12/15/72: long beach arena

the final month of a historic year filled with unbelievable tours featured five performances, four of which were played at winterland. on the whole, december of ’72 is a bit of a dark horse; the shows are loaded with technical issues, dodgy sound, and bad cuts in the tapes. even so, for those who venture within, many surprises await.

the last stand-alone grateful dead performance of 1972 in long beach, CA, finds the band playing with the same ragged intensity they brought to the fall tour. the first set is typical ’72 fare. highlights include: a country-tinged sugaree, a smoking tennessee jed with a passionate outro lead by jerry, a slow and heartfelt candyman, a few weir-led cowboy numbers, a whopping playing in the band, and a punchy casey jones. the crowning jewel of the ninety-minute first set though is the playing in the band, which rivals many of the more renowned versions on the archive. to begin with, keith is loud in the mix and this is one of those rare playing in the bands that begins with a prominent piano drone. the jam is ominous and heavy, with jerry hanging in the background releasing guitar licks from behind the fray. the result is a menacing, relentless feeling, fueled by garcia’s inspired and tortured licks arising spontaneously from the soundscape to a point where it seems that he is musically fighting the rest of the group. to make matters all the more beautiful, lesh maintains a consistent open-ended structure that appears to be facilitating the rambunctious spirit that has possessed the lead guitarist. the result is a playing in the band similar to the big ’72 november versions—it never calms down for long before a storm boils up again.

set two opens with a scathing greatest story ever told—with just the right amount of wah-wah pedal—and it’s clear the band is fully warmed up. a few numbers later, they head into an extended he’s gone; their take this evening is nearly identical in structure and intensity to the version they laid down four nights earlier at winterland. next up, we’re treated to a suite of music that, like many of the second set jams of this period, begs your full aural attention. an energized truckin’ is followed by a long improvisational jam, loaded with complex themes and varying meter signatures that slowly drifts into one of the most distinctive dark star passages committed to tape. the former vault keeper, dick latvala, once commented on his fondness for this dark star based on the unique and inventive style of playing that bookends the verses of the song and the complexity of melodies and phrasings that arise throughout the piece. garcia’s guitar work is beautiful and sinister, lesh’s bass playing is uncanny, weir’s licks are at once divergent and complimentary, kreuztmann’s polyrhythmic jazz/rock groove is unrelenting, and godchaux provides a haunting keyboard effect throughout. the last dark star of 1972 drops elegantly (and appropriately) into a poignant and inspiring morning dew. at this point in the band’s career, they could do no wrong when traversing any type of improvisational jam. this night is no exception.

https://archive.org/details/gd1972-12-15.sbd.yerys.2329.sbeok.shnf/gd72-12-15d3t03.shn

6/17/75: bob fried memorial boogie, winterland arena.

here’s another gem from the oft-misunderstood and disregarded retirement period when the dead were on a year-and-a-half hiatus from touring. this winterland gig is the second of the four bay area shows that reunited the band during the recording and release of blues for allah. i’ve written about the first and final shows of this storied year (the SNACK benefit at kezar stadium, and the exquisite bob menke field recording at golden gate park) in earlier blog entries, both of which are essential listening for anyone interested in this period. of course, the unveiling of blues for allah came on 8/13/75 at the great american music hall, and was celebrated in the first official vault release in 1991.

the second show of the year—billed as jerry garcia and friends—was a benefit gig at winterland in june. bobby’s side project kingfish and the newly formed keith & donna band also played a set before the full grateful dead ensemble hit the stage. unlike the more polished sound of the great american music hall, this performance is for people who like their jams dangerous and unpredictable; it’s the reason that dead scholars often make the claim that 1975 remains the most intriguing year in the band’s ever-intriguing history, filled with creative chances and decisions that would define the band’s next two decades.

similar to the lindley performance, this bob menke field recording places the listener directly in the shoes and experience of the audience members, a perfect balance between the band and the crowd. the show opens with the debut of crazy fingers, with garcia taking two choruses before they head back into the verses. the playing and phrasing is near perfect and it's hard to believe that this is the first time they ever performed this tune in a live setting. after a few quick numbers—including a heartbreaking peggy-o—the band launches into their first try at help on the way > slipknot > franklins tower; the resulting set closing music is beautiful, especially the only instrumental version of help on the way they would ever play.the second set of the evening is all about the b-side of blues for allah. although they encore with a few classics, it’s the blues for allah > king solomon's marbles/stronger than dirt/milkin' the turkey > blues for allah reprise that leaves my mind in stitches. the 25-minute exploration is stunning; the jamming and interplay between the musicians is magical, otherworldly, and sublimely maniacal.

listening to this tape, i’m reminded why 1975 was such an inspired and metamorphosing year for the grateful dead. it was—and always will be—simultaneously an ending, a beginning, and something completely unknown.

https://archive.org/details/gd1975-06-17.fob.menke.motb.97078.flac24

9/9/72: hollywood palladium, hollywood, CA.

the fall of 1972 is loaded with great performances, and this night is no exception. the first set is a nice mix of ballads, rockers, and some extended jams. a few highlights include a sweet and poignant sugaree, a fine black throated wind with some lovely picking and subtle wa-wa action from garcia, a rollicking deal highlighted by keith’s saloon style keyboards, and a bird song and playing in the band in their full ’72 glory. the second set is also ripe with great stuff. after a few snappy opening cuts, the band rolls out a 70-minute sequence that really smokes. he’s gone and truckin’ are played with real gusto, but it’s the other one that extends the outer limits of the cosmos. the interplay between the musicians on the weir-kreutzmann penned number is a real pleasure to witness, resulting in one of the most satisfying extended explorations of the year.

