Dead of the Day: January 22, 1968

Alligator kicks off the show, and it is a top-shelf version. The music is just incredible, especially the heady drum section that sends it deep into the swamps punctuated by Pig’s balling vocals. The Other One that comes next is short, but dripping with raw energy as Bobby sings some earlier, alternative lyrics. A bit later the Spanish jam is intense and almost perfect. Jerry and the boys take you riding across the playa before coming into the plaza of a pueblo near sunset with the townsfolk all about. Out the other side of the Spanish Jam, the boys head into Dark Star in such a mellow manner; Phil throws down a few licks and Jerry takes up the offer to get it going. The entire song is played with this relaxed manner, yielding a precious, too-short rendition. A sparkling, joyous China Cat follows the Dark Star, which is followed up by a truly lovely, smiling-from-ear-to-ear Eleven; the combination of the two fun and unbridled tunes is pure magic. After that sing-song, acid-dripped pairing, Caution starts out menacing and continues in a steamy, gritty fashion, dissolving into an elemental feedback jam. The boys cap off the whole thing with the benediction of We Bid You Goodnight. This is an incredible show from top to bottom, and the recording is quite fresh despite a few fall-outs and a bad cut in Born Cross-Eyed.