Grateful Dead fans have their favorite years (mine are,
in order, 1973, 1977, 1970), and even favorite tours, regarding concert tapes.
A tour that is either at the top or near the top of probably everyone’s list is
Spring 1977. The
Dave’s Picks series
of Grateful Dead concert recordings kicked off with a show from that tour. And
now the latest volume contains another excellent show from that tour – May 26th
at the Baltimore Civic Center. This three-disc set contains the complete show,
along with one song as filler (to help complete the second show from
Volume 40).
Disc 1
The first disc contains the entire first set. It’s
interesting right away, for it opens with a song the band often chose to wrap
up first sets, “The Music Never Stopped.” And it’s a good, clear, crisp
rendition, the band having energy right out of the gate. Hey, maybe it’s just
me, but the “bumper crop” line always
seems out of place. No matter, for this song has me smiling and dancing and
ready for a solid show. And though it’s a first set opener, the band does jam
at the end, and everything sounds just right, Jerry Garcia’s guitar bright and
snappy. From there, they go into “Sugaree,” and right from its start it is
clear that this rendition is going to be something special. Jerry’s voice
sounds great, and the whole thing has a rhythm like a wave you just want to
ride on right to the edge of the world and beyond, all light and warmth and
joy. And I love what Keith Godchaux does on keys. But it is Jerry’s guitar that
lifts things into higher territory. The magic is certainly present here. This
track had me cheering in my apartment, nearly in tears at how good it is. This
is the very thing that kept us going back night after night. And it’s only the
second song? Holy moly!
Bob Weir then gives us a bouncy, fun version of “Mama
Tried,” a rendition that will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face. “Well, this old barn is finally starting to
fill up,” Bob says at the end. And he teases the folks who weren’t there at
the start of the show. Man, imagine having a ticket to this show and missing
that “Sugaree”? Insane. Donna Jean Godchaux then delivers her powerful “Sunrise,”
a song from Terrapin Station, one I
always felt a need to listen to with the lights off when I was growing up. The
band played it live only in 1977 and 1978, and this is a good version, with a
pretty ending. Jerry then gets everyone dancing around again with an energetic
version of “Deal,” it all flowing so smoothly. They keep the energy strong with
“Passenger,” another song from Terrapin
Station, and another that was played a lot in a relatively short period and
then dropped. I never understood why they dropped this one. “What is a man/Deep down inside/But a raging
beast/With nothing to hide.” There are a lot of relatively short songs in
this first set. It is Jerry’s voice at the beginning of “Brown-Eyed Women” that
lets us know this song is going to be another of the set’s highlights. And
indeed, this version has all the passion, pain and power you could hope for.
That’s followed by “Looks Like Rain,” which feels like the right choice. Bob
and Donna’s voices blend really well here at key moments, cradling us gently. “My landscape would be empty if you were gone.”
I love how Donna repeats “Brave the storm
to come,” a beautiful moment. This is a seriously wonderful version of this
song, in large part because of Donna’s work.
Jerry then leads the band into “Jack-A-Roe,” which has an
unusual start, developing a good groove. Jerry was so good at delivering these
story songs. Bob follows that with “New Minglewood Blues.” I love when he tears
into this one vocally, almost growling at certain moments. Well, the band began
the set with a song that normally functions as a set closer, so why not close
the set with one that is normally an opener? Yup, they wrap up the first set
with “Bertha.” It is not a particularly fiery version, but does have a
delicious groove, and it picks up energy as it goes.
Disc 2
The second disc contains the first few songs from the
second set, as well as that one-song filler from 1990. The band kicks off the
second set with “Samson And Delilah.” I always love that drum work at the
beginning. What a great way to get things moving, the band seeming able to push
through stone walls with its drive, its energy. Jerry then mellows things out
with “High Time,” featuring some sweet, pretty work on guitar before the vocals
come in. Those opening lines get me every time: “You told me goodbye/How was I to know/You didn’t mean goodbye/You meant
please don’t let me go.” This is an excellent rendition, with some
wonderful vocal work from Jerry and Donna, with beauty and ache in the delivery. “Nothing’s for certain/It can always go
wrong/Come in when it’s raining/Go on out when it’s gone.” They follow that
with “Big River,” getting everyone dancing again. I love when Keith is rocking
those keys.
