favorite favorite favorite favorite

...."fascinating."



One of the first shows of 1978, with a fine matrix mix



You can really hear the transition from the silky smoothness and "just exactly perfectness" of 1977 to the rougher-edged and slightly more hard-driving rock and roll sound they took on for most of '78. It's sloppier stuff to be sure, but they also take a lot of chances that pay off, especialy in this show, which seems to be somewhat under the radar.



Highlights here are a seriously gritty LET IT GROW to end the 1st set...Jerry grinds out some nasty solos and the band drives hard behind him...you wonder how they even manage to float into the 2 "gentle" sections before "what shall we say/shall we call it by a name", but they do pull it off.



2nd set is really where it's at with this show. Outstanding run of TERRAPIN>PITB>DRUMS>SPACE>ST STEPHEN (an almost perfect rendition w/only one clunky transition getting back into the "St. Stephen will remain" refrain; but overall excellent version--hard driving and believe it or not really well-belted out, even I daresay by Donna)>NFA>PITB REPRISE.



Also a very cool and different encore selection of PASSENGER.



This show deserves more attention, even if only as a sort of indicator to what 1978 would be for the band: a mixed bag of very aggressive, take-no-prisoners shows that sometimes missed the mark for ragged execution, but more often than not yielded high-energy results and some very memorable moments of greatness.

- January 24, 2009As Mr. Spock might say....