6/16/74 - Des Moines, IA - RT Vol.2 No.3 *******************************************
One of the big ones. This show is one of the greats. Look at that unbelievable second set. Nevermind the fact that this show is 4 hours long (!!!!).
We get a really nice Bertha to open up, unfortunately, there are mix problems all the way through until China Cat Sunflower. At least the instruments are audible and lovely. Set 1 proceeds as usual – fine but nothing special unless noted. Black Throated Wind has excellent throat-ripping vocals from Bobby and Jerry does some adventurous background soloing.
Sugaree is very powerful sounding tonight. Not at all quiet or laid-back. Unfortunately it's one of the most WTF versions ever – it cuts off at 4 minutes without any kind of jam!!!!! Finally, the next eventual highlight is the awesome Jack Straw. It's relaxed and meaningful, with enough punch but also that slightly funky-bluesy overtone going on.
Jack Straw seems to signal a change as the boys switch from warm-up mode to “It's On” mode for the following China>Rider. Loads of excellence. Thsi China>Rider is the first truly exceptional performance of the show. Check out the Mind Left Body transition jamming. Wow. Jerry is on all cylinders. Also, Billy's drumming is worth listening to this for. He's really solo-drumming his heart out.
Up next is the hottest Around and Around I have ever heard. Keith is going nuts, Bobby is screaming his nuts off, Jerry is ripping it up, Billy is smashing his kit to oblivion.... :D A hot US Blues opens set 2 and a highly enjoyable and rare The Race Is On follows it up. Listen to that fantastically perfect solo from Jerry!!!
Up next is the first main course of the evening – a 20 minute Eyes of perfection. And check out that perfect segue into the totally out-of-place Big River! Follow that up with a 30 minute PITB and you might just have one of the tastiest sandwiches ever heard!!!!!
This Eyes. I can't say enough about it. There are a couple slightly rough spots, but overall it's gotta be one of the top 5 or so of the year, imo. Up there with Alexandria Palace and the Winterland versions. It's just rocking and relaxing and smashing and soaring all at the same time. MY feet are going crazy trying to tap along (one of my favorite parts of Dead listening :D ). The Atlanta Eyes (I think the best of the year) is still to come, but this will tide us over until then.
The PITB that follows Big River is just INTENSE right off the flippin' bat at around 4:45 in, we are already hurtling full tilt towards Deep Space at mach 9. Feedback and randomness ensues. Check out Jerry doing his wah soloing again. It quickly rights itself and the dark jam gains a slightly “light” flavor. We've pulled back on the reigns to save some more for later instead of blowing it all up front.
Around 8 minutes in, the hurtling is completely ceased and the drum rolls, random picking and axe shredding begins. It almost sounds like Billy is trying to steer the ship towards The Other One. This continues until around 11 minutes the jamming coalesces into a slightly more coherent jam. We get some almost Mind Left Body-style jaming. That light and airy and relaxed kind of upbeat playing.
Around 15 minutes the calmness comes to an abrupt end. We have reached critical mass!!!! DEEP SPACE INCOMING HOLY HELL WE HAVE CRASH LANDED INTO THE OUTER REACHES OF THE UNIVERSE!!!!!! Oh my god. This jamming is just about making me have a panic attack!!! Extreme Jerry wah craziness.
Then, around 19:45, THE KILLER BEES ATTACK! Did Ned join them onstage? We go full Seastones here for a few minutes. It sounds like I have tinnitus!!! Finally around 27 minutes in we return to the song with Donna's wailing signaling the return.
I'm gonna say it – that was the best PITB I have ever heard. Period. Holy crap. After the mind-melting excursion that was set 2, set 3 begins on a more concise note with a great T Jed (hear me say that again!) and a rocking MAMU. Jerry is still in prime playing mode laying down perfect leads like it's in his blood.
The MOST INTESNE AND ROCKING DEAL EVER follows before a GSET contiues us rocking.
This GSET is downright fantastic. Thing Wembley '72. It just SMOKES! That Eyes and PITB must have really inspired the guys to be at their best as the playing just keeps getting more and more perfect. This might just be the best Ship Of Fools anyone has ever laid ear on. It's surpremely gorgeous and heart-aching.
Of course, the final entree of this epic show is the 21-minute Truckin that hears Jerry breaking out his slide for some EPIC soloing. The jamming is super jazzy and gets into definite Frank Zappa territory. One of the COOLEST jams I've ever heard. So frickin' sweet! I can't describe all this epicness on paper, but safe to say it's all as great as the Eyes and the PITB.
Closing out with Wharf, GDTRFB and a semi-rare Casey Jones, I feel ready to jump in the hole and cover my self with dirt because, well, it just doesn't get any better than this! :)
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