It's a Wonderful Life/Invictus

Two things that separate are very powerful unto themselves, but the combination is undeniably potent. Many years ago as part of my treatment, I was told to watch the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." This evening I watched it again, and found my self very moved. Life's troubles put him in that position to put himself on the bridge. When the committee starts to chatter and things are going well, it is strange when the idea of putting myself in the same position that George Bailey was in. I don't see anyone like Clarence showing up to save the day. I guess I have to be savior and sinner at the same time.



This leads me to the next point. I saw the new movie "Invictus" today. I didn't realize that the title was based on a famous poem that help Nelson Mandela survive his ordeal in prison. Here is a link to the poem. The movie is a historical piece that highlights the 1995 Rugby World Cup.



Music for today:

Grateful Dead
June 6, 1969
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Grateful Dead
June 7, 1969
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here
Janis Joplin on Lovelight

Grateful Dead
June 8, 1969
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here
w/o Pigpen on Lovelight

Grateful Dead
June 14, 1969
Peninsula College
Monterey, CA
listen here*
*setlsit is inverted for this file

Happy Chanukah (Hanukkah)

Since it is the holiday season for many people of many different faiths, I thought it would rather nice to wish our Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah. I have an uncle that is Jewish that married into the family. I don't get much of a chance to see him, but I am very happy to see him when I do. The only thing that I have on the holiday is this video by Adam Sandler.



I missed this from last night, but this is very relevant in regards to the movie "The Fantastic Mr. Fox." As long as we are on the subject of Sweet, I have to share this sonic masterpiece.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
May 31, 1969
McArthur Court
Eugene, OR
listen here

Grateful Dead
June 5, 1969
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Movie Diversion

I took my daughter to go see the movie "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" tonight. She wants to be an animator when she gets out of school. I am trying to introduce her some other animated movies like "Wizards" or "Heavy Metal."

The music for today:

Grateful Dead
May 23, 1969
"Big Rock Pow Wow"
Seminole Indian Village
West Hollywood, FL
listen here

Grateful Dead
May 24, 1969
"Big Rock Pow Wow"
Seminole Indian Village
West Hollywood, FL
listen here

Grateful Dead
May 30, 1969
Springer's Inn
Portland, OR
listen here

Getting into the Holiday Spirit

Now that there is snow on the ground, it is looking more like upcoming holiday season. What we need is some music and laughs. This is to offset all the shopping, cooking and cleaning. The first is a holiday favorite from The Pogues called the "Fairytale of New York." The next is from an American original Tom Waits doing "Silent Night + A Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis." We can't have a good time without a great jam from David Grisman and Jerry Garcia - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." We need some laughs with Bob and Doug doing "The Twelve Days of Christmas." We can't forget Cheech and Chong doing "Santa Claus and His Old Lady."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
April 22, 1969
The Ark
Boston, MA
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 23, 1969
The Ark
Boston, MA
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 25, 1969
Electric Theater
Chicago, IL
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 26, 1969
Electric Theater
Chicago, IL
Released as Dick's Picks Vol. 26

Grateful Dead
April 27, 1969
Labor Temple
Minneapolis, MN
Released as Dick's Picks Vol. 26

Let It Snow

Well, it wouldn't be the holiday season here in land of Lake Wobegon without a few flakes of snow. Everything is being covered in a thick blanket of white that will last until late April or early May. It is not the snow we have to worry so much, but the wind and cold that follows the storm. The windchill are going to be below zero for most of the day tomorrow. This is a good day to stay indoors and listen to the music play. Here is a song for the snow. Here is another song of an unlucky visit to this part of the country.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
April 11, 1969
University Auditorium
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 12, 1969
Student Union Ballroom
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 13, 1969
Ballroom
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 15, 1969
The Music Box
Omaha, NE
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 18, 1969
Purdue University
Lafayette, IN
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 20, 1969
Clark University
Worcester, MA
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 21, 1969
The Ark
Boston, MA
listen here

Dreaming of the Big Apple Day

I am contemplating a trip out East to catch the opening of Grateful Dead exhibit for the New York City Historical Society. Being a person of Upper Midwest descent, it may sound strange to day that I really like New York. It's just the Damn Yankees that I don't like. Everything else is completely kosher. I've been there a couple of time in the past, and I fit right in while feeling at ease. I do take that back. While riding the subway, I had my life flash in front of my eyes when the lights went out for a second. Other than that, I felt just fine.

I have three feel good songs to share for a change: FM by Steely Dan; You're Still a Young Man by Tower of Power; and That's the Way of the World by Earth, Wind and Fire.

I got my SHNs to play!!! So, now I am set to complete the mission.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
February 11, 1970
Fillmore East
New York City, NY
listen here
This show gave me an "Eargasm" the first time I heard it. I had gotten a bootleg album in Germany called "Of Dark Stars and Lovelights." I had gotten it at this little hole in wall shop called " Roland's Music Box in Nurnenberg, West Germany.

Grateful Dead
April 4, 1969
Avalon Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 5, 1969
Avalon Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Grateful Dead
April 6, 1969
Avalon Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Resurrection Rag

Well, the news for the day was bringing my PC back to life. It was like a voodoo ritual. I am thinking about calling it Austin on account of this. One thing is for certain, it is like starting fresh. It is a do over of sorts. the bad thing is that I can't play any of my shn files on winamp anymore. It won't accept them. I will have to convert them to play them which will take a large amount of space on a hard drive.

Music for today was sparse:

Grateful Dead
June 6, 1970
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here