1974-07-29 Landover, MD

 

7/29/74 – Landover, MD ** (JERRY IS ON TONIGHT!!!)

The world's hottest Promised Land opens the show and the mood is a complete 180 from the previous night's sleep-fest. :) The first set is consistently excellent from the start, unlike most '74 shows that require an amount of warming up. This is more like some Euro '72 action. Check out Keith's playing on BT Wind!!!!! Roses is just as worthwhile. 

Up next is a stomping hot Cumberland. Scarlet is excellent as normal, but Jerry seems out of it and the jam is kind of lacking. The whole band playing is great though. Tons of energy! Jack Straw is excellent. Jerry is doing his noodle-chef best in the background. Lots of power and energy in this version. Great stuff!! 

Deal follows it up in perfect manner before a great El Paso. Things just keep getting better. Up next is a rare and excellent To Lay Me Down. Always great to hear! At 4 minutes, someone lets off a firework!!! Check out Jerry's incredible solo right after this. One of the best sequences of notes he's ever pulled out! That TLMD and the following 20 minute WRS bring to an end one of the best first sets of the whole year! 

Prelude is just phenomenal tonight – this is some studio recording stuff right here! Jerry's slide playing is terriffic, the vocals are perfectly harmonized, the vibe is up....Let It Grow is OUTSTANDING tonight! Jerry is all kinds of ON! This has to be the WRS of the year right here!!! 

Set 2 opens with a massive 51 minute He's Gone>Truckin'>Nobody's Fault>TOO>Spanish Jam>Wharf Rat. This entire sequence is just outstanding and worth hearing. The Other One>Spanish in particular is some of that next-level stuff we pine for! Especially that solo when everyone stops playing except Jerry and Billy. 

The transition from Spanish to Wharf is particularly cool as well. This Wharf is insanely good. Seriously. Must-hear!!! A smashing Around and Around then kicks off the show-ending sequence of songs we are accustomed to, this time including a VERY out of place sounding Peggy O. Huh?!

 This has to be the latest in the show it's ever been played – completely unexpected. But that's the Dead for ya! :) The rocking trifecta of US Blues, Sugar Mag and Casey Jones close out this show. One of the first '74 shows in a while that has been terriffic from the first note to the last!!!