Grin
1971-09-19 ::: College Park, Prince George’s County, Maryland, USA
University of Maryland, College Park ::: 4095 Union Lane
The William P. Cole, Jr. Student Activities Building (aka "Cole Field House")
M?-"SBD" (actually stereo stage mikes) [Original mix. NOT FM remix broadcast source]

~*~ Mk5 version, carefully remastered fixing various issues, WITH EQ & NR ~*~

01. ==announcer intros band==
02. ==band talk & tuning==
03. White Lies
04. ==talk & tuning==
05. It's Better To Know You ->
06. Like Rain
07. Moon Tears
08. ==talk & tuning==
09. If I Were A Song
10. ==talk & tuning==
11. Goin' Back
12. ==talk & tuning==
13. Celebration(?) (->)
14. End Unkind
15. ==announcer "about a 15 minute break 'til the James Gang comes on" ==

Total Time ::: 39:47

::: EX quality stereo "SBD" & IMO the best version circulating, so far. Check samples for pride or prejudice & pick yr own poison.
::: Warts: Repaired dullspots & dropouts but surely missed a few. #03 song opening split second hiss L channel all versions.
::: COMPARISON CLAUSE: This is the Mk5 2020 DimeTravel alternate lower gen cassette original mix SBD, remastered WITH EQ&NR (IMO THE BEST VERSION).
::: CONTRAST CLAUSE: The Mk2 DimeTravel NO EQorNR 2020 remaster of "Mk1" unknown gen FM remix (incorrect Dolby decoding?) 2009 gangway version is available elsewhere.
::: CONTRAST CLAUSE: The Mk3 DimeTravel NO EQ but WITH NR 2020 remaster of the Mk1 unknown gen FM remix (incorrect Dolby decoding?) 2009 gangway version is available elsewhere.
::: CONTRAST CLAUSE: The Mk4 2020 DimeTravel alternate lower gen cassette original mix SBD, remastered without EQ or NR is available elsewhere.
::: The Mk5 original mix SBD is probably the GO TO version as it has the clearest sound & best instrument definition including excellent warm bass.
::: Stage monitors weren't working well & band was having trouble hearing the vocals on stage.
::: Previously uploaded as "September or October 1971" but 1971-09-19 date is confirmed.
::: Free concert - for students - sponsored by The Student Union Board At UMD.
::: Grin opened for the James Gang. Does anyone have a tape of their set? Please...
::: EARLIEST Grin QUARTET tape to surface. Tommy on 2nd guitar & sounds quite rehearsed, so presumbly joined band by Aug'71.
::: #05 is a cover of '69 pre-Grin Nils-penned Sire label 45 song, originally recorded by Paul Dowell&The Dolphin (one of Nils' early bands).
::: #07 Nils"flips"order of 1st 2 verses&it's fast. Presumably an early 2 guitar quartet gig so maybe already thinking ahead to solos (which are charged!).
::: #13 unissued song sometimes titled "Thunderbird", but is likely "Celebration". Anyone know for sure?
::: Circulated as AUD&SBD but likely NOT a line recording. Mostly: instruments L, vox (& instruments) R. Presumed wide spread stage mikes.
::: College Park is a suburb 8 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. city center.
::: Grin's debut album "Grin" (recorded '69-70) issued the 1st week of May 1971! (NOT June as noted online).
::: Nils Lofgren-Grin"1+1"2nd LP recorded '71&issued Jan'72. Probably finished mid-summer but delayed release as 1st LP hadn't come out til May'71.
::: TR (band's soundman?) taped this. Due to recording method similarities, likely also 1971-01-31, 1971-05-02, 1971 46min x2 S/U East Coast sets.
::: Mk1/Mk2/Mk3 source probably WOWI-FM broadcast (radio cross-talk heard in fade-out). Possibly re-mixed for radio explaining mix differences to Mk4/Mk5.
::: WOWI-FM presumably delayed broadcast, possibly on 1971-10-10 (apparently the date on TR's master).
::: Sometimes WRONGLY labeled "Hampton,VA (on The Peninsula)" due to the WOWI-FM broadcast of this set.
::: In Jan 2020 a known M1 reel of this set was found & may be forthcoming soon - but no promises.
::: "So long as Grin keeps recording, there will be reason to smile." (source unknown '71 1st LP review).
::: Astonishing/sadly, Grin still doesn't even have their own Wikipedia page, nor gets more than a single paragraph in Nils' entry. WTF?
::: WATCH THIS & GRIN - complete with trampoline flip! www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS26vzLjhrk
::: In Grin years, "Like Rain": A) sometimes had no intro (except Nils solo song beginning) // B) segued from a Nils solo electric rock guitar intro (sometimes VERY heavy) // C) segued from a classical piano piece // D) like this version, segued from a solo piano (or electric guitar like on 1972-12-01) version of the song Nils wrote for his pre-Grin band, Paul Dowell&The Dolphin, "It's Better To Know You"(1969 Sire 45 A-side) // E) in the last year, sometimes segued from "Believe" (or even both C&D as on 1973-04-06).

