Forget about the flubs in the 11/6/77 Scarlet from Dave’s 25. Then forget that Jerry is missing for 3-4 minutes after Heart of Gold Band. Then listen to what he does play. Absolutely incredible solo then once he joins the out jam it catches serious fire. Transition is then great to FOTM. Weird show overall but as is the case with these early November 77 shows, there is much magic to be found within the messy moments. I do think it seems the broken up 11/2 show might have the most highlights of the 4 shows that are featured on the official releases. Maybe the 11/6 show is the least consistent and it certainly is the strangest except for the Jones boy intro from Phil for set 2 of the 11/4 show on Dave’s 12
Just replayed that Scarlet > Fire since I probably haven’t listened to it since the first month that DaP 25 came out. To me it still seems like Jerry had some kind of problem just after “Heart of Gold Band” and everyone was kind of waiting for him to come back, but when I brought this up before I was advised it was too short a time to fix a broken string or other equipment problem. So who knows, but he does seem to disappear there. Regardless I enjoyed that combo and probably did so more today than my first few listens to this release. So thanks for the prompt. Now I’ll pay a visit to the Truckin’...
Man I was in a music listening funk today. An unexpected scheduling change handed me three hours of completely available music listening time, something that hasn’t happened in months, and like I am sometimes wont to do I panicked; I couldn’t figure out where to start. Some Delaney & Bonnie and Friends worked for a bit, but I felt the need to completely reboot. The GD has been lurking below the surface for a bit too long, all the suggestions here had me thinking I needed some unpredictability of ’74, DiP 7, Dip 12? The one not heard the longest, now which of those beautiful Dick Frankenstein discs is speaking to me… disc one 6-26-74 Providence. Holy cow did I luck out with that choice. Reacquainted with this thing in whole new lights. This disc is the GD Rosetta Stone, it has everything about them in one disc. I believe it will be a long time before I think of anything else whenever I am asked should I start and if so where… if this thing grabs you then you will have a long and wonderful bus ride. I have about thirty things to say about this disc and no time to do it. I am going to leave some bread crumbs for myself as this one is getting a proper Archtopping albeit with the watered down capabilities I am only able to conjure. Given lack of time, time to pull out the bullets; points that is. · That jam to start the disc if not the set is like a beautiful orchestra tuning up. Total command. This whole disc has zero extraneousness to it; complete true GD essence without a single misplaced anything. There was one spot I recall where the gear teeth of Jerry met tip to tip, but it was only because of the heat of the gearbox bending the differentials microns to cause the slightest of slips that only an expert driver recovers without grinding, I mean seriously, nothing is out of place for these entire seventy whatever minutes. · This has to be the front-running nomination for most-unlike-China-Cat-start of all China Cats. Jerry is in total command of time and tonality, and he dips into atonality at will and whim, always hovering above everything. It is clear it will be Jerry conducting tonight and the whole band is in tip top form. In these instances the minor geniuses, with all due respect young Bobby, are in total genius form. I haven’t put a lot of thought into it but I think this year mid-’73 to mid-’74 is Bobby’s truest genius form. · Of course they aren’t going into Rider straight, but even the Mind Left Body start isn’t like any other. · A thank you after the fourth song of the set? They know they are on, they know it, and they know the maestro is just warming up. · A Beer Barrel Polka is supposed to be when someone’s gear poops out, maybe some other goofy time; here it is totally tuning the orchestra, reminding the players they are in complete command, so don’t forget it, because this conductor is scoring a movie in his head and still has a lot to say by not saying anything like it is expected to be said. · Jerry just absolutely thrills in this Trucking by sticking with the, “nah not like it’s supposed to be boys and girl on the wings, stay with me though, you’ll get it… and they so do. Billy begins to remind Jerry, “hey you aren’t the only one who knows how to straddle time and space pally”. · Phil’s recognizing the motor heads in that Providence crowd with those TOO chords… priceless. · The most passionate Spanish Jam period. I am no Spanish Jam expert but I’d love to be proven wrong because I am not seeing it. · Somewhere buried in either the Trucking (maybe right after the last verse) or maybe the Espana Jam was the most amazing piece where Jerry hammered home some early late 60’s electric jug cool band aid mind acid riffs ripped from some Road Unlimited Viola Golden Hog Devotion For Lee Blues You; I mean I literally pictured Jerry looking at is fellow pranksters going “holy snot boys this is like we are on a flatbed in the Panhandle, I mean this isn’t a Gibson but you remember that right?” Pure time machine move. Bread crumbs y’all. · I am running out of steam as I am sure you are putting up with this; but still in that jam is killer play by Jerry, orchestra level rat scrubs that Malkmus will later adopt twenty years later; still later on in that jam, and I will have to find the exact moment again, Jerry throws a switch and heads to a new pickup; I’ll have to defer to the geetar