"One of the best and most unique shows ever!" Dick declared. Now playing CD 2: Dark Star > The Other One > Dark Star > Uncle John's Band Jam > Dark Star > St. Stephen > The Eleven
I only made it 3/4 of the way through 5/19/74 the other morning. Finishing off tonight starting with Wharf Rat. This Truckin>MLB>NFA>GDTRFB is awesome. Can someone listen to Truckin and identify the jam that begins around 9:21? Is this just a natural thing or is this a song ala "MLB" or "Tighten Up"? I only ask because the mood shifts on a dime and it sounds intentional, lol.
Just finished 5/19/74, Portland. I wrote way more than I expected to. Especially because until the back third or so, the show was a bit on the "up and down" side. As always, from my notes file, excuse the usual exaggerations.... 5/19/74 – Portland, OR***** (from Bobby McGee onwards) GREATEST TRUCKIN JAM EVER A MUCH better looking setlist tonight. BRB, Scarlet, BT Wind... Yes, BT-Wind is excellent tonight but the guys don't really seem to turn off the breaks until the WONDERFUL Bobby McGee. Everything before, while fine, is basically a warm up to this awesome rendition. Wonderful noodling from Jerry on it. It's like the guys said “hey, we need to wake up!” and they flipped the “ON” switch. The vibe and energy is totally transformed in an instant. I can't describe. They go from sleeping to running just like that. Sugaree is downright excellent. 8 minutes of killer. Jack Straw sounds really good, but unfortunately the vocals weren't recorded, so if you want a great “instrumental” version, this is the one for you! Roses and El Paso follow and sound good too but the vocals are still absent, unfortunately. Thankfully this is remedied by the start of a great Loose Lucy. These '74 versions are so enjoyable to hear. Up next is the 2nd of only THREE performances of Money Money. Donna sounds great on it! Guess she could hear herself tonight, lol. Great stuff! Up next is THE GREATEST CHINA>RIDER EVER. Ok, that's exaggerating, but it's a DAMN EXCELLENT AND AWESOME VERSION! The jam between China and Rider is just phenomenal. Perfection at it's most, well, perfect. This China Cat is INSANE. Up next is the one-two punch of a ROARING Promised Land and a perfect Bertha. Actually make it a threesome – GSET is smashing like the first night of Euro '72 at Wembley! Things just keep getting better and Weather Report Suite is downright fantastic. It's 18-minutes long and Let It Grow just goes on and on and on and on! After Wharf Rat, we get the most delicate, fragile, gorgeous Peggy O these ears have ever seen. Holy moly again. TRUCKIN IS FRICKIN AWESOME. LISTEN TO THE JAM THAT BEGINS AT 9 MINUTES IN. GREATEST FRICKIN TRUCKIN EVER JERRY GOES ALL STATIC WAH ON US JSUT LISTEN TO THIS JAMMING HOLY MOTHER OF EFF. Faints. The Truckin>MLB>GDTRFB is all-time-greatest-must-hear material. This cavalcade of holiness comes to a conclusion with the hottest OMSN this side of the sun and an unenventful US Blues to take us home.
Not sure where exactly you mean since I pulled up the first version I came to on Relisten, but it sounds like it may be a hint at Nobody's Fault that sort of leads to the quicker jam afterwards.
There's a point in Truckin' where, I think it was at 9:21 when I looked, where Billy completely changes the drum groove and the guys follow him like it's nothing.
First listen commencing for set 2 (disc 2) of Dave's 12 Like the fast tempo of Eyes this time out of PITB... Bob's guitar on these 77 Betty Boards has that great glassy sound.
Eyes EXPLODES after the second verse Why I love the GOGD - now I am internal battle regarding 72 recorded by Bear and 77 recorded by Betty Like 2 different bands yet all GOGD
I'm love The Dead with only Billy as the drummer. He plays with more of a Jazz flair. Heavy on certain off beats and his rolls are as natural as the crest of a wave her angels in flame! Yeah, 74 it all came together, the sound, feel, the nature of it all. Bob sizzles with his notes/chords drip like honey on Bo Derrick in 10. Jerry is smoother than a pimp strolling down 125th st. Billy is cool as a breeze in September. Phil's bass powers through like John Riggins going up the middle. Keith fills the keys like a meadow of wild flowers in the desert. The Heads were in all their glory like the red, white and blue on the flag. It was just a perfect year that doesn't happen too many times. The stars were shining like Liberace's coat. A dream that was truly dreamed one cosmic moment long ago.
Me too!!! I love listening to Billy's druming as much as Jerry's soloing (and everyone else, for that matter).
All this '74 talk. I have disc 4 of Dix 31 que'd up to stream after this "Sympathy for the Devil" on Love You Live. Disc 4 is a delightful and lengthy selection of numbers from Aug 6, 1974. Disc 4 Eyes Of The World (Garcia / Hunter) 19.27 Playing In The Band (Weir / Hart / Hunter) 22.36 Scarlet Begonias (Garcia / Hunter) 9.25 Playing In The Band (Weir / Hart / Hunter) 5.03 Uncle John's Band (Garcia / Hunter) 10.44
There isn't a name for it that I know, but they had a few similar jams in 1974 with that funk groove from Bill. 8/6/74 Playing has another one, in the last few minutes before it goes into Scarlet Begonias.
Yeah, this "Eyes" is hittin the spot. I have been playing a lot of Stones and Bruce lately. Very sweaty, MANLY music that makes you wanna f__k and fight (not that there's anything wrong with that). It's nice to mellow back down from all that and just feel the flow. I think I am going to spend some time with some classic jazz this week. 1974 GoGD doesn't hurt as a transition. . .
My brother went to the stony Brook show. He grabbed a handful of stubs on the way out from barrels near the door where the tickets were torn.
Woot! Winning bid in an online auction today. Sort of forgot about it since I bid on it awhile back, but got a happy email this morning It is large..."Promotional poster (51 x 23 in.; 1295 x 584 mm). Printed in color; designed by Mouse Studios (Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse). Minor wear to edges; overall very good condition."
I have to go listen to that 5/19/74 moment in short order now since I both know exactly, and cherish greatly, the 8/6 Funky Drummer spot you note. Thanks for that connected dot.
It's immediately apparent when it happens, lol. Billy's like "Truckin's over, let's do something else!" He stops the Truckin' beat and changes it like it's nothing. It's pretty cool.
Same in that 8/6 Playin'; "ok all that hard-bop jam was fun and all everyone, but latch on to this filthiness".
I remember it was at some point during the '74 Winterland Farewell run that I realised how much I like Billy by himself. Reccommended Billy listening for sure.
I asked David Gans to do a guest blog post when I was doing my dead for a year project. Out of everything available he picked 5/19/74 to write about. Day 247: Guest Post - David Gans, 5/19/74 - DeadForAYear »