Recording Information ::: unknown stereo reel-to-reel recorder/microphones -> stereo "soundboard" (actually presumed stage mikes) master reel -> ? (analog only generations, NO FM) -> unknown generation Maxell XLII-90 cassette, Dolby B on.

Transfer (2020-01-14) ::: unknown generation Maxell XLII-90 cassette on Nakamichi 680ZX cassette deck, Dolby B on, azimuth adjusted for individual tape, heads cleaned & demagnetized -> Sony Linear PCM Recorder PCM-M10 (LPCM 44.10kHz/16bit WAV files) -> computer.

Remastering (2020-02-xx) ::: unknown generation stereo SBD wavs -> Audacity [normalisation to remove DC offset, channel/phase alignment, fades, manual one-at-a-time glitch, bump, clap, pop, click, dropout & dullspot repairs, volume adjustments, various averaged pitch (speed) fixes with single pass per segment after frequency analysis & with pitchpipe verification, no equalisation (*except 10secs R channel start of #01 to match dull spot to rest of recording & several notches done to reduce hum), with differential equalisation to improve sound & several notches done to reduce hum, with light noise reduction]. -> CD Wave (track splits) -> flacs (Trader's Little Helper) -> yr ears. Freed 2021-12-xx.

NOTE: Probably Mk1/Mk2/Mk3 (gangway source) had incorrect Dolby decoding in the lineage as overly bright with rushing hiss. Mk2/3 still has narrower stereo with more centered guitar & less instrument definitition, especially bass. The Mk4/Mk5 original mix SBD is better IMO.

VERSIONS ::: I know this is over the top. Don't know where to start? My recommendation is the Mk5 version.
"Mk1" is DIME original 2009 unknown gen FM upload (incorrect Dolby decoding?) by gangway (re-seed by zootype 2015).
Mk2 DimeTravel NO EQorNR 2020 remaster of "Mk1" unknown gen FM (incorrect Dolby decoding?) gangway version.
Mk3 DimeTravel NO EQ but WITH NR 2020 remaster of Mk1 unknown gen FM (incorrect Dolby decoding?) gangway version.
Mk4 2020 DimeTravel alternate lower gen cassette original SBD with the original mix, remastered without EQ or NR.
Mk5 2020 DimeTravel alternate lower gen cassette original SBD with the original mix, remastered WITH EQ&NR.
Mk2 & Mk3 kept in circulation for now as FM mix is significantly different than Mk4 & Mk5 SBD source/versions.

Line-up ::: Nils Hilmer Lofgren - electric guitar, vocals // Tommy Lofgren - electric guitar, vocals // Bob Gordon [†R.I.P. 1996†] - electric bass, vocals // Bob Berberich - drums, percussion, vocals.

Nothing here ever commercially released to my knowledge. If I'm wrong, please advise & I'll take the offending trax offline.

DimeTravel 576 ::: Thanks to the original taper, TR. Most appreciative thanks to DIMERs gangway (original upload), zootype (re-seed), elegymart & TheBigA (inspiration & interest). Kudos to DIMER gv0000 for his ever-helpful research assistance. ::: Corrections welcome ::: One the best trio line-up Grin sets circulating, both in terms of quality & music. Even tho' the band was having some sound issues, they are sparking. Excellent (lovely) version of the early, pre-Grin Nils-penned song, It's Better To Know You" that segues into a sweet version of "Like Rain". Rousing, joyful, shimmering, majestic version of "Going Back" with excellent guitar solos & effects. Another rocked out version of the unreleased "Celebration" which they hardly finish before launching into a rippin' "End Unkind". And I didn't even mention "Moon Tears". Have at it Grin freaks. Listen, enjoy, show appreciation, share, give, spread peace. Yrs truly, Knees

Support the artists! http://www.nilslofgren.com -- http://www.facebook.com/nilslofgrenfans -- https://twitter.com/nilslofgren -- www.facebook.com/BerberichHullandDaughter (Bob Berberich's Vinyl Acres record shop site)

Do whatever you want with it except sell it, 'cause that ain't cool!