Podcasts about berkeley community theater

Bear's Sonic Journals: Sing Out! Berkeley Community Theater, 4/25/1981

Bob Dylan's Extended Tour and Upcoming Phil Lesh and Friends ConcertLarry Michigan relives a classic Grateful Dead show from exactly 37 years ago on January 29th, 1987, at the San Francisco Civic Center. The performance marked the middle night of a three-night run celebrating the Chinese New Year.Larry delves into the opening song, "Hell in a Bucket," reminiscing about the quirky banter and Bobby's guitar troubles. Larry shares amusing anecdotes, including the infamous "Police on a Joyride" mix-up in a Chicago Tribune article. The podcast crew laughs about past experiences and the unique anticipation of a Grateful Dead show.He also reflects on the significance of the Chinese New Year celebration during the shows and the dragon dance that captivated the audience. The conversation shifts to Jerry Garcia's remarkable comeback after a diabetic coma in 1986, making these shows even more special.As they discuss the performances of "Hell in a Bucket" and "Sugaree," the hosts highlight Jerry's exceptional guitar playing and the overall energy of the band during this period. Larry also shares the latest cannabis news and provides with updates on upcoming music events, including Phil Lesh and Bob Dylan's tours, and a nod to the Live Dead and the Brothers tour. Grateful DeadJanuary 29, 1987  (37 years ago)San Francisco Civic CenterS.F., Ca CHINESE NEW YEARS SHOW with the Dragon Dance during DrumsThis three night run (Jan. 28 – 30) were the last shows played by the band within S. F. city limits, after this, shows at Shoreline, Oakland Auditorium, Oakland Stadium, Greek Theater, maybe Berkeley Community Theater or Henry J. Kaiser.Barely one month since Jerry returned from his diabetic coma on Dec. 15, 1986.Bobby's dog, Otis, died earlier in the day before the show.  Best known from Reckoning, Ripple when in the middle of a verse the dog walks on stage and Jerry says, “that's Otis”.  Good stuff.I was at this show and the next nightWent with my good buddy Tommy who lived in the area Grateful Dead Live at San Francisco Civic Auditorium on 1987-01-29 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive  INTRO:              Hell In a Bucket                           Track #1 (Don't be fooled by Finiculi Finicula intro - the song starts after a brief noodle, this is the correct track)                           1:55 – 3:33 SHOW No. 1:    Sugaree                           Track #2                           1:19 – 3:02 SHOW No. 2:    Drums                           Track # 13                           2:30 – 4:00                            Features the Chinese Dragon Dance portion of the Drums  SHOW No. 3:    Scarlet>Fire                           Track #9:   7:50 – end                            Track #10:    Start 0:41                           This is the transition between the two songs just keep taping from the end of Scarlet through the beginning of Fire  SHOW No. 4:     Stella Blue                           Track # 14 (On the Archive page for this track it shows I Need A Miracle > Stella Blue, just use the time signatures below to get to the Stella Blue part                           7:06 – 8:44  OUTRO:             Going Down The Road Feeling Bad                           Track #15                           1:23 – 2:53 .Produced by PodConx Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-showLarry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkinRob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-huntJay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesbergSound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/Recorded on Squadcast

