5/24/72 Strand Lyceum: "Sugar Magnolia," MLB, and the ESB

When: Wednesday, May 24, 1972
Where: Lyceum Theatre, London, England

Setlist: (In order of the released CDs, stream the show from dead.net here)

1. Cold Rain & Snow, Beat It On Down The Line, Mr. Charlie, Deal, Me & My Uncle, Hurts Me Too^, Dire Wolf, Black-Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Playing In The Band, You Win Again^, Jack Straw, Casey Jones
2. Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu, Mexicali Blues, Black Peter, Truckin' > Drums > The Other One > Sing Me Back Home > Sugar Magnolia > Turn On Your Lovelight > The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion)  E: One More Saturday Night

As always, my personal highlights are bolded.
^ Appears on Europe '72; final version of "Hurts Me Too" and final Pigpen performance of "Lovelight"

Is that a fish-lens effect, or is it the Dead?

Stellar recordings of this blistering show have been in wide circulation for many years, making it a Europe favorite of many Deadheads.* The performance is above average from start to finish, reaching incredible heights at times. Truly a show for the ages! In the liner notes, we learn from attendee Chris Jones that in 1972 the Lyceum was a ballroom, not the theatre arrangement we see in the photo to the left. He also reminds me that the New Riders of the Purple Sage opened these shows

The "Cold Rain & Snow" (just the second on the tour) that opens the show as a rarity, is very well played, with stellar lead play and vocals from Jerry. We're clearly off to a special start tonight, folks!! A few songs later, "Me & My Uncle" scorches from start to finish, with great drums, bass, guitars, and piano. Yes, that's everyone. This is yet another fantastic version of "Playin'" that stretches a bit longer than most on the tour. The jamming is excellent and weird throughout, and you can tell we're in for a treat for set two!

And what a treat it is! The "Rockin' Pneumonia" that opens the second set is very good and a bit smoother than the one the previous night. It's great to hear the band having so much fun up there!! The "Black Peter that follows is the first for the tour (and first for the whole year, in fact), and it is incredible. This Jerry ballad that has really grown on me over the years for its lyrical strength, and I wish I could have featured it in Song of the Day. It's a story of a coal miner dying of black lung disease, and there is wisdom in the koan-like lines, "It seems like everything, leads up to this day / And it's just like every other day, that's ever been." Well, this version is a magnificent, stand-alone performance that really shakes the soul, another example of the Dead taking advantage of their Lyceum residency to explore some songs they haven't played much (if at all) on the tour so far.

The rest of the set is absolutely epic. "Truckin'" is a hot start, even with a flubbed lyric from Bobby, and the jam is as they all are on this tour - stellar!! We're then treated to one of Billy's best solos of the tour, which Phil caps off by ripping the roll into "The Other One." What this segue lacks in tone and delivery, it makes up for in volume!! The jam that follows is everything you want from "The Other One," pure energy and chaos!! The spacey section in the second half features one of the most remarkable guitar screams I've ever heard from Garcia, fanning away at the strings while toeing the wah to create a blood-curdling effect. Amazing!! I'm not going to get into too much detail, but this is one of the finest jams of the tour, and that's saying a lot!! They cap it off with another spectacular version of "Sing Me Back Home," making me wonder what ever happened to this song after 1972? It's moving and interesting, and it fits the death-ballad spot that tends to cap off these epic jams to complete the psychedelic life cycle.

The "Sugar Mags" is a great rockin' version, well worth a listen - and not just for bridging the gap to the Pigpen portion of the set. And what a healthy portion it is!! Diving right into a raging "Lovelight" gets it off to a great start, with Phil and Jerry dueling and Bobby doing a great job keeping up with the extremely rapid pace. Pigpen finds some new and interesting raps ("I know you got it, I've been in your door before," "You took your love, and you left my door," etc.) we're also treated to a very brief "Caution" tease with an ominous howl of "All you need...." It's just a tease, and Pig and the band all finish the song strongly, falling directly into a particularly measured version of "The Stranger." Pigpen provides some of his own accompaniment with a soulful whirring of the organ to go with his sorrowful vocal delivery. Jerry's solo is less angry screaming than pensive and sad on this night, but it nails the whole feel of the song. It's amazing how varied the delivery of this song was considering how few versions we have to enjoy. Pigpen gets all worked up into an angry, howling mess in the final vocals. What a fantastic song to close out a fantastic set!!


Worth mentioning:

• "BIODTL" is a bit on the slow side, but very well played.
• Another fantastic "Mr. Charlie," get it while you can. So sad that there are so few left....
• "Deal" is a played in measured tempo, and you can tell from the vocals that Jerry is totally dialed in tonight!! According to Bobby, this rendition is "respectfully dedicated to the memory of Reverend Gary Davis," the legendary bluesman who died several weeks before. Davis was born in 1896 in South Carolina and lost his sight as an infant. Singing and playing ragtime, blues, and gospel songs, he developed a finger-picking guitar style that was hugely influential on American music, including the Grateful Dead. He died on May 5th in Hammonton, New Jersey at the age of 76.
• Seeing as this is the "Hurts Me Too" from the record, it's a highlight. Same goes for "You Win Again."
• I can't remember where, but I think there was a "White Rabbit" tease somewhere in the first set.
• This is a very hot version of "Mexicali Blues," but again I don't want to highlight an entire set. Short straw, sorry.
• Following "Black Peter" there is a well-formed "Beer Barrel Polka" tuning that Jerry tries to segue directly into "Truckin'." Unfortunately, the rest of the band doesn't jump on it with him.
• Bobby dedicates the "Saturday Night" encore to "the key of C." What a showstopper, can't wait for tomorrow night!!

