Smokestack Lightning*, Green Green Grass Of Home*, Me & My Uncle*, Checkin' Up On My Baby^, Beat It On Down The Line^, Turn On Your Love Light

* without Jerry Garcia; with Elvin Bishop.



^ without Jerry Garcia; with Elvin Bishop; with Wayne Ceballos.







The splice in Checkin' Up @ 1:14 is very minor, and hardly noticeable.







For unknown reasons, it appears that Jerry Garcia is missing for the first 5 songs, and Elvin Bishop plays lead guitar. The crowd, Phil & Bob acknowledge the missing Garcia after Smokestack, which must be the opener. Wayne Ceballos adds vocals for Checkin' Up and BIODTL. A faintly heard voice off microphone could be Garcia's just before Checkin' Up. Two days later during the same run, Pigpen ended up a spectator for some songs while Bishop & Ceballos sat in, so it seems possible that this is the case with Jerry, given a laid back atmosphere.







Deadlists vaguely indicates that this represents all of 6-6-69. However, it seems likely that some music may be missing before Lovelight. The guests are not present during Lovelight, and Garcia is playing on this version. This is perhaps the longest version of Lovelight known to have been played, clocking in at just under 47 minutes.







Sound Forge was used to correct the pitch of the recording.

plus-circle Add Review

comment Reviews

Reviewer: tomfoolery72 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 1, 2020

Subject: A 29-year-early preview of TOO. With Pigpen.



ALSO, I believe the record books need revising. I’ve always held PITB 5/21/74, at



EDIT: Just went back to the tapes. I actually happened to listen to this PITB two days ago - no cuts noted, and the last note fades out around 46:21. Haven’t listened to this LL yet but assuming no cuts, last note finished by 46:20. I’m wrong by about one second, but it’s pretty damn close. Also, I fucking love this band. 😎 I’m puzzled how I missed this show over 29+ years of daily Dead dosing (unless it’s yet another victim of induced memory loss), but the post title says it all. Crazy weird cool shit.ALSO, I believe the record books need revising. I’ve always held PITB 5/21/74, at 46:26 or so, to be #1 longest single song. This Lovelight has it beat by a solid half minute. Ahem.EDIT: Just went back to the tapes. I actually happened to listen to this PITB two days ago - no cuts noted, and the last note fades out around 46:21. Haven’t listened to this LL yet but assuming no cuts, last note finished by 46:20. I’m wrong by about one second, but it’s pretty damn close. Also, I fucking love this band. 😎 - February 1, 2020A 29-year-early preview of TOO. With Pigpen.

Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite - April 24, 2015

Subject: - Uneven show with uneven sound. - April 24, 2015

Reviewer: Empty_Cup - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 17, 2013

Subject: Post from Wayne Ceballos

Hi guys-

Seems to me "I" was playing guitar on "Beat It On Down the Line" that night. I was walking by the stage when Phil (Lesh) asked me to come up and sit in on guitar. I distinctly remember playing guitar on BIODTL. Things were so crazy that night- but I DO remember playing on BIODTL.



I can back up my statement up because Jerry (Garcia) himself states in Bill Graham's autobiography that



"...One night I came to the gig REAL late and there was this OTHER guy playing guitar with the Grateful Dead. This guy from AUM.(my band) He was a pretty good blues guitar player. I thought, 'Geez, Bill is gonna fuckin' kill me,' but he didn't say anything..." (P. 220- 222, I believe).



I have a copy of me singing "Love Light" with the Dead- (possibly Pigpen in the mix as well). I don't know if that was the gig two days later, or was at the Monterey Peninsula College gig a few days before...

Man, we were ALL pretty toasted! : ) Anyway- thought my info might help clarify things.

Cheers!



Wayne "Tha Harpe" Ceballos i copied this from a post at http://db.etree.org/shninfo_detail.php?shnid=9494 Hi guys-Seems to me "I" was playing guitar on "Beat It On Down the Line" that night. I was walking by the stage when Phil (Lesh) asked me to come up and sit in on guitar. I distinctly remember playing guitar on BIODTL. Things were so crazy that night- but I DO remember playing on BIODTL.I can back up my statement up because Jerry (Garcia) himself states in Bill Graham's autobiography that"...One night I came to the gig REAL late and there was this OTHER guy playing guitar with the Grateful Dead. This guy from AUM.(my band) He was a pretty good blues guitar player. I thought, 'Geez, Bill is gonna fuckin' kill me,' but he didn't say anything..." (P. 220- 222, I believe).I have a copy of me singing "Love Light" with the Dead- (possibly Pigpen in the mix as well). I don't know if that was the gig two days later, or was at the Monterey Peninsula College gig a few days before...Man, we were ALL pretty toasted! : ) Anyway- thought my info might help clarify things.Cheers!Wayne "Tha Harpe" Ceballos - February 17, 2013Post from Wayne Ceballos

Reviewer: robinrunaround - - October 14, 2011

Subject: phil's story After reading Searching for the Sound, and looking back at the infamous megadose story, and listening to the 6th and the 8th, I think this was the night, the 6th, based on the strange lack of Jerry and the fact that the bass lines seem to have less drive and focus. - October 14, 2011phil's story

Reviewer: NYLifer - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 6, 2011

Subject: Great research! 7 beat start to BIODTL. Maybe after midnight, or is that just a natural count for that song?

Peace, Bob - June 6, 2011Great research!

Reviewer: Dead In Istanbul - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 30, 2010

Subject: Lost Live Dead has an in-depth commentary of this show

Even Wayne Ceballos said he was on stage at this one. There's been a lot of homework done on this and the show on the 8th.



