#25867  by Panda Licker
 
I've finally hit a point where I can appreciate the dead live

This has taken my years. I inheritted two different deadheads cd collections at about the same time maybe.. 4 years ago about the same time I started playing bass. Thats when I really fell for the dead hard. I have about every studio project they've ever done (except for some oddities) as well as a dozen or so live shows

I fell in love with the studio stuff. I've probably listened to American Beauty 100 times (falling second only to the white album), and the rest are on constant rotation

but I almost never touched the live stuff. I mean I've put them in every now and then, but I just couldn't get into listening to the jams at home. I've seen Phil Lesh live, as well as Bob Weird and the DSO, and I really enjoyed the jams while I was there, but I always figured it as more of a "have to be there" kinda thing.

It wasn't until now, that I've been playing music for 4 years, that I can appreciate it all. It only came about because I was learning "KNow you Rider" for a band I'm in and I was checking out different versions that I had around. I just let the whole disk play, and I finally got it. I can finally see how they move the music, and that they're not just playing 'random' notes. I think it took me being a musician and studying music to get it. I can't really see how you can listen to it without some sort of background in music, but now that I do, its fantastic

Sorry for the rant. I'm just excited because my GD collection just about doubled overnight for me.

 #25868  by bodiddley
 
Welcome aboard the "Live Ride". You are in for a treat.I've listened to the GD for 20 years now and I still find surprises on a regular basis. Just when I think I've heard it all......Whammo! Outta left field.

 #25872  by Panda Licker
 
Yeah, so far its been pretty good

I'm uploading all I have to my Ipod now

I have a long roadtrip coming up this weekend, so I think I'll take the time to get better aquainted with the shows I have.

 #25873  by krzykat
 
Live shows are great for road trips! Just watch your speed

 #25882  by BuddhaG
 
there are so many different versions of every song that its ridiculous. i have been listening to live shows on the archive for a few years and i still find stuff i've never heard. from every time period... these guys played a lot of music in 30 years. have fun exploring in musical history :P

oh yeah, and besides the sheer amount of music available, the playing is on a whole different level. listen to some playin' in the bands and dark stars... songs that are not containable on studio records... they transcend time and concepts of music.

and yeah, always great for a road trip, you can listen straight through and get the complete package, so to speak.

 #25923  by Henry
 
As someone who has only recently re-discovered the Dead, I think the sheer amount of live material that is available and the lots and lots of different versions of the same tunes (and don't forget there are MANY songs) are what sets them apart from most other bands. It's truly amazing. The Dead were primarily a live band, you really miss the most important part if you don't get into the live recordings. Especially when you are a musician and have a different way of listening than those who are just listeners. There is so much to discover and to learn, I almost think it may easily be enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life.

 #25955  by hotasaPistol
 
they always considered the audience the other band member....something about feeding off of each other and the live stuff is always about an musical journey that was never the same twice adn you never knew where your were going and they always brought you home.......I can barely listen to the studio stuff