I can't recall everything I've been listening to, I haven't been logging it all here. But just now Mountains of the Moon>Dark Star from 1969-02-22. Sure, we can all go on about "Brown Eyed Women" or whatever, but MOTM is a great, great song. I mean, isn't it? You don't have to respond to that. Really good Dark Star too, I've been getting more attuned to the primordial renderings. Back to my day job: 1974-05-25. I grabbed the matrix because I figured if the SBD is bad it'd be better, and if the SBD is bad it wouldn't be much worse. The SBD must be bad--this does not sound good. It's not terrible but it's hard to pick up nuance. Even so, the transition between China and Rider must be one of the best I've ever heard...I am gobsmacked, in fact. My proverbial gob is smacked. Is there a better recording? @ianuaditis @usblues @Archtop (the latter primarily for the C>R transition, the former 2 primarily for the recording info)
In fact maybe I hit the wrong button and got an aud by accident? It's very aud-heavy if it's a matrix! Anyway I sampled the SBD and am now downloading it, it sounds much better than what I've been playing... EDIT: no it was the matrix. Terrible matrix. I wonder if the C>R will be as earth-shattering on SBD...
One thing I've wondered about for awhile, why the odd setup for Red Rocks (and other '78 shows for that matter), with the drummers so far off center and Bob on far left. Were Mickey and Bobby feuding?
Now playing Road Trips 2.1 (MSG September ‘90). The return to Dark Star after PITB (from 9/20/90) is pretty melty and at one point almost Tiger-esque, but not quite. But intense and spacey nonetheless.
Set 1 from 11/10/67 Set 1 from 3/1/69 Set 2 from 2/28/69 - actually second half of set 2 starting with Alligator I think I’m into Primal so much I’m going for 10/20/68 next
That era completely destroys the image of the Grateful Dead as laid-back hippies. There’s nothing laid-back on those 4 sets. It’s intense!
Excellent Keith piano on this Veneta “Greatest Story Ever Told”! ...and holy moly, Jerry is shredding again after the 3-minute Mark - yowza!
Listening to Dave L. the other day on #TIGDH on SXM, I learned that our heroes, the Grateful Dead, actually saved that ol' creamery on that hot day in Veneta, OR back in '72 and Nancy's Yogurt exists today. Hippie capitalism.
The folks that attended certainly got their money’s worth of music. Free sunburns and dehydration too! I really need to find a copy of that New Riders set from that day too.
The Veneta Dark Star truly is a remarkable performance. Now, it’s not 300% better than the next best version, like Headyversions would have you believe, but it certainly deserves a mention in a discussion of top 20 or at least top 50 Stars.
6/14/68 is about as primal as it gets. Don't be put off by the quality although a sb portion was released on a bonus disc. Supposedly all there is from that source.
It's the Grateful Dead improvising as only they--and indeed, only they from 1972 to 1974--could. How could it not be great? I've complained a lot here (and on Heady Version) about how overrated it is, but I never let that hamper my appreciation of it. It has some really intense passages. Having said all that, how could anyone who is familiar with a fair amount of 1972 Dark Stars ever think that this is the best one ever?!
