09-10-1974
Alexandra Palace
London, England
The Dark Star> Morning Dew in the second set is the crux of the show. On that suite, the band meanders through the early portions of Dark Star a little tepidly, searching for something to grab onto. And, before too long, Jerry starts to settle on a path that meanders through the cosmos. The tenor of the DS shifts a bit about a third of the way in, turning more jazzy and energetic. And then there is the last seven minutes or so, which Dick Latvala labels as a Spanish Jam. And who are we to argue with Dick, even though we cannot quite hear the tell-tale Solea theme. Whatever it is, that final movement is an integral part of the whole, inventive and dramatic with some wildly dissonant portions. Then things settle down and a recognizable shift occurs before the boys make clear that Dew is the destination. And it is a magisterial Dew, achingly mournful with some stratospheric jams. While the three-quarters of an hour of DS> Dew is rightfully thought of as the highlight, there is some not-to-be-missed treats throughout, including the immaculate WRS> Stella and the heady China> Rider.
This night was the second of the Dead’s three-night stand at the Ally Pally in London, kicking off their short, seven-show Europe ’74 tour. Parts of this concert are on Dick’s Picks Volume 7. You can read a little more about the Grateful Dead’s Europe ’74 tour in our write-up of the previous day’s show.
Today’s Dead of the Day:
Other September 10th Shows and Recordings:
- 1972 – Hollywood Palladium – Hollywood, California
- 1983 – Santa Fe Downs – Santa Fe, New Mexico
- 1985 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, California
- 1990 – The Spectrum – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1991 – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
- 1993 – Richfield Coliseum – Richfield, Ohio

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