[jonarobb]

12/31/77... Poor quality but fun to watch Phil still singing Truckin'

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BLR8_uq67fY&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BLR8_uq67fY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YNHjL-0uI38&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YNHjL-0uI38&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oTttsdP5mJM&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oTttsdP5mJM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[Chuckles]

I love it because it shows how human they are (were). Jerry absolutely fucks up the jam at 6:10 by crashing on the 3. What a fuck-up! Fuckin' hilarious! What's cool is that they regroup just like any of us pretenders would...

But, great vids, J - loved the Scar-Fire!

[bodiddley]

I can't stand that show, one of their worst NYE shows ever (and for '77 of all years?). Amazing slop.

[NashvilleMike]

That is how I crash...just more frequently.

[bodiddley]

Personally, I believe they reached this pinnacle with the perfect mix of drugs and music and whatever else ya wanna throw in there in May of '77 where they could do no wrong. Toward the fall they felt invincible and thought they could do all the drugs they wanted with no ill side effects. By late '77 and throughout '78 those ill side effects were realized in much of the playing and singing. Keith flat out turned into a fucking zombie. Which proved just how non-confrontational the GD were, any other band and they would have thrown him off the stage. I know there's plenty of '78 lovers out there but I personally dislike most of it. Just real sloppy and uneven IMO.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Personally, I believe they reached this pinnacle with the perfect mix of drugs and music and whatever else ya wanna throw in there in May of '77 where they could do no wrong. Toward the fall they felt invincible and thought they could do all the drugs they wanted with no ill side effects. By late '77 and throughout '78 those ill side effects were realized in much of the playing and singing. Keith flat out turned into a fucking zombie. Which proved just how non-confrontational the GD were, any other band and they would have thrown him off the stage. I know there's plenty of '78 lovers out there but I personally dislike most of it. Just real sloppy and uneven IMO.

Yeah man ...
Jdarks uses a DP from '78 for his solo transcription for Looks Like Rain so I borrowed it from a buddy to get me some learning.
I dont remember which DP it was but its very flubby very flubby.
Keith on Estimated was weak ... I see why they might have gotten fed up a bit with him.
Jerry flubs Cold Rain a bit among other things.
I will say I do like the '78 vibe a bit though.
Its all good but I know what you mean with 1977 being somewhat of a high water mark for the boys and 78 being a bit weaker maybe transitional time for the band.

[tigerstrat]

HOW could they mess up in the legendary year of 1977 that was such magically pure crystalline perfection???

Because '77 was just like ANY other year folks, good and bad playing...and good and bad drugs (and alcohol) . Even in (dum da-da duuhhh...) MAY of '77(!!! say it ain't so!!!) there is some not so excellent stuff , such as the deeply imperfect Dancin' from 5/8/77 that some folks seem to hold up as THE standard.

[bodiddley]

Watchyootalkinboutwillis? That Dancin' is flawless (other than Weir coming in a bit early which he did often), and kicks total ass. If ya don't like the Disco Dancin's that's one thing but come on, the damn thing is smokin' monster. It's beyond me that any DeadHead can't admit to that but hey, we're all different I guess. And if you can't say it's good becuase your one of those people that can't admit to liking Cornell because it's uncool because everyone else likes it, well, that's your loss. Not tryin' to start shit so please don't think I am.

Oh, please explain why it's so deeply imperfect other than Weir fucking the intro.

And...I strongly disagree about '77 being like any other year...to some extent ya you are right, but overall the were at a level rarely seen afterward.

[deadguise]

I saw these 32 years ago 3D in living color. Thanks for the flashback!

[tigerstrat]

Watchyootalkinboutwillis? That Dancin' is flawless (other than Weir coming in a bit early which he did often), and kicks total ass. If ya don't like the Disco Dancin's that's one thing but come on, the damn thing is smokin' monster. It's beyond me that any DeadHead can't admit to that but hey, we're all different I guess. And if you can't say it's good becuase your one of those people that can't admit to liking Cornell because it's uncool because everyone else likes it, well, that's your loss. Not tryin' to start shit so please don't think I am.

Oh, please explain why it's so deeply imperfect other than Weir fucking the intro.

And...I strongly disagree about '77 being like any other year...to some extent ya you are right, but overall the were at a level rarely seen afterward.

The only reason I would post that opinion is that I love the disco DITS's. Is the Cornell Dancing the only one you have heard from the disco era? It's not that I don't like 5/8/77 (there were other shows at Cornell)- it's that I like so many other shows and versions of the songs therein BETTER. Oh and 77 < 79-83 & lots of other years( and I usually remember to add) imho.

[jonarobb]

76' Dancin's were alot hotter and the jams seemed much more on edge. By 77' they had quickly become rote.

[tigerstrat]

Alright, I'm willing to admit "deeply imperfect" was going too far; nothing trainwrecks. A big part of my (-we'll call it) "relative indifference" towards 5/8's Dancin might be that it is definitely on the slow side for a D-DITS, and the ones I really like (5/19 is one... 5/12 might be another) are all quite a bit faster in tempo, snappier groove.

[Pete B.]

Oh Man, I was watching 4/ 26/27 /'77 vids of a Capitol Theater DITS (at DeadVids.com on-demand section) where both Jer and Bob play slide (at the same time) during a seemingly endless one chord "jam" outro.
fwiw/imho, It went nowhere and they finally ended it.
Even Donna looks bored stiff (she keeps her Marcia Brady groove thing going on though... sans the thumbs-up).

[bodiddley]

Sorry I came off like a total dick, I had a few beers and was feeling brazen. Your entitled to your opinion. I guess I'm overly passionette about my '77 GD. Yes I have heard many versions and love many others as well. There's one from 6-9 or 6-11-76 with Cowbell aplenty that I love, in spite of a few flaws. "Needs more Cowbell"!