I checked out the essential parts of this show (life's too short to listen to endless Me & My Uncles, Mexicalis, etc). There's definitely good jamming here on Bird Song, Playin', Dark Star, and Eyes. Not enough to make it one of the best 73 shows, but quite enough for a worthwhile listen or three. The sound is excellent, but where's Bob in the first set, during Bird Song and Playin'? He disappeared from the mix. He's heard loud and clear in the second set, however.

players in the band
are galloping mightily
true sonic brilliance

Well if you like the Dead circa 73 as much as I do
then this is just a notch below 2/15/73.
The meltdown in the Dark Star brings EYES!!!
like Winter Snow eventually becomes Spring Rains...
Only tune that is rough is Wave the Flag but hey it is goofy in the realm of D-Job and the band seems to enjoy playing around with it.

if you don't really "get" Playing, listen to this. now.

February '73 = 5 stars.

The bands all in the boat for this Tennessee Jed. Sailing along the gently rocking seas and damn, the water sure is fine.

Newly minted UofI student in the winter of 73. First Dead show for me, too. So... an incredible trip back to find this. Can't get over the purity of "playin" and more, and the exceptional weave of these musicians at their peak. Sound is terrific, given the moderately favorable acoustics of the hall. Clean, strong sound, a good set list and a lot of memories. Thanks.

I was in JC in Lincoln, Illinois. A bunch of us drove the hour east to Champaign to attend this concert. Now I live about a mile from the Assembly Hall, and was thrilled to find this recording was available. If I lived any closer to the original venue, I'd crank up the volume, and sell tickets. :-)

The music never stopped, indeed.

Sunny Guy

This was my first show.
When we found out that they were playing, we set a new land speed record getting from Indy to Assembly Hall.
New Riders and the Dead-it doesn't get any better for your first show.
We had spent the previous week in our dorm room playing the vinyl of American Beauty until it was playing backwards.

5<-------------(Overall rating)
4
3
2
1

I recommend adding this show to your 1973 Collection of the GRATEFUL DEAD.

5 Stars for the mix
5 Stars for the recording
5 Stars for the performance

Produced, rehearsed and earning BIG MONEY the GRATEFUL DEAD perform 18 songs for the Champaign-Urbana audience (I don't count Beer Barrel Polka). Intricately designed jams to please the crowd. Different kind of magic than April 71 at the Fillmore E/W.

Remember when GRATEFUL DEAD Records used to send out "free samples" to all us DEAD HEADS? I do, I still have them, and the free artwork that went along with it. Now we have the IA and the live shows. Things have gotten better, no?

This is a "MUST HAVE" show for collectors of 1973 GRATEFUL DEAD shows.

Get it while you can, get it while it's free, get it now or you'll be sorry.

Eat, Drink, be Merry and Listen to the GRATEFUL DEAD.

Thanks for the love.

a 5/5. I've listened to 100+ different Playin' In The Bands multiple times and this one is one of the very best, in the top 10 in my opinion. It is so supple and gentle, jazzy yet a little freaky at times. But the playing and sound quality are superior to just about all others.

I also love the Dark Star and I'm currently listening to Eyes Of The World. The Dark Star is short but why penalize based on that? Sometimes short and to the point is very rewarding. I favor this Eyes Of The World over most others in 1973 because, frankly, it's played at a slighty faster clip. I love the ones from the Nov 1973 Winterland run, but this one has more jump, more pizazz, and is more groovy and entertaining. All 16 minutes of it. Perhaps it gets a 4/5 because not all of the concert is here, but I'm giving it a 5/5 because what we do have is quite a treat.

Sure, it's not Dane County. But it's a week later so you know it freakin' rules.

Happy Anniversary, all you f.i.b.s. out there.

nothin like a dark star to eyes, 2/15 has some good transitions, as does this show, before eyes was a standard long groove, it's as raw as wave the flag,

email me at fieldhouse11277@hotmail.com happy to share with some good listeners

Saw this show live and it was a good one. Was under the influence of too many ludes but I do remember the energy of the crowd and that the band was tight and in great humor. The New Riders of the Purple Sage opened the show and they got everybody off their feet a bit earlier than usual.
The only reason this gets 4 stars is because I also saw the boys a week earlier at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis and that show was a tad better.

I love the upbeat versions of this song from 73!
All around solid show, with slightly above average sound.

...and birdsong is off the f'ing chain.

this sounds good, standing strong among the other great performances from this storied month in Dead history.

Wow, another great 73 show that I've had the pleasure to rediscover. Had a SBD tape of Set 2 years ago, and the Dark Star alone was enough to win me over. Never thought I'd find Set 1, so this is a real treat, even with the missing songs.
It seems that other than Nov 73, this Spring tour was also a highlight for the year. 2/15, 2/19 and 3/24 all contain some unbelieveable jams.
But now to Feb 22nd. A jaunty TLEO should get you dancing immediately, or check your pacemaker. And Bird Song really reached its apothosis in 1973 - this is a good example with Keith and Jerry weaving nice counterpoint above Phil's tasty bass.
Speaking of Phil - he delivers a great vocal here on Box of Rain, a near perfect version! But as usual, they save the jams for last, and now we hear yet another reason to rank versions of 1973 Playin as the best. Jerry gives us both bubbly, funky wah wah riffs, as well as sparkling jazzy leads with pedals off. Complex poly-rhythms abound with Phil, Jerry and Keith bouncing beats off each other, then Jerry builds to a peak with screaming, rippling wah wah leads before the verse returns. And I can do without "Woman Enough" okay, but the fact that China>Rider is missing is a real crime. Because usually when they close the set with it - it's a real scorcher!
Now for dessert! How many great Dark Star>Eyes combos are there in 1973? Too many to pick a best from, indeed. But this one evokes images of tripping by the window on a cold Feb. day, watching the colorful snowflake trails and sipping hot tea. Only 14 minutes, but beautifully mellow and dreamy. Finally, halfway thru they sing the verse, then expand into space complete with sleighbells before launching into a long, energetic Eyes. Phil, Bobby and Bill drive the train while Jerry fires off laser-like leads. Near the end they introduce an embryonic version of the
"Slipknot" theme they would bring to perfection down the road. Maybe not the best version but hey, they've only played it 4 times so far here! And thank God the China Doll isn't missing. It's artfully delivered with soulful vocals from Jerry.

A very strong 4 stars for this show!
enjoy,
Dr. Flashback ;-)

Where did this show come from? Thank God I found it. I didn't know that these guys could play this well!

This is a very hot show and one of the great finds since I have been scouring this for shows. Playin is one of the best ever (I think) Dark Star>Eyes>China Doll is off the charts... GDTRFB and an unbelievable Casey Jones. Dane County gets all the fanfare from this tour and rightfully so however this stand alone and is not a weak derivative by any means.

One of the ways I define a good show is is Jerry can make the guitar 'sing'. That is to say tweak it and pull sounds out of it that no one else can. The rising tide carries Phil and rest of them. In this show he does this about three dozen times more than you can count and takes you to another place with this music.

This show is ridiculous. Awesome Dark Star>Fiery Ass Eyes! China Doll is gorgeous absolutely beautiful! What an incredible showing of these songs in their infancy! Great SBD... sounds amazing with headphones...listen to this one loud...The Best Band of All Time...smiling from ear to ear thanks Archive!