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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

5
Ramble On Rose
Oct. 26, 1971
The Palestra, U. of Rochester

One of the earliest live versions ever and boy oh boy is Jerry into it. Belts out the lyrics. Quick tempo & a real joy to hear!
14
Hey Pocky Way
March 28, 1990
Nassau Coliseum

Weird how little folks seem to care at all about this tune. I love it & Brent does the Neville Bros. proud w/this version--as good as it gets.
5
Eyes Of The World
May 5, 1978
Thompson Arena - Dartmouth College

First there were only AUDs available, but now that a sweet CM SBD is up you oughta check out this sweet '78!
18
Bertha
Oct. 22, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Rippingly good early version with Keith way out front. Jerry and the whole crew rock it hard!
3
Row Jimmy
Oct. 28, 1985
Fox Theater

Great cadence to this one and some cool reverb effects lend a trippy mesmerizing feel to this fine entry from the Fox. Get the CM SBD source.

Comments

The Music Never Stopped
Feb. 3, 1978
Dane County Coliseum

One of those versions I always took for granted because practically this whole show could be nominated w/"best ofs", but I gave another listen today, and I mean--dang--what is there to say? I love this show b/c to me it's like that last extension of 1977 (early in '78), played w/the precision of '77 but that extra edge of rock'n'roll abandon that marked '78...perfect storm results in a truly insane end jam that will knock your shoes, socks, and toes off all at once. Best ever? Debatable. Top 3 all time? Not.
Playin' In The Band
March 28, 1973
Civic Center

Mellow-Spacey-Beauty in this really dream-like version. Fans of 6/22/73 need to give this a listen for comparison purposes--6 of one, half a dozen of the other, as it turns out--but this is a great PITB for meditative moods and swirling, majestic musical tapestry.
Dark Star
Dec. 31, 1978
Winterland Arena

Returning to this again and again and am only becoming more convinced that it's among the greatest...I suspect b/c it's not of the half hour or plus variety it gets shunned, but I maintain size does not matter...not only is this a beautifully played piece of music on the final night of one of the band's greatest of all time venues, it has one of THE great lead-ins to The Other One that's ever been recorded. Jerry teases it with cautious approaches while Phil readies the bass for the intro and when it finally does occur it's as if the cosmos themselves exploded forth with timeless musical energy. Such a great Dark Star--don't let it languish far down the list just because it's not as long as your average sitcom.
Weather Report Suite
March 28, 1973
Civic Center

As pretty as the Dead can get.
Dark Star
March 28, 1973
Civic Center

I really wanted to like this one, mostly because the WRS Prelude before it is so pretty, but unfortunately this DS never really takes off in terms of finding a jamming sweet spot. Most of it meanders along and no real themes are established at all until a 2-3 span before the first verse is sung...and that particular section isn't much to write home about--it's just a change of pace--after that it's just a self-indulgent junk-fest of Phil overdoing random heavy bass notes, noise for the sake of noise, and nothing much else until we get into a nice Eyes of the World (which, early in '73 doesn't gel quite the way later versions do.) No up-vote here. Sorry for playing the Scrooge on this one so close to Xmas as I write this.