Best Philly run ever?

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Partial to the few I was at. 

 

85

 

89

get your own archive/youtubenola links

Spring '85 (Easter weekend) sticks out in my mind as a spectacular run.

1st night of the '85 run blew chunks.  The other two were really good though.

However, the best Philly run is probably still Sylvester Stallone's in the first Rocky film, running through the streets of Philadelphia as "Gonna Fly Now" plays in the background.

civic 74 

tower 76

Horsby debut '90?

Hornsby wasn't at Philly in '90.  He joined the band at the 2nd MSG show, the run of shows that followed.

Those Philly shows were the first time I saw Vince.  It seemed like there was a black hole where Brent had been on the stage and that everyone else was playing extra hard to compensate.  The last night had it's moments with a big pre-drums jam.

saw some grate shows at the Spectrum, but for whole runs that I saw:

Tower '76 (great, despite Promised Land closed all four first sets and there were no encores the whole run)

PLQ Tower '03 (the first two with my son and Sunday night [11-30-03], the school night, with a truly adult show)

Herbal Dave took words right outta my mouth...its not even close....rocky wins in a landslide

I've always thought this to be the best Philly show - there was only one night - just by listening, I wasn't there. Heavy "He's Gone" show a few weeks after Pig passed away. I saw some Philly shows in 89 & 90 which were the usual fun, although I did sneak up to the 5 th row for the first He's Gone after Brent died. Pretty heavy but not the best show I saw on that weird tour 

https://archive.org/details/gd73-03-24.sbd.bertha-ashley.25508.sbeok.shnf

My first show.  But not a part of a run.

The '88 run was very strong, probably the most consistent over the four  Philly  usually  had one show that was notably weaker than the others,and the  fact tat they skipped town in '91 hurt.  First two '93 shows were strong but the second set of the third shows fell to pieces during Crazy Fingers and never recovered.    Best two show run was 81 and most shows in a year wss '87 with eight (including Dylan).   Pretty much every run had one great show  (4/26/83, 4/21/84,9/12/93 4/8/85). Spring '87 was fun just to see Jerry back in good form.  And  I love the 90 run with just Vince, they kept him low in thr ,mix ans the guitars ruled the scene. 

Desaun Jackson' s return should get honorable mention as well....

I've always been partial to the run of loses by the 1964 Phillies to blow the pennant

The 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers put together an astonishing unbeaten streak that has never been matched: going 35 games without a loss. It's the longest undefeated streak in NHL history and the longest in any U.S. professional sport. The Flyers played the better part of three months without a defeat, posting 25 wins, zero losses and 10 ties from Oct. 14, 1979, to Jan. 6, 1980.

 

https://www.thoughtco.com/whats-the-longest-unbeaten-streak-in-nhl-histo...

1992 The Spectrum March 16, 17, 18 and then Copps on the 20th and 21st was a fun run.  Not the best shows but we had a blast, solid memories from those shows. 

>>>civic 74 

tower 76<<<

I was at those shows,good times

Civic 1984 had three solid shows with no duds. 

88 is probably the best run i saw, 4 shows with a tangerine dream show at the tower on the off night. 

Civic '84 was a good run, thought the second night was a bit truncated.  But the playing was top notch.  

philly shows kick ass. someone had previously said the band aways brought it to philly & since then i've been listening to philly shows on relisten & archive. whoever said that was right!

It might not qualify as a "run" but my favorite back-to-back shows were 1/5/79 and 1/12/79.  I can't recall if Jerry was sick or the snowstorm was the reason for this rescheduling--I think snow but maybe someone else can remember better but they wound up playing 2 Friday nights--one week apart.  Jerry's voice was shot on the 1/5 show but these were solid and big fun.  Brent was still pretty new so most in the audience were buzzing with his change in the lineup during these shows.  So, if this is a run--and why not, it gets my vote and I saw most Spectrum runs from 77 through 90, sadly not the Civic Center 84 shows though--they were hot.

