John McEuen
Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA
1994-03-13

Source:   AKG C61 > DA-P20 @ "front table" 
Transfer: MDAT > Panasonic SV-3900 > Tascam SS-CDR200
Master:   Wavelab 10 (tracking, Ozone 9 +4dB, glitch removal, remove DC offset) > FLAC 1648

Thanks to Chief and Pat McGee for the DAT, Charlie Miller for the transfer and Mitch Wittenberg for help with song titles.

01. Finger Buster (Doc's Guitar)
02. I'll Be Going to Heaven Some Time
03. Banjo Medley
04. Banjo Medley 2
05. The Grandfather's Clock
06. I Am A Pilgrim
07. Cannonball Rag
08. Banjo Medley 3
09. The Wildwood Flower
10. Keep On The Sunny Side
11. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
12. A Good Woman's Love
13. Blackberry Blossom
14. Before You Accuse Me
15. Return To Pooh Corner

John McEuen - banjo, mandolin, vocals
Jonathan McEuen - guitar, vocals

An excellent recording from the "front table," which could mean anything depending on how the GAMH was set up that evening. The audience between songs was extremely loud, which is common for a bluegrass/acoustic show.  This suggests, along with the C61's that the "front table" was towards the back of the house and may have been at the front of the balcony.  But you'd think you were sitting at the campfire, until the audience cheers.  Our taper was johnny on the spot with the levels, dropping them at the end of each song, but not always fast enough.  Also, the jokes, stories, etc., between songs are often too quiet.  On the other hand, the crowd participation on Will The Circle Be Unbroken is impressively clear.  

Here, Ozone 9 and some hard gain changes were used to bring up the quiet passages while limiting the applause.  Tracking is a bit arbitrary, as much of the show was John foolin' around, telling stories, and playing bits and pieces of things.  Jonathan McEuen plays from track 10, Keep on the Sunny Side, through the end of the show.  

Banjo Medely 1 = (?)/Fireball Mail/Ballad of Jed Clampett/Swanee River (Old Folks At Home)/(?)
Banjo Medley 2 = (Pre-1900 Parlor-Style Piece)/Clementi
Banjo Medley 3 = (Classical Piece)/(“Tokyo Hilton 1975”)/Turkey In The Straw/Arkansas Traveler/Soldier’s Joy

Look for the Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, David Grisman and guests performance that followed, and was also taped.

Enjoy!

--mhg :: 2020-02-06