The Grateful Dead Dark Star

[AmirBagachelles]

I would like to see the vault people come up with more from 1970, perhaps a whole "evening of.." with New Riders and friends etc. Latvala said that there was almost nothing in the vault from the second half of '70, which is a crying shame. My recommendation is to get the aud from 11-08-70, its a work-up from several auds, and it is fine stuff, as are many nights from that period. Recollections from friends' older sibs, teachers etc regarding the ambience from 1970 were particularly standout, I must say.

[Guest]

One such show, which has made the rounds, is May 15, 1970, Fillmore East. Two acoustic and two electric sets (first and second shows) with great selection. playing and sound. Stream it on archive.

[Quincy]

Can anybody suggest a standout show from the Fall '73 shows with the mini-horn-section? An interesting idea, not executed very well in the show I just heard (9-17).

One case where the answer really is "9-11."

Horns on the rarely played "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" and the "Weather Report Suite" (all parts.) Then they go away. Yay!

The highlight has gotta be the Dark Star > Morning Dew. There's a section of maybe 7 to 10 minutes straddling the 2 songs where the board is replaced with an audience patch. While that bothers some people I actually don't mind it as you can hear the crowd going nuts, especially during the opening notes of "Dew."

[Guest]

Getting back to this "stupid" thread, I'm curious as to what year(s) you like the most. Obviously, I'm a big fan of 1969 and 1972. I think that 69 was the height of the psychedellic Dead. Certainly, if you were into mind altering substances, this band was the musical backdrop for the journeys. Powerful, strange stuff, unpredictable and ferocious. This is where Dark Star emerged as a nice little riff into a full blown masterpiece. The experiments in time and rhythm were unheard of in rock before the Dead blew the roof off. 1970 is also sublime (certainly the Feb 13-14 run at the Fillmore East is brilliant as is Harpur College), but it seems transitional. They were moving away from stuff like the Eleven and into the Workingman's American Beauty style where the songs were just as important as the jams. 1971 is the year of the bar band Dead. Sure they hit their stride as a powerhouse rock band, but that seemed to limit rather than free them. The addition of Keith to the mix clearly propelled them to new places and opened up the jamming to greater, more free possibilities. 1972 saw the promise of the 1971 Fall tour mature into something monsterous. Dark Star would never be the same. Perhaps the demise of Pigpen had the affect of removing the last vestiges of the older blues Dead, though even his songs became much more intriguing musically. As it had during the previous years, Spring of 1972 saw an explosion that propelled the band into new territory that let loose their skills as extroadinary improvisors. Playing in the Band went from a throw away song to a vehicle for exploration and virtuosity. I think that 1973 and 74 played off of this new approach, but lacked the fresh rawness of the 1972 stuff. Just an opinion.

[Quincy]

There's a lot to like.

2 of my favorite songs are "Bird Song" and the full "Weather Report Suite." If you want the former it goes away for a spell right around the time the latter enters the setlist. If my memory is right the 2 (and I'm not counting stand alone "Let It Grow(s)") songs were only played in the same concert twice, and each time it was a horn show.

My favorite period is almost a 3 way tie between:

Fall '72. As you note there's a rawness there. Those big powerful thumping "Other Ones," the Playings are tripped out 20+ minute stompers, and you get those gorgeous Bird Songs. Plenty more to love too. A small thing but I also like the original version of Black Throated Wind which got it start in '72.

'73 - Lose the rawness and gain spacieness. The new songs are some of my favorites. EYES!, Here Comes Sunshine, other good stuff from Wake of the Flood and enter Weather Report Suite. Any year that adds Eyes to the mix plus WRS has got to be contender, plus some great Dark Stars that year (never mind the DS>Eyes>Stellas!) Oh, and also the Playin' sandwich makes its 1st appearance too (Playin>UJB>Dew>UJB>Playin'.)

'74 - For a few years I was convinced this was my favorite year. June is certainly my favorite month. The China > Riders never sounded better and most shows have a WRS too. The Caution jams, Spanish jams, Mind Left Body jams...ah, it's the closest thing musically to swimming in a warm ocean to me!

