Sweating to the Dead

Hey, Jer Bear:

I'm a grad student in history at Cornell University, sitting in my basement office, sweating away trying to write my dissertation. But I don't get a word written if the Shakedown Stream isn't playing. "If you get confused listen to the music play," has become my mantra. Thanks so much, and keep up
the good work.

-Daegan 

Alpine Valley

Wow- 

First off great theme- I remember bring this up when you feature the 1974 Montana show. Second love all the pigpen from the 12-12-6y show-great hard to handle and lovelight! Best uncle john's-> he was a friend of mine--- love that early rendition of the "dead theme song" or should that be Trucking-either way. Third- I did not catch the cold rain & snow from two weeks back when it was cold rain and snow here in Milwaukee. Furth-great wicked messenger-I've been to the oriental theater-god I wish it would have been for a jerry band show! They still do a crazy Saturday night midnight rocky horror picture show showing where people through real toast and spray water for the rain scenes. Lastly send out some vibes for Wisconsin-for a furthur show---Alpine Valley or summerfest- it worked for Pennsylvania 

And-hey now- thanks for all your hard work and your creative style it keeps me smiling constantly in my car -which is where I can get the best uninterrupted shakedown stream time! 

I forgot you simply must play the jam->china->MLBJ-rider from the dicks pick vol 12 -I must say it is the BEST china-rider ever!!! Maybe a pre-view of the 73-74 china->rider theme for a later date. 

From Milwaukee-brian 

Long Distance Runner

Hey Jer,
I have been wading in the stream for quite a while now, and still enjoy the cold clear invigorating stimulation of the music.

I am an ultramarathon runner, and often run three hours or more out in the wilderness of British Columbia.
I... am never lost, but do find myself "exploring" a fair bit...
Much like Jerry and the boys, they spent a lot of time "exploring".
 

Love the show, Man!

Furthur On Dead

It just seems to keep getting better. Furthur continues onward after their current tour ends in Boca, Florida. Phil & Bobby and the band go back home in June for 2 nights at Shoreline. Nothing like jamming in your backyard. "Hey, you kids get off of my lawn!" Remember, be careful out there, your life may depend on it. 


Peace - JerBear

Hey Jer Bear

Hey Jer Bear,

Wanted to let you know how much I'm diggin the stream. Found the podcasts about 4 month back and look forward to a new one each week. I couldn't disagree more with those who say it's too long. The format is most excellent and your comments and observations throughout are both
interesting and humorous. Whether it be a book, movie, article or some new release, you always leave me with something fresh to check out.
 

Keep on doing what you do my brother. Right on.
By the way, went to see "The Music Never Stopped" on Sunday and loved it. Check it out if you get the chance.

John
Glen Gardner, NJ

The Living Stream

Hey JerBear. Great to catch up with you on facebook. Growing up as a nubile deadhead in Littleton, NH I used to listen to your show every Sunday night while in high school. I called into your show a couple of times and you were always amazed that I could hear your show outta Dartmouth way up in my neck of the woods. I tell you it truly was a miracle because the only place in the whole town your show would come in was in my bedroom. You served as an inspiration to me. While in college in Quebec I had my very own Grateful Dead show every Wednesday evening for four years. Now I'm a bit older and living down in South Florida. I haven't been to a Dead show in almost two years so listening to your broadcasts helps to keep me sane. I hope you're doing well and I look forward to listening to your podcasts. Keep on truckin' on. Derek ...

Send Healing Vibes

Hey Jer Bear, 

On December 10th I wrecked badly while riding my bicycle. I have know idea what caused the wreck, but I think it was just user error. 

I was found laying face down, unconscious, and bleeding from my head. A passing motorist stopped and called for help. I was life-flighted to the hospital, where I was later told that I had a fractured skull, and 2 fractured vertebrae(C1+C2). 

Yesterday I had a follow up visit, and the doctor told me there was no noticeable improvement(after 6 weeks). now I need to get a CT scan, but I'm uninsured, and have no money to pay for it. Everyone keeps telling me that I'm lucky to be alive, but I don't feel that way. 

my only request is for prayers, and positive healing vibes from the stream. the stress of the bills, not knowing if I'm going to heal, and watching myself go broke is really gettting me down. 

Keep streaming, it gives me something to look forward to every week. Love & hugs brother, 

Scott  

Boulder City, Nevada 

BTW, if you have a Rueben & Cherise that you feel like playing, I'd love to hear it. 

