Grateful Dead

Set 1: -Bertha opens the show, high energy, exciting, very nice 45 sec solo, strong version -MM Uncle: good parts played by Jerry, Phil & Keith -Mr. Charlie: 2 really strong runs in the solo -You Win Again: well-sung, Keith takes a pretty solo -BT Wind: bass heavy in a good way, great lead notes by Jerry, no solo but powerful performance nonetheless -Chinatown Shuffle: well-played but nothing noteworthy -Loser: we get a “sweet Susie” in the 1st chorus, the band just oozes confidence -Me & Bobby McGee: excellent 1 min solo -Cumberland: solid, professional version -Playing: more great heavy bass from Phil, band sounds like they are ready to takeoff, jam starts at 2:54 mark, jazzy spacey early on, Jerry finds a groove and the band adjust the main theme they are playing a bit to follow, faster & faster, they’ve hit space, Phil holding things down, Jerry plays some great strange sounds, dance around the main theme for about a minute beginning at the 8:50 mark before delving into it. 11+ min, another excellent version -Tenn Jed: Jerry is really into the vocals, excellent 2 min solo -El Paso: nice tempo -Big Boss Man: harmonica solo followed by extended bluesy Jerry solo, well-sung by Pigpen, very good version -BIODTL: 2 nice runs in the solo, enjoyable version -Casey: solid Highlights: Bertha, Charlie, BT Wind, Playing, Tenn Jed Set 2: -Truckin’ opens the set for the 3d time in 4 shows, Bobby forgets some lyrics, very good jam 5:15-9:00 min marks, Other One tease, very good version -Hurts Me Too: Pig really belts this one; long, mournful, beautiful harmonica solo followed by a nice 2 run solo from Jerry -BE Women: Bobby’s rhythm and Keith’s piano sound nice, good 20 sec 1 run Jerry solo, solid version -LL Rain: Jerry again on steel pedal, good solo, band sounds more and more comfortable with this one, very nice version -Dark Star: slow intro, lead by Phil, dancing around the main theme, jam moves away from the theme around the 10 min mark, silence around 11:45, soft delicate jam, main theme hinted at around the 13:05 mark but disregarded and abandoned, a more uptempo jam begins around the 15:15 mark, the highlight of the pre-verse jam, and goes directly into the main theme at 16:30, 1st vocals at 16:57; 2d jam begins at 18:15 mark, soft and slow, at 19:15 Jerry finds a groove and goes with it, at 21:45 things really pick up as the rest of the band starts playing the Feelin’ Groovy Jam and this continue through 24:45 with the band playing it and Jerry kind of but, in my opinion, not quite playing it exactly, awesome though; a slow meltdown ensues, as the star begins to collapse in on itself, Jerry’s guitar is the light screaming to remain seen, as the star dies the band goes into Sugar Mag (Great 29 min Dark Star) (no second verse) -Sugar Mag: definitely a good choice, something light, after that heavy Dark Star, very good jam that ends pretty abruptly, then Sunshine Daydream. This goes into Good Lovin’ -Good Lovin’: nice jam from 2:10 – 3:30, Pig improvising, band is really on, Pig’s improvising is great, short and sweet jam, back to Pig who eventually regales us with the fantasy story of a 17 yr old’s shotgun-toting father and sheriff chasing him, excellent version -Caution starts slow but speeds up quickly, Jerry starts to jam at the 1:10 mark, 1st vocals at 3:30, Who Do You Love vocals, leads back into GL, very good but not great version -Good Lovin’ reprise-good stuff -Ramble: Jerry introduces it as a new song, Jerry sounds so good, very nice solo from 3:05 – 3:40 -NFA: very nice jam, long China Cat tease near the end, VG 5:39 version, straight into GDTRFB -GDTRFB: great jam, hey, there’s Donna, where’s she been? Ends with the always welcome and enjoyable Goodnight jam -NFA reprise: finishes the meat of the set off nicely -Sat Night: good rockin’ finish to a hot set and show Highlights: Dark Star, Good Lovin’, NFA > GDTRFB > NFA Overall: VG show, 9/10.

chinacat1954I heard this show on the FM broad cast at age 18. It was the first time I heard The Dead and I have been listening to them ever since. Over the time I have listened to many archived shows and I must say that few of them beats this one. To me this is the true sound of The Grateful Dead. And as it is most often the case the band is on fire.