Me & My Uncle, Brown Eyed Women, Beat It On Down The Line, Deal, Mexicali Blues, It Must Have Been The Roses, The Race is On, Scarlet Begonias, El Paso, Row Jimmy, Money Money, Ship of Fools, Weather Report Suite Prelude-> Weather Report Suite Part 1-> Let It Grow-> China Doll Playin' In The Band, U.S. Blues, Big River, Stella Blue, Around & Around, Eyes Of The World-> Wharf Rat-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Johnny B. Goode

MSR> C> Dats> CD> EAC> SHN> WAV> Samplitude2496: retracked, normalized (added +1.8 dB) > SHN; Playin' has no Cassette gen, and is patched w/26 sec of AUD at reel flip; remastered version of previous shn set, courtesy Josh Belkin

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Reviewer: calebgail - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 6, 2020

Subject: Kieth, what can I say What a killer show! I can agree that Donna has some ear curdling shrieks in a few songs, but it is far from her worst. The Deal on here is fantastic, as well as one of the best WRS I’ve ever heard. The boys take you on a sonic journey with a far, far gone PITB and bring you back to earth with a great U.S. Blue to Big River (incorrectly titled as Around and Around). Pay close attention to Kieth because he is red hot on this show. A good ol’ Grateful Dead show if I’ve ever heard one. - August 6, 2020Kieth, what can I say

Reviewer: Dark Star 101 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 22, 2020

Subject: 10 Years Since the Last Review? Well I’m very happy to tap into this splendid show. Love everything so far on this 46th! Anniversary. WRS is very nice, and let’s just say I can’t wait to get to the Playin after reading below. God bless the Grateful Dead! - May 22, 202010 Years Since the Last Review?

Reviewer: BIG_R - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 13, 2010

Subject: 5-21-74 Exellent! The mix is a little off in the early going but then it gets straitened out. Exellent sounding. - March 13, 20105-21-74

Reviewer: WoodWarbler - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 2, 2009

Subject: Off The Hook!! "Sick," "Unreal" ... this show is, as Captain Trips would say, FAR OUT MAN! FARRR OUT! The most epic Playin', period. I found it perfect accompaniment for data entry and heavy-duty brain work. It's too bad that Donna has to rip your ears to shreds as bookends to the Playin', but she's okay on the other cuts. Still a 5-star. Get your CD ripper SoundForgin' GarageBand Protools out for this one, you'll not be disappointed 'cuz every tune is a winner. - June 2, 2009Off The Hook!!

Reviewer: SteveOK - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 24, 2008

Subject: eyes phil is up in the mix and going crazy on eyes. - April 24, 2008eyes

Reviewer: Leshtricity - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 15, 2008

Subject: Awesome Great, great show. Donna's voice gets a little annoying, but it's not bad. She's good on a few tracks.



This is playing on Sirius Grateful Dead channel right now...thank God for Sirius. - January 15, 2008Awesome

Reviewer: ShannonsGun - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 16, 2007

Subject: Waste no time... Whenever you see any of the following names as contributors of music on this site, just start downloading!!!!



JIM POWELL

TIM BULLER

GORDON SHARPLESS

CHARLIE MILLER



YOU GUYS ARE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME!!! MANY, MANY GRATEFUL THANKS TO YOU FELLOWS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT!

PEACE

SG - December 16, 2007Waste no time...

Reviewer: smgarcia - favorite favorite favorite - November 25, 2006

Subject: Oh Boy, Donna OK, I wrote a review for the show a few days prior to this on how Donna really screwed around with Scarlet Begonias. She is doing it again, but she is improving. I really do love her addition in the latter part of her career, but I can see why she made it hard on some songs.



Sound quality is fine, I'm not a huge fan of the set though.



Remember folks, the Playin' In The Band is 46 minutes long!!! - November 25, 2006Oh Boy, Donna

Reviewer: vguy72 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 23, 2006

Subject: there's keith! nice mix of this show. You usually have a hard time hearing Keith in most shows and after hearing this one, I begin to wonder why. Excellent show, on my 6th birthday nonetheless. The Playing is out of this world. Long live the Grateful Dead. - May 23, 2006there's keith!

Reviewer: gruUbic - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 18, 2006

Subject: GD 5/21/74

Nice levels thruout

Phenom show...dripping w/ lysergic acid diethylamide



UW in the spring...far out - worthy of a visit.



Remember, Donna s*cks on her best night...please dont judge a show by her schrill...

she beget Keith -- who IS 100000% worthy...



Thank you, Jerr Bear

Thank you, Philbert

Bill,

Mhart,

Bobby,

Keith

(Pig)

(Brent)

Thnak you, Boyz!!