"Marijuana Dispensaries and Predictive Football: A Quirky Comparison"Larry is excited about Michigan's win over Alabama and in tribute to their upcoming January 8th  college football championship game against Washington he features a Grateful Dead concert from January 8th, 1978. He detail the song "Jack Straw" and its history, especially focusing on the singer distribution due to Jerry Garcia's laryngitis during the San Diego show.The conversation veers into the significance of the songs "Lazy Lightning" and "Supplication" within the Grateful Dead's repertoire, reminiscing about experiencing these songs live. It briefly touches on personal events, birthdays, and music preferences.The host humorously correlates the predicted football game winner to the number of Grateful Dead performances and marijuana dispensaries in Michigan and Washington. They discuss cannabis-related legislation and the market dynamics in these states, concluding with light-hearted references to personal travels and cannabis availability across regions.Produced by PodConx Grateful DeadJanuary 8, 1978Golden Hall Community ConcourseSan Diego, CAGrateful Dead Live at Golden Hall, Community Concourse on 1978-01-08 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive Jerry has laryngitis so he did not singDonna filled in for him  INTRO:                  Jack Straw                                Track #2                                0:07 – 1:38                 Not on any studio album.  Featured on Europe ‘72                First time played:  October 19, 1971, Minneapolis  (Keith Godchaux's first show)                Last played:  July 8, 1995, Soldier Field, Chicago                Total times played =  476 (No. 11 on list of all time songs played)  SHOW No. 1:      Lazy Lightning>Supplication                                Track #8:  3:00 – end and then straight intoTrack #9:  0:00 – 1:15                 DAVID DODD:    The pair of songs was recorded on the Kingfish album, with Bob Weir as a member of the band. Barlow notes that he wrote the song in Mill Valley in October 1975. The two tracks opened the album, which was released in March 1976.             The Grateful Dead first played the pair in concert on June 3, 1976, at the Paramount Theater in Portland, Oregon. That show also included the first performances of “Might As Well,” “Samson and Delilah,” and “The Wheel.” “Lazy Lightning” was always followed in concert by “Supplication,” and the final performance of the two songs took place on Halloween, 1984, at the Berkeley Community Theater.                                “Supplication” was played by itself, according to DeadBase X, on one occasion subsequently, although it was also played as an instrumental jam more frequently over the years. The final “Supplication” was played 597 shows after the last “Lazy Lightning>Supplication,” on May 22, 1993 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. Interestingly, “Supplication” was played one other time separately from “Lazy Lightning,” on September 24, 1976, when it was sandwiched in the middle of a “Playing in the Band.”             a very strong case could be made that “Supplication” is no more a separate song from “Lazy Lightning” than “Sunshine Daydream” is from “Sugar Magnolia.” It's a coda, carrying forward the same themes—only the form of the verse has changed. Lazy Lightning – 111 total times playedSupplication – 123 total times played                  SHOW No. 2:      Estimated Prophet                                Track #14                                2:35 – 4:15                 Weir/BarlowReleased on Terrapin Station released on July 27, 1977 (first studio album released by the band after it returned to live touring after its 1975 hiatus.                               DAVID DODD:  “Estimated Prophet” was first performed by the Grateful Dead on February 26, 1977, at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California. The Dead also premiered “Terrapin Station” at that show. They played it 390 times in the years that followed, with the longest time between performances being 15 shows—mostly it stayed at the every third or fourth show rank. Its final performance was on June 28, 1995, at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It appeared on Terrapin Station, released July 27, 1977.                Blair Jackson quotes Weir, discussing the song, in his biography of the band: “According to Weir, he and Barlow wrote the song from the perspective of a crazy, messianic zealot, a type which one invariably encounters in Deadhead crowds now and again. As Weir explains: ‘The basis of it is this guy I see at nearly every backstage door. There's always some guy who's taken a lot of dope and he's really bug-eyed, and he's having some kind of vision. He's got a rave he's got to deliver.' “                 This is one of those songs, and there are quite a number of them in the Dead's repertoire, in which a not-entirely-sympathetic character is brought to life, and, in the course of being brought to life, is made more sympathetic. I've always thought this was a big strong suit of theire songs, whether in “Wharf Rat” or in “Jack Straw”; whether in “Candyman” or “Friend of the Devil.” Not only is it a recurring trope in the lyrics, but I think it is key to understanding the whole body of the songs, and perhaps literature generally.    SHOW No. 3:      The Other One                                Track # 16                                13:30 – 15:07                 The imagery conjured up by Bob Weir, in his portion of the suite, “That's It for the Other One,” on Anthem of the Sun, is clearly and intentionally a psychedelic ode to the Pranksters and all that entailed. Whether the singer was “escapin' through the lily fields,” or “tripping through the lily fields,” or “skipping through the lily fields” (all versions of the line sung by Weir at various points, according to several extremely careful listeners), the fact is that it was akin to Alice's rabbit hole, because of where it led.     “The bus came by and I got on...that's when it all began.”That line captures so much, in so many different ways, in so few words, that it is a model of what poetry can do—over time, and in a wide variety of circumstances, the line takes on a wide spectrum of association and meaning.                The Dead, of course, were quite literally on THE bus, along with Cowboy Neal (see earlier blog entry on “Cassidy”) and Ken Kesey and Ken Babbs and Mountain Girl and many others whose names are legend among our tribe. What must that have been like? Surely, worthy of a song or two. And Weir came up with a couple of winners, between “The Other One” and “Cassidy.”                 There is something wonderfully cartoonish about the scenes described in the lyrics. A “Spanish lady” hands the singer a rose, which then starts swirling around and explodes—kind of like Yosemite Sam left holding a lit firecracker, leaving a smoking crater of his mind. The police arrest him for having a smile on his face despite the bad weather—clearly, this kid is doing something illegal. Weir's interview with David Gans (along with Phil Lesh) cited in The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics refers to a particular incident:Gans: Now, I remember a version from a little bit earlier, maybe late in '67, you had a different set of lyrics; the first verse is “the heat come ‘round and busted me”...and then there was a second verse that was about “the heat in the jail weren't very smart,” or somethin' like that...Weir: Yeah, that was after my little...Lesh: Water balloon episode?Weir: I got him good. I was on the third floor of our place in the Haight-Ashbury. And there was this cop who was illegally searching a car belonging to a friend of ours, down on the street—the cops used to harass us every chance they got. They didn't care for the hippies back then. And so I had a water balloon, and what was I gonna do with this water balloon? Come on.Lesh: Just happened to have a water balloon, in his hand... Ladies and gentlemen...Weir: And so I got him right square on the head, and...Lesh: A prettier shot you never saw.Weir: ...and he couldn't tell where it was comin' from, but then I had to go and go downstairs and walk across the street and just grin at him...and sorta rub it in a little bit.Gans: Smilin' on a cloudy day. I understand now.Weir: And at that point, he decided to hell with due process of law, this kid's goin' to jail.                So, as to the debut. If we take Weir and Lesh at their word, that the first performance of the song as it now stands coincided with the night Neal Cassady died, in the early morning hours of February 4, 1968. And sure enough, there is a performance of “The Other One” on February 3, 1968, whose verses correspond to the verses as we all know them, for the first time, at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. The song was a fixture in the repertoire from then on, performed at least 586 times that we know of. The only year in which it was not listed as being performed was 1975, the hiatus year.             