You Were Meant For Me

On this date, a very special Hunger Benefit at Loyola College in Chicago, featuring Bob Weir and Friends got a stripped down version of the Grateful Dead 35 years ago. This acoustic show featured a couple of cool bust outs and punctuated what might have been the best year of shows in Chicago. Between 1/30, 1/31, 5/16, 5/17 and the three shows surrounding this acoustic show, the Grateful Dead blew away the Windy City. (This could be a sick box set Mr. Lemeuix.) Download this acoustic show HERE.

For the show Bob's special guest are Jerry, Phil and Mickey, but the show starts with just Bob and Jerry. Bob opens with a song he liked playing acoustical, and was a standard for his early Ratdog days, "Whinin' Boys." Then Jerry sings the folk standard made popular by the Kingston Trio, "Tom Dooley." The interesting thing, is this is the only time Jerry ever preformed this song. Him and Bobby played it this one time and never reprised it at another gig. The country and western portion of the gig begins with the first "Deep Elem" since December of 1970 and another Bobby favorite "KC Moan." An elegant "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," comes next. Although this song was a regular part of Garcia's rotation, it's the first time the rest of the band mates play this song, which the Grateful Dead wouldn't debut until 1987. The curious case of "Big Boy Pete" is next up. Pigpen lead the band through this song twice in 1966, twice in 1969, and twice in 1970. Then it disappeared until this show and then was busted out at the Henry Kaiser Center on 11/21/85 for one final time. The next unique call is "Jack A-Roe," a song that was debuted in May of '77 and then shelved after playing it 7 times. During its time off the song got tightened up from the spacey jaunt to the more of a bluegrass feel from which the song originated. Three nights later, the Grateful Dead would follow suit and bust out "Jack A-Roe" after opening the second set with 25 minute jam, which was blogged about last year HERE. The boys discuss and decide on playing "Dark Hollow," for the first time since 1971 and then end the set with the Buddy Holly hit "Oh Boy." This is the second "Oh Boy," the first one was on 4/6/71 at the Manhattan Center, and is a rocking closer to a fun acoustical afternoon set from the boys.

Whinin' Boys Blues, Tom Dooley, This Time Forever, Deep Elem, KC Moan, Knockin', Big Boy Pete, Jack A-Roe, Dark Hollow, Oh Boy

This is an extremely fitting show considering the Record Store acoustical release of 4/18/70, which you can buy on CD from DeadNet, and the rumors of the new 6 CD box set that should be announced before Thanksgiving. Two complete JGB shows and the acoustic Weir/Wasswerman set that opened each show from the Fall of 1989. Jambase broke this news and according to Walmart, it will be in stores on 12/17, just in time for Christmas.