5/18/72 Munich: "Dark Star," Living With The Dead, Cascadian Dark Ale

When: Thursday, May 18, 1972
Where: Kongressaal, Munich, West Germany

Easily my favorite release logo!

Setlist: (In order of the released CDs)

1. Truckin', Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Chinatown Shuffle, Black-Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, El Paso, Hurts Me Too, You Win Again, Playing In The Band, Good Lovin', Casey Jones
2. Sitting On Top Of The World > Me & My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Beat It On Down The Line, Dark Star > Morning Dew > Drums > Sugar Magnolia, Sing Me Back Home  E: One More Saturday Night

As always, my personal highlights are bolded.

This show gets off to a hot start, with a "Truckin'" that sounds like it could be out of the fat part of the second set. The jamming is energetic and relentless, right up until they approach the ten-minute mark, and then it fizzles out quickly, almost as if they realize this is the first song of the show!! They finish the round through the vocalists with strong versions of "Sugaree" and "Mr. Charlie," the latter being one of my favorite versions of one of the most ubiquitous songs of the tour. The "China" > "Rider" is everything we would expect at this point in the tour, and I could listen to this version all day long!

The set really takes off towards the end with yet another deeply jammed "Playin'." Nothing out of the ordinary for the tour, and it picks up just where the "Truckin'" left off. They follow with another stellar "Good Lovin'," and it's clear this is a special night. The jamming is fast and tight, and Billy's drumming seems to push Jerry further and faster. Keith provides superb fills, and - oh, yeah!! - Pigpen is on top of his game. He lets the band jam to their hearts' content, but when he steps up every person in this hall snaps to attention, including the ones on stage. Get it while you can, everyone!!

The second set opens with an extremely rare version of "Sitting on Top of the World." It's great to hear Jerry circa 1972 belt this one out, with a bit more twang than the earliest versions and the same clear voice. As with "Promised Land" the other night, you can tell it's not a regular in the rotation, but the change of pace is noteworthy and welcome. They try to jump right into "Me & My Uncle," and Phil provides just the right energy, but they stumble on entry. Oh well, still an energetic version. The other shorter songs are excellent, as well, so check out "Worth mentioning" below.

Shredding!! (And re-treading)

Now let's get down to the business!! This version of "Dark Star" is spookier than most on the tour, with plenty of free-form, adventurous jamming. It's got is share of space, but overall the jams have rhythm and at least vaguely reference the song's main theme. At one point someone (Phil? Ten years later I'd say it was Mickey, but he's not on the continent!) creates this deep, pounding sound that must be a pick rubbed against a deep bass string. It's jolting because the jam isn't at that scary place yet, but the band certainly responds! The jam is extensive, with the first verse coming halfway through the 28-minute song, and the weird spacey segment after the vocal showcases Phil's aggressive and unorthodox bass voice. He even milks his amp for some harmonic feedback before dropping back down to the depths.* If you love disharmony and arhythmic improvisation, this is the jam for you!!

Out of the deepest depths of "Dark Star" space emerges that familiar ballad of nuclear winter, "Morning Dew." Already primed from their foray through the outer atmosphere (and beyond), the Dead make the most of this one!! Jerry milks the quite moments for every bit of emotion, then casts a clear note into the air before invoking spine-tingling crescendo. This combination - "Dark Star" > "Morning Dew" - captures a timeless, emotional adventurism that moved the Dead in their most inspired performances. After a jam like that, we need a rockin' booty-shaker so bad we can excuse Bobby completely flubbing an early lyric on "Sugar Magnolia." Apparently, Jerry isn't satisfied with the tone of the closing tune, so he rocks another death song - this time "Sing Me Back Home" - to bring the psychedelic life cycle (and the set) to a close.


Worth mentioning:

• The entire first set is exceptional. Don't skip any of it!!
• I keep marveling at Jerry's slide work on "Hurts Me Too," very fun!
• I rarely draw attention to a performance of "Casey Jones" on this tour, but this one is excellent.
• What a stellar version of "Ramble on Rose." I cannot believe my ears!!
• "BIODTL" rages from start to finish!!
• This is a very slow and moving version of "Sing Me Back Home," featuring at times near-silent harmonies from Bobby and Donna that rage towards the end.

Song of the Day: "Dark Star"

"Dark Star" is probably the Grateful Dead's quintessential jam vehicle. It's sparse lyrics and malleable theme provide just enough structure to provide points of reference without in any way restraining the band's improvisational prowess. I remember reading somewhere that Phil Lesh believed the transcendent and trippy lyrics were the inspiration for jams that came to typify the song, but Garcia (who sang the lyrics) dismissed the notion as coincidence. Just goes to show, perception is reality, right? If you've been reading my posts with any frequency, you've come to know that I love the jams this song spawns, and they leave all structure, melody, and rhythm behind, venturing into deep space. Others are energetic, with bass and guitar in intertwining counterpoint continually driven further by the rhythmic fills from drums, guitar, and piano. They are all quite long (15 minutes would be considered very short) and spill into another song, as the jam defies the resolution of a final cadence.


As we learn in the annotations, Phil Lesh and David Gans convinced the band to allow Plunderphonics mastermind John Oswald (who needed convincing himself) to re-create an epic "Dark Star" from the versions in their own vault of live recordings. The result is nearly two hours of "Dark Star" jams manipulated digitally so there are layers upon layers of sound, blending the Dead from different ears into one magnificent, orchestrated, time-travelling musical experience. While not classically the Dead, this is one of the most remarkable pieces of psychedelic music ever created. I strongly recommend the album, called Greyfolded. This website says it's out of print but downloadable. I recommend tracking down the print version, if only for the 16,000-word essay (and you thought I was verbose!) and the fully referenced sonic maps of each disc. You can read much, much more here. Truly amazing!