Vote for Cosmic Joy

It is a "A Streamer's Choice" this month.  January 2011 offers the deadicated listeners of the Grateful Dead to choose the featured show this week on mvyradio's Shakedown Stream.  Vote for one of the four Dead shows from the summer of 1982.  The most popular show will magically delight our musical funny bones and scratch our aching hearts with cosmic love music. 

What will happen? who knows? Most of the universe is made up of stuff that we've never seen. Crazy, why oh why is so much stuff concealed from us humans? Some say Shakedown Stream has a way of unlocking the forgotten mystic joy bones so we can ride on that Dark Star. 

Only way one to find out - click on Shakedown Stream every week and remember what you always knew.  Peace - Jer Bear

Another One ...

This week's shakedown stream has a sweet set-list, plus a delicious assortment of Grateful Dead songs from the fine gentlemen of San Francisco. There are many twists coming are way.

Join us this week on Shakedown Stream for a special Thanksgiving presentation. Check out the Grateful Dead perform their only gig in El Paso, Texas. Also, we will continue our conversation with Len Dell'Amico sharing his stories about the Dead as well as his new movie "Everything Must Go" (everythingmustgothemovie.

	com). Plus - the 7 Walkers CD (Billy K's new project).

Eclectic Grateful Dead

The eclectic Dead theme for this month is an exploration of various Grateful Dead shows where the set-list is unusual. There is nothing "usual" about Dead music in terms of rock 'n roll - we already know that. However, if you follow the shows from year after year, you can get an idea of what to expect and what is a typical set-list. Yet, from time to time, there are shows that are completely out of the norm.

This week we will travel to the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California from 1985. The set-list is clearly an eclectic arrangement.

Peace - Jer Bear

Playing in the Band

The theme for the month of October is "Playing in the Band." In lieu of the auction of the autographed guitar by Bobby Weir, we will feature shows that contain "Playing in the Band. " We will begin with a Phillie Spectrum show from 1979 (a 22 minute version of Playin).

Please help Shakedown Stream with it's auction. Submit your name to dead@mvyradio.com to be informed of the auction. The Fender Squire guitar is signed by Bobby Weir. It will be auctioned off on eBay and the money will go toward the costs of streaming Shakedown Stream on mvyradio.com.

Peace,
Jer Bear

Today in Dead History

• Today in Dead History on September 29, 1967 - Mickey Hart joined the Grateful Dead as their 2nd drummer.
•  
• Phil & Bobby & Furthur have a new song - The Mountain Song. 
•  
• Bill Kreutzmann, is planning to release a joint album with guitarist Papa Mali on November 2. Their band is 7 Walkers and talk about their new album here.

Furthur on West

Thank you everybody for your support and very kind emails - you guys are the best. Furthur is about to start their next tour out on the West Coast and then on to the East. 

• Here is what they are saying in Oregon about Furthur. 
• 
  
• Rhythm Devils are beating the drums on the East. 
• 
  
• Grateful Dead's tour manager Sam Cutler has a new book, Can't Always Get You Want. 

20 years since ...

The theme for September: the 20th anniversary of the Madison Square Garden shows in New York City on September of 1990. We have 4 weeks to Stream in this month and they are 6 shows to chose from. One of them is already a Dicks Picks (DPS #9) and 2 other ones' are featured on a Road Trips release. No worries, we will figure it all out and have an awesome time.

Our first show to start off this month will be the 9/14/90 show. Bruce Hornsby had not yet joined the boys, that would came later on the 15th. Vince Welnick from the Tubes had just joined the band after Brent Mydland's death in July. Vince, at this point, had played 3 nights in Phillie and 2 nights in Ohio before they arrived in NYCity. Many deadheads were wondering and even concerned about the status of the band without Brent.

You will get to check it out for yourself -

What:     Shakedown Stream
When:    Tuesday at 5pm eastern time
Where:   mvyradio.com & iTunes
Why:      because you are invited.

The latest ...

Here is a list of different links to news stories regarding  the Grateful Dead world as well as the latest music releases. Believe it or not, but there continues to be lots to report about.

• The Rhythm Devils in the New York Times. 
•  The freshest Road Trips release.
•  The band formerly known as the Warlocks.
•  Grateful Dead Poster Art: Time magazine.

Stay tuned for the Shakedown Stream for next week. September has always been a memorable month for Grateful Dead shows. Peace - Jer Bear 

Dark Star: an oxymoron

An oxymoron: the brightest of objects, seen as the absence of brightness.

