Disc 1
The first disc contains the entire first set from April 13, 1971, a show the band played in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They band kicks things off with “Casey Jones,” getting the show off to an energetic start. During the final section of the song, the band barrels though, so get out of the way. It doesn’t seem like there’s any trouble ahead. After a bit of tuning, the band goes into “Mama Tried,” which features a rather sweet vocal performance by Bob Weir. We hear in his performance some care for the mama of the song, like he’s acknowledging that he’s done her wrong, that he’s failed her. But don’t worry, he does dig in at moments. More playful tuning follows, and then Jerry Garcia mellows things a bit with “Loser,” in which he asks for only one gold dollar (rather than the later ten). This is a moving, passionate rendition, with good peaks and valleys, building to some great moments. The character of the song is vivid, striking and real.
Pigpen then takes over, delivering a really good rendition of “Big Boss Man,” featuring some great stuff on harmonica, and a wonderful grove. That later section when the harmonica and guitar are both shining is particularly good. Bob gives us another sweet vocal performance on “Me And Bobby McGee.” That song makes me want to hit the road with my girlfriend, see where it will take us, the guitar like a sentient engine, like the sun, helping us on our way and keeping us safe. And that final section seems to welcome all of us who are making the journey. There is a hint of “Bertha” before the band launches into the song, raising the energy again, picking up the pace, leading another round of the great dance. Everything is in motion, within and without, and even if this guy is thrown into a jail cell, he’ll be out again before we know it. Nothing can remain in one place for longer than a moment. The crowd is completely energized now, and eager for more.
There is an unusual start to “Cumberland Blues,” and soon the song is chugging along, and everything feels right, Phil Lesh’s bass showing us the way, which is certainly not always straightforward. Rather, the instrument takes us up and over and around this way then that, watch your step, lift those legs a little higher. Everything is working. “Make good money, five dollars a day.” “We’re experience a minor technical difficulty,” Bob tells the crowd, but promises that the difficulty will be overcome. And indeed, a moment later the band bursts into “Big Railroad Blues,” and the energy is high. There is a heat in the air, seconds away from igniting and jettisoning us all out into space in a joyous red cloud, something we can ride into eternity, or at least around the next beautiful bend. Around that bend, Bob leads everyone into “Playing In The Band.” As it begins, there is that sense that it could take us up and out, and in a hurry, like a lightning bolt. But this is 1971, and the song isn’t yet the monster it would often become. But bits of that desire are there, and can be heard, the monster eager to be loosed upon the stratosphere.
Pigpen brings everything back to earth with “Hard To Handle,” making the action, the dance, physical rather than cerebral. Pigpen is fantastic here, pushing things forward. And holy moly, Phil’s bass has a great power during the jam, giving the thing a shape, a mass. What a strong, forceful jam, certainly a highlight of the first set. The set then concludes with “Sugar Magnolia,” a song that never fails to please. Once again, the energy is high, and that rhythm drives things forward. This thing cannot be slowed. And in that final instrumental section, the beast rushes forward, changing the contours of mountains, rearranging the genetic makeup of the landscape. And somehow the “Sunshine Daydream” section has even more energy. How? Is the sound a bit weird at moments, sort of fuzzy, or is it me? Well, either way, that’s the end of the set.
Disc 2
The second disc contains the complete second set from the April 13, 1971 show, as well as the encore, along with filler from the middle of the October 24, 1970 show in St. Louis. The second set kicks off with “Truckin’,” another crowd-pleaser and great way to set things back in motion, a song about the troubles of the road and being able to continue on past them. Check out those special touches by Jerry on guitar. At this point, the band, audience and even the venue itself are all part of some great vehicle pushing out into new territory, everyone getting a chance at the wheel. Sharp turns are taken with eyes wide open, more to take in the results rather than to discern possible troubles, and certainly not out of fear, what, with so many friends around. So when things begin to get strange, it’s okay, and a drum solo soon emerges, putting us back in touch with our bodies. This is just Bill Kreutzmann on drums, Mickey Hart having left the band just two months earlier. This is a delicious drum solo, solid, strong, eager, with Billy dancing back there. That leads straight into “Good Lovin’” with Pigpen and the rest taking the dance up another level. It isn’t long before the jam takes off to places unexpected and themes unusual during this song. Hey, there are many different vehicles that can take us into those outer areas. Gold and silver sparkle along the walls, and we brush our fingers against those metal rivers. Pigpen is there again to tell us all that we need. And like a preacher delivering his own peculiar service, Pigpen draws us together and rouses our spirits from a more static state. This has become a song on its own, quite apart from that other song where it got its start. But then the change is perhaps realized, and we return to the orbit of “Good Lovin’.” This is Pigpen’s realm through and through. The dance takes on a precise focus, like a drill into the Earth’s core. And what is that song they seem to stumble upon like fourteen or fifteen minutes in? The band bursts into the main song again, and at this point our skin is partially made of fire.
