Grateful Dead - 1981-10-06 - London, UK (SBD)

Grateful Dead 

1981-10-06

Rainbow Theatre

London, England

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Tuning

02. Shakedown Street >

03. New Minglewood Blues

04. It Must Have Been The Roses

05. Little Red Rooster

06. Althea

07. Me And My Uncle >

08. Mexicali Blues

09. Never Trust A Woman >

10. Cumberland Blues

11. Looks Like Rain >

12. Might As Well

2nd Set:

01. Man Smart (Woman Smarter)

02. High Time

03. Estimated Prophet >

04. He's Gone >

05. Drums >

06. Space >

07. The Wheel >

08. Sugar Magnolia >

09. Stella Blue >

10. Good Lovin'

Encore:

01. Sunshine Daydream >

02. Brokedown Palace

Grateful Dead - 1981-10-06 - London, UK (SBD)

ENGLAND - After a short 5 show run in Europe in March 1981, done as favor to Pete Townshend of The Who, the Grateful Dead returned to Europe in Fall of that year for 13 shows in 7 countries between September 30 and October 19. The set lists showcased songs from their latest album, Go To Heaven, including Althea, Alabama Get Away, Far From Me, Feel Like a Stranger, Lost Sailor and Saint Of Circumstance. Generally, the band's playing is strong throughout the run, though some signs of the trouble that would plague the band in the mid 1980s are evident. Most noticeably, Jerry Garcia takes Less of a leadership role in driving the band musically, hanging back at times and even having difficulty with some of the faster solos. Garcia's heroin use had begun to impact his personality and musical skills, and his band mates were growing weary of it. In fact, on the last night, in Barcelona, they presented Jerry with a letter, penned by Phil but signed by everyone in the band, expressing their dissatisfaction. The letter opened with “Dear Sir and Brother. You have been accused of certain high crimes and misdemeanors against the art of music. To wit: playing in your own band; never playing with any dynamics; never listening to what anyone else plays…” For band that tended to avoid any sort of confrontation, this was quite a large step, though it did not seem to have any lasting impact. In any event, today we go back to the the band;s 4th night in London during that tour, , with this soundboard recording from October 6, 1981, 39 years ago today.