Europe '72 is my favorite music release, period. But I've got to agree with Merrick, his reasoning is very sound.
I have heard the Allmans, Buckley, Khan, and Cash. You'll want the Allman Bros. set if you're into that band; get the deluxe version if you can. The Buckley set was disappointing to me; Dream Letter and other recordings from the era are better. The Khan set is beautiful. The Cash set is a surprisingly laid-back, sort of informal, show; not as charged as his Prison albums, but worthwhile for hearing another side of Johnny Cash. You sure do ride the whirlwind, my dude.
You get it. I got some tube driven Fortes that are new to me and the wonderful live sound sent me on a Grateful Dead bender that is showing no signs of slowing down.
This morning’s listening is Dave’s Picks #9 — Harry Adams Field House, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 14/05/74. “I might be movin’ to Montana soon Just to raise me up a crop of Dental Floss” … Aah, 1974 you beautiful bastard, it’s been too long. The only show the Dead played in Montana, this one’s a real doozy—there’s an open airiness to the sound that just flows so wonderfully. It’s that special ‘74 blend of exceptionally exploratory jazzy-jammy perfection! A sparkling gem. An impeccable setlist, an awesome relaxed vibe and superb band interplay throughout (especially from Billy, who puts on a drumming masterclass), with excellent versions of nearly everything played—I really could list it all (though I’ll try my damn hardest not to)! After a sweet drum intro, and Phil’s bubbling, bouncing bass runs throughout, it’s Keith and Billy who are dominant here on a melodically tripped-out, twinkling Bertha opener—the sound is somewhat rather unbalanced which accounts for this “uniqueness” but is soon ironed out by the end of the song; I love this Loser. It’s dark and brooding, which patiently builds with Keith’s swirling B3 /Rhodes(?) creating an uneasy atmosphere—it’s a thick gooey mixture; there’s a particularly superb mid-1st set Scarlet Begonias, only the second-ever—this is super-energetic, fast and tight with Keith’s organ stabs lending texture as they enter a whirling, psychedelic-funk jam that segues pretty sweetly into a very fine, wonderfully crisp and bright Roses; a rollickin’ Big River totally smokes—it’s a get down and boogie, booty-shaking romp-fest; a real-smooth, chilled and laid-back Brown-Eyed Women is just syrupy goodness; and despite not quite landing, actually almost completely botching the Reprise (as for a moment time seems to slow down and stop as no one seems to be on the same page), and featuring two(!) Donna screams, there’s some outstanding interplay on a hugely exploratory and hard-driven, mega-jammy jazz-tinged monster PITB set-closer. Tremendous. As magnificent as that 1st set was, and as good as the opening trio of songs in this 2nd set are, particularly a slow and tender Row Jimmy that percolates with subtle beauty; the show highlight comes with the extraordinarily complex Weather Report Suite > Dark Star > China Doll sequence, which is just so jaw-dropping astonishing—it’s real heady stuff—starting off smooth and gentle with a graceful WRS: Prelude > WRS: Part 1, which builds and peaks as Let It Grow jams heavily, segueing seamlessly into a Dark Star that ventures “way out” into free-form-avant-jazz-fusion-spacey weirdness territory culminating in an epic, screeching Feedback meltdown freak-out that’s quite terrifying and unnerving, before settling into a killer Bitches Brew-like groove riding it out until things almost come to a complete stop—you’re snapped out of your psychotropic trance … now, crystal clear clarity—you come to with tears streaming down your face, as a level of peace and calmness returns with the ever-beautiful, exquisitely delicate and intricate China Doll. Whoa! Talk about being put through the wringer. I’m not entirely sure how mere mortals creat this stuff. My mind is rattled and brain is fried after that! Gimme a minute … … they close with a super-melodic, smooth-groovin’ Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad that builds up to an ecstatic, thrilling climax with Jerry pushing pedal-to-the-metal and flicking the nitro-boost switch. Funk-rock at its finest. Mega love for this one. I could easily crawl in and curl up inside of 1974 forever. A terrific Pick, and top-tier show; arguably as good as, if not better than the ‘74 PNW shows! “Movin' to Montana soon (Yippy-Ty-O-Ty-Ay)” … damn it Frank, not now! I: Bertha, Me And My Uncle, Loser, Black-Throated Wind, Scarlet Begonias > It Must Have Been The Roses, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Mexicali Blues, Deal, Big River, Brown-Eyed Women, Playing In The Band. II: U.S. Blues, El Paso, Row Jimmy, Weather Report Suite > Dark Star > China Doll, Promised Land, Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad. E: One More Saturday Night. 1974/2014 Rhino Records (2) – R2-541133
Earlier I said DaP36 was my only exposure to '87 Dead, but that was false. I also know Dylan & The Dead, which is playing right now. Not anywhere near my favorite of the band's releases, but I'm digging it this evening.
I'll give those segments from 3/26/87 another go soon. Bird Song is solid. I did forget to mention Black Peter, that was a good one, too, but I always enjoy Black Peter.
I’ve been streaming some Road Trips Tidal is well worth the money if you are sampling live shows Road Trips, Official live releases, special boxes - Europe 73, Cornell etc, 76 All in lossless mqa 11/15/71 Road Trips 3.2 Austin is interesting Decent recording - nothing earth shattering They do an early set Dark Star / El Paso / Dark Star It’s a catchy twist - trippy Playing to the local flavor Also it’s nice not having Donna wailing over the proceedings for a change Pigpen lets his voice go raw at the end on Not Fade Away
Wow, I should sign up to Tidal if they’ve got Europe ‘73?! That must be a rarity. Oh, that Trip absolutely smokes—it’s lean and mean, red-hot and rockin’ Fall ‘71 Dead. Git some!
I love the description of Austin in the liner notes: "an oasis of peace and love in a desert of angry a**holes spoiling for a fight."
