2nd set y'all 12/2/73 Music Hall Boston, MA Master Soundboard Reel > Cassette > DAT > CDR Wharf Rat> Half-Step>Playin'>Mind Left Body Jam>He's Gone>Truckin'>Nobody's Fault Jam>Stella Blue, Sugar Magnolia Encore Morning Dew
I went to these 3-shows with three really good friends of mine, at least those were our seats. I had a lot of good friends from living in Boston also at these shows, but in different seats. Every single one of us left these three nights in a total state of bliss. As the years have rolled by, every single one of them recalls the experience in a similar way; a 3-night Grateful Dead Opera. Not since the Fillmore East can I readily recall a location more designed for a first class musical experience than the Music Hall in Boston. It was acoustically perfect and gorgeous on top of that. It would be another six months before I'd see the dead again in the summer just four more times before they'd take a break, in Providence, Boston, Connecticut and Jersey. Those three nights at the Music Hall reside in that top tier of dead shows where that elusive magical element was present in each moment. It deserves proper treatment as a reissue for the 1st & 3rd nights with no omissions and finally, the 2nd night in both CD and Vinyl. Sadly, I'm only optimistic about 12/1/73 being released, which is wonderful of-course, but doubt the other two nights will be given the treatment they deserve and presented as a full run in one package. But, who knows... It really makes me smile ear to ear to read these posts by you guys enjoying these nights. As you know, and if you don't mind me saying, you have excellent taste
Post script: I was just looking through my ticket stubs and find it funny the only stub I have from that 3-night run is the first show, 11/30/73. Having merged with the universe, a silly thing like a ticket stub the following two nights likely didn't seem important at the time; as the material plane was left far in the distance.
One of my favorite GD photos, the students on top of the U-Haul and the stacked Leslies. And the string of light bulbs.
I just listened to the Scarlet>Fire from Lakeland 5/21/77, and jfc, I didn’t know that the Gratefuls could get out like that in May ‘77. It was the first Scarlet>Fire I’ve heard in a while that didn’t feel familiar. A lot of them have been really good, some even better, and after a recent relisten, I do think that Cornell might be the perfect Scarlet>Fire. But I think I like 5/21/77 better. It’s far from perfect, and there are a couple moments where the band kind of stumbles as it finds its way through the jam. But they stumble because they’re trying something new, not playing the usual groove through the transition. It’s exciting - at least on first listen - because it actually feels like it might fall apart but then it doesn’t. It’s not perfect, it’s better than that.
One of my favorites. The tempo is a bit slower than usual - not sure if this is a tape speed thing or what. Anyone else notice this?
My first Dead show. On the way in, on each side of the lobby, were clowns handing out balloons filled from nitrous tanks. I knew this was then beginning of a beautiful relationship. In spite of the lame trip security that night.
There are a few pieces of Dead music I listen to much less frequently than others, simply so the novelty and magic do not wear off; this is one of them. To begin with, the audio is superb for a 1973 two-track recording. Pages 22 & 23 of the booklet provide a detailed technical rundown of what they did to achieve this, which is not wholly unique to methods used on other 1973 shows, but the results are pretty much how they sum it up (i.e. you're not really going to find a better sounding 1973 rendering of the Grateful Dead). If there is anything to let you know it's not mixed down from a multi-track, it's an occasional period where the vocals sound a little low, but it's not much or often. I kind of regard these shows as one big performance with a few repeat songs - kind of like a three act rock opera with some recurring themes. The only songs I really miss from '73 are Bird Song (already retired) and The Other One. Overall, the audio, performances, and presentation are consistent and engaging. One big show.