In Box of Rain, Robert Hunter says this was the first lyric he wrote actually with the band** It's succinct and dripping with lysergic innuendo. When asked to talk about it one time, Jerry responded, "I can't. It talks about itself." There isn't much to explain, but clearly the title is a contradiction, placing it solidly among many other references both scientific and artistic (see the printed annotations for an exhaustive explanation). Also, you will find a reference to the existentialist poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot. Here are the complete lyrics:

Dark star crashes, pouring its light into ashes
Reason tatters, the forces tear loose from the axis
Searchlight casting, for faults in in the clouds of illusion 

Shall we go, you and I while we can
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds 

Mirror shatters, in formless reflections of matter
Glass hand dissovling, to ice-petal flowers revolving
Lady in velvet, recedes in the nights of goodbye 

Shall we go, you and I while we can
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds

There is also another verse that appeared on Long Strange Trip, read by Hunter himself:

Spinning a set the stars through which the tattered tales of axis roll
About the waxen wind of never set to motion in the unbecoming
Round about the reason hardly matters nor the wise through which
The stars were set to spin.

Now that we're clear on that, the magical truths of life and the universe unfold before us.

NOTE: Towards the end of the annotations linked to above, quintessential beer enthusiast and historian, the late Michael Jackson (not that one), noted an English dark old ale called Dark Star that was voted Champion Beer at the 1987 Great British Beer Festival. I can't tell if the brewery is Pittfield or The Beer Shop, but either way it's almost worth a trip to London to find it!!

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Living With the Dead: Cashing In, Gatekeeping, & the Legacy of Jerry Garcia

A year or so after Jerry Garcia died, Rock Scully (along with David Dalton) published Living with the Dead: Twenty Years on the Bus with Garcia and the Grateful Dead. So soon after Jerry died, this book made quite a splash, in large part because Scully co-managed the Dead for a substantial portion of their illustrious career (including their tour of Europe in 1972) and told many tales of their careless lifestyle. I've largely refrained from quoting from this book because, upon release, it was highly controversial amongst the established Grateful Dead hierarchy. However, I've gotten several questions about it, so I thought it would be worth exploring the book and the controversy that has surrounded it through the lens of the 1972 tour of Europe.***

The book contains a significant segment from Scully's "road diary" on the '72 tour of Europe. No one disputes that he was there, playing a critical role as German-speaking co-manager, and I have no reason to doubt most of the brief tales he tells of the tour. In particular, he notes:

• Flat audience response from the Wembley shows. He implies the Dead's sophistication is out of the league of the London audience, a judgement that I am wary of on the surface. The hall was clearly too big for the show and probably led to acoustical complications.
• The stellar performance from Newcastle is lost on him; all he remembers is the boomy, concrete venue.
• Fights in Copenhagen, particularly surrounding crew members who picked them.
• The Aarhus show fell on Fasching, the Scandanavian Halloween. Fun, fun, fun!!
• After an off day in Sweden, the return trip to Denmark featured a close call with customs officials and a bus driver convinced he wouldn't see his children until they were grown.
• Phil flipping out in Dusseldorf over the Nazi history, and the show - again - being lost on the stoic crowd. However, Karlheinz Stockhausen brought a gaggle of students, who were (according to Scully) the only ones who knew what was going on. musically
• He describes the Olympia Theatre in Paris being "just like the Fillmore East; if anything, a bit more funky. A tradition-riddled place.... Hallowed ground, but with insufficient electricity." Also from Paris, the classic story where they show up to the Le Grand Hotel with the staff expecting a 37-piece orchestra. Surprise!! The psychedelic circus has arrived from America!
• In Amsterdam, Pigpen gives the house organ a whirl, the one built in 1640 and played by J.S. Back. As a thank-you, the gaffer's tape strips the gold leaf from just about every surface, and the band has to reimburse the hall as much as a quarter-million dollars. Ouch!!
• The crew convinces the Radio Luxembourg techs to go full power for the show, and Bob Mathews calculates it's the strongest broadcast in world history, covering half the globe. The Deadheads in England may disagree....

The point I want to discuss is the "great drug drought" of Munich (this show), when the band and crew had a massive throw-down the day before that culminated in everyone burning their respective cocaine stashes (except for Scully). The next day, everyone is jonesing and calling Scully for a bump. Instead, he orchestrates a field trip for the band to the Deutsche Museum of German innovation, which houses a comprehensive collection of every item created by a German. He gives them strict instructions to rendezvous before the scheduled soundcheck before turning them loose in the museum. Garcia, of course, is lost when everyone else convenes, and eventually (hours later, supposedly) Scully finds him transfixed by a giant cocaine crystal measuring 15 inches across. "You could start a religion with that thing," is Garcia's tagline.

While I have no reason to doubt that the core elements of this story are true (I wasn't there and I haven't spoken to anyone who was there for their story), Scully's story doesn't match up. The book opens with the details of this story, and Scully insists they are playing at the Olympia Theatre, just twenty minutes from the museum. In 1972, the only Olympia Theatre the Dead played in was in Paris, not Munich. In 1974, the drug-riddled Grateful Dead returned to Europe with their epic Wall of Sound for a quick tour that was by all accounts a shit-show. On 9/14/74, the Dead played Munich's Olympiahalle, but that is clearly another tour entirely. The fact that Scully mis-remembers the location of the concert and/or the year within such a detailed telling of the story is troubling and casts some doubt on its validity in my mind. Could this be a simple mix-up? Absolutely, but this is one of several stories that defy their internal logic, let alone the scrutiny of others within the Grateful Dead Family.