 

civic 74 >>>

pyramid and backroads,

I agree...they were my first shows :) 


heart

Seth this show (one of Keith's last) does have a long interesting totally sick jam with Jerry and Billy. Played this show off the archive a few years ago w/o knowing anything about it and that jam blew my mind 

https://archive.org/details/gd1979-01-12.132217.aud.wise-claridge.fob.so...

Hey Franklin Page

I messed up.  Brent was not on board yet in January of 79--my bad and got my wires crossed.  I saw his 5th show with the GD at Lafayette in Easton but that was in May of 79.  THe January 79 Spectrum shows were the last for Keith and Donna in Philly. That is what happens with almost 40 years between the show and the post!

The 1/12/79 show--this I will never forget.  I went with my good buddy Tim Kelly and another buddy Crix who played guitar with Tim.  Tim went on to play with the band Slaughter before his very untimely death.  But during the Dancing on 1/12/79 Tim was just freakin out saying "Jerry is God, I can't believe how he is wailing.".  He kept repeating this--this is when Jerry would stand there and rock back and forth while jamming in the Dancing groove.  Tim was just flippin out.  Great memory of him in our youth!

Closing the summer of 1980 was the best run in that city.

The weather was beautiful 

did not enjoy 1982 there, my friend locked the keys in his Chevy blazer running right as we were leaving to go in. It also snowed one of the night's in April 

The shows in 1984 were the better pf hat tour and again, the weather was okay 

 

Bluelight

Oh yes, the 1980 end of summer shows were right before we started 11th grade--without looking to check the date, I think it was like August 29th and 30th or there abouts.  I remember how hot and sweaty it was during the NFA--they even had the doors to the Spectrum open to get some air in.  Maybe our paths crossed at shows back in the day!

 

It's hard to beat that 73 show, but of the 80, 81, and 82 runs...I thought that the 81 run was the best.  I really enjoyed 5/4/81, here's the tape that I recorded that night:

https://archive.org/details/gd1981-05-04.sonyecm23f.weinberg.cohen.30112.sbeok.shnf

Those four beats leading up th the big E chord in TOO.  Duh.

 

Sorry. That's Best Phil Run.

 

As you were.

 Maybe Seth. If you are from Philadelphia, I just went to 80, 82, and 84

Okay, did anyone hear big steve's last show

He was talking about a real hemorrhoid dead head from Philadelphia named Bob

I will leave his last name out..

Bob would somehow get into the member's of the bands (jerrys) hotel room, order food, make calls. For years (73-?) Bob would always be at the east coast shows and near the band, but just did not fit in.

Well Bob got into some legal hot water in Philadelphia and left town on the lamb 

Fisrt he had is cat sent to Jerry Garcia's house, and then the following week a truck pulled up to Jerrys place with all of Bob from Philadelphia's furniture 

Steve Parrish was pissed, this was a real time sink for him...

For years when the band would show up in Philadelphia, there was Bob screaming WHERE IS MY CAT

Steve said they eventually stoped running into bob..

>>It's hard to beat that 73 show, but of the 80, 81, and 82 runs...I thought that the 81 run was the best.  I really enjoyed 5/4/81, here's the tape that I recorded that night:

What is your usage history with microphones?  

 

I just made Mini Movie of the April 26, 1983 show at the Spectrum. I thought it was New Haven and when went back to work today, I see its a Philadelphia show. 

I only went to one GD show in the April of 1983 (at NJ) & had the University of Vermont show rated as the best from that tour and now have this 4/26/83 show as being the best of that tour

Anyone see them in '83 there?

I was at that show.  Last minute decision; thought I made the right one!

Yeah you made the right one.

One of the best east coast shows of that decade. 

Its a fantastic show all around.

Its a Jerry show start to finish.

He starts the 2nd set with Help > Slip> Fank> a Morning Dew in there & he get the Encore (US Blues).

I may have a link to post here at 8pm.

the dead loved philly. great energy. 

can we make this a cheesesteak thread now? 

Yes, please.