Part of the suite of songs, That's It For The Other One from Anthem of the Sun.  Made up of four sections:  "Cryptical Envelopment", "Quadlibet for Tenderfeet", "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get" (the part everyone knows as “the other one”), and "We Leave the Castle". Like other tracks on the album, is a combination of studio and live performances mixed together to create the final product.            appears that way on Anthem of the Sun, bracketed by Garcia's “Cryptical Envelopment.” But it stands alone most of the time in performance—“Cryptical” was dropped completely from 1973 through 1984, reappeared for five performances in 1985 (the 20th anniversary period—it was broken out following a lapse of 791 shows at the June 16, 1985 Greek Theater show (I WAS THERE!!) in Berkeley), then disappeared again for the remainder of the band's careerI. "Cryptical Envelopment" (Garcia)[edit]"Cryptical Envelopment" is one of the few Grateful Dead songs with lyrics written by Garcia. It was performed from 1967 to 1971 (when it was then dropped), and brought back for a few performances in 1985. Post-Grateful Dead bands such as Dead & Company have returned to performing the song, sometimes as a standalone track separate from the rest of the suite.II. "Quadlibet for Tenderfeet" (Garcia, Kreutzmann, Lesh, McKernan, Weir)[edit]"Quadlibet for Tenderfeet" is a short jam section linking "Cryptical Envelopment" and "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get". Transitions between studio and live performances are very audible during this section.III. "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get" (Kreutzmann, Weir)[edit]One of the few Grateful Dead songs to have lyrics written by Weir, "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get" became one of the Dead's most-played songs (being performed a known 586 times[2]) and most popular vehicles for improvisation, with some performances reaching 30+ minutes in length. The song's lyrics reference the influence of the Merry Pranksters and in particular Neal Cassady.[2] Additionally, the line "the heat came 'round and busted me for smilin' on a cloudy day" refers to a time Weir was arrested for throwing a water balloon at a cop.[2] This section ends with a reprise of "Cryptical Envelopment".IV. "We Leave the Castle" (Constanten)[edit]The only Grateful Dead composition written by Tom Constanten, "We Leave the Castle" is an avant-garde piece featuring prepared piano and other studio trickery.[While the "We Leave the Castle" portion of the song was never performed live by the band, the first three sections were all featured in concert to differing extents. "Cryptical Envelopment", written and sung by Jerry Garcia, was performed from 1967 to 1971, when it was then dropped aside from a select few performances in 1985. "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get", written by Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir and sung by Weir, became one of the band's most frequently performed songs in concert (usually denoted as simply "The Other One").            The Other one– performed 549 times            First played:  Oct. 31, 1967 at Winterland, S.F.            Last played:  July 8, 1995, Soldier Field, Chicago             That's It For The Other One – performed 79 times            First played:  October 22, 1967 at Winterland, S.F.            Last played:             Cryptical Envelopment – performed 73 times            First played:     Oct. 21, 1967 at Winterland, S.F.            Last played:     Sept. 3, 1985 – Starlight Theater, K.C.              SHOW No. 4:      Truckin'                                Track # 17                                4:22 – 6:03                 The lyrics were written under pressure, in the studio, during the recording of American Beauty (Nov. 1970) (released as a single backed by Ripple in Jan. 1971), with Hunter running back and forth with hastily-written verses that somehow, despite the fact that were purpose-written on the spot, seem to have some pretty good staying power. There are rumors that he originally wrote “Garlands of neon and flashing marquees out on Main Street” as an intentionally hard-to-sing line, just to enjoy watching Weir try to wrap his mouth around them, eventually relenting and substituting “arrows of neon,” just to make it possible to sing.The music credit is shared by Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Phil Lesh. Hunter gets the credit for the lyrics. And Hunter took the bare bones outline of some of the band's adventures and misadventures and fleshed them out with memorable features, highlighting their trips around the country with specific references to places and occurrences. In the process, he came up with a chorus consisting of a couple of phrases that are now, eternally, in the cultural psyche: “Sometimes the light's all shining on me / Other times I can barely see. Lately it occurs to me / What a long strange trip it's been.”At some point, Hunter was accused of using a cliché in that final phrase of the chorus. When something you make up becomes such a commonly-used turn of phrase that your own invention of it is accused of being cliché, that's some measure of wordsmithing success, I would say.                Truckin'” was first performed on August 18, 1970, at the Fillmore West. The show opened with an acoustic set, and “Truckin'” was the first song. Other firsts that night included “Ripple,” “Brokedown Palace,” and “Operator.” The song was performed 532 times, placing it at number 8 in the list of most-played songs, with the final performance on July 6, 1995, at Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Missouri.  OUTRO:                Johnny B. Goode                                Track #19                                1:10 – 2:51                 Johnny B. Goode" is a song by American musician Chuck Berry, written and sung by Berry in 1958. Released as a single in 1958, it peaked at number two on the Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its pre-Hot 100 chart.[1] The song remains a staple of early and later rock music."Johnny B. Goode" is considered one of the most recognizable songs in the history of popular music. Credited as "the first rock & roll hit about rock & roll stardom",[2] it has been covered by various other artists and has received several honors and accolades. These include being ranked 33rd on Rolling Stones's 2021 version[3] and 7th on the 2004 version of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[2][4] and included as one of the 27 songs on the Voyager Golden Record, a collection of music, images, and sounds designed to serve as a record of humanity.Written by Berry in 1955, the song is about a semi-literate "country boy" from the New Orleans area, who plays a guitar "just like ringing a bell", and who might one day have his "name in lights".[5] Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play.[6] As well as suggesting that the guitar player is good, the title hints at autobiographic elements, because Berry was born at 2520 Goode Avenue, in St. Louis.[5]The song was initially inspired by Johnnie Johnson, the regular piano player in Berry's band,[7] but developed into a song mainly about Berry himself. Johnson played on many recordings by Berry, but for the Chess recording session Lafayette Leake played the piano, along with Willie Dixon on bass and Fred Below on drums.[5][8] The session was produced by Leonard and Phil Chess.[8] The guitarist Keith Richards later suggested that the song's chords are more typical of compositions written for piano than for guitar.[9]The opening guitar riff of "Johnny B. Goode" borrows from the opening single-note solo on Louis Jordan's "Ain't That Just Like a Woman" (1946), played by guitarist Carl HoganA cover version is featured in the film Back to the Future (1985), when the lead character Marty McFly, played by actor Michael J. Fox, performs it at a high school dance.Played 283 times, almost always as an encore or show closer (back in the days where there were no encores)First played on Sept. 7, 1969 at Family Dog on the Great Highway, S.F.Last played on April 5, 1995 at Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Coliseum in Birmingham, AL .Produced by PodConx Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-showLarry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkinRob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-huntJay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesbergSound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/Recorded on Squadcast

