Go ahead and call me cliche, but I couldn’t resist opting for US Blues from a July 4th show for my July 4th post. The fact that the option even exists is enough to justify the obviousness of the pick in my mind.

This is a good pick because you have the option of video as well as the audio. I haven’t watched the full DVD in a quite a while, but revisiting this song today makes me want to bust it out.

I guess one of the advantages to having such a broad catalog of songs with such a diverse cast of characters is that as a band the Grateful Dead had the option to play songs that reflected the occasion, whether it was a sporting event (The Race is On near the Kentucky Derby), a holiday (like US Blues), or even simply the weather (a whole range of options here!).

This raises an interesting question: If, for example, it was raining and the band played Looks Like Rain, would that be a bonus or a drawback? A bonus perhaps because the song selection acknowledges something that both the band and the audience experience together, but it might also be a bummer because it could be a predictable selection and part of the fun of Grateful Dead shows is their unpredictability. So what’s better – shared experience or surprise? Or is that too reductionist? Let me know what you think.

A happy and safe 4th of July to all my readers out there!

Brent is playing B3, do we really need any more qualification for this? Well Phil bounces along pleasantly as well. The first chorus echoes with monster percussive hits that reverberate with a power all their own. Jerry continues to provide us with a colorful cast of characters that are quintessentially American. He gives a little extra emphasis to the “run your life/steal your wife” line. What’re you trying to tell us Mr. Garcia? He states his case the best way he knows how: using his fingers. It’s worth noting that Bobby is playing some slide on this song and it’s not terrible. Apparently a decade of teaching himself on stage was starting to pay off by 1989! Jerry growls out the last “My oh my!” and the end to this 4th of July encore is extended for everything its worth.

Complete Setlist 7/4/89

Previous US Blues DFAY Selections

[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B00772M2Y6″ features=”0″ locale=”com” listprice=”0″]