Attics Of My Life First Performance

I was just re-reading the lyrics to Attics Of My Life when I noticed a comment indicated that the first performance was at Meramec Community College, Kirkwood MO. That name stood out to me. I dug through my music collection and it turns out I've got the live recording of it. Lossless audio, no less! Anyhow, if anyone wants the May 14, 1970 performance, let me know, I'd love to trade and enlarge my collection. Yes, the twelve minute performance of Lovelight is awesome.

I also thought that this comment was awesome:

This post is mainly in response to those who helped me out on the interpretation of "Attics of my Life" for my English paper. The paper is going great thanks to a lot of you. One of you kind folks gave me Hunter's e-mail address, and would you believe he responded to me in about 4 hours!?! A lot of you mailed me asking me what he said, so here is the letter. I debated on posting it for a while, but I think they are words to be read. Enjoy!

Deb,
I guess I have to give the stock answer: if I could say it in prose I wouldn't need to write the song. Poetry is evocative - it's meant to communicate to deeper levels and approach the levels of non-verbal experience.

I guess the best I could say is that "you flew to me" is an affirmation of the concept of grace -

No, this is not a song about being stoned. It's a song about the soul.

Grace doesn't even come close to describing it.

The Dead At Jones Beach

Last night I went to see The Dead at Jones Beach's amphitheater with James. Like the Rush concert, it rained a bit, but it stopped for most of the show. A very mixed crowd. All types of people.

Originally, I thought no one was opening for them, but when we got there, Robert Hunter was playing. He played solo for a few songs, including Soulshine, a song I haven't heard in a while. Some pretty good stuff.

Again I'm going to bring up the bassist remark that I mentioned about the Rush concert. I like it when the bassist doesn't take a back seat. Phil Lesh said that his playing style was influenced more by Bach counterpoint than any rock or soul bass player. When jamming, Lesh's bass is as much a lead instrument as anyone else's guitar. Than again, I may be biased as I play the low end brass and have an underappreciation of trumpet players.

Good show, got out a bit before midnight, earlier than I expected. At the end, Phil Lesh did his thanks for being an organ donor thing and Bob Weir mentioned that if every deadhead in the state of Florida voted, we'd live in a very different country now. An a cappella of I Bid You Goodnight (a Bahamian gospel song) and home we all went.

Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Lay down my dear brothers, lay down and take your rest
Oh won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
I love you, oh but Jesus loves you the best

And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight