Before I share what's on this month's show, I want to address why I'm not presenting a show this month honoring the musical legacy of Phil Lesh, both in and after The Grateful Dead. I've repeatedly announced this two-part quinquagenary would occur, and I'd feel weird cancelling on that, not to mention I'd also feel like I was shorting the Winterland run closing out 1974. Doing this show another time would also just be wrong, and eliminate its quinquagenariness.
But two weeks ago I started assembling content for what will definitely be two (but likely three) shows early next year dedicated to Phil. I've been pulling material that:
1. Phil wrote for the band (music and/or lyrics) but didn't sing (as lead),
2. features Phil's uniquely exploratory and explosive bass playing,
3. focuses on the early The Grateful Dead,
4. includes original and cover songs that Phil sang,
5. incorporates his performing career after The Grateful Dead
Trust me when I say I'm going to make sure it will be worth the wait.
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And now for our regularly scheduled programming...
Behold the Quinquagenary!
Now you say it, <kwin"-kwaj'-en-air-ee>.
This delightful, mouthful of a word refers to a 50th anniversary. Since early 2018, I've been presenting material from live Grateful Dead concerts that happened close to my air date, but about 50 years earlier.
Today I'll conclude my first two-part Quinquagenary, because it covers an entire run of shows instead of just one (or even two) individual shows. I'm of course referring to the (then) 'final run' at Winterland. Those five gigs also deliver far, far more music (like 18+ hours!) than I could squeeze into just one broadcast, hence the two-parter. In fact, my rough first pass through the gigs gave me well over the nearly four hours I'll have to play with, so some tough DJ decisions are forthcoming.
If you're interested in checking out my other quinquagenary shows, click right here.
- KBOO