after the encore the boys squeeze out a funky little stars and stripes forever jam, which concludes with some fun stage banter from jerry: “we’d like to play some more, but some of the boys are already in tijuana…you know how it is.” we certainly do.

https://archive.org/details/gd1972-09-09.sbd.miller.105458.flac16

8/3/69: family dog on the great highway, san francisco, CA.

here's a very unusual gig worth checking out from chet helms' short-lived rock dance club. part of what makes this night atypical, is the addition of a few jazz players: electric violinist michael white and saxophonist/flutist charles lloyd, who bring a distinct vibe to the mix. the intro stuff is solid (including a rare high-heeled sneakers with garcia and mckernan singing alternate verses), but it’s the final 70 minutes that makes this performance so special. both the dark star—with lloyd’s sax work and white’s improvisational touches—and the set-ending alligator > other one > caution > we bid you goodnight is, without a doubt, some of the most interesting 1969 grateful dead committed to tape. recorded by bear, with a swell digital transfer by charlie miller, this night at the family dog is one i'm happy to queue up at any moment's notice.

https://archive.org/details/gd1969-08-03.sbd.miller.30652.sbeok.flac16/gd69-08-03d2t03.flac

7/7/69: piedmont park, atlanta, GA, with spirit, chicago, the allman brothers, delaney & bonnie, and hampton grease band.

the fact that the dead played a free show that had them flying to atlanta for the gig is a bit strange, given that their financial resources were quite tight at that juncture. i can only imagine that this was a publicity thing, as the dead had no real following in the southeast at that time.

the performance is a real barn burner and it's not to be missed. from the opening morning dew, you can tell the lads came to play. some other highlights include a sublimely poignant take on high time, a funky early version of casey jones with a very groovy intro, and a colossal dark star suite that'll leave your brain in ashes. and if that wasn't enough mojo, they still have room in the tank for a 37-minute lovelight finale with gregg allman on keys, probably duane on guitar, and perhaps the chicago horns. recorded by the esteemed augustus owsley stanley, with a masterful transfer from mr. charlie miller, this one is as fine an example of good ol' 1969 dead as you'll ever hear. plug in some headphones and queue this baby up.

https://archive.org/details/gd1969-07-07.123468.sbd.miller.flac16/gd69-07-07d1t05.flac

12/13/69: swing auditorium, san bernardino, CA.

the dead play the first of a number of shows at the swing, this one with the flying burrito brothers and country joe & the fish sharing the bill. the swing auditorium had a capacity of about 10,000, making it one of the largest indoor venues the dead had headlined up to this point (not to mention it provided the possibility of a big take, which was more than welcomed based on the debt the band had accumulated while recording aoxomoxoa). geographically san bernardino was a bit off the grid, about 60 miles from downtown los angeles (and even more remote from santa monica or the coast). given the notorious history of southern california traffic, this meant two or more hours of driving at any time of the day or night to access the club. these factors made the swing’s location new territory for the grateful dead, far away in many senses from LA proper.

the performance and sound on this evening is quite good, including some beautiful early takes on four tunes from the upcoming workingman’s dead LP. casey jones kicks off the set, and is played and sung with feeling. hard to handle begins a bit sloppy, but eventually tightens up. pig, as usual, drives the ship with his bluesy vocals, constanten uses a sweet rhodes-like keyboard tone, and jerry steps up nicely on the solo. the show really opens up with the black peter; jerry’s voice is filled with an ephemeral quality, so emblematic of the dying protagonist who simply wants “…a little peace to die/and a friend or two/i love at hand.” garcia’s guitar is as affecting as his vocal work, transporting the listener to a stark, beautiful place beyond the subject matter.

the band comes up huge on the remainder of the show. the china > rider is remarkable, high time is sublime, cumberland blues is pure bakersfield—loaded with finger picking and twang, and the closing saint stephen > lovelight is a total gas. culled from bear’s 7-inch master reels, with a damn fine digital transfer from s. clugston, this gig really delivers the goods. https://archive.org/details/gd69-12-13.sbd.clugston.5583.sbeok.shnf/gd69-12-13d1t01.shn

4/27/69: labor temple, minneapolis, MN w/the bobby lyle quintet.

as a follow up to their february 2nd show, the dead return to the labor temple and play a brief, but utterly searing set of music. this evening's concert caps off one of the finest weeks of 1969, which featured 3 nights at the ark in boston, two gigs at chicago’s kinetic playground with the velvet underground, and this culminating performance in the land of 10,000 lakes.

the night opens with a smoking 28-minute lovelight that drops effortlessly into a lively me & my uncle > sitting on top of the world combo. the dark star suite that ensues is brilliant and, as it would throughout the year, develops into a very good st. stephen. the eleven that follows is close to perfect, rushing headlong into its eleven-beat time signature and variegated combinations of meter. the show ends with a second lovelight that’s equally delicious. and if this wasn’t enough, the band tops off the night with a blazing morning dew encore. listening to this tape, i’m reminded why i’m so taken by 1969 grateful dead shows.

recorded by bear, with a fine digital transfer by j. cotsman, this performance is very much worth your full aural attention.

https://archive.org/details/gd69-04-27.sbd.cotsman.5070.sbeok.shnf/gd69-04-27d2t03.shn