[caspersvapors]

I still dont get why people insist that 8/27 is the best show of that year ( or era, or all time for that matter)

[CountryMile Cadillac]

Because it rocks..

[strumminsix]

Has my favorite post 60s Dark Star!

[jonarobb]

It's hard to take 1972 and say this or that show is the best. I think the 8/27/72 show stands as one of the best ever performance wise, and not just for 72'. It's of course a very high profile show for Heads because of the recordings and the movie. But more importantly the songs were really just coming into their prime by mid 72'. Jack Straw, Playing In The Band, Deal and Sugaree, and all the others. Jerry's tone that day, outdoors, with the sunburst Strat, is just blistering. Birdsong, Playin' and Dark Star are all commanding versions. Kick back with some headphones on and check out how far off the edge Playin in the Band goes.

Opens with Promised Land and closes with 'Phil Bomb' laiden One More Saturday Night. The show just plain rocks.

[GratefulPat]

jerrys tone is very strange that day compared to all other 72 shows, does anyone know what was different that day

[mttourpro]

I've heard it was very hot and sunny--like 100 degress.Prolly changed the tonality some.

It was also at Keasey's Creamery---so, of course the Merry Pranksters (and likely Owsley) were in FULL ATTENDANCE if you know what I mean.

[weirimpressed]

Im sure they were having a GRAND ole time

[Tennessee Jedi]

I always heard the show sucked because it was so hot ( a guy in the movie says 105 )and the guitars kept going out of tune.
I finally saw it last year and I thought it was good.The Darkstar is cool.Good shots of Jerry playing.
And Whats up with that naked guy humping that pole behind Jerry's head ?
Wacky hippies !

[mttourpro]

No doubt about that---check out the show from 10 years later as well....I think they referred to it as the Decadenal Reunion or something like that and it was almost exactly 10 years later--8/28/82. FWIW, they also were going to do it again in 92 but I think it was cancelled due to jerry's health problems in fall of 92.. Maybe someone from RUKind was there?? Below is from Setlists.com

08/28/82
Oregon County Fair Site - Veneta, OR
Set 1:
Bertha
New Minglewood Blues
Tennessee Jed
Me And My Uncle
Big River
Althea
It's All Over Now
China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider


Set 2:
Day Job
Man Smart-Woman Smarter
West LA Fadeaway
Far From Me
Playin' In The Band
Drums
The Wheel
The Other One
Truckin'
Black Peter
Playin' In The Band
One More Saturday Night


Encore:
Dupree's Diamond Blues


Download/Listen to this Show at Archive.org

Comments:

I arrived at the start of Althea, the proceedings were bizarre, the band never seemed to settle in, I sensed a certain spaciness in their playing, like they couldn't sync up, I don't remember the encore, Dupree's, I always felt there wasn't an encore becuase I remember Artis the spoonman playing after the Dead left the stage, people kind of milled about like they didn't think the show was really over...
-John, [email protected]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The scuttlebutt is that they droped acid for this show.

I was backpacking in the Three Sisters. We got rained out, and went to breakfast in the town of Sisters that morning.

We met people coming through who had been to this show, and one guy said "they played for like EIGHT HOURS, man!"
-danf, [email protected]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Veneta Ten Years after
The boys were thought to have dropped some paper for this show, which may explain the relaxed and longer than usual country and western 1st set until China>Rider. Minglewood had some good highlights and Jerry was beautiful in Althea.

II
Day Job-1st/57 times played...before they over did it.
West LA Fadeaway-1st/141 times. Lyrics different from future versions.
Far From Me-Short version
Playin'-Fast. Must have been a "team peak"?
Wheel>T01>Truckin-Only time played other than 4.27.85. "Sex change" line in Truckin'

E: Dupree's-Last played 4.14.78

Supposedly show was cut short due to dust from crowd with hands out of the pocket pool. There was supposed to be a 92 reunion show, but either it was Jerry following his MD's advice to get off the road, and or the local God fearing folk that utilized their 1st amendment rights.


-Perrinswolf (03/28/2007)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment on this Show!

[Tennessee Jedi]

Never heard it but some of my fav shows are '82 so I will look for it ....
I don't think I could trip at a gig - I have no idea what would happen but it wouldn't be musical I'm sure !

[tigerstrat]

I still dont get why people insist that 8/27 is the best show of that year ( or era, or all time for that matter)

I don't know anyone who says its the best of '72- what gave you that idea?

I myself wouold scoff at the suggestion. The Dark Star is ofcourse very heady, as is the GSET, but so much of the show is played OUT OF TUNE, I don't see how it can come close to the many other TRULY BEHEMOTH, KILLER shows of 1972. 7/18, 4/8, 7/26, 10/18, 11/13, 9/21 and many many others absolutely smoke 8/27 as a show imho, not to mention the amazing Dark Stars featured therein which equal or surpass 8/27.

[caspersvapors]

I still dont get why people insist that 8/27 is the best show of that year ( or era, or all time for that matter)

I don't know anyone who says its the best of '72- what gave you that idea?

I myself wouold scoff at the suggestion. The Dark Star is ofcourse very heady, as is the GSET, but so much of the show is played OUT OF TUNE, I don't see how it can come close to the many other TRULY BEHEMOTH, KILLER shows of 1972. 7/18, 4/8, 7/26, 10/18, 11/13, 9/21 and many many others absolutely smoke 8/27 as a show imho, not to mention the amazing Dark Stars featured therein which equal or surpass 8/27.

well people always mention it in the best of all time list, so therefore it must be the best of 72. i agree with you btw, its a SOLID show, but 72 is a rock solid year. and the other thing is people always mention that dark star, but ive heard others from 72 that kick the shit out of that one

[mttourpro]

"Best of x,y,and z"....subjective as all hell to begin with, but it also seems to me, it's always been and likely will always be a direct function of the accessibility of the particular show...think 5-8-77. Great show, but perhaps a bit overrated....

ok, I'm moving back from the flames now.

[tigerstrat]

No doubt about that---check out the show from 10 years later as well....I think they referred to it as the Decadenal Reunion or something like that and it was almost exactly 10 years later--8/28/82. FWIW, they also were going to do it again in 92 but I think it was cancelled due to jerry's health problems in fall of 92.. Maybe someone from RUKind was there?? Below is from Setlists.com

2nd Decadenal Field Trip - 8/28/82

Ken Kesey DID hold the 3rd Field Trip in 1992, but the Dead did not play- as you said, due to Jerry's health scare.

The 4th Decadenal was also held in 2002, several months after Kesey's passing in Nov 2001. Presided over by Kesey's lifelong "co-pilot", Ken Babbs, it was held in Dexter, OR on the property of one of the junior prankster's, with a huge deck for a stage.

David Nelson Acoustic Band headlined, with Ken Babbs' Skypilot Club and Ramblin' Rose as supporting acts. Babbs sat in with us on trombone for "Let It Grow"... yeah. For their second set, DNB borrowed RR's then-drummer Josh, and as they took the stage, a bandmate and I munched funny fungus on a sofa placed onstage right next to Bill Laymon's bass rig . To top off the late portion of the evening, Sunshine Daydream the movie of the 1st Field Trip was projected on the side of a huge shed with sound through the PA... now that was a good day!

[Tennessee Jedi]

Now thats cool !
Did you tape the gig for posterity ?