03-05-1981
Stanley Theater
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The show – or maybe we should say Jerry – fires from the get-go with, blasting off with Alabama Getaway into a Greatest Story Ever Told that is just as insanely exuberant. Friend Of The Devil changes the tempo, but the playing is still extraordinary. Jerry then brings the house down with an off the charts bluesy solo at the heart of a massive jam in CC Rider; Ma Rainey and Elvis Presley, eat your heart out. Then a welcome Althea – who doesn’t love the tune – comes out, as dreamy as can be. And afterwards the set settles into a solid, but not exceptional stretch before the closer of the half and, perhaps, highlight of the show arrives: a ferocious Music Never Stopped. After a couple minutes of the blistering jam, you are going to wonder how much a body can take. And the crowd, unsurprisingly, roars their approval throughout.
Alabama Getaway-> Greatest Story Ever Told, Friend Of The Devil, CC Rider, Althea, Mama Tried-> Mexicali Blues, To Lay Me Down-> Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed-> The Music Never Stopped
Set 2
Jam-> Passenger*-> Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Playin’ In The Band-> Drums-> Not Fade Away-> Wharf Rat-> Around & Around-> Johnny B. Goode, E: U.S. Blues
At the start of the second set Jerry has some issues with his guitar. People who were in attendance report that Jerry got tangled up and tripped over a cord, causing the guitar problems and giving him the opportunity to light a cig while he sat on the ground. And while Jerry smoked that butt and Big Steve fixed Tiger, the rest of the band heads out on a fantastic jam. Eventually, after seven minutes, Bobby tires of that and launches into Passenger, sans Jerry. But about a minute and a half into the tune, in the midst of the first real jam, Jerry comes in shredding, making up for lost time with a wild Passenger. Following that tune, the boys turn to Scarlet Begonias, where they had probably intended to start the set in the first place. The Scarlet is transcendent, heading into a spacey desert landscape before gathering into Fire On The Mountain. Playin’ In The Band sets off following the Scarlet> Fire, covering lovely territory and delivering us to Drums and Space. Out the backside, the band finds its way into Not Fade Away, unleashing a magnificent version that harkens back to those jammed out Wall of Sound era renditions. And at the end, a beautiful, meandering jam takes it into Wharf Rat, which is itself a special treat. Around & Around then ratchets the energy back up and sets the audience dancing before a US Blues encore.
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