We then get the encore from the show the Dead played on
July 19, 1990. Yes, a significant jump forward in time. It might seem an odd
choice, but what it does is complete the second show from Dave’s Picks Volume 40. That volume has two shows – July 18 and
July 19, 1990 – all but the encore from the second night. So now we have it.
This disc is really short, only thirty-two and a half minutes, so I wonder why
they didn’t toss a little more music our way. Or, perhaps even better, an
interview with Jerry Garcia or another band member from around that time. That
would be an interesting way to fill the available space. Anyway, the track
begins with the crowd singing “Not Fade Away,” reminding us that was the song
that closed the second set that night. We get approximately three minutes of
that before the band starts to toy with “U.S. Blues,” and then launches into it
properly. And it’s an energetic, totally fun version.
Disc 3
The third disc contains the rest of the second set and
encore from May 26, 1977. This is where the real magic is. It begins with “Terrapin
Station,” which of course is stellar. The song was still relatively fresh at
the time, but it already clearly had reached that upper level of magic where
only a few special songs dwell year-round. This song never fails to transport
us, and seems to do so with ease here. Interesting how it then eases out,
softly, gently, kindly. And it leads to “Estimated Prophet,” a song also
included on the Terrapin LP (wow,
they played nearly the entire album at this show), and soon we’re grooving to
Phil Lesh’s bass line, and the song opens like a flower bursting in colors,
shades of reds and purples, while that pulse continues below and inside. I love
that moment where it works its way up through and then explodes into light. Oh
yes. Jerry’s guitar work bubbles up in delicious bursts and pops, and soon is
leading us through a swaying passageway. The jam is cool, with jazzy touches,
itself leading into “Eyes Of The World.” “Estimated” and “Eyes” were often
paired in the coming years, the two songs always appreciated. The delightful
groove of “Eyes” never fails to lift me up. The band is really together here,
moving along, Jerry’s guitar swinging and always finding – or creating – the right
path, and they’re only to the second verse. Though things are moving at a good
pace, they are in no hurry, letting the song move as it will, particularly as
it seems to have its own momentum, its own life. And the jam at the end is
wonderful, dominated by the rhythm.
The drums then deftly move everything
toward Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” letting that groove settle in, the guys
jamming on it for a time before going into the lyrics. And after the first
verse, these guys find that fire, and gain control of it, guiding it, directing
it, creating a way forward with it. This version has a pulse, a heart. The
beast can prowl and dance, though failing to tame itself, while bringing those
around it under its control. Its arms spinning out into darker territories,
tossing fire, then pushing space between bolts, lessening its range but going
out to a different land, spotting it first, then spilling itself out toward it. A wizard there is off his nut, dazzled
by his own new concoction, but then it is all pulled together again, the fire
continuing beneath. The “Not Fade Away” vocal jam is cool, and then “Goin’ Down
The Road Feeling Bad” emerges, another delicious groove to keep the heart
beating, the feet moving. The band is cooking, building in power. There is
something of a strange ending, and the band jumps into “Around And Around” to
wrap up the second set. Toward the end they ramp up the pace, going all out,
and it’s fantastic. The encore is a powerful “Uncle John’s Band.”
CD Track List
Disc 1
- The Music Never Stopped
- Sugaree
- Mama Tried
- Sunrise
- Deal
- Passenger
- Brown-Eyed Women
- Looks Like Rain
- Jack-A-Roe
- New Minglewood Blues
- Bertha
Disc 2
- Samson And Delilah
- High Time
- Big River
- U.S. Blues
Disc 3
- Terrapin Station >
- Estimated Prophet >
- Eyes Of The World >
- Not Fade Away >
- Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad >
- Around And Around
- Uncle John’s Band
Dave’s Picks Volume
41 was released in January, 2022. My copy arrived on January 31st. This
volume is limited to 25,000 copies. Mine is number 21,529.
