Steel Cut Oats #8: Alaskan Summer Solstice

The band kicked off their summer tour in 1980 on the West Coast – officially celebrating their 15th year together in Boulder, Colorado with the help of special guest Warren Zevon opening for both nights. As they progressed through the Pacific Northwest (Portland, Seattle, Spokane), they trekked onward to Alaska on the heels of their most recent studio release, Go To Heaven. Some of the tracks from that album remained in the repertoire for the balance of their touring years (Althea, Feel Like A Stranger, Saint Of Circumstance), and a couple would fall from the set list as the decade passed (Alabama Getaway, Lost Sailor). All of these songs were featured prominently during 1980, as you were virtually guaranteed a handful with each tour stop. The new material along with the indoctrination of the ‘new guy’ – keyboardist Brent Mydland – added a welcomed spark that seemed to have been missing during the final touring stretch with Keith and Donna.

Mydland’s Hammond B-3 brought a nostalgic feeling harkening back to the days of Pigpen, and his high-register vocal harmonies added a totally different color palate to any previous vocal output the band had ever produced. As with most keyboard players in the 1980s, the synthesizer would also become a significant weapon of choice. Right, wrong, or not ‘exactly perfect’, his early solos on tracks such as Alabama Getaway and Feel Like A Stranger are unforgettable, if for being a little dated. Although rightfully accused of being a bit ‘plinky’ during his first few years behind the keys, his tone would develop as time passed, and some of the band’s greatest feats of the decade would spotlight Brent leading the charge – giving Jerry that additional boost to keep his own playing creative and fresh.

The first set material showcased here is very representative of 1980 comprising of instant energy as the Rhythm Devils lay down a thick yet precise foundation that grows in ferocity throughout the entire compilation. From the first few notes (both night’s openers are featured), the band is functioning fully, and longer pieces are tackled immediately – specifically, Franklin’s Tower and Sugaree – both are exceptional for any era. A wonderfully stretched out Feel Like A Stranger kicks off the new material, and the old ushers in the new during one of several perfectly executed segues found here – the Let It Grow > Althea pairing is one of my favorites. As the first half comes to its conclusion, a Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance > Deal caps the opening frame’s fireworks.

Kicking off the second portion of Oats #8 is a colossal 20 minutes of music, and a highlight of the entire year – an incendiary Estimated Prophet > Other One. Jerry’s solos absolutely seer through the first tune, and as the group encourages more and more, Garcia wails reaching new heights. As the band falls back into Weir’s lyrical groove, the group’s rhythmic chops compliment Jerry to further push outside of the norm. Post-final verse, Garcia challenges the rest to defend their territory on the tiny auditorium’s stage as they move towards an inevitably smoking Other One. With Brent brimming in confidence – bass notes, cowbells, and Mydland’s keys all roll into one as they create a spiraling ode to Neal Cassady. Jerry and further company fuse this short but incredibly poignant Other One in white hot light, leaving everyone on stage afterwards audibly stunned and silent wondering where to bound to next – an amazing suite of synergy.

A mellow, dream-like Terrapin Station becomes the safe landing area to gain some familiar ground, the Dead plant themselves firmly in structure before the next significant wave of fury occurs over the next several tracks. After Bobby’s vocals to Playin’ In The Band conclude, Jerry’s wah-wah pushes the audience back to unsure footing. Several minutes of energy pour out of the members on stage filled with aggression and random moments of calm – excellent tension and release is demonstrated. The peaks reach an almost demonic level just as Billy and Mickey are left to their own devices – a charged Drums > Space segment continues to forge a path of excitement and adventure that is also reflected in the post-Space tracks. As usual, any further cuts, blips, or skips that reside on this collection remain ‘as is’ from the original sources found in the db.etree.org directory (shns 92783 and 112150) – surgery was performed only for the purpose of sequencing, and not on any portion of actual music.

For the uninitiated of the Grateful Dead’s catalog or live performances, this particular collection should prove to be an excellent starting point. There’s a little bit of everything, as several fundamental elements are depicted here – steady song structure, smooth transitions between many of the critical passages, and a consistent rhythmic canvas for Jerry Garcia to paint upon to very favorable results. These four hours only scratch the surface, and I would encourage anyone to dig even deeper into 1980 – there’s a lot of gold in the hills of this special year to be mined. Play it loud. Enjoy.

1. Jack Straw* –>
2. Franklin’s Tower* –>
3. Mama Tried* –>
4. Mexicali Blues*
5. Sugaree**
6. Lazy Lightning** –>
7. Supplication**
8. Loser**
9. Feel Like A Stranger**
10. Billy K For President**
11. Candyman**
12. Let It Grow* –>
13. Althea*
14. Lost Sailor* –>
15. Saint of Circumstance* –>
16. Deal*
17. Estimated Prophet* –>
18. The Other One*
19. Terrapin Station** –>
20. Playin’ In The Band** –>
21. Drums** –>
22. Space** * –>
23. Not Fade Away* –>
24. Truckin’** –>
25. Stella Blue** –>
26. Sugar Magnolia**
27. One More Saturday Night** –>
28. Brokedown Palace**

* – June 20th, 1980
** – June 21st, 1980

Jerry Garcia, lead guitar, vocals
Mickey Hart, drums
Bill Kreutzmann, drums
Phil Lesh, bass
Brent Mydland, keyboards, vocals
Bob Weir, rhythm guitar, vocals

Joe Kolbenschlag
July 30th, 2011

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4 Responses

  1. Joe: amazing – thanks for listening to the suggestion a few months back. The Force is strong across this run…

    HT Staff: as usual, great onliner notes. Can’t wait to fire this up tonight…

  2. A.W. – No problem, thanks for the recommendation – we always have a few ideas in the pipeline, but also value all of the suggestions and input we get from readers.

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