2 younger cousins and I are doing a mini-tour this Spring with Furthur. They are big fans, but never saw the Fat Man do his thing. I've been discussing classic 'IT' moments from GD history and am compiling some key shows for our long road time in the car coming up.

An example would be 'Beautiful Jam' - coming back into Dark Star from 02-18-1971.

Another: 40 something minute Playin' from Veneta, OR, 1972 (08-27?).

What are your most favorite, hallowed 'IT' moments from GD History? Why?

At the risk of flaming the great debate, feel free to include 'IT' moments from post-dead stuff, up to and including Furthur. Torrent links/archive.orgs GRATELY appreciated.

The back stories are really key for educating the young'uns. Also got plans to have Deadbase and the Annotated Lyrics books in the car. Gonna immerse them LOL.

11/12/01 columbus ohio 2nd set with :
night of 1000 stars > dark star > mts. of the moon > dark star jam > tomorrow never knows > dark star > st. stephen as the center piece

5-21-1974. I have hundreds of shows but play this one more than any ten combined. Can't say why but I love it. One of the few live versions of "Money Money" and a 46 minute "Playing"

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1974-05-21.sonyec m18n.lee.miller.98901.flac24

"Hey--get off the fence....IDIOT!!!"


(Bob Weir)

Roosevelt Stadium 1974

dark star veneta!

Miami Jai-Alai Fronton 6/23/74

Dark Star > Spanish Jam > U.S. Blues
and the whole show is great !

Grateful Dead
4/26/72
Cryptical Envelopment
This rendition is intense,however the "it" sequence that you should examine imo can be checked out between 5:30-9:00(larger movement).A super haunting it's~ville event happens @ 5:53-6:44.With a super stress @ 6:15-6:39.

If you can't find a link it's on HYH

Warlocks 1989

Watkins Glen soundcheck jam.

4/29/71 Fillmore East

Alligator > Drums > Jam > GDTRFB > Cold Rain and Snow

I would still like to keep to my notion that "It" was a special, special thing that could only be experienced in the moment. The idea that one could possibly listen to a recording and say, "I hear It," or to even point to a recording and say, "It was going on right...here," doesn't do justice to "It."

You can't capture lightning in a jar or in a picture. To show a picture of lightning is not to experience lightning. I would say that to listen to a tape would give one less of a sense of It than looking at a picture of lightning would give one a sense of lightning.

It was mystical. It was sacred. "What shall we say, Shall we call it my a name?" I'll let others sully the fine reputation of "It" by listing hot musical moments here when "It" was what was requested.

For my part, however, not to be a total party-pooper, I will suggest a listen to a good audience tape of the 12/15/86 Candyman. It must, must, must be an audience tape and it still makes my hair stand up on end just thinking about it.

Dito the crowd rush after the 2009 Philly Morning Dew.

These were monsterous outpourings of love and energy by the crowd for purely emotional reasons and they say something about the special relationship we Deadheads had with our band. We looked deeply into each other's eyes and the world disappeared and all that was left was a limitless expanse of love that lasted for all eternity and only for a moment at the same time. Did you hear "It" on the tape like that? I didn't think so.

No, but listening to it on tape helps you remember what happened in the moment, if you were there.

Morning Dew 9-18-87 MSG

"St. Stephen" Madison Square Garden 10/11/83

Eyes of the World 1973......any of them....

The Jam just out of Wharf Rat back into Dark Star on 2-18-71 is a wonderful example of "IT".

7/7/1989....Loser
Let it Grow
Blow Away

Changed my life, for good...
rare first set 'it'ness and blow away might be Brent's finest moment. Rare to get great stuff from a huge stadium show, too.....
second show for 19-year old me, I would see them about 40 more times with Jerry and this would arguably be the best, kinda' went downhill from here....nice to see this was released 'officially

Last nite of 1st year Phil Nokia run..there just was a special feelin' in the building all nite. The acoustic set was very special.
http://www.archive.org/details/paf2007-11-11.milab .88459.flac16

11/11/07 (Sun) Nokia Theatre - Phil and Friends
Set 1: Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion, Chest Fever > Jam > Brown Eyed Women, Candyman, Bird Song > Sugaree

Set 2: Attics of My Life (1), Til the Morning Comes (1), Jerusalem Ridge, Deep Elem Blues, Ripple

Set 3: Peggy-O (1), Cumberland Blues > Jam > Uncle John's Band > Cryptical Envelopment > Dark Star > Morning Dew > I Know You Rider > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment > Dark Star > Sugar Magnolia, Sunshine Daydream, E: Unbroken Chain, Brokedown Palace

Comment: (1) with Teresa Williams

I also remember the 2nd set of first nite Philly Dead show in '03
Amazing China>Rider to start the set, which was as good as it looks on paper:
http://www.archive.org/details/dead2003-06-27.nak- cm1000.suraci.97348.flac16

Set 2: China Cat Sunflower, I Know You Rider, Comes A Time, Weather Report Suite > Let it Grow, Birdsong > Drums > Space > New Speedway Boogie, Shakedown Street, Lovelight, E: Dancing In The Street

Sam L.

4-20-2001

^^^^^^^^4/20/01 Is a good one !^^^^^^^^^^

Eyes from 10/29/77 at the Field House...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NImTexByALE

First notes of Stephen Nassau 79 ......trucking smokestack..high time Nassau 85

I had many IT moments..

a couple that stand out are

Phil earthquake Hartford 82...
St Stephen 83 hartford

and this whole second set.. the back side of drums is killer!

Grateful Dead Live at Roanoke Civic Center on 1987-07-08 (July 8, 1987)

Set 1

Hell In A Bucket-> Sugaree, It's All Over Now, Dupree's Diamond Blues, Good Time Blues, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Big Railroad Blues, Let It Grow

Set 2

Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain-> Scarlet Begonias, Estimated Prophet-> He's Gone-> Drums-> Jam-> Crazy Fingers-> Truckin'-> Comes A Time-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Black Muddy River

2/13/70 is the IT moment

Dark star, hampton coliseum, fall 89, 2nd night.. Give it a listen. You can't even hear the band at first the crowd was losing it

Death DHNM being brought back after 19 years at Shoreline in 89 was one for me. 8th row center, place went nuts.

I was at the Hartford earthquake in 82. Crazy shit. I clearly remember the SF in Ruins line after "The Quake" Hard to believe that is almost 30 years ago