Happy 3rd Anniversary to So Many Roads

With all the craziness here over the last few weeks as a result of Hurricane Sandy, it actually slipped my mind that 2 days ago, on November 11, 2012, So Many Roads To Ease My Soul celebrated its 3rd anniversary.  I never imagined when I started this site that it would last this long or grow so much. Over the last 36 months, we've brought you 825 concerts from over 125 different bands. We've had over 2 million visitors from almost 130 countries! We currently average almost 700 visitors a day.

My thanks to all of you who have become regulars at So Many Roads.  I greatly appreciate the kind words of encouragement and thanks as that's what keeps me going when times get tough.  My thanks as well to Dino over at Bootleg Tunz World for helping me get started.  I'm also appreciative of all the support from all the Tunz World junkies who hang out at the chat box at Tunz World.

Thanks again for visiting my little corner of the internet!  Looking forward to year 4 and beyond!

Grateful Dead - 1985-11-11 - Byrne Arena, NJ (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1985-11-11

Brenden Byrne Arena

East Rutherford, NJ

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

Set 1

01. Walking The Dog

02. Deal

03. New Minglewood Blues

04. Althea

05. Me & My Uncle

06. Big River

07. Bird Song

08. Looks Like Rain

09. Don't Ease Me In

CD 2:

Set 2

01. Scarlet Begonias >

02. Fire On The Mountain >

03. Estimated Prophet >

04. Eyes Of The World >

05. Drums >

06. Space >

07. Dear Mr. Fantasy >

08. Going Down The Road Feeling Bad

09. Throwing Stones >

10. Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore:

11. Brokedown Palace

Grateful Dead - 1985-11-11 - Byrne Arena, NJ (SBD)

As mentioned yesterday, I saw the Grateful Dead for the first time in over 2 years (since April 1983) 27 years ago today, on November 11, 1985 at the Byrne Arena in NJ.  I remember a security set up checkpoint outside the arena where you had to show your tickets before being allowed to enter the building.  The lines at those checkpoints were endless, and I know loads of fans didn't get in until after the start of the first set.  My buddies and I were fortunate.  We got through the check point, entered the arena, and just as we entered the section where we were sitting, the house lights went off.  We didn't miss a note.  In typical 1985 fashion, the Dead did something untypical to start the show, opening with Walking The Dog, a song played less than 10 times in the band's 30 year history.  They then rolled into Deal, a song normally reserved for closing the 1st set.  While the rest of the show then followed a more usual mid 80's set list, their were plenty of highlights, including a great cover of Traffic's Dear Mr Fantasy, a well played Going Down The Road, and my first Turn On Your Lovelight!  Sure Bobby's versions didn't quite have the magic of Pig Pen's classic renditions from the 1970's, but it felt good to have this tune back in the Dead's repertoire.  Download this one to go along with yesterday's first show from NJ, and enjoy the Dead as they celebrate 20 years together.

Grateful Dead - 1985-11-10 - Byrne Arena, NJ (SBD)

Grateful Dead
1985-11-10
Brendan Byrne Arena
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Soundboard Recording
256 kbps
Artwork Included

CD 1:
1st Set
01. Touch of Grey
02, Hell In A Bucket
03. Sugaree
04. Cassidy
05. Stagger Lee
06. It's All Over Now
07. Row Jimmy
08. Feel Like A Stranger

CD 2:
2nd Set
01. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodle-oo >
02. I Know You Rider >
03. Playin' in the Band >
04. Uncle John's Band >
05. Supplication Jam >
06. Drums >
07. Space >
08. Truckin' >
09. Comes A Time >
10. Around and Around >
11. Good Lovin'

Encore:
01. Its All Over Now, Baby Blue

Grateful Dead - 1985-11-10 - Byrne Arena, NJ (SBD)

In 1985, The Grateful Dead celebrated 20 years together, dating back to their early days as the Warlocks. Deadheads tend to passionately debate the quality of the music that year. Some feel that the band, inspired by their milestone anniversary, played their best shows of the 80s. Others don't believe the music was much different from the prior years, and certainly not up to the standard of 1987 or 1989. For me, 1985 represents one of just 2 times between 1981 and 1987 that I saw the band (the other being the April 16, 1983 show with Stephen Stills, also posted on this blog). So when the Dead rolled into the Brendan Byrne Arena for 2 shows in November 1985, I was just thrilled to get tickets. I wound up at the 2nd night, which will be the subject of a post tomorrow. Night one, on November 10, 1985, 27 years ago today, does highlight several of the strong points from 1985.  For example, the band brought back some old favorites, such as Comes A Time, that had not been played in a while.  In addition,  they made changes to the normal set list, such as having Mississippi Half Step segue into I Know You Rider, rather than the usual China Cat lead-in.  Download this one and judge for yourself which side of the 1985 argument you fall on.  Then come back to tomorrow for part 2 of tis Back to Back entry.