Those are the big 3, but I also love Europe '72, early & late '71 namely for Pigpen's non-rap songs (Easy Wind, Hard To Handle) and of course '69. When I listen to '70 I often wonder why I don't do so more often. Going the other direction I can easily bask in the sunshine of '77, especially May or fall. "Brown Eyed Women" in May is just crazy - a lot energy put into that song. The 2nd sets with the different Eyes/Estimated/Playin'/Terrapin/Comes A Time/Scarlet>Fire combos (see 5/4/77) show why so many love this year.

Some of Jan & Feb '78 might be the best of all, at least based on the Mac Ct. show from 1/22 and DP 18 discs 2 & 3. Fall/winter of '79 might the best stuff with Brent, and is mighty darn good vs. the whole history.

Love the acoustic Warfield/Radio City stuff from '80. And to date myself (both hands are on the keyboard) there are those rare moments when I actually want to hear "Hell In A Bucket" & "West LA Fadeaway." Not very often compared to the rest, but that's my pre-30s period so ole nostalgia plays a part for sure. Then I remember the heavy use of MIDI and I get over it.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Quincy

[Guest]

Great post; I tend to agree with the highlights that you have pointed out. There are always great moments/tours with the Dead. 1973 is the logical extension of 1972. I tend to prefer the more grungy sound of the early dead, and I see 1972 as the midpoint between that sound and the later, mellower soud. Of course, Mr. Pen had a lot to do with that. I loved how Good Lovin became a vehicle for serious jamming and rapping. I guess he was always the soul of the band to me, the secret front man who was slowly relegated to

a smaller role as the Garcia/Hunter tunes poured out and the Jerry/Bobby/Pig rotation turned more into a Jerry/Bobby/Pig/Jerry/Bobby/Jerry/Bobby/Jerry/Pig sort of thing. But,hell yes, those Star--Dews and Eyes of the World jams were heavenly. I think there were great moments later--as you pointed out the those 1978 honorable mentions. Even 1995 had a few fine moments.

But I'm forever stuck in time from 1969--1972!

[Spontooneous]

Lately I can't get away from late '72 and '73. That texture is my favorite Dead sound. I'm stuck on those "Here Comes Sunshine" jams, and the "Eyes" jams that turn into "King Solomon's Marbles." Billy grooves like a monster, and the kind of polyrhythmic backdrop that Billy, Keith and Bobby provide here would get overwhelmed (and maybe oversimplified) when Mickey came back.

I'm also big on '68 and the first half of '69.

And '74.

And '70.

And '71.

And '75.

And '76.

And '65-'95.

[Guest]

[And '65-'95.

[md655321]

Im still a relative newbie but I dig 74 alot. That jazzy shit is just fantastic. But I have a feeling Europe 72 will always be my true master.

On a semi-side note, are there any guitar players around that know some good online resources for coppin jerry's lick or jerry's style? Ive been doin quite a bit of that recently.

[Chalupa]

Happy 37th birthday to my favorite Dark Star - 2/27/69!!

Sure, some may be longer, more intense, etc. but, this is the one for me. I've listened to it so many times it's been indelibly etched into my DNA.

[Guest]

Happy 37th birthday to my favorite Dark Star - 2/27/69!!

Sure, some may be longer, more intense, etc. but, this is the one for me. I've listened to it so many times it's been indelibly etched into my DNA.

What he said.

[Sundog]

Are there any tapes of Jerry playing with "New Riders Of The Purple Sage" circulating?

[Guest akanalog]

just listened to 11/20/78 II which i haven't heard in a while.

i just found out weir was not on stage for a lot of this set which is why it is uh, so improvisational heavy and i guess why i enjoy it. less singing, less songs, etc....

[Spontooneous]

just listened to 11/20/78 II which i haven't heard in a while.

i just found out weir was not on stage for a lot of this set which is why it is uh, so improvisational heavy and i guess why i enjoy it. less singing, less songs, etc....

Gotta check that one out. Thanks, AKA.

Sundog asked about Jerry with NRPS. I'm no expert on the matter, and there may be many better ones out there, but 5-15-70 is pretty easy to get.

[Chalupa]

[md655321]

not sure if this as been shared yet...

Q: how do you know when donna jean is knocking at your door?

A: She never knows when to come in and doesn't have the right key

[Spontooneous]

And how do you know when Mickey's at the door?

He knocks a split second after Billy.

(This could get ugly.)

