Here is the latest news from David Gans, producer and host of the Grateful Dead Hour.
Mark and Maile
I was there to interview Mark for Sirius Satellite Radio’s Grateful Dead Channel. It will air next week, but here is a transcript.
Root vegetables
I have an odd hobby: produce photography.
A teacher’s tribute to his teacher
My friend Barry Smolin has an essay in today’s Los Angeles Times, remembering one of the teachers who insired him to become a teacher.
In college, in grad school, in life, to this day, whenever something has to be written, I, like multitudes of Schoenman alumni, hear his voice talking about “clarity” and “organization” and “development,” about the offbeat power of the semicolon, the importance of a coherent thesis and transitional phrases, about the glory of meaningful discourse.
At Fairfax in those days, the received wisdom was that you took Mr. Schoenman to learn about writing and Mr. Battaglia to learn about literature. Even Schoenman would perpetuate the myth. “I can take you to the ceiling of your abilities,” he would counsel us earnestly, “but Mr. Battaglia will lift the ceiling and show you infinity.” Without doubt, Richard Battaglia was a phenomenal English teacher, but Schoenman’s humility was a bit too self-deprecating because he was way more than just a writing teacher.
The truth is, he taught his students how to read literature exquisitely and maturely, and how to be sensitive to the subtle nuances of the written word. I learned from him not only how to write an essay but how to masticate the language and derive its essences, how to dig deep into the collective unconscious.
Grateful Dead Hour #1004
Week of December 17, 2007
Part 1 36:03
Grateful Dead 6/30/74 Civic Center Arena, Springfield MA
CHINA CAT SUNFLOWER->
I KNOW YOU RIDER
BIG RIVER
SCARLET BEGONIAS
EL PASO
Part 2 19:22
New Riders of the Purple Sage Live New Year’s Eve 2006
GARDEN OF EDEN->
THE LAST TIME->
GARDEN OF EDEN
Support for the Grateful Dead Hour comes this week from:
Grateful Dead Productions, announcing the first of a new series of Grateful Dead live concert releases titled Road Trips. Each CD set will include a historical essay and rare photos along with carefully remastered music from the original recordings. Volume 1 number 1 spotlights the Dead’s fall 1979 tour of the east coast, with highlights from half a dozen shows plus a limited-edition bonus disc. Information, cover art, reviews and messageboard are online at dead.net
The Jam in the Dam music festival in Amsterdam, Holland March 16 thru 19 at the legendary Melkweg music hall, where the Grateful Dead played in 1981. Dark Star Orchestra, Umphrey’s McGee, the Disco Biscuits, Tea Leaf Green, Perpetual Groove, and Lotus. It’s an intimate festival in one of the great cities of the world. Information, video clips, reviews, message board and tickets are available at jaminthedam.com
eDeadshop.com, an online store offering t-shirts, hats, stickers, tye dyes, gifts and other rock and roll holiday gifts from such acts as the Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Santana, & Pink Floyd. More information and complete product catalog can be found at eDeadshop.com.
Dead night in Pittsburgh
More good news from the newlywed Tom Donaldson in Pittsburgh:
Holiday Greetings! TD and Karen here with great news! Grateful Dead Night is starting back up at a new location: the fabulous Thunderbird Cafe!
Dead Night will be every Sunday night at 8:00 pm, starting Sunday 12/23. Everything you liked about it at the old location will be present at the new location and there’ll be lots of other reasons to come as well, such as great food, a MUCH kinder environment (no more sketchy crackheads or annoying homeless hustlers to deal with) plus we’ll have Dead videos galore! More details as they are worked out, so stay tuned and we look forward to catching up with everyone on Sunday nights for the return of Dead Night. The cafe is located at 4023 Butler St. in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, go to the website or call 412-682-0177 for directions. See you there!
peace and love, TD and Karen