It must have been fun to see these run of shows and the benefit shows happening around the city. Anyone who was there, I envy you! Yeah, check out the Lost Live Dead blog and see the write-up for this show: http://lostlivedead.blogspot.com/2010/04/fillmore-west-june-6-and-8-1969-guest.html Even Wayne Ceballos said he was on stage at this one. There's been a lot of homework done on this and the show on the 8th.It must have been fun to see these run of shows and the benefit shows happening around the city. Anyone who was there, I envy you! - September 30, 2010Lost Live Dead has an in-depth commentary of this show

Reviewer: beantown_adc - favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 20, 2009

Subject: The longest Lovelight in the history of the cosmos? Maybe...maybe not.



Having said that, the Smokestack w/Elvin Bishop is certainly a rare treat :-) I'm a little surprised that with all of the excitement about a 46 minute Lovelight, nobody seems to have commented on the obvious cut at ~ 33:25, after which there's a clear tonal change in the vocals, and a sudden inclusion of a long sustain note on guitar (presumably Jerry, but with all that's going on in this gig who can be sure?). Although it's quite obvious, I don't see any mention of a splice in the notes, the txt files of either of the archive.org versions or in Deadlists, so I'm a little suspicious that perhaps somebody got a little creative with the source tapes and people have been too gaga at "witnessing history" to notice the shooter hanging out over there on the grassy knoll....Having said that, the Smokestack w/Elvin Bishop is certainly a rare treat :-) - November 20, 2009The longest Lovelight in the history of the cosmos? Maybe...maybe not.

Reviewer: AUGUST-WEST420 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 15, 2009

Subject: No Jerry???? According to Deadlists,Jerry,supposedly,was too dosed to play & the Lovelight from this show could be from the 6-08 show.Either way this is a must hear! - November 15, 2009No Jerry????

Reviewer: stacy27 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 18, 2008

Subject: Love it! And this IS Pigpen doin the vocals on 'Lovelight' here. ( I wasnt sure about the other show) EXCELLENT sound and Smokestack Lightnin is amazing. I love Pig's harp! THANKS 4 this one! - August 18, 2008Love it!

Reviewer: cosmicTraveller - favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 26, 2007

Subject: turn on your love light this is one for the ages, people. jerry finally arrives in time to save the show and boy does the band bring the fireworks during the show closer.



the beginning features creative riffing on the main theme, but about 15-20 minutes into it they break it down completely in between pig admonishing them to "wait a minute!". they get into some purely psychedelic rock/blues/soul genre defying music that just stretches to logical extremes.



this has got to be what phil was talking about when he was actually seeing the musical conversation going on between him and garcia. this stuff is completley off the cuff, incredibly tight jamming the likes of which are rare indeed.



listen to just the lovelight if anything! - November 26, 2007turn on your love light

Reviewer: phleshy - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 20, 2005

Subject: It is Elvin Of course it's Elvin Bishop playing guitar on every track other than Lovelight. You just have to have a good ear, since it appears that Elvin is using Jer's gear (the Gibson SG and the Twin Reverb Amps) and that Elvin's lead style is somewhat similar to Jerry's. As for the dosed apple juice, I'm not sure if this was the show that that happened at, or June 8. One thing for sure, this Lovelight is one for the ages. - June 20, 2005It is Elvin

Reviewer: straw - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 7, 2005

Subject: Read "Searching for the Sound" Phil has some interesting commentary on this show in his book - Jerry is on all tracks as near as I can tell, EB plays on some but seems confused (everyone was playing in different timing and progressions), apple juice caused some of the confusion (except maybe for Jer, who reportedly showd up late and may not have swilled the juice) - Phil barely made it on stage - D/L just to hear what it sounds like - June 7, 2005Read "Searching for the Sound"

Reviewer: John Hell - favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 2, 2005

Subject: Elvin vs. Jerry Did I notice that the txt of this show says that Jerry is NOT playing on Smokestack? That cannot be true. It most definately is Jerry. Elvin comes up for his own tune and BIODTL, that much is obvious.



After reading Phil's book, this show takes on a much greater feel. How about the DS>SS>11? - May 2, 2005Elvin vs. Jerry

Reviewer: Havergill Milk - favorite favorite favorite - April 24, 2005

Subject: Elvin It's ironic since he royally screw up playing on Beat On Down The Line. Deadbase doesn't list him as playin' on that song, but he's there. This is good sound quality. Too bad we don't get the Dark Star.... - April 24, 2005Elvin

Reviewer: MorninDew - favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 26, 2005

Subject: Electric Apple Juice This is that night! The infamous spiked apple juice night. Reportedly someone put a whole gram of LSD in the apple juice! Phil Lesh later said that one could taste the acid in there!! Phil said that when it came time to play, he was so zonked that he had to be propped against an amp and he thought his bass was some strange artifact with fish-scale strings!

Later, Robert Hunter had a freak out and saw lobster people and Janis Joplin was belching blood! After the show, they had to have Jerry play some soothing guitar for Robert until he calmed down!

Just thinking about how amazing stoned those guys must have been while they played is ammusing to say the least. Download this if for no other reason than to think about all the weird shit that happened that night! - March 26, 2005Electric Apple Juice

Reviewer: Burning Skies - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 27, 2004

Subject: A Dead of a different color Ever wonder what the Dead would sound like with an aggressive lead player? This is the show. Bishop sit in for Jerry for most of it, and from the get-go he pushes the band...harder faster more. "Checkin' up on my baby" has the kids in the band playing straighter blues than anywhere else I've heard...and at one point Elvin has to admonish the band not to 'blow it' they're so ready to push into overdrive. Bishop's vocals are soulful and his guitar tone is go-for-the throat. All this plus the classic 'green grass' and an early M&MU make this little show a keeper.



Sound quality for this era is good, not comparable to late 70's obviously, but more than listenable. - June 27, 2004A Dead of a different color