The Dark Star that follows is just a magnificent rendition. At only fifteen minutes, the band leaves a lot unexplored. But the Dead are masterful nonetheless, occasionally probing the outer reaches but never getting too far from the sanctuary of the theme itself. And as if landing suddenly on terra firma, it is from the last moment of Dark Star that the first plaintive notes of Stephen sing out. Quickly gaining its momentum, the Stephen rollicks forward until the warbling, spine-chilling transition into the “lady finger” verse. A few lines later, the boys regain all their drive and carry that straight into a lovely William Tell Bridge, which, inevitably, arrives at a full throttle entry into The Eleven. And what a version it is. Jerry is blistering, making the carnivalesque tune into a psychedelic out of control carousel. Suddenly, though, the Dead shift gears into a meditative Death Don’t Have No Mercy. After that incredible funereal rock and roll, Jerry, surely endowed by a little of Owsley’s best, announces “We’re going to stop for about five minutes and get our hands dry. Then we are going to play some more. But in the meantime you can do whatever you like.”

The boys turn to That’s It For The Other One once they wipe the sweat from their hands. And the opening Cryptical picks up just where they left off. Inventive, haunting, and replete with lysergic joy, the music is phenomenal. And then, like a rocket accelerating towards escape velocity, Jerry launches into The Other One proper. And you better be strapped in and holding on tight, because this Other One is fierce, shooting flames in a fiery, relentless burn. The New Potato Caboose that follows suffers somewhat against the pure energy of The Other One. But once into this perfect acid-addled pop song, the Dead kill it, leading into the last twenty minutes of less focused, but no less revelatory Dead jamming and feedback.

Various reports and rumors claim that Jimi Hendrix was supposed to have jammed with the Dead earlier in the day at Mickey’s ranch, but that he never showed. Then, after his gig at Winterland, Hendrix showed up at the Avalon, eager to get on stage with the Dead. However, Jerry supposedly would not allow Hendrix to take the stage after the snub earlier in the day. Instead, Jerry just shredded while Hendrix looked on wanly from the wings.