d1t01 - Hard To Handle

d1t02 - Beat It On Down The Line

d1t03 - Hi-Heel Sneakers

d1t04 - High Time

d1t05 - Mama Tried

d2t01 - Dark Star

d2t02 - Alligator ->

d2t03 - Drums ->

d2t04 - The Other One ->

d2t05 - Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) ->

d2t06 - And We Bid You Goodnight

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comment Reviews

Reviewer: CarrionCrow - favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 9, 2017

Subject: Unique this Versus 3/29/90 Compare this Dark Star to the DS from 3/29/90 (Nassau Coliseum), for a very interesting comparison of Charles Lloyd vs. Branford Marsalis adding sax to a Dark Star. There are other that could go onto this list as well. But these two played one after the other make for interesting bookends. Yet another glittering nugget in the Silver Mine. - August 9, 2017Unique this Versus 3/29/90

Reviewer: SethWax - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 10, 2017

Subject: Tremendous historic show. To be a fly on the wall, at the Family Dog. Not sure if Charles Lloyd (sax) and David LaFlamme (violin) is 100% accurate, but from the sound of both, it seems very likely. Beautiful playing, Jerry, after a few minutes in Dark Star, takes a back seat, plays rhythm and simple patterns, to allow the sax and violin to come in. Some great moments in the Star. The Other One is typical '69 energy, but around the 12 minute mark it opens up and allows the guests a lot of breathing room to make it their own exploration, with some truly amazing results. The band must have been loving it, not a typical night at all. TC is really listening and not coming in too strong, just trying to add accent, some of his best playing I've heard. The beginning of Caution, with the scrubbing chords, turns into a chaotic free jazz romp, for a few minutes, as does the feedback space towards the end. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but for this old head, it's a thing of beauty. Oh to be a fly on the wall! - March 10, 2017Tremendous historic show.

Reviewer: tanman82 - favorite favorite favorite - November 3, 2015

Subject: other one not 100% certain but I think this is the longest 'other one' to date. good one too. too bad the sound isnt better - November 3, 2015other one

Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 29, 2015

Subject: - Looks like they had their chops together by the fall! This show is simply amazing. The Dead and guests play spectacularly. - April 29, 2015

Reviewer: mzlizizaninja - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 12, 2014

Subject: Goodness... I listened to this one, or parts of it, 4 times total yesterday and today. Its a keeper.



Some reactions re some of the show:



First Track [blast off (my personal title)]

12/11 AM Eyeopener with coffee, just rolled outta bed: Pig Pen blew out my funny bone. Giant Belly Laugh.

12/11 PM and 12/12 AM & PM: still lovin it



Coal Mine:

12/11 AM & PM, 12/12 AM & PM: too short.



High Heeled Sneakers:

12/11 AM & PM, 12/12 AM: I can rock to this.

12/12 PM: high heeled sneakers...Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys; red dress...Lady in the Red Dress -Dillinger; boxing gloves...Hurricane -Dylan



you know the one:

I wept each time



Do Not Step on Tracks:

12/12 AM fun!

12/12 PM ...mind the gap...[personal: gonna eat in tonight after garden chores; no walkin, no drivin, no bike, no bus, no train...]...just smilin, over here...



you will love the whole show and bookmark it, I betcha. - December 12, 2014Goodness...

Reviewer: jjg4762 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2014

Subject: Back into Dark Star Late into the Other One they start going back into Dark Star can't recall just when but it's there. Somewhere around the 14th or 15th minute. This show has the feel of a night of exploring like so many other older shows. - December 10, 2014Back into Dark Star

Reviewer: c-freedom - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 14, 2014

Subject: Hi heeled sneakers! Wow!

Love the way Pig and Jerry alternate verses on Hi-heeled.

High Time in 69 is just other worldy (and this is just a little after the moon landing)

The sound early is snarly at times but one can only ponder if the jazz flavor of this show was an early precursor for the horns on Wake of the Flood.

DARK STAR brings clarity here as a point of departure.

I was at the Nassau Dark Star show 3/29/90 with Branford and this gives me that same free form jazzy feeling.

I must have missed this recording back in the day so this is a real treat and as already commented upon by other reviwers the sound is much cleaner by this point in the show.

Dark Star > Alligator- You can't go wrong with that combo.

One of the nice things about this show is Pigpen is involved throughout.

and just in case everyone was getting winded a brief but nice drumz into a blazing OTHER ONE

Bobby does not even wait for a break in the jam he simply drops the lyrics in the middle of some serious shredding.

Wow about 7 minutes in it is absolute pandemonium until about the 8;30 mark a bit of respite and then wham they are off again.

This alone is great and then comes the horn player leading a charge. my oh my!

If they would have jammed with SUN RA it would probably have sounded something like this.

Well it would have been even crazier I am sure but this is headed in the right direction.

How's this for a launch into CAUTION it takes 3 minutes to even get into the 'Do NOT stop on tracks' groove. (nuts-Sound coming and going)

You gotta love the 'ALL YOU NEED' harmonies.

Pig right in it "Just a Touch!"

Sound slipping back to how it was in the start of the show. Oh, well I got the jist of it.

Seriously another show in need of a taper time machine trip.

Proof positive that the Grateful Dead were into all kinds of musical expression especially for this show some killer free form jazz.

The horn player is playing a very familiar tune. Man it is like an army tune. Wow bet that gave Jerry a flashback. It gave me one.

Oh the horn player is dropping all kinds of old tune phrases. I think even 'America the Beautiful'

And whatever the fiddle player is jamming is quite nice as well. Damn that is like some kind of a bluegrass tune.

Oh my this would make the Stringdusters smile

And while the fiddler is still playing on comes "WE BID YOU GOODNIGHT". I just love PHIL'S deep voice on this tune. - November 14, 2014Hi heeled sneakers!

Reviewer: Zatharas - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 3, 2014

Subject: BIODTL Just love, just need it this way. - November 3, 2014BIODTL

Reviewer: MR.SUNSHINE - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 28, 2014

Subject: Great Show I have been listening to this show for a long time, and was lucky to first hear it right when I was having breakthroughs while listening to Coltrane and Electric Miles. The sax is great and while slightly hard to hear at first,the fiddle or violin is also. This is a show I never get tired of, hopefully it gets an official release someday so we can get an improved sound and maybe some notes about the day or the guest musicians. - April 28, 2014Great Show

Reviewer: Timezone - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 15, 2012

Subject: Grateful Dead I found this sax/violin combination riveting. This is the most incredible music I have heard from this band in that great era. - December 15, 2012Grateful Dead

Reviewer: JRimLik - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 8, 2010

Subject: Real Cool Been colelcting live Dead since I saw them first in '83 and I had never heard this before. thank you Archive and those who put these great recordings out here for all to enjoy. A truly unique performance. I echo the reviewer below, the '73 fall tour with the horn players (who were on Wake of the Flood and of course Fierro wqas in Legion of Mary) just never got there, pretty tame and flat, save for a couple brief moments in Eyes. And the '90 stuff with Branford was exactly right - cheesy. Perfect word. Branford is great but it was kame, the whole scene weas lame in '90, by then it was almost ma9insytream. I mean that was after the touch thing in '87 so what did we expect. But this does work, I really enjoyed it. Stream it now. - September 8, 2010Real Cool

Reviewer: gratedude69 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 3, 2010

Subject: wow was not expecting this when i stumbled on this, a violin that sounds like its from the hills of kentucky and a sweet sax, i dont think id want them to sound like this always but it sure adds an interesting touch to this show, very cool and pulled off quite well unlike some other guest musicians - August 3, 2010wow

Reviewer: nigeldavahah - favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 3, 2010

Subject: The Dead sound somewhat like Duke Ellington Orchestra JAZZ DarkStar !!! - August 3, 2010The Dead sound somewhat like Duke Ellington Orchestra

Reviewer: SKYBONE - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 23, 2010

Subject: very cool very nice guest musicians. whole thing sounds great - April 23, 2010very cool

Reviewer: jerlouvis - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 14, 2010

Subject: Free jazz Dead It is amazing how easily the band at this stage of their career incorporates a full blown screaming free jazz saxophone and strange violinist(meant in a good way)into the music.Being a huge avant garde jazz fan this show just blew my mind.The Dark Star,Other One and Caution are unique and impressive. - April 14, 2010Free jazz Dead

Reviewer: kapowsin - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 12, 2009

Subject: Listen to this dark star!` These guest musicians play great! Listen the W.R.S. from 1973 with a coupe horn players...It is really week...I thought what they did in the 90's with the famous sax player was pretty cheesy too...but this actually works...I cannot believe I haven't hear this dark star before... - April 12, 2009Listen to this dark star!`

Reviewer: Spud8 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 14, 2008

Subject: Truly unusual Dead Ok, hold on through what sounds as a terrible start sound fluctuates widely, sometimes barely audible, also some speed issues, as the band crawls their way, reluctantly, on erroneous renditions of HTH, BIODTL & HHS, while carrying 2 extra musicians. But as usual, comes Dark Star and pure magic establishes (by then recording sound is quite better too). Blissful stuff goes on between Jerry and the sax. The Dead sound somewhat like Duke Ellington Orchestra, in a weird way. Quite an ensemble!The fiddle on Alligator suits very fine, a ragtime touch. As TC paints a circus ambience, merry-go-round organ style. By TOO>Caution, theyre already flying high and on fire (extra guys much more comfortable nice violin work on TTO). A true phoenix, emerging mightily from nothing really. Youll easily forget the first 3 songs and give it a 5! - June 14, 2008Truly unusual Dead