However, I believe that much of the controversy around Scully's book from within the Family may also be attributed to the survivors following the death of their patriarch, Jerry Garcia. It was Scully who turned Garcia onto smokeable Persian heroin that offered a brief, brilliant period in 1977 but ultimately lead to his decline and death. Scully was dismissed from the band's staff in large part because of this, and so soon after his death, I'm sure many in the Family held a grudge. The book is clearly self-serving and riding the wave of publicity following the death of an icon, particularly in light of Scully falling out of favor with the business end of the band.

In addition, I'm sure there was a fair amount of gate-keeping involved in the reaction: Everyone involved knew of Jerry's addiction but depended on his continued performances for their livelihood. But this was an internal secret, one never spoken of publicly, let along PUBLISHED!! For someone who was once inside the circle to break that code of silence at a time when Garcia's legacy was being set in stone was an affront to the Family - all the members of that Family who relied on Garcia and his legacy for their jobs and the financial well-being of their families.

In the end, I have no reason to doubt much of the stories in Scully's book, though some of the internal logic doesn't stand up to scrutiny. However, he's an admitted recovering junkie, so who am I to question his rational processes? Memories get scrambled for all of us, and very few have had the kind of psychotropic adventures that Scully has had. Nonetheless, the book is entertaining as hell, and Dalton does a fantastic job of transforming Scully's colorful memories into fascinating prose. It's worth a read, but I recommend you do so with a healthy dose of skepticism and enjoy the ride!

- Morning Brewer

PS (Pairing Suggestion): 

Inspired by "Dark Star," the featured beer for this show has got to be something adventurous and, of course, dark! In the past several years, a new American beer style has begun to emerge, blending the floral, citrusy, bitter goodness of an American IPA and the dark color of a porter or stout. Some here in the Northeast claim the style originated in Vermont, but I believe brewers in the Pacific Northwest first pioneered the style.****

This style is still in its adolescence (no official BJCP style category, generally entered into competitions under specialty category) and evolving into its own. Therefore, I will describe essentially what I see as the best characteristics, at least to my tastes. Under no circumstances should this ale cut back on the hops at all. In that respect, it's everything an IPA is - bitter, floral, fresh, and flavorful. It's important that the beer has some substantial body to it, as well; none of those skimpy APAs-as-IPAs could qualify. The controversy is just how much body, roast, and color is enough and how much is too much.

To me, the best examples play contradictory expectations against one another. You order your Cascadian dark ale (or black IPA/American black ale) at the bar, and in a clear glass you're delivered a dark-as-night beer capped with a white (or possibly light tan) head. The point of reference is towards a stout or a porter (or a schwarzbier) that highlights roasty aromas and flavors like chocolate, coffee, or even dark fruits. As you raise the glass to your lips, however, your nose is assaulted by the unexpected resinous, piney, citrusy, and tropical aromas of the best and freshest of American hops!! Immediately your mind is in contortions as you take another whiff before diving in for your first taste. At first, you don't know what to expect - roasty malts or flavorful, bitter hops - but you're greeted with no roast and tons of hops!! Moderate maltiness will provide balance for a hefty hop bill (slanted towards late additions for extra flavor and aroma), but it will seem surprisingly light because of the expectation from a black beer.

To me, roasty versions of a Cascadian dark ale are too close to an American porter, and the dark flavors distract from the hop focus of this style. That being said, there are plenty of roasty versions out there, but I'll personally take a pass on those. The next question is the color, as the black color commonly comes from roasted malts that impart a lot of that flavor. Personally, I'd rather have a dark brown or garnet colored example that finishes clean than a black version with a much noticeable roast. The answer? The new(-ish) midnight wheat malt from Breiss, a unionized malster in Minnesota that supplies an exceptional portion of the grain that fuels the American craft beer industry. I'm not sure how they do it,***** but the result is color and some fermentables without the roast, leaving behind a clean, black beer-canvass for brewers to create masterpieces upon!!

And what masterpieces they are!

• My absolute favorite that is the benchmark for the style (at least in my book) is Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous ale. If you're only going to try one, this is it!!
• Not as black, but Yakima Glory (sometimes Yakima Twilight) from Victory is an apt tribute to the valley that provides American craft brewers most of their hops.
• From Heavy Seas in Baltimore we get an excellent example in Loose Cannon.
• Deschutes' version is called Hop in the Dark, for those out west.
• From 21st Amendment, check out the Back in Black, though I can say it's best fresh. Sometimes their cans can taste a bit off, at least to my palate.
• I haven't had the pleasure of sampling this one yet, but I recently read a review of the Dubhe, an imperial version from Uinta Brewing in Utah. Not sure if I read it right, but I believe they added toasted hemp seeds to this one, too. This is a truly epic brew honoring the State of Utah finally lifting the ABV limit for beers produced and/or sold within the state!

There are plenty other examples I haven't had the pleasure to sample (yet), but as I said it's a burgeoning style that is growing into itself. Find what you like, and let me know when you find others I should seek out!!

As for pairings, anything that goes with an American IPA will work well. I recommend some spicy Thai food (pad Thai or my favorite - massaman curry) or Indian food.