This week's Deadpod features a fine recording of the second set from the Rex Benefit that took place on March 13, 1985 at the Berkeley Community Theater.  The boys give us a most excellent start with a fine 'Music Never Stopped' into 'Franklin's Tower'. While Jerry flubs a few lyrics here, he more than makes up for it with his fine soloing work. Bobby continues the first-rate performance with a great 'Estimated Prophet' into a bluesy 'Spoonful'. Hamza El-Din joins on drums and space as well as on 'Ollin Arrageed' which inexplicably, goes into a 'Man Smart/Woman Smarter'. Jerry delivers a decent 'Black Peter' but it seems clear to me that they are running out of steam by the 'Good Lovin' finale. A very nice 'Brokedown Palace' encore redeems that however and I'm sure sends everyone home smiling..      Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 3/13/85 - Wednesday Two     The Music Never Stopped > Franklin's Tower > Estimated Prophet > Spoonful (1) > Drums (2) > Space (2) > Ollin Arrageed (2) > Man Smart (Woman Smarter) (2) > Black Peter (1) > Good Lovin' Encore     Brokedown Palace Comments     Rex Foundation Benefit ; (1) w/Matt Kelly ; (2) w/Hamza El-Din  You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod031822.mp3 Happy Vernal Equinox!  thanks for your kind support.   

