Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions 7/XX/64

The latest show in my listening shmorgishborg is a Mother McCree's show from sometime in July of 1964 at the Top of the Tangent in Palo Alto. Although the exact date is unknown, the poster above is very possibly for the show I listened to.

Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions really were the first incantation of the Grateful Dead. It featured Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Bob Weir, among other varying players. The set up was a twist off bluegrass, and was meant mostly to have a good time. Listening to the show, you can tell that it is a little zany or flaky. The music, at times, sounds almost goofy. But the thing is, it's good! I love it. Are there any more tapes of the jug band floating around? I've only found this one.

Setlist:

1. Beat It On Down The Line
2. I'm Satisfied With My Gal (with unsatisfied banter by Jerry)
3. Borneo
4. He's In the Jailhouse Now
5. Monkey and the Engineer
6. Big Bad Woman
7. Memphis Blues

This show was great! Again, kind of goofy, but a good time! BIODTL was the only boring song. Very, very different than the way it's played by the Dead. Borneo was probably my favorite out of the group. Weir (probably) takes some vocals in Big Bad Woman. The order of these songs may be a bit out of place. Sometime at the end of track 6, somebody mentions that the next tune is about Jerry. "It's called in the jailhouse now." The tape then cuts, and goes on to either Big Bad Woman or Memphis blues. I'm guessing that Jailhouse Now should go in there.

Here are a couple of the songs! Please let me know if there is any other Mother McCree's out there from '64.

Weir on vocals




Jerry on vocals