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* I LOVE THE GRATEFUL DEAD!!!!
** I believe there were a few lyrics like "China Cat," "St. Stephen," and "Alligator" that he wrote separately and mailed to the band before he officially "joined" them.
***  Please excuse the lack of references, but I'm short on time. Most of the arguments for or against are fairly well documented elsewhere, but I just don't have the time to review the sources in detail. My apologies.
**** While it is commonly called a black IPA or an American black ale, I prefer to give a nod to is PNW roots and call it a Cascadian dark ale. Besides, how can an India ale be both black and pale? Nonetheless, the region rightfully doesn't have a monopoly on the style, so American black ale is probably the best name. I'm still partial to Cascadian dark ale, so live with it!!
***** If I had to guess, I think they would malt the wheat kernels like they usually do, then roast them at high temperatures for a considerable period of time. Before packaging them, though, they would remove most of the roasty husks, leaving the black color, a bit of fermentables, and next to no roast. From their website, it looks like they planned on this malt being used in schwarzbiers, but to me it's the perfect malt for a perfect Cascadian dark ale!!

5/11/72 Rotterdam: "Morning Dew," Baseball, & Black Lager

When: Thursday, May 11, 1972
Where: Grote Zaal De Doelen, Rotterdam, Holland

Setlist: (In order of the released CDs)

1. Playing In The Band, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black-Throated Wind, Deal, Chinatown Shuffle, Mexicali Blues, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Hurts Me Too, Beat It On Down The Line, Brown-Eyed Women, Jack Straw, Big Railroad Blues, Good Lovin', Casey Jones
2. Morning Dew, Me & My Uncle, The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion), El Paso, Tennessee Jed, Next Time You See Me, Dark Star > Drums > Dark Star > Sugar Magnolia > Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks) > Truckin', Uncle John's Band

As always, my personal highlights are bolded.

Built in 1966, the ultra-modern ambiance of Grote Zaal de Doelen contrast
the majesty of Concertgebouw or Musikhalle, played in over the fortnight.

Off in Rotterdam, the Dead kept on rockin'! As Blair Jackson writes in the liner notes, "All you really need to know about this Rotterdam concert is that it was former Grateful Dead vault-keeper Dick Latvala's favorite show from the Europe '72 tour." True, but as you know by now, I've got plenty more descriptive words for the music! The hall holds about 2200 people, and it was rebuilt in 1966 after the original hall was destroyed in WWII. In 1966, it was a picture of modernity, and on May 11, 1972, the Dead turned it into a space-ship dance hall with a performance for the ages.

The "Playin'" opener sets the bar high for the first set with some intense, dark jamming. Jerry seems like a man possessed in parts, and the rest of the band is right there with him. The whole first set is quite good, but the band really hits their stride during "China" > "Rider." The jam out of "China Cat" is vibrant and light, and the transition's got all the energy you could ask for. "Rider" feels a bit laid-back, bringing the pairing to a poppin' close. They follow it with a textbook version of "It Hurts Me Too" in which Pigpen delivers the lyrics perfectly, and Jerry's slide guitar is subtle and accurate. "Good Lovin'" is the best part of the set to me, and again it's unique and delightful. Early on the jam has a swampy feel to it, but Jerry's guitar tone is crisp and clean - a very nice juxtaposition! Pigpen also brings his own cognitive dissonance, singing his raunchy hallway rap with a clam, melodic voice. I'll bet you can't guess what song they decided to close the first set with....

Not sure if this one's from Europe, but at least we know that's Jerry and Bobby playing the guitars!!

The second set starts with the first "Morning Dew" of the tour,* and you know the Morning Brewer is excited about that!!! This is one of my top-3 favorite songs the Dead played, and it's sweet but imperfect. Garcia stumbles on the vocal at the end, but overall it's stupendous. I'll take as many versions of this song as I can get my ears on!! It's followed by a very fast rendition of "Me & My Uncle" that rocks hard with great contributions from Keith and Billy. "The Stranger" follows, and Pigpen delivers. To me this version is quite different from the one from Frankfurt, with the band following Pigpen's lead in sounding more forceful than lamenting. He starts with what almost sounds like a lilt to his voice, and while Jerry doesn't push the feedback envelope quite so hard as Frankfurt, he certainly takes it there. I can hear anger creep into Pigpen's voice during the "What is the secret?" verse and explode as he begs to "ride on them wings of love, one more time" and as he asks for some companionship at the tail end. Phil and Keith make excellent contributions on the climax, and all around it's a phenomenal rendition.

If Bickershaw's "Dark Star" was right out of 1969, Rotterdam's is all 1972!! The tempo is moderated a bit, and Jerry's tone is a bit more refined, with depth and clarity from the start. Phil challenges him early to take the jam deep - as Keith and Bobby seem to musically whisper, "Do it, do it" - but Jerry pulls up a bit and Phil responds with a new melodic theme, and they're off!! They rarely stray back to the theme of "Dark Star" in this one, but there's no question where this jam originated. Jerry flirts with terror with his tone, but overall the first jam is very melodic, with Jerry and Phil periodically referring to Phil's first idea as a secondary point of reference. The interesting melodic avenues they explore exemplify the era. Almost as soon as they come back to the "Dark Star" theme, Billy takes over and plays an interesting, though measured solo that runs on the longer side for the tour. Phil joins him for a duet that we'll hear plenty of through 1973, but when Jerry steps back into the conversation it's back to business, flirting with the edges of "Dark Star" proper. Jerry's thick tone gives an air of dangerous vulnerability, and the band coalesces around a momentary eruption before Jerry steps up for the first verse about 25 minutes from the beginning of the song. Did I mention this is the longest version of "Dark Star" on the books?