This week's Deadpod features a Rex Benefit from March 13, 1985 at the Berkeley Community Theater.  It starts out with a smoking 'Jack Straw', this is quite a pleasure to hear. 'Althea' follows; here Jerry's voice is not in the best of shape, but as is often the case in '85 his playing throughout this first set is quite inspired. The cowboy combo of 'Mama Tried>Mexicali' follows and features both a nice extended jam and some excellent additions by Brent. 'Friend of the Devil' is very nicely done and Jerry sounds much better here. 'Minglewood' has the first Matt Kelly addition, Brent again has a nice solo. The set-closing Deal is high energy as usual to close the short first set.   Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 3/13/85 - Wednesday One     Jack Straw ; Althea ; Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues ; Friend Of The Devil ; New Minglewood Blues (1) ; Bob introduces Matt Kelly ; Deal (1) (1) w/Matt Kelly  You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod031122.mp3  'March winds gonna blow all my troubles away...'   thanks for your kind support my friends. 

Enjoying the show? Please support BFF.FM with a donation. Playlist 0′00″ Not Checking Up by Arthur Russell on Not Checking Up (Audika) 5′59″ Adagio by MMMD & Alem on L'Âge de l'Absolutisme (Antifrost) 12′13″ Byrds of Myrrh by Faten Kanaan on A Mythology of Circles (Fire) 15′47″ Endless Gesture by Evan Zierk on Endless Gesture (Atlantic Rhythms) 24′55″ Lost Coast I by Gabriella Smith, Gabriel Cabezas on Lost Coast (Bedroom Community) 28′51″ The Angel by Buffy Sainte-Marie on Illuminations (Vanguard Records) 44′59″ My Favorite Things by Alice Coltrane Sextet on Live at the Berkeley Community Theater 1972 (BCT Records) Check out the full archives on the website.

