favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite

An earlier reviewer said something to the effect of this show being for "completists only."



Not only do I personally like the hell out of this, I can't imagine anyone that likes the Dead not totally getting off on this show.



I only briefly listened to part of this show when I first saw it. Having finally come back to it, I wish I had really listened to it all the way through first time. Its virtues far outweigh its vices.



This show offers a wonderful counterpoint to the huge number of shows that are mixed just ridiculously heavy on keyboards and vocals. I find it very refreshing to hear the guitars and bass so well. I can do without the vocals for a show just fine. It lets you hear the guitar and bass parts where they would frequently be very difficult to make out because of how high the vocals were usually mixed.



To me the lack of keyboards is anything but a flaw. This is the Fall of 1972. It just doesn't get any better. (A case for a tie can be made with Spring of 69, Spring of 1970, Fall of 1973, and 1974.) Jerry, Bob, and Phil were playing just exquisitely in the Fall of 1972. Jerry in particular was hitting unique licks at machine gun pace.



The primary thing I like about the Grateful Dead is the interplay between Jerry, Phil, and Bob. In mixes with keyboards it is all to frequent that they are mixed too high and Bob is mixed too low. That is not a good trade. (Phil is frequently mixed too low too--inexcusable since bass doesn't obscure the other instruments.)



TC knew how to play and add to their music without obscuring what the guitarists were doing. When TC left I wish they had just stood pat. I, for one, had absolutely no problem with how they sounded in 1970.



On their best days when the mix was also good, Keith and Brent were a positive addition. Unfortunately, it seems to me that more often they were wasted and falling onto their keyboards and catching themselves with their palms, yet mixed ridiculously high and drowning out Bob. Oh well, maybe they will release the 16 track recordings to us one of these days.



This show is very much worth a listen for anyone who really likes the Grateful Dead. As someone else mentioned, this is a musician's delight. Playing in the Band and the NFA-->GDTRFB-->NFA are killer.



I also really enjoyed Bertha (Phil has a great groove going and Jerry's solo is just killer) and Big River (nice to hear the guitars clearly without keyboards drowning everything else out).



Birdsong is perfect for this mix: It will transport you. Jerry's play in 1972 was just inspired. It is gorgeous.



The Playing is just exquisite. Even not being able to hear Bill very well it is still just stunning. A truly, truly great version. Do not miss it. I just listened to it three times in a row. Repeat: Do not miss it.



And I am waiting for someone to tell me they wish the vocals were louder at the end of it when they come back out into the main theme. Anyone?? Anyone???



Don't miss the Tennessee Jed, El Paso, and Friend of the Devil either.



The recording does have a couple of flaws. I wish Bill was just a little more audible, but not so much as to interfere with the uniqueness of getting to listen to the guitar parts so clearly. There are a few tunes where you don't have the guitarists mixed right, some of which may be due to degradation. And there are definitely parts where Phil's levels were mixed too high, resulting in distortion from over saturation of the tape. It's flawed, but it is still a masterpiece.



I'm giving this one 5 stars: Its uniqueness and the playing overcome its flaws.



I hope one of our resident magicians like Charlie Miller or Dan McDonald will like this show as much as I do and shine their light on it.

- February 26, 2015Really Unique, Great, and Fun Recording