favorite favorite favorite favorite

needs -2%

The second trip to Colorado and the 4th show in the state; but the first [of 49] with recorded evidence. The first trip was in '67 and had three shows in a row. The first two dates of those were at the Family Dog , on Evans (at Pecos). It had just opened, a couple weeks prior, with Joplin/BBHC; an early booking for a young Barry Fey, who had received the blessing from Chet Helms to use the Family Dog branding and booking apparatus (getting Hendrix as well as Captain Beefheart during its brief run). The third date was a free gig at City Park, as part of the "Human Be-In". In fact, the preceding gig at Hollywood Bowl was likely taken to offset the trip and allow a free show at the Be In. The Dead played just a few songs, setting up on the berm below the steps on the west side of the Natural History Museum. Beefheart also played, as well as Lothar & the Hand People (the Denver band that pioneered the Moog and the Theremin as live instruments). Stinkfoot's photos . Timothy Leary came as the experienced be-in helper, and also led a meditation (and, natch, offered doses).Not a shred of audio exists for the three '67 shows, but there were undoubtedly a handful of new Heads ready for the '69 return at the Glenn Miller Room in nearby Boulder (though it would have collected mostly college hippies - not lacking in Boulder at the height of Nam). This show is in fine quality: we have a nearly 2hr set followed by a 15min encore - all that is extant (with some cuts, mostly brief, and missing tunings). They returned to Colorado less than 3mos later, the other way from Denver, in Colorado Springs. This was mainly a ballroom tour, and they had played a campus ballroom the previous night, at U of U. They also played a whopping show a few days later in St. Lou. But this show is something of a hidden gem, even though it looms in the lore: this was the day Jer bought his steel guitar.First Set. It seems like there should be a song in front of, but it is probably the opener - you can hear Bobby test the mic to see if it's live. A fine enough version, although it does contain a whole blues jam inside. Unfortunately the end is missing, and it's possible it went over ½hr (common at the time; there's a 48min on 6/6). The cut continues, missing the first two verses ofis solid, if typical, and a bit low key. As others have noted, it's atthat things blow wide. X factor arrives and Glenn Miller becomes Zen Chiller. This is potent, and Jer just reaches, as the huge B&W picture of Miller on the back wall drips out of the frame, slides to the floor, turns the 90 degree angle, and puddles. Pachouli spinners splash and the droplets colorize. Dew fleets into. Others have already raved about this Dark Star, and even though there are so many, this is in the top 10 of '69 for me too. It has a certain flow and the dynamics are in the right places. April was a strong month for Dark Stars [which see 4/27 & 4/17]. There's no wheel-spinning, it just travels straight up the Front Range of the Rockies and spreads out across the continent. As Fixur notes, during this there was a liquid light show and strobe lights; intense! There's a cut @10: 10 but it's probably not very big, and we still have 24mins.is interesting because it's jammed for almost 4mins before the first verse - though nothing very unique develops therein. Just the Stephen through the William Tell bridge and intois 21mins. It really gets intense and jammed-out. I don't always queue up for a, but you should stick this one out, 'cause it does become a big one, and Jer sticks a pen in his heart and spills all over the stage. After a few listens the crescendos really stuck with me.Second Set. There was apparently just a short break before they played, so not really two complete sets. A few seconds are cut from the beginning, and who knows how much is missing from the end jam. Maybe not much because we have over 14mins. The punters had been shouting for Alligator - as with most shows from then until the hiatus. But it makes sense here because this was the song local fans were familiar with (ashad not yet been released), they were unfamiliar with most of the first set, and those that saw the '67 shows may have remembered Alligator as a showstopper. It's hard to tell if this was an encore or if there was another song, but as far as this campus ballroom tour goes this was about the average show length and number of songs. If anything, there may have been a Cosmic Charlie. The tranny out of Drums is better on the cotsman_6287.Overall = B4 stars H.G.Highlights:Morning Dew - zen chillerDark Star - splashing psychedelic puddlesThe Eleven - intense and jammed-outDeath Don't Have No Mercy - one of the era's best versionsSOURCES: The miller_87378 is the most-recent mastering of the existing SBD. The speed wavers just a bit throughout, being slightly fast at first and then peaking at St. Stephen, whichpitch correction, the rest needing -1%, except Doin' That Rag (+/-0).Foxr - Please try to recall the (still blank) setlists of those Family Dog shows for everybody!