Hey Now! Here's a great second set for your pee-Thanksgiving preparations.. from 11/2/84 at the Berkeley Community Theater, this was probably the highlight of the run, as the band turns in a solid performance highlighted by some great Garcia licks, some amazing Phil sounds and some excellent work from Bobby and Brent. The 'Help>Slip>Frank' is as always, a great opener, and the band revs it up during the jam in Slipknot! Bobby does a fine 'Sailor>Saint' here, and Brent adds a great deal of depth to Bobby's finale during 'Sailor'. Listen as well to Phil during that Saint for an example of his unmatched abilities. They move into a strong 'Wharf Rat' in the pre-drums slot then break out 'Gimme Some Lovin' for the fist time. They finish the Playin' in the Band they started on 10/28, then finish with strong versions of 'Bertha>Good Lovin'. They return for the last 'Casey Jones' until 1992..   Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theater Berkeley, CA 11/2/84 - Friday Two     Help On The Way [3:07]> Slipknot! [7:30}> Franklin's Tower [11:43] ; Lost Sailor [7:00]> Saint Of Circumstance [6:43] ; Wharf Rat [11:01]> Space [0:29]> Gimme Some Lovin' [5:17]> Drums> Space [10:41]> Playing In the Band Reprise [7:45]> Bertha [6:37]> Good Lovin' [7:52] Encore     Casey Jones [5:19]   You can listen to this week's Deadpod here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod112219.mp3     Be sure and pick us up Thanksgiving morning for a special holiday edition of the Deadpod!   Thanks for your kind support.

This week I chose to bring you an unusual show from November 2, 1984 at the Berkeley Community Theater. This was the 4th show of a 5 show run at this small venue, close to home for the band and their fans and it has an intimate feel to it. The band is quite loose, too loose sometimes (listen to Bobby completely lose the lyrics to El Paso) but also interested in mixing things up as you can see from the setlist. A strong 'Jack Straw' starts things up.  While Jerry's voice is not at its best this night a wonderful 'Peggy O ' follows then the aforesaid 'El Paso', saved as it were by a great Garcia solo. Jerry perhaps sticks it to Bobby a bit with the 'Loser' that follows, but that goes into what is probably the highlight of the set a nice 'Smokestack Lightning>Spoonful' combination. The set ends, quite early, with 'Iko, Iko' with a very unusual opening..  We'll hear a solid set 2 from this show next week..    Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 11/2/84 - Friday      One      Jack Straw [6:29] > Peggy-O [7:06] ; El Paso [6:09] ; Loser [6:55] > Smokestack Lightnin' [6:16] > Spoonful [4:23] ; Iko Iko [8:23]    You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod111519.mp3    My thanks to the kind friends who support the Deadpod!        

