18 Not Fade Away | 1990-12-31 | Grateful Dead

3:06:01

Taper:

Rob Darroch

Transferrer:

John Ammons and Joe Noel

SHNID:

gd1990-12-31.138041.BK4011.Darroch.Ammons.flac1648

Source:

<b>flac16/48kHz</b>; Rob Darroch recording [FOB DFC]: Hand held at 110 degrees ORTF on Schoeps T-bar with B&K 4011 > Pro-Link Mic Cables > Modified Neumann PS > Panasonic SV255; John Ammons

Lineage:

from his DAT clone of the master; Tascam DA20 Mark II DAT > Roland SRC-2 sample rate/format converter (from SPDIF to Optcal) > Mac Mini > Audacity 3.0 at 48K > Wave; Joe Noel track, flac & pack: Wave > flac > Audacity > tracked > export multiple > flac 16/44; Checksum & tags created in xACT

Taper Notes:

View NotesCold, wet & dreary with a chance of incarceration is how I remember this NYE run. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time for the show on the 27th & got a ticket for being part of a clean-up crew. It was a good thing I had tickets for the rest of the run cause those clean-up crew tickets were the only extras to be found for the four shows. There was a serious strain put on the area with the extra 10k+ that showed up looking for the miracle. The wait to get into Denny’s was 30 minutes at 3am & as long as two hours during peak hours.  Floor space at the area hotel notels was at an all time premium. 

So there I was, on the 30th, tending to business, when this fine gentlemen skirted next to me, in these cheap black sneakers.  He showed me what looked like a high school photo of a girl that looked like my new girlfriend, "L". He asked if I knew this person. That’s when those billion & one questions that only take a millisecond to go through your mind come out the mouth disguised as a brain fart. I was taken by complete surprise by this narc looking, fed, wannabe & his past their prime sneakers. That’s the part I think that freaked me out the most, this guy made no pretenses to disguise who he was.  He came complete with the CHiPs mustache, polyester slacks, thin black leather belt & windbreaker. After he asked me a few more questions he went his way. I immediately went to find "L". Luckily my Spidey senses kicked in & when I turned around, I saw that the wannabe fed was fallowing me. 

Now, I was freaked out!  I didn’t have any idea what this guy wanted.  Adding to my tension I was carrying, with intent. So I skipped outta the lot & headed over to Denny’s, where I forced a seat at the table of some heads from back East.  After explaining my situation my favorite Jersey Girl, being the smart hippie that she is, asked the million dollar question. She looked me dead in the eyes & asked “How old is L??” I hadn’t a clue & bless her heart for being the one at the table asking the tough question.  She hit the nail on the head.  Turns out "L" was a runaway & that fine gentlemen was a private detective hired by her mother hoping to locate her 15 year old daughter.

Long story short, that set the tone for this show.  I never saw "L" after these shows & have no idea what happened to her.  As a result, this show doesn't get a lot of air time on my end, mainly 'cause the experience sadly fallowed me back home & festered for a few months, & the memories are still there.  When John presented me with the opportunity to work the raw wave files I jumped at the chance.  Making it all good, cause this is an exceptional recording.  To quote the taper, " the B&Ks were mercilessly clinical. So on a night where the PA and taper position were perfectly aligned, the B&K's could absolutely blow doors…"

That literally happens here.  The second set begins with fire breathing stilt dancers, percussions & bungie jumpers that lead to a huge explosion.  The mics were about 10 yards from the big bang, so watch your levels here.  The sound in this recording is as good as it gets.  The thing that impresses me the most with this recording is the demeanor of the taper during the second set opener.  The rafters concealed thousands of balloons that were dropped after the midnight countdown as the band was playing.  Seeing how the taper was FOB, his capture is in the midst of these balloons dropping & popping.  Once you get through the balloon popping festival, you are rewarded handsomely. - Joe.