[mijknahs]

I kinda have this theory based on a few people I know. It seems like people's favorite Grateful Dead eras are the period right before they saw them live. For example, I have a friend who first saw the Dead in 1974 and his favorite era is 1972-1973. I first saw the Dead in 1985 and my favorite era is 1982-1984. Another friend first saw the Dead in 1979 and his favorite period is 1978.

Now this doesn't really work with the generation who first saw the band in the '90s. That could be all over the place.

What do you think? Have you had a similar experience?


Jim

[BuddhaG]

Never saw the GD with Jerry, but have seen The Dead (2004, 2009) and Phil Lesh (2006) as well as Furthur (2010).

I actually don't have an era that I tend to favorite in terms of listening time and maybe thats related to my lack of concert experience?

Here's the factors that influence my listening choice... Do I want to hear?

-Pigpen playing
-Pigpen singing
-Brent or Keith
-Bob Weir's early 70's tone
-Jerry's early 70's country stylings or late 70's/early 80's shredding style
-single drummer or Rhythm Devils
-Acoustic or electric
-early version of a song or the 80's arrangements with Brent

I'm sure there are many other things that influence my listening but that's just off the top of my head.

I feel pretty happy about my lack of prejudice towards a certain era... except for anything after 1991

[mijknahs]

Well I'm glad you're prejudiced against post '91. Didn't really understand the Dead after Brent died. I saw a show in '94 and a show in '95. I really thought I could do better than Jer at that point. I remember seeing him noodling in Row Jimmy and it seemed like he was truly lost. Very aimless. Nothing like the focused jams in the 80's.

I do listen to all eras of the Dead. I love '68, '71, '74, '77, '78 but I really think things just go off in the '80s. Especially the '81-'82 zone. Not everything but lots of hot jams. My favorite Jack Straws for sure. I think Brent was starting to gel with the band and things started to get tight. Check out the Frost show from 82 for an example of the era.

Then I see my first show in '85 and I like '85 pretty well but for some reason my favorite era is just before this (even though I like most all the eras).

Jim

[ronster]

first show 77, favorite year 77 followed by 1980 and 1974.

[bodiddley]

I pretty much agree for the most part with thast theory. Your gonna like most with what you can directly identify with. My first show was Alpine '87 and that whole period of Jerry's comeback through Brents death will always be special to me. I do have other favorite eras though that I like for other reasons.

[Laytonco]

Great points and I agree. But you could also toss being a Dead musician in there as well. One of the things that makes me like 72-74 so well is that I can HEAR Bob and the fact that his skills were so well displayed then. I have almost every show from 1972 and use those as my primary teaching tool.

Peace,

Gil

[Tennessee Jedi]

Right on ....
1st show was '86 and early 80's ( '82 !Did I just happen to have a bunch of '82 shows or IS it the best year really ?) Dead is my fav period.
The early 70's stuff is catching up quick though.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Great points and I agree. But you could also toss being a Dead musician in there as well. One of the things that makes me like 72-74 so well is that I can HEAR Bob and the fact that his skills were so well displayed then. I have almost every show from 1972 and use those as my primary teaching tool.

Peace,

Gil

Agree with the musician part. I like the 70's because Phil was still reaching and stretching. By the 80's he got kind of settled and a little bored IMHO, so I don't get as into it.

[tcsned]

Interesting theory - saw my first show in '82 - I can't say that I have a favorite era - love those early-mid 80s shows since I went to a lot of them, 77 had some awesome shows too, I also dig the Pigpen era too. All different incarnations of the band. But there is a tendency to romanticize the stuff you didn't get to see. The grass is always greener . . .

[NashvilleMike]

First show 85 Worchester. If I HAD to pick ONE era to listen to forever it would be in the 80's with Brent. The only era's I really don't listen to much are pre 70 and post Brent.

[Grateful Dad]

Early 80's for me. Eighteen years old, living in Mill Valley, CA. The Keith and Donna era ended and Brent's arrival re-energized the band. They did the acoustic sets and brought old material back as new. Brent definitely had a positive impact on the band. I had the fortune of seeing several New Year's shows in '80-'81 at the Oakland Auditorium (a small venue with general admission "seating"). This was still before the mega-stardom and masses of ticketless heads and gate crashing that marred the tours in the latter part of the decade and into the '90's. Just a cool time.

Coming in second was the time period in '87 and '88 when Jerry recovered from the diabetic coma and genuinely appeared happy to be alive and conveyed that emotion on stage and in the music. GOOSEBUMPS!!

[mijknahs]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess my "theory" was based on a few personal observations and is not really a reliable theory or anything. I think the idea of romanticizing what you missed out on is valid. I do feel that I missed out on that time when the band was re-energized by Brent and before the big crowds. I wish I started going to shows when I was about 10...

Jim

[tcsned]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess my "theory" was based on a few personal observations and is not really a reliable theory or anything. I think the idea of romanticizing what you missed out on is valid. I do feel that I missed out on that time when the band was re-energized by Brent and before the big crowds. I wish I started going to shows when I was about 10...

Jim

Jim, I don't think it is far fetched at all. In fact, it makes a lot of sense. When someone starts going to shows they're gonna hear stories from folks there that have been to shows in the previous years. We all tend to glorify the past and telling and especially about a band that changed up tunes and such as the Dead did - "Man, they haven't played Help on the Way in forever, I remember seeing them do that in . . ." and so on. Then the guy hearing that story starts thinking "I wish I had been to one of those shows." It makes sense to me.

[Maybeck09]

Sorry- the theory doesn't apply here.

First show 1983 (Richmond). Fav Dead era, 85-90. and '73 and of course '77. The years before my first (80-83) were dark Jer. heroin years and his playing,personality,looks and voice were generally subpar, in my opinion. I saw them several times post-Brent, but it wasn't as good as the late 80's.

[tigerstrat]

I have a theory, which is mine. This theory, which belongs to me, is as follows... (throat clearing) This is how it goes... (clears throat) The next thing that I am about to say is my theory. (clears throat) Ready?