“The phrase seems to have come to the English language by way of the astronomers who spoke Middle High German, who in turn borrowed it from Latin, translating the phrase "stella obscura", used by Roman astronomers to describe a faint star.” 

Prosody

“Each haiku-like verse of "Dark Star" captures an image in transition, and does so in very economical language. The star crashes; reason tatters; searchlights seek; the mirror shatters; a hand turns to a flower; a mysterious lady disappears. There are a total of six verses, three preceding each chorus.

Rhyme and assonance are used sparingly: "crashes/ashes"; "tatters/axis/shatters/matter"; "dissolving/revolving."

The rhythm breaks into five strong beats per verse, to go with the melody; the verses contain differing numbers of syllables, but revolve around a mean of 13: 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 13.

The "chorus" offers a transition. (See "readers comments") into the lengthy stretches of instrumental improvisation. It is broken into two melodic lines of four strong beats per line, with a grand total of 19 syllables.” (http://artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/darkstar.html)

Jerry Garcia - 15 years ago ...

On August 9, 1995, at 4:23 AM, Garcia's body was discovered in his room at the rehabilitation clinic. The cause of death was a heart attack. Garcia had long struggled with drug addiction, weight problems, and sleep apnea, all of which contributed to his physical decline. Phil Lesh remarked in his autobiography that, upon hearing of Garcia's death, "I was struck numb; I had lost my oldest surviving friend, my brother."

On the morning of August 10, Garcia was rested at a funeral home in San Rafael, California. On August 12, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Belvedere, Garcia's funeral was held. It was attended by his family, the remaining Grateful Dead and their friends, including former basketball player Bill Walton and musician Bob Dylan, and his widow Deborah Koons,who barred Garcia's other two wives from the ceremony.

On August 13, a municipally-sanctioned public memorial took place in the Polo Fields of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, and was attended by about twenty-five thousand people.The crowds produced hundreds of flowers, gifts, images, and even a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" in remembrance.

On April 4, 1996, Bob Weir and Deborah Koons spread half of Garcia's cremated ashes into the Ganges River at the holy city of Rishikesh, India, a site sacred to the Hindus. Then, according to Garcia's last wishes, the other half of his ashes were poured into the San Francisco Bay. Deborah Koons disallowed one of Garcia's ex-wives, Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Garcia, from attending the spreading of the ashes. (Wikipedia)

Jerry Tribute Set-List

I totally enjoyed hosting this week's Shakedown Stream. The 1st part of our "The Days Between" tribute show for Jerry Garcia focused on the original songs that Jerry co-wrote with Robert Hunter and the boys from the Grateful Dead. I could have streamed for hours and hours, but a "Brokedown Palace" on the end was good. Now on to next week.

The 2nd part of the Jerry Tribute will focus on cover tunes, a mini Jerry Band set, some interviews, CD giveaways and long jamming. In addition, we'll hear some tunes that jammed with other musicians.  Click image to enlarge.  

The Duke of Dead

The featured show: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 1978. This will be the 4th in a row from North Carolina this month and every show has been from a different city. You never know what you are going to get on Shakedown Stream - every week and every month it is something different, but always The Grateful Dead - the finest band in the land. 

In addition to the featured show, expect to hear the latest from Phil & Bob & Furthur's recent shows. Also, in keeping with the North Carolina theme, we will review other songs and sweet jams from North Carolina.

If it's live, it's Dead!!!

Title: Shakedown Stream

Day & Time: Tuesday @ 5pm

Radio Station: mvyradio.com & iTunes. 

Episode 134 - North Carolina

 

The set list to the right (click to enlarge) is in my hand writing and recorded in a spiral notebook.  Deadheads have been obsessively writing down set lists since the dawn of the Dead. My earliest memory is watching some guy with his lighter in one hand and pen in the other intensely recording the songs as the band played on.  I studied him the whole night.  At times, he talked out loud with effusive joy while announcing things like the significance of the boys' jamming into "Spoonful" out of "Truckin". Even though this guy appeared bizarre to the normal world,  I started following suit when I was 15 or 16 years old. I still do it, but now it is with Shakedown Stream. Many of us Deadheads still engage in this endeavor much the same way a birdwatcher records their sightings with date, time, location, accuracy and Latin name of the different birds they see.  

Join me this week for another episode of Shakedown Stream on mvyradio.com. The month of July is devoted to Grateful Dead shows from North Carolina.