From the same show as the shot above.
Let's pretend they're both from Rotterdam.

After the vocals, they're ready for a spacey jam that pushes away structure and embraces haunting tones and rhythms. At one point, Bobby asserts himself like a dagger in a dark alley, waking up Billy and sending the entire jam on a frantic chase through the canyon between dissonance and melody. The band reaches the plateau, frantically trying to keep up with Phil and Billy. The jam from here on out is a serious of suggestions for the next song coming from all corners, mixed with intense jams both fast and slow. Please excuse me if the rest of this paragraph reads like a beer (or wine) review, but listening to it is as fascinating as drinking a Within the next two-and-a-half minutes, I hear different instrumental voices suggesting "Sugar Magnolia," "I Know You Rider," "GDTRFB," "Lovelight," "Playin'," "Bird Song," and "Caution." Phil bounces along, sticking with the up-tempo jam, and Pigpen's organ plugs along as a they sink into a new melody where Jerry's tone and quick playing remind me of "El Paso.," but he quickly takes it on a dangerous run down to the precipice. Soon, the rugged, rhythmic playing sounds like they're about to return to "Caution," but Phil pulls up. Jerry's guitar screams his disapproval, and they seem ready to turn full-on into "Truckin'," but Phil won't let the jam go!! More suggestions of "Wharf Rat," "Bird Song," "Comes a Time," maybe even "The Other One" (but that's probably a reach). No one can deny Bobby's loping introductory chords to "Sugar Magnolia," though, and we're finally out of "Dark Star!!"

"Sugar Mags" is fantastic, with Jerry rocking some clean tone that screams during the exceptional climax. Before long, they've come back to "Caution" with that thumping, charged rhythm. Just to mix up the intro a bit, Jerry finds a pleasant space to tease the melody from "There's a place in France..." (or something equally silly). By the time Pigpen works through the vocals, Jerry hints at "The Other One," but Pigpen jumps into a new rap, turning Jerry back to the blues (though still in the Other rhythm). We're then treated to a message from Pigpen's inner wandering workingman:

I got so many chil'n I don't know what to do.
I did a good job on my old lady
Man I don't know about you.
But if you need it, get movin',
If you need it, get movin'.

A few more hints of "The Other One," but the jam signals that "Caution" is here to stay. And it's a classic: funky and bluesy with a hard, hitting beat. Before long, Pigpen is back at his organ, painting shades in the sonic landscape. Billy breaks it down as the guitars and piano go quiet, and Pigpen steps back up to the mic.  The band swells behind his wanderings, and after a bit Pigpen proclaims, "Expeditionary, folks, it's on a four-day creep." After some more "Caution" jamming, they turn the corner for the final performance of "Who Do You Love?" Just as short and nasty as Copenhagen! The jam returns to "Caution," but it's short-lived.

From there, however, they're off to the land of "Truckin'." Bobby's voice sounds fatigued, but the band is energetically bounding around the room, with great contributions from Pigpen on the organ. The jam is excellent, but it ends rather abruptly. But can we blame them? They've been jamming hard for 82 minutes straight!! They seem to know they won't make it back to the stage for an encore, so they just jump right into "Uncle John's Band" to extend the show and say farewell. Incredible!!

Worth mentioning:

• This is easily the fastest version of "Mr. Charlie" I've ever heard, and I like it!!
• "Deal" on the other hand is quite slow, but it's still really well played.
• I would have talked about the "Brown-Eyed Women" in the show review, but Jerry flubbed the opening lyric. Too bad because otherwise it's perfect.
• Great versions of "Jack Straw" and "Big Railroad Blues," too. Nice vocals, very good guitar licks, especially on the latter.
• I could say everything I said for "Me & My Uncle" (played hard and fast) in describing "El Paso." I've got to tip the cap to Jerry in particular here, though Keith and Billy are excellent, as well.

Song of the Day: "Morning Dew"

The Dead's rendition of "Morning Dew" appeared on their eponomously named debut album, played far faster than the version from Rotterdam. Mostly, the Dead's arrangement has focused on Jerry's vocal delivery and the slow, steady theme erupting into a mad crescendo towards the end. As noted above, this is one of my favorite tunes the Dead played, and my absolute favorite versions from their respective eras are from Barton Hall 5/8/77, MSG 9/18/87, and Harpur College 5/2/70.

The song was written by Canadian folkie Bonnie Dobson in 1961, after a particularly moving late-night conversation she had with friends in L.A. about nuclear war. She describesthe story like this to Blair Jackson in a letter for her book Goin' Down the Road : "It took the form of a conversation between the last man and woman - postapocolypse - one trying to comfort the other while knowing there's absolutely nothing left." A critic described its first public performance as "a mournful dirge," but it was recorded numerous times before the Dead sunk their axes in it.

The resulting turns of phrase - about a baby that can't be crying, the people who are all gone, a young man mourning, and of course an impossible walk through the morning dew - contrast some of the most intense images of human life with the impossibility of their continued existence. In some of the Dead's versions you can hear Jerry's voice crack with the strain of emotion, but the way he fans the strings of his guitar as the climax builds into an unfathomable explosion is what sets this one apart from all the other Jerry ballads.

Dobson made this additional note of the Grateful Dead's version:

I always like the Dead's version of "Morning Dew." My one regret is that when they first appeared in Toronto - was it in 1967 or 1968 at the O'Keefe Centre? - they didn't sing "Morning Dew" in the concert I attended. I also regret that i was too shy to go backstage and meet them.

