set list : [0:00] ; Hard To Handle ; Beat It On Down The Line ; Hi-Heel Sneakers ; High Time ; Mama Tried ; Dark Star ; Alligator > Drums > The Other One > Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) > And We Bid You Goodnight
Hi this is my first ever show review so dont give me too much flack for it haha. But this is a very odd show and the only time that i can recall when they had a fiddle player and a sax player so its def a unique show. Its not the best but its ok and at least worth One listen because of the novelty factor
Hard To handle: This tape is sort of hissy and you can barely hear TC. pigpen belts it out pretty good and the fiddle player makes it sort of a country hoe down. Jerry rips an okay solo and the fiddler gets a solo.
Beat it on down the line: This is a pretty weak version of this song. Bobby comes in to early wihle jerry is trying to solo. and then then the fiddle player cuts right into jerries solo.
Hi-Heel Sneakers: Possibly the last time they performed this song (could someone clarify this information for me? id be grateful). The fiddler once again makes this a country jam as he is right in the mix. Phil is letting loose on this song hes playing great. Jerry Flubs a vocal then all of sudden pigpen cuts him off and takes over the vocals! This song you can finally hear the sax player a little bit. Things start getting good around the 3:00 minute where the fiddler rips off a nice solo while phil is complimenting nicely. jerries solos are decent at best. The sax player starts soloing around the 5:00 minute and its pretty dam good in my opinion.
High Time: Always enjoy hearing this song. The tape is pretty dam hissy on this song so it sort of is distracting. TC is fairly audible and adds some very nice fills. The fiddler doesnt seem to get in the way that much. he adds some very nice touches to this song. The band and the two guest players also sound more comfortable rather than awkward like the previous songs . This is a nice version of one of my favorite dead ballads.
Mama Tried: Great version of this song. nice little jerry solo between the two verses. its also wonderfully sung.
Dark Star: This star has a long pre verse jam that is 11 minutes which is unusual for 69 stars but it shows how vast it would become. Phil gives some great lines during the pre verse jam. Always love him in dark stars. The sax player is starting to really gel here and contributes nice solos contrasting with jerry. This is a very open dark star where it seems like any body could just solo. around 7 minutes it starts getting free form and just down right scary sometimes. The sax player is playing very nicely hes def a highlight of this star and adds alot to it. Overall this is a very unique version of this song with the saxophonist playing great lines and knowing when to turn up the heat. Oh yeah forgot to mention jerry flubs the lyric by saying "Glass and dissolving" instead of "search light casting" haha.
The Meat of the show: Now heres where we get the good stuff. Pure chaotic Dead and a one time jam. Alligator>Drums>Other One>Caution>We bid you goodnight. Alligator stars us off with some heavy phil and shreking violin. This fiddle player reminds me so much of david cross. Alligator leads right into a good version of drums. I always prefer the compact drums it keeps the energy more intact. Now im sure the crowd probably expected an alligator reprise or a jam. But out of nowhere comes the rumbling fiery bass intro to the other one! This one is red hot. Energy is just ripping out in droves on jerries guitar. The violin player sounds particularly devilish on this other one. The Sax player is finally getting a Grade A solo weaving his way in and out of the song. Def an incredible Other one!
Then another suprise as they go into the mind melter that is caution! This is where the tape gets kinda shitty which is unfortunate. Sometimes it vacuums up the sound making it very faint. But the sax player is all over this one using some coltrane like over blowing. The beginning is a total free form melt down resembling feedback in nature. The tap reverts back to normal at 4 minutes thankfully. some great soloing by the sax man with TC more in the mix. Pigpen sings at 5 minutes. This isnt a giant fire ball of intensity like the 1-25-69 version of caution. Its more in line with the 70 and 72 versions. But its still a kick ass version no less. At 10 minutes they melt down into a spacey free form jam. This is where the sax player gets down right scary sounding alot like albert ayler. After the darkness comes the old stand by we bid goodnight.
Overall This show is alright the first couple of tunes are very bland and uninspired versions just because it doesnt sound like they know what to do with these two other players. But by me and my uncle they have going on. 7/10
Highlights: Dark Star, Alligator>Drums>Other One>Caution> We bid you goodnight.
Sound: B minus. Very hissy at times and it does some wierd stuff during caution but other than that this is a very listenable show.
Well i hope you enjoyed my first review. I hope to putting up more.
You can also give me some helpful tips on how to write a better show review just because im a very indulgent person who likes to write long things haha.
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