Greetings Dead Freaks! We've got a bunch of little things and then a big mix of good old Grateful Dead ahead of us. We're taking a look back at the Berkeley Community Theater run centered on Halloween 1984. In addition to being the debut of the Official Taper's Section, it's also a fairly strong run of six shows with some really great music. We dip in and sample a bit of everything.Also in this episode, I tell you about an interesting new book from Julie Dreyer Brigden, aka Girl. Brigden was married to David Freiberg in the 60s and was around the Quicksilver and Grateful Dead scenes and so much more throughout the 60s & 70s. Her new book, Girl: An Untethered Life is available now from local booksellers (ask up front!) as well as via Amazon. Hers is a unique perspective on the time and I recommend the book.I'm also excited to share with you a track from a new Matt Valentine album the record is called "Preserves" and the tune is "Be Kind". Have a listen and then head on over to Bandcamp to cop the whole thing.At the top of the show is the trailer for an exciting new podcast from Osiris Media called "After Midnight: Phish's Big Cypress Music Festival." We're proud to be a part of a network that is creating such great work. Osiris is building a community that connects people like you with podcasts and live experiences about artists and topics you love. Sign up for the newsletter at OsirisPod.com to stay in the loop. Also,  Osiris works in partnership with JamBase, which connects music fans with the music they love and empowers them to go see live music. Check them out at JamBase.com.Don't forget to follow the @BrokedownPod twitter account for regular news, live tweetstorms of shows as I listen, and other minutiae. We also have an Instagram account with the same handle. If you like pictures of things, you can find that here: BrokedownPod Instagram. Also, if you use iTunes, please consider posting a review as it really help get the word out.Also, please keep sending your metaphorical cards and letters. Leave a comment on the blog or hit me up on any of the above social media. Let me know what I'm doing right, wrong, or horribly wrong.

For a long Labor Day weekend I think this week's Deadpod provides a perfect soundtrack - the second set from the band's smoking performance on August 24th, 1972 at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley CA. Each of these standards are played most excellently. In addition we are treated to a true pinnacle of improvisational excellence with the 'Dark Star>Morning Dew'. I would have thought they'd close out after that but rather than that they rev it back up with a hot 'Sugar Magnolia', 'Ramble on Rose' and 'Greatest Story'. Sing Me Back Home is sweet as always. While they close the set with a 'One More Saturday Night' (on a Thursday) they return with a most excellent 'Uncle John's Band' encore - a song that should have seen that spot more often.     Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 8/24/72 - Thursday   Two Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo [6:50] Mexicali Blues [3:21] Brown Eyed Women [4:43] Truckin' [9:01] Dark Star [27:14] > Morning Dew [13:00] Sugar Magnolia [7:52] Ramble On Rose [6:19] Greatest Story Ever Told [5:17] Sing Me Back Home [9:55] One More Saturday Night [4:30] Encore Uncle John's Band [7:11]   You can listen to this week's Deadpod here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod083118.mp3   I hope you have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend..

This week's Deadpod features a show from 46 years ago at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley CA. This run, which lead up to the famous show at Veneta Oregon on the 27th, often is overlooked, but is a stellar example of why the band were at the top of their game during this period. While I previously featured the next night of this run, this may well be the better of those two. While the playing is wonderful throughout (and perhaps even more spacy and exciting in set 2) the jam between 'China->Rider', the 'Bird Song' and of course 'Playin in the Band' make this a memorable first set.         Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 8/24/72 - Thursday   One The Promised Land [2:58] Sugaree [6:43] Jack Straw [5:51]  China Cat Sunflower [7:09] > I Know You Rider [4:49] Me And My Uncle [3:02] Bird Song [9:12] Beat It On Down The Line [3:05] Tennessee Jed [7:31] Playing In The Band [15:04] Casey Jones [5:47]   You can listen to this week's Deadpod here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod082418.mp3   My thanks to those able to support the Deadpod with their kind contributions.   Be kind.

You've probably heard that Phil Lesh and Bob Weir have been playing some wonderful 'duo' shows together this month.. while I'm still contemplating playing one of the audience tapes of one of these gems, I decided to bring you another 'Phil & Friends' acoustic show that started the genre - this took place back on September 24th, 1994 at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley CA, a benefit for music in the local schools. It was of course the last 'acoustic' Dead performance, and for the most part is quite sweet and wonderful to hear. I hope you enjoy this performance, and I do envy those of you lucky enough to see Phil  & Bob this tour!     Phil Lesh and Friends Live at Berkely Community Center on 1994-09-24 Acoustic Set ( 95:31 ) 01 Bob Weir VH1 Unplugged Intro 02 Walking Blues 03 Lazy River Road 04 K.C. Moan 05 Dupree's Diamond Blues 06 Childhood's End 07 When I Paint My Masterpiece 08 Attics Of My Life 09 Cassidy > 10 Bird Song > 11 Throwing Stones Jerry Garcia Phil Lesh Vince Welnick Bob Weir Notes This was the very First Phil Lesh and Friends You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod030918.mp3 Be kind to one another. Thank you so much for your support.     