Thank you, Great Playin...Nice levels thruoutPhenom show...dripping w/ lysergic acid diethylamideUW in the spring...far out - worthy of a visit.Remember, Donna s*cks on her best night...please dont judge a show by her schrill...she beget Keith -- who IS 100000% worthy...Thank you, Jerr BearThank you, PhilbertBill,Mhart,Bobby,Keith(Pig)(Brent)Thnak you, Boyz!!Thank you, Archive.org - April 18, 2006GD 5/21/74

Reviewer: pnc - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 11, 2005

Subject: all that's said is true... ...this show is great.



wharf rat is off the chain...absolutely mindbending jerry soul. SOF too.



some sound issues early on but it gets worked out. - October 11, 2005all that's said is true...

Reviewer: rollandfin - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 11, 2005

Subject: L Rosley rocks the boat! strong statement about playing better than 73-74 DS, but I hear ya, the Playin in this Playin jumps off the page, You have to (if you havent' yet) listen to the 3/26/73 WRS into wharfrat jam, or the 6/22/73 BirdSong, they both give any Dark Star a run for it's money. Worth remembering the roots of Playin's creamy center, found in the Main Ten Jam, well before the country tune showed up, and very much a structured yet open vehicle for ideas, not so different from DS. - October 11, 2005L Rosley rocks the boat!

Reviewer: whirlwind dreamer 65-95 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 30, 2005

Subject: this show rocks around n round is big river and it is jamming into a smokin eyes with a 46 min playin whats too lose.a ++ on the sound and show - September 30, 2005this show rocks

Reviewer: L. Rosley - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 23, 2005

Subject: This Playin' is a unique treasure The first chunk of Playin' has Jerry and Phil sparring in a duel, one ascending while the other lays back, then the other descending. After that it gets weird. But it's NOT space.



It hangs together, naturally flowing and twisting, gradually morphing from one mood to another. Phil gets into some feedback, Jerry sounds like he's getting into 12-tone serialism a la Schoenberg or Webern for a while. And Bill is great here, sounding like he just came from Chick Corea's Return to Forever or John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra of the same time period.



This may be blasphemy to some, but I think that this Playin' is better than a lot of the Dark Stars of the previous two years. This is one of the Dead's best musical (non-space) explorations. We're lucky to have a recording of it.



A dynamite Wharf Rat, too. - August 23, 2005This Playin' is a unique treasure

Reviewer: capn doubledose - favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 16, 2005

Subject: Yes its true... Its 45 mins - but at some points it sounds like when Spinal Tap was in their fusion stage doing experimental stuff more than the boys (I have listened to 400 shows here I can say stuff like that in case anyone objects). Show is very high quality both musically and soundwise. Hot '74 eyes... Listen to Phil just tear it up.... - July 16, 2005Yes its true...

Reviewer: jerryair - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 9, 2005

Subject: I was there! and this is an outstanding show. Better than I remember it. Maybe that's because my girlfriend was bored by Playin'. Well, she's allowed to be wrong and I married her anyway.



I love the way you can hear the crowd cheering as the band gets ready to finish Playin'(on the audience recording).



Keith is mixed up nicely. Usually you don't hear much piano. - March 9, 2005I was there!

Reviewer: Katman - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 1, 2005

Subject: FYI What's listed as Around & Around is actually Big River. Missing from this download are Stella Blue and Around. You can find them (from an audience source) on either of the other two listings from this date. - January 1, 2005FYI

Reviewer: ImFromComptonBoieee - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 29, 2004

Subject: Killz yo. for real. the playin must be heard for any fans of 74'. At just the moment when i thought it was getting dull, oh i dont know, 30 min in or so, Phil comes in lays this solid little groove that was just perfect. the next 10 min is the Dead in prime form. Impressive. I like this better than 6-18 Grow>Other One. Archive KILLZ YO. PEACE FROM COMPTON BOIEE. - November 29, 2004Killz yo. for real.

Reviewer: ccrawford33 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 10, 2004

Subject: 5.21.74 A 46 Minute Playin' in the Band?



I must be hearing things!! - October 10, 20045.21.74

Reviewer: dirty jev-o - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 30, 2004

Subject: bbq i want to barbeque with you, dr.flashback !!! - September 30, 2004bbq

Reviewer: dr. flashback - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 12, 2004

Subject: Top Ten! Sometimes in the course of human events.....the Dead create a jam that is so outstanding and unique - that it nearly defies description. I would feel compelled to make an exception and give this show a 5 based on Playin alone. But the rest of the show stands just as strong and doesn't need any charity. Jerry delivers great versions of Roses, Scarlet and Ship of Fools. And the Let it Grow is no slouch. But only a hint of what's to come. The Dead never played a 45 minute Playin before or since. What inspired them,who knows? But it's a joy to behold. A little weird at times,but it shows that by 74, the Dead could hold their own with Return to Forever, Weather Report, etc. when it came to jazz fusion. If you like Miles and Coletrane, you'll like this version. The great Eyes>Wharf Rat is almost an afterthought. You listen to this show and realize what a genius we lost with Jerry's passing. Heavily recommended!

Dr. Flashback ;-) - July 12, 2004Top Ten!