: 
1 Carrying Coal to Newcastle - > 
2 Mighty River
3 Give That Boy a Hand
4 The Good Life 
5 Bread and Water
6 The Forecast 
7 Crossing the Gap
8 Water Fountain Quicksand

Set 2: 
1 Happy Song
2 Elko
3 For Love
4 Been Down This Road 
5 Like a Buddha
6 New Jam (Spring-Heeled Jack) 
7 Peace on Earth
8 Sing for Me
9 e: Moonshiner


You can grab this one off the Archive or you can direct download it here at VBR.

Railroad Earth
2010-10-29
Irving Plaza
New York, New York


Taper: Tim in Jersey
Location:On floor, near balcony, DFC
Source:mk4(ORTF)>kc5>cmc6>SD 722 @ 24/44.11
Transfer:SD 722>IEEE 1394>PC>Audacity 1.3.12-beta (amplify, dither, tracking, FLAC encoding)


**16 bit**


Set 1:
01. Crowd
02. Long Walk Home
03. The Jupiter and the 119
04. Bird in a House
05. The Hunting Song
06. Old Man and the Land
07. Mourning Flies
08. The Green Roofs of Eireann>
09. Like a Buddha
10. Bringin' My Baby Back Home


Set 2:
01. Crowd
02. Long Way To Go
03. Head
04. Lone Croft Farewell
05. Storms
06. Water Fountain Quicksand
07. Black Elk Speaks
08. Spring-Heeled Jack
09. Potter's Field
10. E: Peace on Earth

Again, you can get it at the Archive or direct download here in VBR.

Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas

A lot has been written already about this record and the story behind it.  For those who may not know, Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's this past year.  He has chosen to make a record while he still has the ability to say good by to the industry and fans he has been playing for all these years.  One would expect this to have the sad overtones that pervaded the Johnny Cash records with Rick Rubin, but for me at least that is not the case.  This is a record full of reflections on a life lived but it is one of thanks and very often satisfaction.



There are so many strong songs here, in fact there are no real misses to be found, that it is hard to pick any one favorite.  In particular the title track, A Thousand Lifetimes and It's You Amazing Grace make as good a 3 song stretch as I have heard all year.  It's also important to remember that Glen Campbell is also a fine guitarist who was a very in demand session player before he hit solo success (Pet Sounds is him).  The solo at the end of There Is No Me...Without You is all the proof you need.

My wife commented to me that these songs sound so much like his classics of the late sixties. It's true...that sound is captured here but with an update that makes it at once in the here and now and at the same time of the past.  My kids probably won't get it, but if you have a desire to here music played that goes beyond today's pop sensibilities this one is for you.  Music for adults folks.



His last album, Meet Glen Campbell, was a surprise. This is not. It is the work of a master performer who still can sing and play at such a high level, even at 75. Alzheimer's may dim his memories but music like this will keep his memory alive for future generations. This gets the OldRockr1 Seal Approval for this or any year.

Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground

I have to say that start to finish that "Covering Ground", the new Chuck Ragan album is one of the finest releases of this or any recent year.  Having released several fine acoustic albums of modern folk music over the past number of year, the Hot Water Music singer has made what is, for me at least, a classic.  Now this isn't folk music in the traditional sense, in fact it owes more to Bruce Springsteen than Bob Dylan or Arlo Guthrie, but it is nothing short of spectacular.  This is folk music to drive your car to...fast.

Ragan is accompanied by some fine folks including Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem, but it is Jon Gaunt and his ever present fiddle that puts this disk over the top.  The instrumentation is perfect for songs of the road and the price that it places on all who take up the journey.  There is a strong sense of loss here in the songs, but one never feels down hearing them.  These songs are just so strong and played so well that I have the feeling that this will find its way onto my turntable for years to come.  This is good stuff folks.  Check out meet me in the Middle with Brian Fallon.



I am going to put a couple more videos at the end but this should give you the idea how good this one is. I tend to be partial to singers that sound like they smoke too much and drink whiskey far too often (Ben Nichols anyone) but this release moves beyond that little niche. Chuck Ragan has made a classic modern folk/Americana album. Hell this is a great rock album and it gets my overwhelming Oldrockr1 Seal of Approval. Go buy this. Now!

Ten Years