heads on this but I think that is what happens. I can remember about a dozen times when I’ve heard it in other shows without ever being able to point to a single one of them, but I love that little schlick followed by the ring of open strings as Jerry completely resets himself for the next stanza. · Speaking of resetting, to hear Jerry pull everyone your head included several keys higher in three moves or less as he goes back to his next scene in his orchestra score of the movie in his head; the orchestra completely following now, Phil almost dead quiet he knows his time is to lay in wait. · The beauty of that ending Spanish piece, pure jazz and rock with it being neither ever, it is so beautiful but so gripping in that there is only one possible resolution to this piece, one chord, Phil frames it, you know it, it comes, it’s the first thing anywhere close to being played straight all disc, and it’s only a jumping off point. · Think about any other Wharf Rat that started from such a soaring base and jumped down; I am only thinking of the myriad that were built up from some rubble of something else; not this, pure resolution to an earlier theme. · Catching up on this thread after a week off will take your breath away; I’m pretty positive I do remember someone saying Jerry’s voice was at his best this year and this Wharf Rat is absolutely proof positive even through those science instrument mics. Holy cow it is a beautifully sung rendition, the Jerry solo in this is sublime as well, there was a spot in this where Jerry had a back to back chord strike so uniquely executed in tone and tenor I am not even sure he could repeat it if he wanted to, and he doesn’t, he has other things to say; guitar genius laid down for a moment in time, perhaps the only time. · The SM is bleeding uniquely beautiful as hell, rock and roll only because it is a rock and roll song. Keith has the most singularly out of place yet still perfectly placed chord hit and it is nothing other than just a ping of the tuning fork that is this perfection this night; nothing out of place. Cherry on top is the most sweetly started rawker >SSDD; there is Donna. Good night y’all. · Rosetta Stone.
Just like the most-unlike-Dark-Star-starts of all Dark Stars in Cleveland on 6 Dec 1973. It is worth noting that the SBD recording got snafu'ed at the beginning of set 2 or we'd have enjoyed a perky Me & My Uncle, and a stupendous, set-opening US Blues on the official release. And let's not forget the Eyes of the World encore on the next disc.
I totally forgot to say the Dark Star was running through that disc without a single non-coincidencental note of it being played. Thanks for your giving me my next move Senseis; unfortunately for me it won’t be tonight but that is what it’ll be.
Is the 11/2/77 Candyman the best ever?! Certainly the Big River has one of the best Jerry solos of any Big River
I remember one of the few virtues of Dead Set is that it has a very good "Candyman." I'll check sometime whether this one is better.
2/24/74 is also amazing - especially Jerry’s solo. As they were wont to do once they hit a peak, they quit the Song until 77, I think
This is off-topic, but I just cracked open a Drake's Denoginizer, boys. I don't often drink beer, but when I do... Hopsy! I will listen to some GD tonight to make up for this post.
The bonus features on the DVD — which I watched today for the first time — include a really fun multitrack audio demo that uses the “China”>”Rider.” All the uncut concert footage is great, but my favorite non-music bonus feature is the 15-minute documentary on the making of the animated intro sequence.
11/10/67, 30 Trips. I remember this show. I was five months old and I hitched from North Darmouth, MA to LA for this show. Stuffed a backpack full of diapers and formula, and I was off onto the golden road. Good times. Formative. I am thoroughly Denoginized right now, experiencing the wonders of .0975% alcohol content. Why, I feel like I've spent a night out with the famous Crispy Rob! I hope he doesn't mind me saying that. I don't think he does. Edit: Man, nothing like Billy and Mickey pre Mickey leaving. Two as one.
This is my favorite GD segment. No sane band would do what they did here, let alone pull it off perfectly and drop into Groovy like they were making a bologna sandwich.
Long day of listening, some background while working, some during dinner, and then the serious listening began. 20 & 21 September 1974- Pairs. The serious listening began when I got to Eyes of the World > China Doll which ends set 1 on night 2. Wow! Then a deep dive into Seastones, which at this show is a very articulate series of moment forms, with Jerry joining midway, then Billy, and finally Keith and Bobby. The whole thing becomes a slow melodic interlude, and then Bobby calls Playing In The Band. In contrast to the preceding exploration, this is a relatively compact version for the time frame, Phil and Jerry are in full voice and they kick this one hard.
10/20/68, 30 Trips. I'm back down to earth now. Drake's Denogginizer is basically beer crack. Zoom! Phil is super present on this Schoolgirl. I could listen to an isolated track of Phil playing like this.
Re-watching Long Strange Trip. That part where Pigpen is playing guitar and smoking a cigarette while wearing a bathrobe.
Just put on Road Trips 2.3 (as usual, my choice was inspired by this thread). This disc opener "China Cat" (6/16/74) is killer! It grooves deeeeeeeep. This is some hippie music right here - I can feel my hair growing and my shirt tie-dying itself as we speak. Though I swear Phil is trying to break the strings, as hard as he's jamming these notes.
