The Grateful Thread

I think it began to pall a bit, even though Jerry referred to it as a space where there are no rules and you can do whatever you please, as a framework for improv it excited them less as time went on. This did result in some pretty (relatively) "straight" versions that are fantastic though, my main example being 11/11 which is one of the best renditions ever but stays inside for a lot longer than many versions do, particularly from 1972. Although the fantastically weird 1973-12-06 came pretty soon after...I dunno, they were probably cooling on it a bit by 1971, but then the advent of Keith got them all pumped up about it again for a while. I think there are tremendous versions from 1973 and 1974, but at the same time you can see them tapering off it a bit.

 

I had not recalled that you ranked 11/11/73 so highly, which explains my otherwise cryptic remark about you in today's Dark Star post. I must recalibrate my understanding of you a tad bit...and feel free to ignore the remark.

EDIT: when I deleted the other ones, the computer re-numbered it as #1, so that wasn't a facetious revision...

 

While you're testing the wind, do not forget to further investigate 4/29/72! (see my earlier post) And, 11/13/72 is fantastic...

 

I think I posted that I listened to that the other day. It needs a couple more listens, though. Good one; not sure about where it might fall when I fully absorb it.

 

The one thing that can mar a Stella Blue for me is when he (not uncommonly!) messes up the words, since it's such a great song and I really get sucked into the verses, it can take me out of it a little. Having said that, there are a lot of great versions where the delivery of the words is not entirely perfect...just now 6/18/73 comes to mind, where he messes up the last two lines and substitutes the ones from the previous verse, and MSG 1990 (the Wednesday show so I think 9/18) which I saw and I haven't heard in years, but I'm pretty sure there's a lyric flubbed somewhere in there...and I think there's even a small flub in the GOAT 10/21/78...

 

I love the sound of Dark Star in the morning. Or early afternoon. Saturday mornings make up for a lot of the nonsense one must endure M-F. Especially when one gets a 60 minute deep tissue massage, which I just did.

So it's a Dark Star Saturday:

Dicks 2
Dicks 4
Dicks 7
Dicks 11

Then disc 2 of this:



Disc two

1. "Dark Star" > (Grateful Dead, Hunter) – 14:09
2. "The Other One" > (Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir) – 12:02
3. "Dark Star" > (Grateful Dead, Hunter) – 1:00
4. "Uncle John's Band Jam" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 2:33
5. "Dark Star" > (Grateful Dead, Hunter) – 3:05
6. "St. Stephen" > (Garcia, Hunter, Lesh) – 7:44
7. "The Eleven" > (Hunter, Lesh) – 14:01

1. 
   
   
   

 

I think it's made up of may 26 and 27th

 

@Archtop , to make one more quick remark about 1972-11-13, it is either in my top 5 or maybe number 6, although I am not that confident in ranking things but the point is I think it's one of the top versions.

1-3. 4/8/72, 4/24/72, 11/11/73.
4-6. 12/6/73, 9/21/72, 11/13/72

Bubbling under: (3/16/73 and 4/29/72, but both too new to be known), 9/10/74, 6/24/73

 

Bad 72? Nah.

 

Second sets from 5/11, 5/17 & 5/28/77 cuz my Barbara loves 1977 GOGD. Terrapin is currently her favorite song

 

So your favourite DS is the one released on Rockin’ the Rhein, which I happen to have.

Out of interest, how does that CD compare with the one that came with the E72 box? Is is the same quality? Thanks.

 

Here's my recollection:

There are three non-trunk releases from the E'72 tour: Steppin' Out, Rockin' the Rhein and Hundred Year Hall. The general consensus is that Steppin' Out is superior to the trunk version, although by how much depends because material from several UK shows are in that one. But the part that matters most (the 4/8/72 Dark Star--> Sugar Mag--> Caution) is noticeably superior to the trunk version due to Keith's greater presence in the mix. As for 4/24/ and 4/26, allegedly one of Rockin' the Rhein or Hundred Year Hall is not quite as good as the trunk version and the other is just about the same. So, getting the 4/24/72 trunk show won't likely provide you with an upgrade and might be a slight downgrade, but if you're a stickler for having the show in the correct order, it will do that.

I would highly recommend Steppin' Out w/ the Grateful Dead however. It can be found for less than $30 US at Barnes and Noble, but I see you are in the UK. Point being, it's short money for a great release. And because it only compiles UK performances, it won't overlap with your Rockin' the Rhein.

 

The E72 box reportedly reuses the mix from Rockin' the Rhein (at least for the second set).

Hundred Year Hall is a different mix. The E72 box shortchanges Keith (as usual) but for my taste HYH shortchanges Jerry, so you decide. There is a mix on the Archive from SirMick (if I recall right) that I prefer to both, but it is missing the Not Fade Away sequence from the end of the show.

 

more 4-13-84, set 2 opens with Scarlet>Fire, a good early 80s version, and there's some kind of delay effect on the PA during the final chorus of 'Fire' that's pretty effective.

 

The trunk 4/26/72 is better than Hundred Year Hall (which is better translated "Century Hall," by the way) because Garcia's guitar is slightly too low in the mix on HYH.

 

I love Keith, but that's an easy decision.

 

Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I do actually have Steppin’ Out and Hundred Year Hall, although I don’t know them well enough to make comparisons with anything else I have. I have most of the widely released stuff and whatever is on Spotify but not any of the box sets. Curiously, 4/24 is not in Spotify other than in the form of Rockin the Rhein.

 

I've always thought that Philmeetsdoppelgänger Hall was a better translation.

 

That's not entirely a translation...

 

Remember what I said to do when cornered...

 

Yes, the Dark Star from 73-03-16 is worth your time! Very jazzy and dark until the first verse. And now - Space...

 

I really enjoy the Dark Star from 2/22/73....but They don't want you to know about that one, because it's only 13 minutes long.

 

I’d take quality over quantity every time.

 

The sound quality (dynamics, less hiss, instrument clarity separate from the mix) is also noticeably better in the complete show from the box set than on HYH.