Don't we all.... But at least you can claim credit for the genesis of this stirring and incredible piece of songwriting. We Deadheads thank you!

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Alternate Topic

I haven't been able to follow baseball very closely due to work and travel, but I've been trying to catch up a bit after hearing of all the craziness this past week or so. Before I do a quick rundown, though, I need to say that for the first time since I moved to Philly, I now expect the Phillies to give up late leads to lose ballgames. I know this has been a standard Philly thing for much of the lives of most of the city's residents, but it's a first for me. Do I wish I hadn't expected them to win 93 games? Of  course, but that comes with the territory of making preseason predictions! That being said, I think they'll be getting Chase Utley back in the foreseeable future, they'll pull it together enough to be in the conversation down the stretch. How prominently they feature in that conversation is another story. With that, play ball!!

• After pitching 10 scoreless innings the week of my last baseball rundown, Cliff Lee went on the disabled list with a strained oblique. He's back and pitched well against New York the other night. But the bullpen gave it up, just as I expected!
• Cole Hamels knows better now, but just in case any readers didn't, here it is in black-and-white: Pitchers throwing at batters is acceptable, but there has to be a reason. It doesn't have to be a good reason, you just have to think it's a good idea. That means you'd better be ready to throw down, or suffer other consequences (good for you Bryce Harper, way to learn from your mistakes). If the pitchers' obvious the umps will give you a warning before they do anything, but try not to make it obvious. So unless you already got tossed/suspended you never say you wanted to "welcome him to the league." Your just asking for a suspension.
• Two no-hitters again this year?!?! Surprising, but I had no idea how rare Josh Hamilton's 4-HR game was. More rare than a perfect game!! Josh Hamilton is as good as it gets, folks.
• Elvis Andrus was on base for each of Hamilton's homers. That's why it's ok to take a strike; unless you're Josh Hamilton, it's easier to score from one of the bags.
• The same day as Jared Weaver's no-no, AJ Bernett posted an absolute stinker when he threw 72 pitches to retire just 8 batters, earning him the following line: 2 2/3 IP, 12 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR. OUCH!
• Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis didn't do much at the bat to support his pitchers with his bat (4 Ks and a double play) over 17 long innings, but his two innings of scoreless baseball to earn the win is a feat!! (Even if it was the first time in over a century a position player from each team ended up with the decision.)
• Baltimore is 7.5 games up on Boston in the first half of March?!?! Is Jim Palmer pitching?
• Congrats for Jamie Moyer for getting his first hit as the oldest-dude-ever-to-be-able-to-pick-up-a-baseball.
• It's still early out West in the NL, but those Dodgers are playing good baseball. And Clayton Kershaw can pitch!
• Angels 7 games behind the Rangers? Wow!! And you thought Pujols's contract looked big over the winter!!
• Pujols went 31 games in without hitting a home run after hitting 3 HRs in a game. The last to go so long was the immortal Roberto Clemente in 1969, and he ended up going 49 games before his next bomb. 
• First the Marlins started spending big money on free agents. Now Nats are in first and the Mets have won 5 in a row coming off bringing their brooms to Philly. It's a new day in the NL East!

- Morning Brewer

PS (Pairing Suggestion): 

I had been planning to pair this show with the fantastic Belgian/French style, the Grand Crü, but I came across a fascinating article today about the beers of Rotterdam during the German occupation. That being said, the "Dark Star" from this show inspires me to feature a dark beer, so please read on. For the commentor who had suggested the funky brew from Rodenbach, don't despair! I will be featuring the Grand Crü shortly, as I've been drinking a few examples by way of research.

An article by Ron Pattison (beer historian and Rotterdam resident) in the most recent issue (#64) of the print magazine of Beer Advocate chronicles the "Dark Days for Rotterdam," when Holland was under German occupation. Serious restrictions on grain drastically decreased the potency of beer, and brewers insisted upon retailers serving only the unpopular dark lager (instead of pilsner and light lager) one day of the week. Pattison puts the crisis in perspective:

Dark days? I'd have thought having the city center blown to buggery was slightly worse than having to drink Dark Lager one day a week. [Note (from Pattison): I'm not sure how to translate "eenheidsbier" - "standard beer," perhaps. Literally, it means "unity beer."]

However, many people live their lives through beer, so dark days indeed.


Which brings me to the beer.... There are several varieties of dark lager, but they're all significantly dark with varying levels of roasty, chocolatey, and nutty flavors.

• The American versions tend toward the medium-bodied side and range from dark brown and mild (Shiner Bock) to dark and roasty (Dixie Blackened Voodoo) to strong and hoppy (Seventeen).
• The Munich Dunkel version features the bready and caramel-icious flavors of Munich malts, giving authentic versions (Ayinger, Paulaner, or Hoffbräu) more heft than their American counterparts above. However, Americans have made excellent examples, though they're hard to find (Gordon Biersch or the oak-aged version from Harpoon are worth a try).
• The Bavarian Schwartzbier is very dark (though rarely jet black) and typically has a moderate roasty flavor that is not prominent. It's body and dryness is reminiscent of a pilsner, but the color is darker than the Munich Dunkel version. Authentic versions from Bavaria (Köstritzer, Mönchschoff, or Einbecker) are relatively easy to track down, but American versions (Sam Adams, Black Radish and Sprecher Black) are a bit easier to find.

These are all easy-drinking beers, so pair this show and a dark lager with some delicious mussels and crusty French bread to dip in the broth.

