Ok, so I wasn’t going to listen to full shows from Europe ‘72, but I just couldn’t resist this one from my home-town — Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, 11/04/72. I’m not sure I “get” the artwork on this release? Anyway, it’s a good show from the tour that’ll see me through this afternoon. I: Greatest Story Ever Told, Deal*, Mr. Charlie, Black-Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Big Boss Man, Beat It On Down The Line, Sugaree*, Jack Straw, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Playing In The Band, Next Time You See Me, Brown-Eyed Women, Looks Like Rain, Big Railroad Blues, Casey Jones. II: Good Lovin’, Ramble On Rose, Truckin’ > Drums > The Other One > Comes A Time, Sugar Magnolia. E: Brokedown Palace*, One More Saturday Night. *also on Steppin’ Out. 1972/2011 Rhino Records (2) – GRA2-6023 Cheers, Jerry
Yeah, I suppose—although Yorkshire (an hour or so south) is famous for tea. I though they’d use our iconic Tyne Bridge, or even the beer rather than a smiling teapot. I must try and find out the reason behind the art.
Honestly, it’s probably the Yorkshire tea. I don’t think an American band and record label are going to differentiate the various cities and regions of Northern England in their box set artwork. That’s like expecting an English band to create different art for when they played a show in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. All three cities have distinct landmarks and history, yet likely, it would be a generic “Texas” art used for the release.
To wit, the cover of the Austin, TX show from 11/15/71 didn't have a swarm of bats exiting the depths of a river-crossing bridge at dusk and did just fine.
Yeah, I suppose They could have had a photo of the Dead all in the famous black and white Newcastle United shirts Now, that’d be worth seeing!
I'm not listening to full shows from this tour, either, but I did listen to a few selections from this one - including the recently discussed "Brokedown Palace." Personally, I still prefer the Albany 1990 version to this one. This one is good, but very slow and a little ramshackle. The Dozin' at the Knick version still tops my list. Your mileage may vary, though.
Good point. I was amused watching a Lynyrd Skynyrd documantary recently, Gary explaining when they come to play in England for the first time, how everyone was addressing them as "Yanks". "How do you mean Yanks, we're from south of the USA...?" "Yea Yea, you see, you're Yanks!" So I guess a teapot will do...
No, no, noooo! You're so wrong! 11/4/1972 Brokedown Palace is probably my favourite. The reason being its placing on the pivotal "Stepping Out" compliation that got me splashed on the wall when I first heard that stuff. It is a perfect closer to a perfect release. Try it out in that context. It is the only thing in the universe that could follow up on the insanely intense 8/4/1972 sequence. A schoolbook exaple of releasing the tension. I get teray-eyed every time I listen to this. Than being said, I don't think I've heard the Albany 1990 version yet...
Morning listening pt. 1: 1/14/67, Golden Gate Park--the Human Be-In Of the three songs on the circulating recording, the first (Morning Dew) is clearly from a much later show. A great, heated-up performance, to be sure. It'd work well on a '60s compilation. The other two songs, Viola Lee Blues and Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, are well-attributed as being from the Be-In. VLB is just savage. This band had come so far in the year since the Fillmore Acid Test that I listened to yesterday. Billy, in particular, had gone from being a mediocre garage-band drummer to being a real force. He's driving the band but also clearly listening and responding like a budding jazzman. Phil is starting to assert himself as a counterbalance. His personality shows through. Jerry still hadn't found his own style yet, but he's playing lights-out as a bluesman here. GMLS is just a pure slice of its era. I'm sure it got the hippies shaking their hips righteously. Somebody's playing flute on it. I can't remember if that person was listed anywhere. Also, who's singing here? It's not a band member. Haven't said anything about Bobby on these early recordings. He's either barely audible or not doing anything that stands out in the arrangements. None of the GD vocalists really appear on these two songs, but it's not the whole show.
Morning listening pt.2: 1/17/68 Carousel Ballroom. The Carousel was the GD's unsuccessful attempt (along with the Airplane, Big Brother and Quicksilver) at running a venue. Regardless, McNally paints it as a great scene for the band, where they were able to play lengthy spontaneous sets pretty much whenever they wanted. Bill Graham later saved their butts financially by taking over the lease and turning the Carousel into the Fillmore West. Jumping ahead a year from the Human Be-In shows the GD now in full force as their own thing--the band we all know. It's a damned good show notable for having the earliest known recordings of DS and China Cat. Later on, Lovelight became the big closer, but here it make a great opening to the show. It's interesting to hear a relaxed Jerry cracking jokes between songs. So different than the silent stage presence he had later. It was probably a small crowd full of people the GD knew personally, so that might have eased his nerves. Here's the concert poster. Love it!
Dick’s 11 9/27/72 first listen in a while Bobby is sublime to my ears this AM great Bird Song but all of them in this era were amazing - but here the drum break is especially sweet
Speaking of England, Steppin’ Out is a really fantastic release and definitely an essential purchase. Wasn’t too keen on it when first released, but when I eventually picked it up I was pretty blown away. There’s a ragged electricity that runs through all the performances, and the track list really works well throughout the 4 discs. With this, Europe 72 volumes 1 and 2, Hundred Year Hall and Rockin the Rhein you can build yourself quite a nice Europe collection without having to purchase all the shows from the tour.
The Spectrum may have been a schiithole in some ways, but it was far and away the best 'hockey arena' type venue where I ever saw shows (or games, for that matter), and there isn't anyplace close. That place had an 'intimacy' that no other 17,000+ seat arena I've been in could even approach - you never felt as if you were a half mile away the way you do in most of those places, and the acoustics were great.
Howdy, Playing some '74... not heard enough from that year. NP: Grateful Dead - 5/14/1974 - Harry Adams Field House, University of Montana - Missoula, MT
I guarantee that whatever WV have of this show will be no better than what circulates - there's a common misconception about that site, that they have a have & unique tape stash, when the reality is that whilst they may have some stuff of their own (which I do doubt), a lot of what they make available is simply ripoffs of traded and commonly torrented material.
