06-10-1976

The second half begins with the percussive-heavy beat of Samson. And while the Samson might not be the most powerful version, Keith and Jerry add some sensational runs on top of Phil and the drummers mighty beat. A short pause follows before the first notes of Help on the Way sidle forth, and we are off on another trip altogether. Jerry sizzles through Help, sending out two different solos that the crowd answers with an appreciative roar. As the band transitions into Slip, the darkness and depth of the jam is on full display. And just when you think you have been consumed by its hypnotic power, Franklin’s Tower shines forth and you enter another level of ecstasy. Let It Grow follows, almost orchestral in its grandeur and complexity, though the drum solo in its midst, which the band drops into and surges out of, is a bit jarring. A nearly ten-minute Friend Of The Devil puts in a rare late second set spot in this show, and it fits together beautifully. Here, the music is so righteous and pure, especially the lengthy jam in the latter half, belying the lyrics. A short Playin’ follows, transitioning into an insane spacey jam that surveys the most distant galaxies before suddenly sidling right into Dancin’ to close out the show with another crowd-pleasing rocker.

Just four shows into their return from hiatus, the band is returning to form and then some. The sound is mellower, more pared down than ’74, which makes sense. But they also seem like they are actively trying – not always successfully – to hone the music, polishing what was already the rarest of gems. And as they searched for that more refined, even sophisticated, sound throughout the year, the music could be uneven or oddly experimentive, like the drum solo in the midst of Let It Grow on this day. But the playing was always stellar.