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* In fact, the last time the Dead played "Morning Dew" was nine months prior on 8/6/71 at the Hollywood Palladium, the night of the incredible "Hard to Handle." That would also make this Keith's first performance of the song, as he made his GDebut on 10/19/71 at Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota.

4/8/72 Wembley: Cumberland, Coal, & the Union

When: Saturday, April 8, 1972
Where: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England
Setlist: (In order of the released CDs, can't find the AUD for a stream, but I found a link to Playin'. This show is widely distributed, but it's definitely one of the top shows of the tour, for sale here)

1. Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Deal, Black-Throated Wind, Next Time You See Me, Cumberland Blues^, Yellow Dog Story, Brown-Eyed Women, Beat It On Down The Line, Tennessee Jed, Playing In The Band, Good Lovin', Looks Like Rain, Casey Jones
2. Truckin', Big Railroad Blues, Hurts Me Too, Dark Star > Sugar Magnolia > Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks)  E: One More Satuday Night

As always, personal highlights are in bold.
^ Appears on Europe '72

The Dead at Wembley, 4/8/72. Whudduya think: Hurts Me Too, Good Lovin', or Caution?  David Botterell.

Certainly not the most outstanding show of the tour overall, but this one certainly delivers where it counts: deep in the second set. (The first set has its moments, but my personal highlights - "Playin" and "Good Lovin'" aside - have as much to do with my own song preferences as they do with the performances.) The epic "Dark Star">"Sugar Mags">"Caution" is a Deadhead's delight.


For those of you not familiar with "Dark Star," it's the Dead's quintessential jam platform structured between two sparse, ethereal verses that invite exploration. (Deadheads: I'll do a more in-depth analysis in a later post.) This version* clocks in just over 32 minutes in length, but it wastes no time getting to the goods, with instrumental interplay across the board that changes gears seamlessly - from up-tempo melodies to rhythmic interludes to dark, spacey sections - all in the first six minutes! From there, the band drops into deep space with plenty of feedback and arhythmic exploration before emerging into another up-tempo, melodic jam about 15 minutes into the track. Towards the end, they attain true TRIUMPH with a nascent "Mind Left Body Jam" that hints at "St. Stephen." For a while, it sounds like a musical debate on what to play next, eventually (and beautifully) the melody gives way to "Sugar Magnolia."


Some may think that signals the end of the set, but Phil has other ideas. Billy and Jerry quickly join in, calling Pigpen out with that unforgettable, thumping rhythm to do a raucus version of "Caution," the first in nearly a year-and-a-half (11/6/70 late show, Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY). It has the primal, psychedelic energy of early versions, with a certain maturity and measure that comes to typify Pigpen's contribution to this tour. The performance leaves me emotionally and psychically exhausted. Who wants to rock a "Saturday Night" encore?

Jerry Garcia seems to be enjoying himself. Ok, this one's
from 4/7/72, but still a cool shot. David Botterell.

Worth mentioning:

• "Bertha" is hot! Now that's what an opener is supposed to sound like.
• After "BIODTL," Phil thanks the people in the balcony with the sparklers for "bringing some light into our lives." God Bless Phil Lesh!
• The "Playin'" is a treat, better than the previous night.
• "Good Lovin'" is fast and furious - Pigpen is ready to rock! The breakdown is scorching, nimble, and (somehow) patient. Pig certainly conveys his excitement by "her evil, lovin' ways." You know, because "I'd do it for you." 
• Jerry on pedal steel guitar for the "Looks Like Rain?" Sublime. There are certainly better version, especially from '77, but that instrument captures the sorrowful, weeping tone of that song like none other. It makes me wish Jerry had stayed with it, at least for that song.
• Oh, and Bobby's Yellow Dog Story!!!! Miraculously, this is the first version I've ever heard (does this mean I wasted my youth?). While not all that funny, it does take up just enough time to change a string! For those who (like me) have only heard tell of it, check out this version from Honolulu 1970.

Song of the Day: "Cumberland Blues"

This song is Robert Hunter's tribute to the coal miners of Appalachia, struggling to make ends meet as the Boss grinds every hour and every ounce of life out of them for that solid black gold (see annotated lyrics). Like their namesake in England, it seems like nearly every Cumberland County in America (IL, KY, NC, PA, MD, TN, VA, even in British Columbia... but not NJ & ME) is in a coal-producing area. Clearly, this song is American and borrows from many of Hunter's prominent Americana themes - working men (and the women they love), hard times, and impending death.


While other Hunter songs deal with the plight of the working man ("Easy Wind"** and "Black Peter" come directly to mind), this one is unique in that it deals explicitly with organized labor and the issues workers organize to address. The narrator is thankful for his five-dollar daily wage, but if he "Made any more I might move away." Instead he's struggling to find enough shifts to get there ("'Can I go buddy / can I go down / Take your shift at the mine?'") as he neglects the woman he loves, to the point he considers leaving her so he can continue to work:

You keep me up just one more night
I can't sleep here no more
Little Ben clock says quarter to eight
You kept me up till four

And of course, he understand that all his work is nothing without his union: "Lotta poor man got to walk the line / Just to pay his union dues." While not as dark as "Black Peter," one of the recurring phrases in "Cumberland Blues" is "going down" - literally into the mine but also figuratively into the grave of the working class.