[Guest]

Are there any tapes of Jerry playing with "New Riders Of The Purple Sage" circulating?

There are dozens, including the dead/riders mixes such as "Bobby Ace and the Cards Off the Bottom"--the left out Harpur material. Lots of gospel tunes in these mixed groupings. Problem is that NRPS never really caught on as more than an opening act, so tapers tended not to bother with them. GD records cannot or will not release their sets. There are a few older NRPS sets available on their website. Try sources such as dime a dozen.org, possibly Furthernet.org, or Sugarmegs.org. The archives still streams a few sets as part of complete dead concerts, such as 5/15/70.

Let us know if your find anything worthwhile, which may be iffy as NRPS was pretty much a bar band.

[Guest]

Apropos of a recent post seeking a good Hornsby/Welnick tape, we now have the newest download from 1991. Looks interesting. Anyone download it yet?

[Spontooneous]

Not yet (I'm broke), but looks intriguing.

I recently grabbed "View from the Vault II," recorded a few nights earlier than the new download, from the cheapie bin at the used-disc place. Didn't have high expectations for the performance. And I was blown away by it. The second set, with a "Slipknot" that crests at least four times and a "Dark Star" that clearly surprises everyone on stage, got me excited about 1990s Dead in ways that no other performance ever has. So I'm ready for more prime '91 Dead.

[Jazzdog]

IMO, if its from the 90's if and only if it has Hornsby playing...it is probably going to be worth hearing at least once.

After Hornsby..well, when he IS there, it is a great show, ie. 2/23/95 AMAZING

[Guest]

IMO, if its from the 90's if and only if it has Hornsby playing...it is probably going to be worth hearing at least once.

After Hornsby..well, when he IS there, it is a great show, ie. 2/23/95 AMAZING

something from 95 getting the nod. Hmm. I'll have to listen to that one.

[HolyStitt]

I was at some 90's shows.

I remember digging them, but ten years down the road I wonder to myself if they were great shows.

I was at the Soldier Field shows on 06/18-19/93 and at the Seattle Memorial Stadium show on 06/13/94 Seattle Memorial Stadium.

[Jazzdog]

Yeah, Jer has a HORRIBLE time with the words in Scarlet>Fire, even with the TelePrompter is pretty sad, but he just kind of says "Fudge IT" and absolutely rips the guitar to shreds. The jam into Drumz with Bruce wailing on Grand Piano is prce enough for getting this tape. The post drumz has little to recommend it, but they do encore with The Weight, which rounds off the show very nicely.

The first set is farily solid and tight (for the era), and the 2nd set opens with Unbroken Chain, which clearly benefits from having Bruce there.

[Quincy]

Someone found this backdoor page to the Grateful Dead store. It's a preorder page that is NOT ready to take your order. Not sure when they will, but here's the text.

"Grateful Dead - Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings

$69.95

When Dick’s Picks began, folks said they wanted every note of a show, and now Dick’s Picks moves to the next level, just as the Fillmore West box did for multi-track vault releases: Our next package, “Winterland 1973,” will be a 9-CD package that covers every note from all three nights of the November 9-10-11, 1973, weekend.

With the first record for their brand new independent record company, Wake of the Flood, in stores on October 15th, the Dead were in a great place in late 1973, and the playing shows it. They could do it all, from country western (“Big River”) to remarkable jams (“Playing” into “Uncle John’s” into “Dew” and back into “Uncle John’s” and then into “Playing”) to amazing deep space –Sunday’s “Dark Star.”

This is also acoustically special; the two track tapes have gotten a sonic bath and deep facial that has them sounding better than you could ever hope.

For additional information on the mastering process of the Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings click here

All pre-orders of "Winterland 1973-The Complete Recordings" taken before the ship date will receive an exclusive bonus CD featuring the bulk of the Grateful Dead's show in Cincinnati, OH, on December 4, 1973, including the entirety of the second set and highlights from the first set. This bonus CD has been mastered from the original master reel-to-reel tapes in HDCD, and will not be made available anywhere else at any cost."

As Roger Daltrey once said, "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Here's the link (not sure how long it will be available.)

Winterland details

Again, do not attempt to order yet. This was stumbled upon and can't currently be accessed through the front door of the store.

I AM SOOOOO HAPPY!