Back to Blog
Hip hop sample of china cat sunflower5/21/2023 I rarely draw attention to a performance of "Casey Jones" on this tour, but this one is excellent.I keep marveling at Jerry's slide work on "Hurts Me Too," very fun!. ![]() After a jam like that, we need a rockin' booty-shaker so bad we can excuse Bobby completely flubbing an early lyric on "Sugar Magnolia." Apparently, Jerry isn't satisfied with the tone of the closing tune, so he rocks another death song - this time "Sing Me Back Home" - to bring the psychedelic life cycle (and the set) to a close. This combination - "Dark Star" > "Morning Dew" - captures a timeless, emotional adventurism that moved the Dead in their most inspired performances. Out of the deepest depths of "Dark Star" space emerges that familiar ballad of nuclear winter, "Morning Dew." Already primed from their foray through the outer atmosphere (and beyond), the Dead make the most of this one!! Jerry milks the quite moments for every bit of emotion, then casts a clear note into the air before invoking spine-tingling crescendo. He even milks his amp for some harmonic feedback before dropping back down to the depths.* If you love disharmony and arhythmic improvisation, this is the jam for you!! It's jolting because the jam isn't at that scary place yet, but the band certainly responds! The jam is extensive, with the first verse coming halfway through the 28-minute song, and the weird spacey segment after the vocal showcases Phil's aggressive and unorthodox bass voice. It's got is share of space, but overall the jams have rhythm and at least vaguely reference the song's main theme. At one point someone (Phil? Ten years later I'd say it was Mickey, but he's not on the continent!) creates this deep, pounding sound that must be a pick rubbed against a deep bass string. Now let's get down to the business!! This version of "Dark Star" is spookier than most on the tour, with plenty of free-form, adventurous jamming. The other shorter songs are excellent, as well, so check out "Worth mentioning" below. They try to jump right into "Me & My Uncle," and Phil provides just the right energy, but they stumble on entry. As with "Promised Land" the other night, you can tell it's not a regular in the rotation, but the change of pace is noteworthy and welcome. The second set opens with an extremely rare version of "Sitting on Top of the World." It's great to hear Jerry circa 1972 belt this one out, with a bit more twang than the earliest versions and the same clear voice. He lets the band jam to their hearts' content, but when he steps up every person in this hall snaps to attention, including the ones on stage. Keith provides superb fills, and - oh, yeah!! - Pigpen is on top of his game. The jamming is fast and tight, and Billy's drumming seems to push Jerry further and faster. They follow with another stellar "Good Lovin'," and it's clear this is a special night. The set really takes off towards the end with yet another deeply jammed "Playin'." Nothing out of the ordinary for the tour, and it picks up just where the "Truckin'" left off. The "China" > "Rider" is everything we would expect at this point in the tour, and I could listen to this version all day long! ![]() Charlie," the latter being one of my favorite versions of one of the most ubiquitous songs of the tour. ![]() The jamming is energetic and relentless, right up until they approach the ten-minute mark, and then it fizzles out quickly, almost as if they realize this is the first song of the show!! They finish the round through the vocalists with strong versions of "Sugaree" and "Mr. This show gets off to a hot start, with a "Truckin'" that sounds like it could be out of the fat part of the second set. Sitting On Top Of The World > Me & My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Beat It On Down The Line, Dark Star > Morning Dew > Drums > Sugar Magnolia, Sing Me Back Home E: One More Saturday NightĪs always, my personal highlights are bolded. ![]() Charlie, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Chinatown Shuffle, Black-Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, El Paso, Hurts Me Too, You Win Again, Playing In The Band, Good Lovin', Casey Jones
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |