Source: Rockin’ the Rhein with the Grateful Dead

Sound Quality/Mix: 25

Presence: 36

Peaks: 12

Technique: 9

Verse: 8

Total: 90

Soundstage: Billy is centered and spread nicely over most of the soundstage; the cymbals in particular are nice and present. Jerry is center left, right where I like him and nice and high. Phil as usual is dead center and at a perfect level. Bobby is center right and at a good level. Keith is far right and also nice and high in the mix; he doesn’t overpower but is always present. This is a multi-track recording so the sound should be good, and it is. By ’72 the sound system was pretty good; that combined with a 16 track recording makes this as good as it gets. A perfect 25.

:40 Right out of the gate Jerry is leading…not overly aggressive but with full confidence. Billy gives him great support as he opens up this Dark Star.

2:00 Keith is mixed well and this is a great example of what he could contribute. When mixed well and combined with Bobby on the right, the two make a perfect complement to Jerry.

3:00 Things sound great and the playing is tight, but I see little sign that we are going someplace really special.

3:26 We almost abruptly slow and enter weirdness. Too abrupt for my tastes.

4:00 Jerry starts something that leads us out of it a bit, but it feels like we are going to be in the weird for a while longer.

4:47 Bobby is making some slashing noises that travel right to left across the sound stage. I’m curious if this is original to the mix or something added in recently when they remixed. (Update: David Lemieux confirms that it and the reverb in the verse was added in the remix).

5:41 Jerry starts playing with a little theme. Then leaves it.

6:24 And comes back to it, this time more fully. Things sound like a well orchestrated mess right now. Everyone is doing there own thing, but it is working. Still definitely weird but there is a compelling consistency to it. This has been a nice little run. Nothing mind blowing, but well done.

8:00 Starting to slow.

8:15 A slight hint at the theme and then it is gone.

8:50 Jerry starts moving and moving fast. Everyone falls in and they are off. The intensity increases rapidly. A very nice moment, the first time I felt like we might be going somewhere especially pleasant.

9:56 But…it comes to a close way too soon for my liking, and leads into…

10:10 Theme. Jerry is going about it slowly. Not rushing it; he is stretching it some and then begins to take a firmer grip on the reins and…

11:20 Verse. Again someone is playing with the effects–there is a noticeable reverb on parts of Jerry’s vocals…I like it but the purist in me is a little uncomfortable with the meddling. Overall a fine version. Not the best, but no mistakes. A solid 8.

13:00 We begin disintegrating into the post verse weirdness.

14:05 Heavy bombs from Phil take us to the bottom. A lot of discordance going on…the sound is very typical for a 1972 Dark Star.

15:20 Everybody is doing their own thing; it is a mess, but a nice mess.

15:40 We start coalescing around a Jerry led theme…everybody starts to fill in behind him and away we go.

16:30 Jerry in ’72 is at the top of his game, he is confidently leading this particular run; everyone is contributing, but he is in charge.

17:30 Slowing down.

17:45 He shifts and starts exploring another area…more spacey while still being quite discordant.

19:00 Almost sounds like he is reaching for a tiger jam but it is not coming. Really nasty sounds coming out of his guitar at this point.

20:00 Normally Bobby is Jerry’s main backdrop, but Keith is playing that role tonight. I correct myself…it sounds like the tiger is in the works….

20:45 And there it is.

21:30 We are into some slower discordant noodling…searching for a place to go.

22:00 We are way out there at this point…fully in space…though it is a slow contemplative space.

24:00 The pace is picking up. There is the feeling that something new is on the horizon…knowing what is coming I wonder if Bobby is playing with Me and My Uncle…and then the whole thing shifts and begins winding down, but it is too early to end a ’72 Star.

:01 Jerry plays the first notes and Bobby’s guitar beautifully brings us into Me and My Uncle. The transition is sublime. Perfectly natural as if it was standard fare.

1:00 We get a little Pigpen coming in left center. At this point in his life, he didn’t have it in him to stay with the band for a Dark Star, but he adds a nice touch to songs like this.

3:00 A short and well played version….that quickly fades back into the second part of the Dark Star.

:12 The transition out of Me and My Uncle is not as smooth as the transition in, but it is ok.

1:00 We are clearly going to reenter the Star slowly…

1:15 Jerry sounds some exploratory notes. It seems like folks are searching for a direction.

2:20 Jerry seems to suggest a direction, but everyone is content to keep doing their own thing.

3:30 Phil is laying down some nice notes, but we are still basically formless at this point.

4:24 Jerry starts going up high. Phil is dropping a few big bombs.

5:00 And we get the first real attempt to pull out of space…though is sputters a bit.

There needs to be a big moment in this second part and we haven’t seen it yet. A lot of good discordant classic ’72 weirdness, but nothing breathtaking.

6:30 Something starts to gel.

7:14 Jerry is starting to make some runs on the guitar and some cohesiveness emerges.

8:15 I wouldn’t call this a peak but it is moving in the right direction at least.

9:40 Still pushing, but never quite getting to that special spot. The band is in sync and playing well. This is a very good Dark Star overall…it lacks some truly mind blowing moments though.

11:55 They are hitting on all cylanders as a band right now, but its a band that is wrapping things up. We have seen the highlights.

13:50 We are starting to transition to the next tune. They are getting themselves into place to make the shift.

14:34 Jerry gives us a quick return to the theme before sliding into Wharf Rat.

Overall a typical 1972 Dark Star (with the exception of the Me and My Uncle interlude). Discordant…angry… aggressive. They never reach the pinnacle that they reach in others but it is an extremely well played Star. The intangible magic may not have been fully present, but overall this is a great effort….just not one for the ages.

Click for a review of the entire show.