Funnier than me, too.
Musings on the Most Ridiculous Band I Can't Stop Listening To
Tag: 1991 (Page 1 of 2)
The second of the Grateful Dead’s two Giants Stadium shows in 1991 opened up with Eyes of The World; the first show kicked off with Picasso Moon. Don’t let that dissuade you from checking it out. 6/16/91 features both a rendition of Stagger Lee and a completely generic second set, but it’s the Dusborne Matrix version and someone‘s gotta listen to post-Brent shows.
OR
“Jenkins!”
“Yes, sir?”
“We need to decide on visuals for the Dead shows.”
“I’m ready, sir.”
“What year is it?”
“1991, sir.”
“Close-ups of Garcia! Fish-eye lens that lard-ass!”
“I was thinking maybe we kept the camera on Bobby and the drummers.”
“Nonsense! Close as you can on Garcia! Make him look like the Ghost of Christmas Something.”
“Oh, fine. What about the projections?”
“Colorful bullshit.”
“Would you like to be more specific, sir?”
“I would not.”
OR
One of you must know this: when did the Dead start using the Jumbotrons? Has someone written a history of the Jumbotron in rock? I am now incredibly interested in this topic.
OR
Here’s the thing about ’91 shows: they exist in a world wherein ’73 shows also exist. I don’t know if I’ve listened to September of ’73 enough–let alone March!– to justify spending so much time on a ’91 that’s not 9/10/91.
I might ripcord out of this sucker. That’s all I’m saying.
The Meet-Up at the Movies version of this show, 6/17/91 from Giants Stadium, will be of a higher quality, AND feature a short film starring David Lemieux in which he reveals this year’s big box set. This video is a paltry substitute. It is, however, free AND contains 40 or 45 Dark Star teases, so you might consider watching it.
Or not. Maybe tonight’s the night you eat all those pills you’ve been saving. Who the fuck knows? Do whatever the fuck you want.
Fun fact: the Dead played the Los Angeles Coliseum only once, on 6/1/91.
Not-as-fun fact: the cops were dicks, and when the Dead took the stage, fans burst through the security fence and the whole bowl emptied onto the floor; there was almost a riot.
Fact neither fun nor morose, just true: the L.A. Coliseum was already an outdated dump when this picture was taken, and it’s an utter joke that an NFL team is playing there.
Patriotic fact: the L.A. Coliseum is where Ronald Reagan won gold at the 1984 Olympics in three events: leadership, freedom-givingness, and javelin.
Follow-up patriotic fact: if there were a superhero that used a javelin the way that Hawkeye or Green Arrow use a bow, it would be Ronald Reagan. People don’t know this about Dutch. The man could chuck a spear. Once, mistaking his wife’s wraith-like figure for his javelin, Reagan threw Nancy clear across the Rose Garden. Ronald Reagan called his favorite shaft “Lincoln.” He called his favorite javelin that, too.
Historical fact: there used to be nothing to do. No innertubes, no teevee; shit, there were no books until relatively recently. Case in point: the javelin:
“Hey, Anaphylaxis.”
“Yeah, Elephantidae?”
“I bet I can throw this stick farther than you can.”
“I don’t know, man. I’m pretty good at throwing sticks.”
“Drachma?”
“Drachma.”
And so on.
Haven’t recommended a show in a while, and I certainly haven’t recommended a show in which Vince was the highlight, and I am utterly positive that I’ve never recommended a show in which Vince was the highlight AND the best part of the show was Space, but here we are at 9/16/91 from MSG.
It’s come to this.
It is, however, a spectacular Space that starts with a wheezing and sepulchral hockey organ that–if you’re not paying attention–will scare the shit out of you: it’s a breathtaking two minutes of demonic acoustics. Then there’s a fifteen-minute MIDIthon. Many people, some of them Enthusiasts, shun the MIDI-produced blorps and shmeeps of the era, but they are so wrong. So, so wrong.
(MIDI is a technology that, among other things, allowed you to play a synthesizer with a guitar or any other digital instrument. MIDI stands for Music Is Digital, Innit? It was invented in England.)
Rest of the show is outstanding, and you should listen to it, but Space is the place for this one.
Plus: Bruce Hornsby on GDTRFB.
Just out of frame is Bobby, who is wearing a pair of XXL sweatpants with a ketchup stain on the left thigh: the wardrobe mistress was fired that night.
Check out this close-up of Garcia’s knee:
Weird, right?
The liberation of Vimeo continues: Shakedown opener from Soldier Field in ’91. Let’s play everyone’s favorite fun game: how many X’s in Garcia’s shirt size?
- Can I see the outline of your cock?
- No, not a vague and lumpy potato salad: the raised and distinct outline of your penis?
- Then those pants aren’t tight enough, are they?
- Go put on some more accessories.
- I don’t care how many you have on now: put on more.
- Headbands are acceptable.
- As are do-rags and piratical scarves.
- You may also tie aforementioned scarves around your arm or leg or whatever.
- “Certain colors don’t go together” is a lie.
- The single coolest piece of clothing a man can wear is a duster.
- The single coolest thing a man can do with his duster is remove it during the bridge of the song, twirl it overhead, and throw it in the vicinity of a roadie.
- If you’re wearing a suit, it should be obviously expensive.
- Say yes to the vest.
Hey, Garcia. Whatcha doing?
“Sitting huddled in the darkness.”
Um. Yeah.
Listening to: 9/9/91. Testing out my Great Show-Adjacent theory.*
Reading: Katie Harvey’s Master’s thesis from Tufts University, 2009.† A guided tour through the tapers–far more fascinating than you would think, giving truth to the claim that there are no bad stories, just stories badly told.
Contemplating: Love, baby.
*No theory can hold up to the randomness of Vince playing tinkly-winks and Sleepy Bear turning himself down. Once again, I am reminded that all post-Brent successes are due to the Law of Averages.
† This is actually a wonderful piece of work; long but worth it: careful, researched storytelling about a subject that can get arcane quickly. Plus a long-ass interview with Healy at the end. Read it, dammit.
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