Just a drop of cold coffee..
This is my first trip overseas
since Europe 90.
I find myself on the Island of Bimini
in the Bahama’s.
We took the Ferry over from Ft. Lauderdale
The sea was swells of white caps.
I love the power of the Atlantic Ocean!
//Bertha followed by me & my uncle
Then wave the flag
& we are rocking out of the gate.
I watched the local T.V. here
and they were recounting how in 1945
the locals rose up
against both economic and racial oppression.
Since this was and to this day still is a British Commonwealth- this meant challenging injustice under the crown. Rather than throwing off British rule like America did in 1776
the Bahama’s chose to used the parliamentary system to gain control over the very system that had once unjustly yoked them.
Now I don’t want to paint a Utopian picture because the Alice Town part of Northern Bimini felt every bit as much like the South Bronx or Bed-Sty or the tougher parts of St. Pete.
And who feels it
knows it Lord…
Nice looks like rain perfect spot for a ballad.
JED- Rich man step on my poor head..
The haves and the have nots.
We stayed Resort World- Hilton-The haves.
Almost obscene how luxurious the place is.
Especially compared to how the rest of the Island struggles to make ends meet.
We were doing our best to be frugal.
But prices were triple to five times what we had paid in the U.S.
It would be good but naive to think that the Hilton is like Robin Hood taking from the rich and giving to the poor but I suspect from being on the streets of Alice Town
that much wealth is drained
from the Island.
“Them belly full ..”
Phil has plenty of vocal prowess in 1973 .
Oh great place for the Box of Rain
One of my favorite thing to do is to check out the local monuments and yes cemeteries
A SHORT TIME TO BE THERE..
Great to have Donna sing her cover right after her backing up on BOX,
Keith gets to do some key work while DJG goes for hers.
Donna is somewhere between PIG in his later years and Brent in his early years. Pretty cool to watch her find her place in the music.
Jack Straw in 1973 is pretty mellow it is almost like a tune that went for more jamming the more seasoned it got.
(Kinda the opposite of FOTD.)
ROW JIMMY ROW- Bob Marley has a nice following here and got a few nods from Rasta’s just knowing glances ONE LOVE.
ouch on the St. Stephen quip by Phil.
Great banter with audience.
BIODTL-strange feeling being on an Island.
The water is bluer here
than any eyes I have ever seen.
Keith does get in some great work on the keys
Donna just ahead of Phil on the backing vocals.
O.k. They are going for Here Comes Sunshine
Hard to put into words how much I dig this tune. It wasn’t in the same kind of rotation as EYES (almost every night in 2nd set)
[Plus EOTW always in heart of the show,]
whereas SUNSHINE was played maybe every 3 or fourth night if they got around to it.
Donna has a natural spot in the backing vocals and by the last chorus—it is all in..
Video killed the radio ⭐️
Race is on-heard this a few Kentucky derby days in the 80s but
not as gritty without
The feminine mystique.
The winner loses all..
LOSER
Tragedy tunes back to back
El Paso-stacking up the tragedy tunes
China-) Rider-with the feeling groovy transition
Another 1973 highlight.
Much credit to Phil on his vocals
This is so tight.
(Between this and Jack Straw
And Cumberland
really like when the boys trade
off lead vocals.)
[They did this many years later with tunes like THE WEIGHT &
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL]
PITB-just another highlight during 73 shows
This is a nicely rounded out first set.
2nd set-somebody help me out trying to review a 73 Show on an I-phone is like a marathon game of scrabble.
Just gonna rock out 🎸
to Greatest Story Ever Told
most powerful tombstone in Bimini:
THE LORD IS MY LIGHT
AND MY SALVATION
WHOM SHALL I FEAR…
Just general notes;
They get everybody mellowed out with
BROKEDOWN , ME & BOBBY
Then they tune which yields
WRS prelude.
I wonder how many folks picked up on that
Personally, I think it would have fit better with HCS because those opening Dark Star notes
Remind me of science fiction hyperdrive be that as it may still bad ass to drop it under the Star 🌟
I guess one can see the foundation that is laid in 1973 but by the 80’s everything gets so condensed that to me I needed a two or three night run just to equal the material covered by one night in 1973.
Wow the trippy jam after the Dark Star lyrics
Is blowing my freaking mind.
Bill should always be part of any great improv
Drummer conversation.
By 1974 they really got atonal with Ned.
The transition into EYES is a thing of pure beauty.
The vocals are slightly muddy
But the jam is fluid
Both front & back end.
Cut in EYES probably a flip,
Just mind boggling that this tune
Is already so solid.
If you saw them in 1972 you would know some of the older material but if you hadn’t seen them
Since 1971 wow what a big change just two years would have brought.
That Slipknot jam is right on.
They wouldn’t get that out until 1975
So two tunes in last ballad slot
Wharf Rat, China Doll
And then add Stella
And Black Peter
I guess Morning Dew
But that’s a ballad that needs
A ballad to come down with.
This Wharf Rat is so mellow
Garcia is hard pressed to keep the lyrics behind
The songs flow.
I know Sugar Magnolia is lurking
and I want to give thanks that the Almighty
has blessed me with 💕 and laughter
Throughout the years..
Really nice come down on that Wharf Rat.
It would have been a challenge
To get that to transition besides
the faithful give the band much ❤️
Check out Phil singing in the Sugar Magnolia
Then Bobby & Donna take it to the house.
E) One more Riding that Train..