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Just two shows after Swing and before the monster spring tour, you'd be excused for expecting one of the greats. But this show is known for two things: The 1st Fire and the "most complete" Terrapin. What that means is they played At a Siding. It's an historical curiosity for those reasons, but pretty much a band practice and not the best show of the run. This is the 1st of 3 Winterland runs in '77 (but not the best run either). A contender for sloppiest show of '77, there are lyrical snafus and lost places all the way through. It's the polar opposite of 2/26, 5/8, 5/21, 5/22, 6/8 or 12/30.



First Set. Bobby starts in the wrong key for Promised Land and it doesn't get completely back on the rails until the outro . Half Step Mississippi is a straight trainwreck - the first half off kilter except for Phil. When it does settle Jer makes a valiant effort. It's All Over Now is lethargic. Halfway through Sugaree come the first sparks but there's still loose stitching for Minglewood. The set high point is Peggy-O with a great final solo, then it's way downhill again. Now it's Jer that has to search all over for the song in Cassidy. Bobby is luckless again for Scarlet Begonias, losing the chords while Jer loses the lyrics. They tranny into the first-ever Fire on the Mountain, feeling their way. You don't expect the live test to be an ace version, yet it's the tightest they play all set. It's interesting that they were recording Terrapin at the time, working out new material, yet Fire would be held back for the next album.



Second Set. Samson & Delilah has astonishing work on the final solo and the band starts tighter than the 1st set, suddenly gelling (albeit briefly) for a great Brown Eyed Women. It's back to sloppy again for Ship of Fools, except again for the end solo. This is only the 3rd Estimated and it's improving - 2mos later it's a monster. Bobby was still using the "ascend on wings of flame". It was played every night of the run - in fact it was played every night until October! 40 shows in a row! It's also the 3rd Terrapin and the only time they played the At a Siding section - however Hunter had not written the lyrics yet (it used to show up as "Alhambra" filler in the days of B & P). The next 2 nights they dropped a chunk of Terrapin, trying it both in the 1st Set and as an encore. They soon changed "wall within the fire creaks" and had it all nailed the next month. If your thang is long Not Fades, then this is a whopper, and the band is the most consistent of the night coming out of Drums. Stephen is nice, Around & Around is also long and Keith is great. All is lost for Uncle John's, however, with everybody losing place.



1st Set : D

2nd Set : C

Overall = 2 Stars



Highlights:

Brown Eyed Women - Where it all falls into place

Terrapin>At a Siding - Worth hearing once



SOURCES: The 123285 miller is best. However Promised Land is from an AUD and is pitched way too slow (it needs+3.5%) . NFA, Fire and Ship have correctly pitched AUD patches. The beginning of UJB is cut (onto the tail of previous track).

- May 19, 2016Home venue