08-14-1979

McNichols Sports Arena

Denver, Colorado

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

After the first show of what was meant to be a three-day stand at Red Rocks, heavy rain switched the scene to Denver’s McNichols Arena. Though lacking the extraordinary backdrop of Red Rocks, the music at this show, the last of the run, is still sublime. Also of note is the fact that Brent, after eighteen shows with the Dead, debuts his first original tune. That Easy To Love You comes in the middle of the first set. And while it has nothing near the heartfelt fervor of a 1990 version (e.g. March 15, 1990), the tune is well received, garnering some hearty hoots from the audience. However, the real gem of the first half is the insane Music Never Stopped. There, Bobby locks down the vocals, Brent and the rest of the boys add luscious harmonies, and Jerry lights up the interstices before everyone blasts off on a relentless, sizzling jam into set break.

Recording info
Use alternative player
Identifier:
gd1979-08-14.152252.senn.blend.eaton.miller.clugston.flac2496
Source:
Rob Eaton’s Master Audience Cassettes; (2)Sennheiser 441 mics (L + R) + (1) Sennheiser 421 mic (Center) blend > Nakamichi 550
Notes:
Notes: – Thanks to Rob Eaton for the recording, as well as the transfer and harddrive – Thanks to Charlie Miller for coordinating this effort – Thanks to Mark Severson for the Sony ECM 270 source which supplies a 0:24 and 0:22 patches in “Drums” – Pitch corrected Mastered by Scott Clugston April 2021
Description:
Set I
Jack Straw
Jack-A-Roe
Mama Tried >
Mexicali Blues
Tennessee Jed
Easy To Love You
Passenger
Stagger Lee
The Music Never Stopped
Set II
Promised Land
Ship Of Fools
Samson & Delilah
Terrapin Station >
Playing In The Band >
Drums >
Space >
Not Fade Away >
Stella Blue >
Good Lovin’

Encore:
U.S. Blues >
Johnny B. Goode


Comment
Jerry Garcia – Guitar
Bob Weir – Guitar
Brent Mydland – Keyboards
Phil Lesh – Bass
Bill Kreutzmann – Drums
Mickey Hart – Drums
Lineage:
Master Cassettes (Nakamichi Dragon)> Pro Tools 12 > .wav 2496 > Adobe Audition CC 2020 > TLH flac2496
Transferrer:
Mastered by Scott Clugston April 2021
Play
Pause
Back
Forw.
Volume
00:00
1
Crowd/Tuning
111.36
2
Jack Straw
353.47
3
Jack-A-Roe
329.5
4
Mama Tried >
153.72
5
Mexicali Blues
308.86
6
Tennessee Jed
538.68
7
Easy To Love You
274.13
8
Passenger
350.06
9
Stagger Lee
419.14
10
The Music Never Stopped
466.03
11
Crowd/Tuning
44.95
12
Promised Land
284.54
13
Ship Of Fools
454.27
14
Samson & Delilah
445.7
15
Terrapin Station >
717.07
16
Playin’ In The Band >
810.31
17
Drums >
780.7
18
Space >
496.03
19
Not Fade Away >
559.22
20
Stella Blue >
650.06
21
Good Lovin’
488.02
22
E1: US Blues
334.18
23
E2: Johnny B. Goode
268.94
Choose recording

A rocking Promised Land opens the second half before a mournful Ship Of Fools. Then, Jerry lays in some fantastic licks while the drummers pound away on a powerful Samson. Afterwards, the band turns to Terrapin, which progresses regally towards the dramatic coda and on through a mesmerizing little jam into Playin’. And the Playin’ itself is off the charts, the band wending brilliantly through a landscape of kaleidoscopic splendor as the drummers slowly take command. Mickey stays out following Drums, leading to a particularly dark and probing Space that threads the needle into Not Fade Away, which itself eventually spills forth joyously. At the end, the crowd takes over, aiding the segue to a rapturous Stella. Jerry and the band build the pathos and poignancy in a masterfully restrained rendering before unleashing a stunningly beautiful jamming lament at the end. Good Lovin’ then washes over the scene, providing a gleeful release. A double encore of US Blues and Johnny B Goode closes out the night and the trio of Colorado shows.

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