After a little pause, the band starts, “I Second That Emotion,” a song that Jerry Garcia Band did a lot but which the Dead did only seven times, all in the spring of 1971. Not sure why the Dead didn’t continue covering this one, because the band delivers a fun rendition here, Jerry letting his guitar take a verse. There is a cool opening to “Greatest Story Ever Told,” this version seeming like an arrow heading for its target. It’s a seriously good rendition, and it leads straight into “Johnny B. Goode,” a nice segue, the band rocking and delivering a fiery conclusion to the set. The encore is a nice version of “Uncle John’s Band.” It begins gently, a friend seeing how we’re doing. This song feels so good. And that’s how the show ends.
This disc then takes us back to October 24, 1970 for a middle portion of that show. The bulk of this concert was included on the third disc of Dave’s Picks Volume 48, released in late October last year. So with the five tracks included here, the complete show has now been released. This section begins with a cool rendition of “Me And My Uncle.” There is just a bit of stage banter then before the band goes into “Friend Of The Devil,” and this is when it was still delivered at a reasonably fast pace. That’s followed by “Cold Rain And Snow” and then “Attics Of My Life,” a treat. After a moment, they count off “Casey Jones,” the band delivering another energetic rendition. If you are piecing this together with that third disc from Volume 48, most of it comes after “It Hurts Me Too,” but “Casey Jones” comes after “Good Lovin’.”
Disc 3
The third disc contains the entire second set from the show the Grateful Dead played on April 12, 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After a lighting adjustment is made, the band kicks off the set with “Truckin’,” same thing as the next night. But, really, with the Dead nothing is ever quite the same. And we can hear differences right away. Does this one have a more playful attitude at moments? Each trip is different, isn’t it? This song welcomes us back to the road with a wide smile. During the jam, the band is drilling holes in the sky, the heavy machinery having to be used now and again, you understand. Things relax a bit before they tell us again that they’re heading home. And soon it explodes with energy again. There are half-strangled calls of “Whoa,” and the band gives us a touch of “The Other One” before Bill takes over on drums. Ah, but we all know where this is leading. And it is Billy’s job to get us there, first tossing our bodies around with electric gloves, helping us feel a part in something before the beast is awakened. Phil’s bass roars, like its head is rising from the dirt, conjured by a dozen wily magicians in robes made from a dragon’s tongue. And as they circle around the middle, the spell gets away from them, taking on its own life, and all they can do is watch. No, they can cheer it on, and so they do. Perhaps then it won’t stomp on them on its way outward. The guitars seem to gain control over it, and we can hear it swaying like a cobra. Soon they are joined, not master and servant, but each under the spell of the other, engaged in a hypnotic dance, and never straying too far from the beast’s natural lair. If we follow joyous sprites through certain walls and down some exciting alleys, we find the heart still beats at the end of each one. So let it run wild, as the band does here, leading to the song’s second verse.
That leads into “Wharf Rat,” all of us splashing slowly in the mire, but with light all around us. And all of us with the “time to hear his story.” Oh yes, it gets soft, intimate, as if holding its breath while we get a new start. Then the great weight is lifted so he can get up and fly away. The guitar takes us to some interesting places, cutting them out from a tapestry of possibilities. After an adjustment, Bobby leads the group into “Me And Bobby McGee,” delivering a good rendition, making us feel these characters are with us. The band then gives us the third version of “Casey Jones” of this three-disc set, not that I’m complaining. This one will have you dancing and feeling good. At the end, it takes us with more and more force forward through any and all barriers. The band keeps spirits high with “Sugar Magnolia,” and before the end is stomping at the gates of the afterworld, demanding entrance, if only to put on one hell of a dance there. “Deal” begins to grow its own power, Jerry pulling notes from an intricately woven patch of sky, without jeopardizing the image.
Billy leads the group into “Not Fade Away,” a song that became an anthem of sorts for the whole community as the years progressed. For now, it’s a good one to get your feet moving. It’s a fairly short “Not Fade Away,” yet the boys still manage to jam on it a bit before segueing into “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad.” This one has an easygoing vibe, but builds at moments to great energy and power. The set then concludes with a rousing rendition of “Turn On Your Lovelight.” Listen to the way the boys echo Pigpen. There is a spiritual bent to that delivery, a street preacher wisdom, that makes echoing make perfect sense. The answers are here. And then at one point Pigpen’s vocals are supported by just drums, adding to that vibe. This track features some fantastic jamming, restraining from becoming a total beast and instead dancing, gathering more and more energy as it flies to its conclusion.
CD Track List
Disc 1
- Casey Jones
- Mama Tried
- Loser
- Big Boss Man
- Me And Bobby McGee
- Bertha
- Cumberland Blues
- Big Railroad Blues
- Playing In The Band
- Hard To Handle
- Sugar Magnolia
Disc 2
- Truckin’ >
- Drums >
- Good Lovin’
- I Second That Emotion
- Greatest Story Ever Told >
- Johnny B. Goode
- Uncle John’s Band
- Me And My Uncle
- Friend Of The Devil
- Cold Rain And Snow
- Attics Of My Life
- Casey Jones
Disc 3
- Truckin’ >
- Drums >
- The Other One >
- Wharf Rat
- Me And Bobby McGee
- Casey Jones
- Sugar Magnolia
- Deal >
- Not Fade Away >
- Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad >
- Turn On Your Lovelight
Dave’s Picks Volume 51 was released in late July. My copy arrived on July 29, 2024. It is limited to 25,000 copies. Mine is number 14079.
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