Jerry’s solo is off the walls crazy. A train going top speed and I promise that train won’t slow down! Great energy here overall.

As Jerry shouts, “You know he had to die.” BANG! A massive gunshot right on rhythm. Great reprise with great drum work from Billy and Mickey.

Jerry takes off and soars. Gets really heavy, and out there FAST. Experimental passages and new themes explored. This is what the Dead do best.

Billy and Mickey flowing in and out of the main TOO rhythms. They’re both putting each other to the test as they really get deep in this one.

“At this risk of being repetitious we’re going to do another song in the key of G.”-Bob Weir. This version is quite sweet. Patchy audio, great version

Makes me imagine how Here Comes Sunshine would’ve sounded if they had continued playing that wonderful tune. It would’ve fit so well with their 76-77 sound, and I’m imagining early 80s with that tiger tone and how far Jerry and Brent would’ve gone. Anyways, back to the actual song, this version is incredible, not just for the well executed version of the song itself, but how it enters, and how it leaves. As user thefool states, a “cosmic rapture” in my opinion is a brilliant way to describe the divinity of this Crazy Fingers. Coming out of a densely packed Playin and when Jerry starts noodeling around, we get a jam that channels Arabic sounds and philosophies, akin to the Orpheum 1976 performance, and after exploring the main theme, the band completely falls into place as Jerry leads the way into what sounds like a jam similar to the “>” in China>Rider. Jerry traverses this space that he maps out as he’s playing, before ultimately going off course into a new key, which hints at Estimated at times, but ultimately goes into one of the best performed Sailor>Circumstance’s. Jerry playing is classical sounding, like a composer creating magic from thin air. This is a really interesting version.

I always judge a China>Rider by how good the “>” is. Ladies and gentleman this does not disappoint. Both the China and Rider are marvelous, it feels alive, like a beat is like a breathe of air for the music. By the time the transition rolls around, Jerry completely shows why he’s so incredibly special as a musician. Nobody plays melody like him, and his sound is so universal it embodies so much of what makes music so interesting. Jerry’s not perfect, but when he’s on, he’s ON. This transition is Jerry just completely surrendering to the flow and guiding the band into pushing their limits. Phenomenal stuff. Music straight from the collective unconscious.

Came across this show today, I’ve listened to the Cassidy before, but I’m currently kicking myself for not listening to this show sooner. This Loser caught my ears because Jerry, and particularly the whole band is locked IN. I mean the passion that oozes from this performance personifies the great Americana sound like being in the Wild West and watching this unfold before your very eyes. The imagination of the Grateful Dead never fails to astound me no matter the era.

Hey Altand07, what I love most about this Dark Star are how unique the jam segments are. The band had never played anything remotely like this kind of Dark Star before or since. The jam near the beginning where Jerry is striking the same note over and over building up to this incredible improvised piece of spiritual art, that channels jazz, Indian Classical, and psychedelic exploration to the forefront. The whole band just seems completely willing to go on this journey, and while it doesn’t fully melt down, it instead goes microscopically deep into the music and focuses on one single point until, bliss, Nirvana, heaven, whatever you want to call it. The proto MLB jam, a nameless piece of music that epitomizes the Grateful Dead. It’s a genuinely cosmic piece of music that moves the same way 4/26/72 The Other One does, in the way it explores themes they’re very similar. This is one of those benchmark performances that shows how much music the banned amassed within them, and how Keith’s contributions lead to how the Dead combined masterful Psychedelic Jazz avant garde experimentation, with country, folk, bluegrass and blues and this is the end result of their imagination. Just my opinion though. Also the trifecta of DS>Sugar Mag>Caution is arguably the best of the tour. The Dead became what they were meant to be during Europe 72, and this was the start of the sound that defines them from here until 1974.

brenthead I just wanted to say I absolutely love your pfp I wasn’t sure there were any Death Grips/Grateful Dead listeners out there but seeing this makes me so happy. Government Plates goes so hard.