Power Is Back After The Hurricane

Well, after being without power for 6 days, and then without internet/phone/TV for another 4, all systems are back up and running.  I've gone into all the posts from 10-28 to 11-7 and corrected them, adding links to the downloads.  So, if you wanted any of those shows, please try again.  Hopefully, all will be a-ok from here on in.

Thanks to all who sent good wishes.  Fortunately, we had no damage to the house and more importantly, no one in the family got hurt. Hope any of you who were impacted by the storm are back up and running with no damage or injury.

By the way, I have re-posted all the following shows to fulfill requests:

• Eagles - 1976-11-06 - Houston, TX
• The Byrds - 1968-11-02 - San Francisco, CA
• Eric Calpton & Friends - 1988-11-02 - Tokyo, Japan  
• Rockpile - 1978-11-04 - Roslyn, NY 
• Lou Reed - 1977-05-11 - New York, NY

Enjoy the tunz!

Rolling Stones - 1981-11-06 - East Rutherford, NJ (SBD)

Rolling Stones
1981-11-06
Brendan Byrne Arena
Meadowlands Sports Complex
East Rutherford, NJ
Soundboard Recording
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Take The ‘A’ Train
02. Under My Thumb
03. When The Whip Comes Down
04. Let’s Spend The Night Together
05. Shattered
06. Neighbours
07. Black Limousine
08. Just My Imagination
09. Twenty Flight Rock
10. Going To A Go Go
11. Let Me Go
12. Time Is On My Side
13. Beast Of Burden
14. Waiting On A Friend
15. Let It Bleed
16. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
17. Band introduction
18. Little T & A
19. Tumbling Dice
20. She’s So Cold
21. All Down The Line
22. Hang Fire
23. Miss You
24. Start Me Up
25. Honky Tonk Women (With Tina Turner)
26. Brown Sugar
27. Jumping Jack Flash
28. Satisfaction
29. Star Spangled Banner

Rolling Stones - 1981-11-06 - East Rutherford, NJ (SBD)

Here’s the 2nd part of our “Back to Back” entry featuring the Rolling Stones in New Jersey. This soundboard recording captures the band on November 6, 1981, 31 years ago today. As mentioned in other posts, soundboards from this tour abound as the Stones taped every show in anticipation of releasing a live album and a concert film. In fact, perhaps more than any previous tour in rock history to that point, the Stones’ 1981 venture was about maximizing profits. The Stone’s became the first band to have a corporate sponsor for a tour. Jovan paid the band $1 million for the right to advertise on every ticket printed. In addition, the December 18 show in Hampton, Virginia was the first concert ever broadcast on pay per view television. To borrow from Frank Zappa, the tour could have been subtitled “we’re only in it for the money”. In any event, download this one to complete this back to back set.

Rolling Stones - 1981-11-05 - East Rutherford, NJ (SBD)

Rolling Stones

1981-11-05

Brendan Byrne Arena

Meadowlands Sports Complex

East Rutherford, NJ

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. Take The A Train

02. Under My Thumb

03. When The Whip Comes Down

04. Let's Spend The Night Together

05. Shattered

06. Neighbors

07. Black Limousine

08. Just My Imagination

09. Down The Road Apiece

10. Going To A Go Go

11. Let Me Go

12. Time Is On My Side

13. Beast Of Burden

14. Waiting On A Friend

15. Let It Bleed

CD 2:

01. You Can't Always Get What You Want

02. Band Introductions

03. Little T & A

04. Tumbling Dice

05. She's So Cold

06. All Down The Line

07. Hang Fire

08. Miss You

09. Start Me Up

10. Honky Tonk Women (with Tina Turner on vocals)

11. Brown Sugar

12. Jumpin' Jack Flash

13. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

14. Star Spangled Banner

Rolling Stones - 1981-11-05 - East Rutherford, NJ (SBD)

Welcome to part one of our first Back to Back entry for November. This soundboard recording features the Rolling Stones from November 11, 1981, 31 years ago today, from The Brendan Byrne (later Continental and now Izod) Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. Video from part of this show and the next night’s were included in the film “Lets Spend The Night Together” which documented the Stone’s 1981 US tour. The film was directed by Hal Ashby and released in theaters in 1983. Download this one to hear night one in New Jersey, then come back tomorrow for the 2nd installment.

No Power Due To Hurricane

Due to the Hurricane I have no power at home. The only reasons shows are going up is I scheduled them in advance. I borrowed a friend's phone to put up this post. I'm not sure when I'll have power restored - could be another 4 or 5 days, maybe more. Until then, I cannot respond to any requests for reposts or fix any issues you may find. Sorry about that. Once power is back up, I'll catch up on any and all your requests. To any one else affected by the storm, my thoughts are with you.