Disc 1
The first disc contains most of the first set. As the band tunes, the crowd is clearly excited, ready for a fun night. The band gets the night off to a good start with “Promised Land,” a rock and roll number to get the crowd dancing. They follow that with “Sugaree,” Jerry Garcia’s voice sounding so sweet as he sings, “And drag your poor body down” at the beginning, as if his being gentle might in some way help ease the suffering. And you know, I think it just might. This is a solid “Sugaree.” Not a lot of jamming on it, but there’s a good deal of power at the end, and it’s still early. Bob Weir then leads the band into “Me And My Uncle,” this version having a good energy. And just like that, we’re already three songs into the set, the band moving quickly. But as they begin “Bird Song,” there is the hint that the band will be stretching out a bit more, taking its time. While I was waiting to board a plane in Denver a few days ago, I noticed a woman near me was wearing a “Bird Song” T-shirt. It was one I’d never seen before, and it was really nice. As the plane took off and got above the clouds, this song was running through my head and I felt relaxed. And, yes, the guys are getting a bit loose now. This version features some good vocal work, good harmonizing, but it is the jamming that really pulls me in. The band is hitting its stride now. There is an odd moment where it suddenly seems they might be done. But no, there is a good deal more they want to do with this song, more places they want to go. This is certainly a highlight of the first set. Bob seems to know he has to maintain this sort of vibe, that the band and audience are completely connected, and so he selects “Black-Throated Wind,” a perfect choice. Ah, yes, everything is working perfectly. You can tell by the way some folks in the audience are affected, by the way they react. And the power builds as they reach the end of the song.
They follow that with “Tennessee Jed,” a song that never fails to be fun, never fails to get everybody smiling, band and audience alike. “There ain’t no place I’d rather be.” Ah, that was true of wherever it was the Dead were playing. Who wanted to be anywhere else? A place where even a broken spine is fixed with just a dose of iodine. A place where dogs speak and we can understand them, no problem. And where the groove can carry us through whatever obstacles might find themselves in our path. And if not, Jerry’s guitar will cause these obstacles to adjust themselves, to move out of our way and think it was their decision to do so all along. And then “Mexicali Blues” keeps our spirits high and our feet moving. And if some demons joins our dance, alighting from the stagecoach from hell, no matter, the more the merrier, there is space for all. The band then goes into “Deal,” a song that was often a set closer when I was seeing the band, but which here is just the first disc closer. There is still more of the first set to come. This is a really good rendition, mainly because of how into it Jerry is, particularly vocally.
Disc 2
The second disc contains the last three songs of the first set, the first four songs of the second set, the last two songs of the second set, and the encore. It begins with Bob counting off “Playing In The Band”: “7, 8, 9, 10.” And soon we know everything’s gonna come out right. Bob tells us so, and we have no reason not to trust him. The energy of the song is heading in that direction anyway. And when it’s all working just right, it feels like the audience and band are one and the same. And once that feat is accomplished, it’s time to move the whole thing into stranger territory, which for the Dead, sometimes, is just around the corner. And so it is here, the jam takes us deftly into interesting and exciting lands, Jerry’s guitar like an emissary, contacting alien forms and paving the way for everyone else, creating new access points, ones that surprise and delight even the gods, who give way, for the joy and honesty in the paying astonish them. Ah, but we know, don’t we, that this is where the band likes to reside, likes to dance, where it feels most at home, in the front yard of the gods. And after playing there a while, climbing the trees, conversing with the creatures at the tops, learning whatever it is possible to know, the band begins to flirt with a return, and as things grow softer for a moment, we hear that theme, and then, bam, the band emerges from its journey to exclaim with an unbridled joy its return. But even then the first set is not over. Crazy, but true. The group settles into “Loser.” “And you know I’m only in it for the gold,” Jerry sings, a line at great odds with all we’re hearing from him and from the entire band. After that song, the audience shouts out requests, but the band chooses to wrap up the set the way it began, with a Chuck Berry song, this time a rousing rendition of “Johnny B. Goode.”
The second set begins with “China Cat Sunflower,” always a great way to begin a set, and the audience reacts enthusiastically, ready and eager to take this particular trip with the band, knowing these guys will steer them into bright waters. And indeed this thing seems to be moving on its own power at this point, finding the most joyous avenues and passages and going straight there, no hesitation. What a delicious jam! And of course it leads flawlessly, naturally into “I Know You Rider.” “The sun will shine in my back door someday.” Listening to this music, I have no doubt of it. After a bit of stage banter regarding the monitors, the band gives us “Friend Of The Devil,” and this is when the song still moved at a fairly good clip. It’s nice, and kind of odd, to hear it at this pace now. The band then eases into “Jack Straw,” this version featuring some nice vocal work, though it seems Bob loses his place at one point.
