Dick's Picks, Vol. 11: Stanley Theatre, Jersey City, NJ, 9/27/72
Out on the road without Pigpen, their original spiritual leader who was well on his way to death by drink, the Dead moved into a new phase in the fall of 1972. Piano player Keith Godcheaux gave them a more melodic, grounded sound, which was especially beneficial on the newer Amerciana-type material they'd unveil, but also gave them a jazzier feel on their freer explorations as well. This tight New Jersey concert treads similar ground to theEurope '72collection (minus the Pigpen tunes), an "official" album that had been recorded earlier that year but hadn't yet been released. A few oddities distinguish this show. The dramatic ballad "Morning Dew," usually a second-set climax, starts the proceedings here, followed soon after by an electric reading of "Friend of the Devil" that's taken at the faster "acoustic" pace. What's more, they open the second set with "He's Gone," another particularly mellow set opener. There are also a number of tunes from the solo albums released earlier that year (a ripping "Deal" and a probing "Bird Song" fromGarcia, plus more than half of the songs on Bob Weir'sAce, which was really a Dead album anyway). The second set in particular offers a number of highlights, peaking in the last hour with a snaking, sparkling, ebbing-and-flowing 30-minute "Dark Star," which magically morphs into an explosive "Cumberland Blues." They then move through a pretty, poignant "Attics of My Life," and end with a pair of roaringChuck Berrytunes sandwiching a pair of beloved Dead classics, including a steamrolling "Casey Jones." A worthy alternative toEurope '72and even stronger at times.--Marc Greilsamer