If you hear a Deadhead talking about a concert in the summer of 1972, chances are they are referring to the Sunshine Daydream concert. The show on August 27 1972, was filmed and was considered the holy grail until 2013 (when the footage was shown in connection with that year's Meet Up At the Movies). The show was also released on CD and DVD that year, but precisely because of that mythical status, the other shows around this period remained somewhat overlooked. A "flaw" that was resolved in 2017 thanks to Dave’s Picks Volume 24.
For a long time, it was thought that the last three songs of the concert given in Berkeley had been lost, and the audience recordings you can find therefore ended at The Other One. In any case, it is a good thing that we can now hear the full concert. After all, the Dead are playing on home turf and simply put on a wonderful show. Cold Rain and Snow is a strong contender to become my favorite concert opener, but you simply hear a band having a lot of fun. Naturally, there were some equipment problems again, but whereas that would be annoying with any other band, I actually enjoy hearing how they handle it here. Weir lying there cursing about it being broken again, that same Weir suddenly starting a conversation about a hollering contest in Kentucky, to which Garcia briefly mentions that they are actually playing in Berkeley, and so on. There is also quite a bit of teasing going on, because between He’s Gone (which doesn’t yet take on the epic proportions it would later acquire) and Beat It On Down the Line, you hear snippets of Stars and Stripes Forever, and before they start El Paso, you hear Weir singing Frozen Logger.
In any case, there were also many songs that still had to find their way into the Dead's oeuvre (Black Throated Wind, Playing in the Band, and One More Saturday Night are on Ace, Weir's solo album, while Bird Song and Loser are on Garcia, Garcia's solo album, and both albums didn't come out until 1972), but it seems as if they have been playing these songs for years. Moreover, 1972 is a year without Mickey Hart, but that doesn't mean there isn't some serious jamming going on. The second set starts with Truckin’ and continues into an extended The Other One, only to emerge about three-quarters of an hour later with a subdued version of Stella Blue. This is followed by One More Saturday Night and Sugar Magnolia, making me all the happier that you can hear these songs again today. A fairly short second set, then, but that solo by Lesh during Truckin’ is a real treat. It was also great to hear how much more integrated both Godchauxs (Keith and Donna) are. At the concert at the Beat Club on April 21, Donna was only sporadically present, but here she is already belting out her vocals. Something not everyone appreciates, but those screams during Playing in the Band... I think it has a certain appeal.
Pigpen had already retired about two months earlier - he wouldn't pass away until 1973 - but Keith is already doing a lot of good here. I've become more of a Mydland fan in recent months, but actually, you can't really compare them. They both have such a wonderful sound. So, just a really fine show. A jam that is drawn out yet accessible and a lovely opening set with quite a few personal favorites (Loser!) make this an unjustly "forgotten" show. Putting on Sunshine Daydream again soon.
Track:
- Cold Rain and Snow
- Black-Throated Wind
- He's Gone
- Beat It On Down the Line
- Loser
- El Paso
- Black Peter
- Jack Straw
- Friend of the Devil
- Promised Land
- Bird Song
- Playing in the Band
- Bertha
- Truckin'
- The Other One
- Stella Blue
- One More Saturday Night
- Sugar Magnolia
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