Grateful Dead

Great opening set with Garcia and the New Riders. Played long and hard into the night. I had just returned from a difficult (to say the least) year of Vietnam combat. I felt a surge of joy in my tired bones that cannot be described. I have seen the band many times, but considering my own personal circumstances and where my head was at, this show meant the most!

With the arrival of Keith Godchaux, and Donna a few months later, the Dead were in a new phase of their career, which I call their "middle period." Although the sound still had the 60s era hallmarks, things were really starting to change, especially due to the absence of Pigpen and Mickey Hart.

10/19/71Northrop Auditorium, U. Of Minn. - Minneapolis, MN Set 1: Bertha Me And My Uncle Sugaree Beat It On Down The Line Cumberland Blues Tennessee Jed Black Peter Jack Straw Big Railroad Blues Brown-Eyed Women Mexicali Blues Comes A Time Playin' In The Band One More Saturday Night Casey Jones Set 2: Truckin' Ramble On Rose Me And Bobby McGee Brokedown Palace Cryptical Envelopment Drums The Other One Cryptical Envelopment Wharf Rat Sugar Magnolia Uncle John's Band Not Fade Away Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad Not Fade Away

There _were_ fireballs shooting out over the audience during the show, right? Or is my aged memory messing with me again? I seem to remember a fella with a vintage fireman's helmet wandering about the stage, as well. I think there was also an incident where some guys from the local chapter of the BPMs or another club figured they were going backstage before the show but changed their minds when a Hells Angels contingent I assumed were traveling with the band made an appearance. It was settled peaceably. It also essentially became a free show with all the doors of Northrup were opened sometime during the first set allowing people to come and go as they pleased. One thing I know for sure- this is the show where I met the gal who became my wife and mother of our 5 children....right down in front......during Not Fade Away. And we're still together. Nothing really has faded away.

Yeah, the fireballs were being tossed into the air behind the drum kit. I remember in junior high school science class, we got hold of some thin strips of magnesium that would glow white hot when you lit a match to them. Kinda looked like that. My first show without a light show, and I thought it a poor substitute.Somebody had a shopping bag full of joints rolled in American Flag papers, and passed them out. The Dead rocked pretty good. During the NFA>GDTRFB jam, Jerry seemed to do a little self-parody, playing a lick or two like on the Skull and Roses album, and smirking and rolling his eyes, like, "Here's that same lick again." It seemed like boredom with what he'd already done always provided the motivation to come up with new ideas. This was the night I learned about dynamics - bringing the volume up and down for dramatic effect - piano<>forte, especially on Truckin' and One More Saturday Night.

Where can I download this show? I can't find a downloadable version on the archives.

Bob Weir sang all verses of Jack Straw (except the ones they all sing) from this show through April 29, 1972 in Munich. On 5/3 in Paris, Jerry sang the first two lines of verse 2 & 5 and made the song even more special. I wish I could comment on the Jack Straw page itself, but I can't.