We seem to have entered the dog days of August.. lots of heat and humidity, but I'm hoping you don't find this second set from April 22nd 1986 to be a dog too! It starts with a nice China->Rider, and following a 'Looks Like Rain' we get treated to a nice long Terrapin Station.. clearly the highlight of this pre-coma show. Post drums and space is dominated by Weir, with a 'Spoonful ->Throwin Stones' combo followed by 'Black Peter' then 'Lovelight' to close the set.  The boys return to end the show and the spring tour, with a nice 'Brokedown Palace'..    Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA (4/22/86) set 2 China Cat Sunflower I Know You Rider Looks Like Rain Terrapin Station drums Spoonful Throwin' Stones Black Peter Turn on Your Love Light Brokedown Palace     You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod081216.mp3   The Deadpod exists through the kind support of my listeners. Thank You!    Love Is Real. Not Fade Away.        

This week's Deadpod is the result of a request for something from 86 or 87 from a longtime supporter of the Deadpod so I decided to pull out this show, which is one of my favorites from the early 86 shows.. This comes to us from the Berkeley Community Theater, April 22nd, 1986.  The set opens with a wonderful coupling of Box of Rain -> Visons of Johanna.. the last time the band would play that Dylan tune until the final year of 1995. This is a very fine version indeed. The remainder of the set is quite well played as well, with a nice Bird Song and Deal among the highlights..    Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA (4/22/86) Box of Rain Visions of Johanna Mama Tried Big River Bird Song Little Red Rooster Deal   You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod080516.mp3     Happy Birthday Kevin ;)    and thanks to all of you whose support makes the Deadpod possbile..    Have a wonderful week!   

A request from one of my supporters, as well as the fact that this past week marked Pigpen's 70th birthday inspired this week's Deadpod selection from the Berkeley Community Theater on August 14th, 1971. This is a great tape that showcases the early versions of many classics like 'Sugaree' and 'Playin' In the Band' as well as some outstanding Pigpen performances. Highlights include the opening 'Bertha', 'El Paso' played nice and slowly, 'Big Railroad Blues' (a personal favorite), and of course Pigpen on 'Big Boss Man' and 'Hard To Handle'. I'm always a fan of this period of the Dead's history and of course it helps that there are such great sounding tapes that we are lucky enough to be able to enjoy.    Grateful Dead Berkeley Community Theatre Berkeley, CA 8/14/71 - Saturday   One Bertha [5:43] ; Me And My Uncle [3:09] ; Mr. Charlie [3:13] ; Sugaree [6:08] ; El Paso [5:03] ; Big Railroad Blues [3:26] ; Big Boss Man [4:58] ; Brokedown Palace [5:20] ; Playing In The Band [4:28] ; Hard To Handle [7:16] ; Cumberland Blues [5:29] ; Loser [6:31] ; The Promised Land [2:53]   You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod091115.mp3   My sincere thanks to all of you whose support helps to keep the Deadpod alive...    Be kind.   

Our next stop on the Meditation Now tour, 2002, takes us to the Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA, where S.N. Goenka discusses Vipassana meditation. Meditation Now Talk with Q&A Berkeley, CA Recorded June 8, 2002 72 minutes Listen to Audio Download Audio (25 MB)   Meditation Now: Copyright, 2002 Vipassana Research Institute There is more information about vipassana meditation at Dhamma.org, and books and audio resources available for purchase in the Pariyatti bookstore. May all beings be happy!