GD 4 22 1983 T5.jpg

Grateful Dead 83 Spectrum Mini Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-swOLaCK8_E

"Closing the summer of 1980 was the best run in that city."

Can't agree with this.  They were two solid shows but the next night at the Capital Centre blew them both away.  I always think of those shows as a complete run since it was three in a row and 8/31/80 was by far the best of the run.

https://archive.org/details/gd80-08-31.senn421-wise.popi.7456.sbeok.shnf

^ I totally agree & have written that exact sentence many time.

I felt that past '73, the 1980 run at Phili (only) was the best at The Spectrum and appently not. 

Please start a Capitol Thread, I have some memories to share on that place too.

Jambone - I would go with Herm Edwards fumble return in 78  “(miracle at the meadowlands) ☝️

Vai Sikahema with goalpost punch.

Lieutenant Colombo turns back into the room...

Seth -

"I was just talking to the mrs, Colombo and she says JORMA" 

Your a good egg !

Happy new year everyone 

Chase Utley 

Single handedly stopped the ny Mets from the playoffs as long as he was a Philly 

Manny Trillo 1982----479 chances without an error. 

Any of you Philly folks remember Tim Rossovitch, the Eagles linebacker in the late 60's early 70's who set himself on fire for a photo? His run out of the locker room was Philly Legend!

I only go back as far as Bill Bergy.

((( 66 )))

Who can forget Roz??

Funny...I really liked the '86 run.

GD Tdye Front 2.jpg

I like 86 too, actually. Sound was great.

^^^Really enjoyed the first 2, great vibe with general admission, no chairs on the floor, no wristbands..dance concerts^^^

Comes a Time, then Dew in the ballad slots.  Gimme>Deal>Hand Jive on of my favorite mid-80's openers. 2nd set High Time always a treat. Four fun sets for sure.

Surprised no mention of Wilbert's touchdown run against Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship game...42 yards of pure joy

Bluelight

Your Mrs and as usual, brother, she has it right.  Happy holidays to you and yours.

Now a thread on the best Philly Jorma (not Tuna) shows would be interesting. 

My personal favorite--I went with 3 buddies, was the Irvine Auditorium in in Nov 1978 (same night as the Dead's first Sat. Live performance).  Best memory is some cat around 8th row center had a nitrous tank--yes and kept taking hits between songs.  Of course loud enough that everyone could here it.  Jorma says, remember battle conditions!  Also, great maybe 1981, we went to the Bijou Cafe, saw the early and late show.  Didn't have tickets to the late so we went to the bathroom, locked the toilet doors and stood on the toilet so we could get into the 2nd show after the first emptied out.  Who comes in to wiz but Capitan Kaukonen--well, I happened to have a picture of him a took at the Capital in Passaic in 1980, jumped of the toilet and had him sign it.  Still have it to this day and we got into the late show.  One more, I in 1982 at the old Ripley Music Hall (he has Steve Austin on bass with him). Jorma was pounding tequila shots, downed one and tossed the glass against the back wall.  After the show, me and the boys got to hang with him for like 20 minutes on the staircase by the stage and he was telling us about the Janis typewriter tape sessions which back then, was an underground bootleg that circulated and would finally be released many year later.  Cool night with my hero.

So many more--Alexander's in Browns Mills, NJ in 1980, Chestnut and Ardmore Cabarets, Tracadero, a few private parties with Jorma

Ah, back in Philly back in the day! Philly has some great, long gone music clubs and it was great growing up there.  

Pound for pound, I’m going with Tower 76. Four nights with spectacular jams in all four.

Very close runner up: Feb 1969 Electric Factory. 2/14 and 2/15/69. Primal psychedelic Dead in full force. 

Favorite Spectrum run: 1982. 4/5 and 4/6. Both great shows with great jams and vocals. Close Spectrum runner up would be 1979: 11/5 and 11/6. 

Thanks Seth, 

You folks have a great holiday too !

I like when you post!

Legendary Pro Football hall of Famer Mark Bravaro ended his career with the Eagles in 95.

Ron Jaworski have a street named after him yet?