"Cumberland Blues" also lends its name to a well-crafted musical production written by Michael Norman Mann, who spins a story of rural working American characters from Garcia/Hunter songs including "Dire Wolf," "Black Peter," "Friend of the Devil," "Bertha," "Candyman," and others. My parents were patient enough to bring me to see it in 1998 (I think) in San Jose, and while it was wildly enjoyable to me, I would guess it was not quite as captivating for non-Deadheads. If you're curious, you can check out the play's website, a review (in addition to those found on the site), or if you're really curious, purchase a copy of the script.

*     *     *     *     *

History Lesson: Industrial Unionism in the Age of Steel

As the plight of the narrator in "Cumberland Blues" exemplifies, the working (wo)man alone has no real voice in his or her work life without the collective power of a union. It's important (and almost cliché***) to recognize that the labor movement has made once-wild notions such as the eight-hour day, the weekend, the minimum wage, and workplace safety laws and regulations the norm today. Still, the lack of legal protection for people at work can be shocking to those who assume our basic Constitutional rights in society transfer into the workplace.

Steel became the lifeblood of American industry after the Civil War as sky-scrapers, factories, and railroads became the lingua franca of progress and prosperity. Steels raw ingredients – iron, coke, and coal – all must be dug from the ground, and the work was (and remains) tireless, dangerous, and none too enriching for those doing the work. Against long odds, the mine workers formed the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and by 1920 their president was John L. Lewis.

Using the strategy of industrial unionism, Lewis and the UMWA organize across the steel industry (mines, railroads, and mills) and across social barriers of race, creed, and language. The UMWA - along with its allies in the garment industry - formed the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in 1935, which became so powerful that the member unions were expelled from the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1938.**** In the process, Lewis had become one of the most powerful figures in America, directly influencing US Steel's production goals, distribution chains, and as a result, market prices and of course wages. He was America's first macro-economist with his hands on the levers of the steel industry, the most important manufactured product at the time.***** Additionally, Lewis backed Franklin Roosevelt's initial run for the presidency and was instrumental in crafting New Deal policies and legislation like the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, among others, providing a moderate level of legal protections for the average worker in America. 


However, as union density and power have diminished since the Grateful Dead were touring across Europe in 1972 (and even decades before), the laws and regulation that protect the basic economic and physical health of working people have eroded in the name of free enterprise and increasingly unrestrained corporate power. The Sago Mine Disaster and others (these from West Virginia alone) remind us that coal mining remains one of the ten most dangerous jobs an American can hold. 


As energy companies have eroded the legal protections of workers and their unions, so have they been able to roll back oversight and regulation on the public safety front. Energy-producing communities are facing increased environmental degradations as industry moves towards more intrusive extraction techniques like mountain top removal and fracking. The environmental and labor movements (as well as other populist movements) have had their differences, and I believe that bridging the divide around common issues like these will be critical in reigning in the power of corporate interests in the name of the public interest.

A few non-labor places to look for information on these issues:

• Keep updated on mine safety, coal power, industry regulation, and mountaintop removal topics on the Charleston Gazette's blog Coal Tattoo.
• The Rainforest Action Network's energy campaigns do great work at the intersection of energy policy, the environment, and the Wall Street interests protecting the status quo.
• For grassroots education and organizing around these issues (as well as some badass artwork!), check out the Beehive Design Collective.

Happy Easter, and a Belated Happy Passover,
- Morning Brewer

PS (Pairing Suggestion): 

The intricate jamming "Dark Star" and full-power/24-hour "Caution" make me crave a high-octane yet delicate Belgian brew. Nothing as hallowed as a Trappist (save that for sometime in May, maybe?), but something that stands up to the moment, you know? It's available most everywhere, so check out the St. Bernardus Abt 12. But be careful, this one's a banger, clocking in at 10% ABV and often coming in a 750 ml bottle. The style is Belgian dark strong ale - also known as an abbey quadrupel. I recommend you find a friend or two, dance your asses of to the "Good Lovin'" from 4/8/72, and plop yourselves down with a bowl of neapolitan ice cream (with a cherry on top) to enjoy this beer with the "Dark Star."


---------------------------------


* As John Dwork (a dude who certainly knows what he's talking about) puts in the first volume of the Deadhead's Taping Compendium, "For a short while, from April through November '72, the Dead gained access to a musical space - or, more accurately, transcended to a level of musical consciousness - that was deeper, more complex, more evolved, more articulate, more powerful than any other that 'spoke through them' before or afterward.... The 'Dark Star' from 4/8/72 represents one very clear pinnacle in this short, brilliant epoch." He goes on (and on) to describe it as an "exploration of beauty and nirvana," the yang to the "terror" of the Veneta 8/27/72 version's yin. (p 371-2) I couldn't have said it better myself, Johnny, and BTW thanks for hosting us all at Horning's in '99 - Dewdrop was an inspiration!
** I wish the Dead played this one in Europe, if only to explore how 40 years of hindsight could change the cultural interpretation of the line, "'Cause I'm a stone jack baller and my heart is true / And I give everything that I got to you, yes I will."
*** Before we dismiss them, we must understand that all clichés began as groundbreaking - even revolutionary - ideas that dared to question and transcend convention. These ideas are admiringly emulated to the point that they become convention. Next time you feel like rolling your eyes to a cliché, try to imagine a world where that very idea is revolutionary.
**** The CIO's willingness to organize across lines of race, religion, and class (laborers vs. craftsmen) was distasteful to the old guard of the AFL, the affiliates of which were almost exclusively craft unions.
***** If you're interested in reading more about John Lewis's influence on the labor movement and the steel industry (as well as the struggle for union democracy over the past 40 years), I recommend Thomas Geoghegan's Which Side Are You On?.