This is where the music of the third disc fits in, if you want to listen to things in order. Anyway, what follows “Jack Straw” on this disc is a fun version of “Casey Jones,” with a great energy, particularly at the end. It feels like a set closer, the way they are rocking this song, but they follow it with “Sugar Magnolia.” That is, after Bob fixes his string. “Sugar Magnolia” is another song that always raises folks’ spirits. And this is certainly a high-energy rendition, especially on the “Sunshine Daydream” section, leaving no doubt that this is the set closer. The encore is “One More Saturday Night.” Interestingly, there is a short instrumental number at the end. I guess the band was as reluctant to leave as the audience was.
Disc 3
The third disc contains the middle of the second set, the heart of the set. It opens with “He’s Gone,” easing in, letting the groove play for a bit before Jerry starts the first verse. This is a sweet, easygoing rendition. “Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.” And I love how beautiful it gets during the repetition of “Ooh, nothing’s gonna bring him back.” It’s not a vocal jam like what would develop later, but just that one line, and yet that seems to be enough here. It sounds so good. And the jam that follows keeps the spirit of that delivery. It’s a really nice rendition. The band then jumps into “Truckin’” to bring the energy up again. Every time I hear the line “What a long, strange trip it’s been,” it means something slightly different, but there is never a time when it isn’t applicable. I assume that’s the same for everyone. And then the jam is strong, pushing forward with a steady force. And once it reaches a certain spot, the guys begin to explore, and suddenly they sing the final lines. It feels almost like those lines come too soon, but then the song’s energy is raised several notches. The jam takes a turn, led by the beat, which then naturally goes into a good drum solo. This was during that time when Bill Kreutzmann was alone on the drums, Mickey Hart not returning for a couple more years.
And then suddenly we are there. Phil Lesh’s bass is a total beast, taking the group into “The Other One,” this rendition having a tremendous power from the start, roaring to life, announcing its presence like a fire-breathing behemoth bursting through the earth, sending the populace scattering, fleeing to the hills. And then things get even more interesting. This is one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs, because the Dead do so many different things with it, approach it from so many different angles, and so it is always surprising. But this rendition in particular is absolutely fantastic, with a power that is otherworldly. Even in its quieter moments, we are aware of that power. It has a life of its own, no question. I can’t help but think of that line from “The Music Never Stopped,” “While the music plays the band,” because it feels like that here. The music takes the band, and us, into some completely new and exciting territory. And then the familiar theme emerges and we are into the first verse, like twelve minutes into the track. After that, we seem to be taking steps down into a dark, eerie lair, where a sorcerer is practicing his art, and thrilled to find us there. But there is no turning back now. And he soon turns away from us anyhow, focusing on the lights that seem to be pulsing and thriving, beyond what he’d anticipated. He might even require our help. But the stone floor is melting and each step takes our full concentration, so we don’t slip through the gaps in our questionable reality. We somehow make it across the floor, even as the sorcerer falls captive to his own spell, seemingly delighted by it. We leave him behind as a new voice gets our attention, speaking through the guitar, directly into our ears. What is it asking of us? Interestingly, the music becomes pretty, almost delicate, for a moment, before the jam becomes more solid again, finding a different groove. And then, a half hour into the track, the familiar theme begins to take over the groove, and soon Phil’s bass drives it all forward and upward again. And we get the second verse. “The bus came by and I got on, that’s when it all began.” And then it’s over. Wow.
We need a breather after that, a place to land, and after a bit of tuning, Jerry takes us gently into “Stella Blue.” “A broken angel sings/From a guitar.” So beautiful, so sad, so wonderful. In this version, Jerry sings “Can’t keep from crying” instead of “Gonna make them shine.” It was still a new song at this point, having been played for the first time less than three months before this show. Bob then chooses “El Paso,” which also begins rather gently before then building in energy. And that’s how the third disc ends.
CD Track List
Disc 1
- Promised Land
- Sugaree
- Me And My Uncle
- Bird Song
- Black-Throated Wind
- Tennessee Jed
- Mexicali Blues
- Deal
Disc 2
- Playing In The Band
- Loser
- Johnny B. Goode
- China Cat Sunflower >
- I Know You Rider
- Friend Of The Devil
- Jack Straw
- Casey Jones
- Sugar Magnolia
- One More Saturday Night
Disc 3
- He’s Gone >
- Truckin’ >
- Drums >
- The Other One
- Stella Blue
- El Paso
Dave’s Picks Volume
46 was released in early May. I received my copy on May 13, 2023. This set is limited to 25,000 copies. Mine is number 1371.
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