Opening night of the Dead’s immortal four-night Lyceum stand began fifty years ago today on May 23, 1972. Here’s an excerpt from Europe 72 Revisited:
“Ramble on Rose” kickstarts the second set of this Garcia-dominated show. Starting with “Casey Jones,” seven of the next eight numbers are Jerry tunes. Following “Rose,” hypnotic tuning and noodling leads to “Dark Star.” Sprinkle the pixie dust! The jam arises smooth and dreamy. The jazzy improvisation ripples forth as Bobby and Keith add tasty brushstrokes. Around the seven-minute mark, the band reaches their destination on the outskirts of the universe. The band leaves the capsule and floats around. Garcia bends screeching single notes on his axe as Phil answers with sonic booms. Billy picks up on a stillness in the music and the band lightly accompanies him. Soon there’s sizzling improv better than before. Garcia’s restless pecking and poking leads back to the melody line and the verse serenade.
Garcia locks into steady linear jamming. After several minutes of free-flowing instrumentation, a restless Kreutzmann accelerates the tempo with stunning drumming and the band burns—mind-melt mode. Phil leads a transition back to a swinging jam which flirts with a return to the “Dark Star” melody. As the jam noodles down, the band reaches the thirty-minute mark and Jerry calls the next song with a chord strike. The band clears the landscape for Garcia’s next strike, which leads them into “Morning Dew.”
This is the second night in a row for the almighty Dark Star > Morning Dew combo. No Deadhead in their right mind, in any era, would begrudge seeing this combo two shows in a row. The “Dew” is making the transition from a beloved tune to a revered anthem that has a sacred, almost religious, vibe. The 5-23-72 Lyceum “Dew” would have been album-worthy if not for an early lyrical flub from Jerry. The final jam here blows away the one from Munich. The band comes out firing early as Garcia alternates searing and playful runs. Jerry manages to extend the jam by toying with the intensity of the sonic pressure cooker.
“He’s Gone” is simply sublime, and unexpected in the footsteps of Dark Star > Dew. Garcia shreds two shrill solos during this engaging rendition. Weir interrupts Garcia Fest ’72 with a romping “Sugar Magnolia.” The Dead are bringing nothing but their best on opening night in the Lyceum. “Comes a Time” follows. Jerry’s in his happy, hypnotic zone, taking his time, singing and picking with the utmost feeling, which equals a “Comes a Time” for the ages.
No comments:
Post a Comment