Song of the Day: "Sugar Magnolia"

This classic rock song became a show-stopper and Deadhead euphemism for "the woman of my dreams." It's a simple, adoring lyric is filled with blooming blossoms, color, sunlight, and a river. The opening chords are as characteristic as the opening notes of "Truckin'" (both appeared on American Beauty), but this one came to signal the last chance to really shake your tail feathers before the end of the night.

David Dodd points out in the annotations that this song is deeply rooted in American music, not surprisingly for a Hunter classic. The magnolia tree is native to the Americas (and Asia), showcasing fragrant white and purple/pink flowers signalling the beginning of spring. I first came to admire them while living in New Orleans (there was one in the lot behind my apartment), and here in Philly one of my favorite spring gardens features several magnificent trees. The opening verse, much like "Playin'" and other care-free songs of this era, celebrates the pleasures of a careless life:

Sugar Magnolia blossom's blooming
Head's all empty and I don't care
Saw my baby down by the river
Knew she'd have to come up soon for air

From there, the narrator takes us under the willow, where he begs his lover, "We can have high times if you'll abide." Ladies and gentlemen, that is how you "discover the wonders of nature." The annotations make comparison to the nymph-like creature Goldberry from J.R.R. Tolkien's epic trilogy, particularly for the "rolling in the rushes" line at the end of the second verse.

The woman who is the subject of this song fills all the narrator's needs, desires and wishes, by driving when he's too blitzed to see straight, paying his speeding tickets,** diligently waiting backstage, and dancing the zydeco. But it's the sensory descriptors that paint an emotional sketch that is as much about the feeling behind the love as it is about the person so cherished.

In Phil Lesh's autobiography Searching for the Sound, he describes that Bobby adding the line "jumps like a Willys in four-wheel drive" was the last straw for Hunter's songwriting partnership with him. When i first heard the song, I was always puzzled by that line until my mom explained it's basically a Jeep.

The finale of the song is "Sunshine Daydream," little more than a refrain of supplication that the band played with over the years. At first, it was played straight, but by the mid-'70s each line was preceded by a single beat before jumping into the final rage. As Dodd explains in his published version of the annotations,

The space between these parts ["Sugar Mags" and "Sunshine Daydream"] could be as brief as the space of several beats; could frame a set, as in the closing of Winterland [on 12/31/78]; or could be as long as a week, the case of the performance occurring in the week of Bill Graham's death, on October 25, 1991, when "Sunshine Daydream" came during the Polo Field concert in Golden Gate Park a week after the band opened a show with  "Sugar Magnolia" (Graham's favorite Grateful Dead song) at the Oalkand Coliseum Arena.

However they were arranged, the two are clearly born of the same kernel of inspiration. Hearing them, while at times a bit wearisome, never fails to bring a smile to my face, even on the toughest of days.

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One More Trip Around the Bases

I know I did a sports post yesterday, but I want to get one more baseball post in before the tour ends.

• I was watching MLB network late on the night of 5/18, the night Justin Verlander got 25 outs without surrendering a hit. He had called into the broadcast earlier, and I caught the replay of his phenomenal interview. The retired players asked him to walk them through specific at-bats (including the one that resulted in a hit), and it was incredible to hear his thought process and his reflections on execution. He described how he got one slider to break at 50 feet ("a 50-footer"), and the next pitch - also a slider - was a 55-footer. What incredible control to be able to execute those similar but subtly distinct pitches, and what a nightmare to try to hit either of those pitches, let alone back-to-back. Doc Halladay - another master pitcher at the height of his powers - doesn't talk in such detail (though I'm sure he's thinking the same thing), and it goes to show what a special modern, professional athlete Verlander is. When asked when he started thinking he had a chance for another no-no, he interrupted the question to interject, "The third inning." WOW!! That dude's got brass... and brash! On top of all that, he said he had started to get a blister on his finger after his last start, so he changed his grib a bit. I guess it worked!! No one is supposed to mention the possibility of a no-no when it's working, but apparently Verlander can tell you all about it once it's through!!! Two more outs without a hit, and Verlander would have joined a very small club (of six) of pitchers to throw at least three no-hitters in a career. Hats off to you, JV! After watching those highlights and listening to his thoughts, I think he's got at least one left in that unbelievable right arm....
• The Phillies were starting to put it together, winning six straight recently behind major contributions from Cole Hamels and surprisingly Joe Blanton. However, it turns out they were just playing the Padres, the Astros, and the Cubs. The Nationals have their number, taking six of their last eight games.
• Long-suffering Cliff Lee has a jaw-dropping 0.76 WHIP and an 0-1 record to show for it. No worries, Cliff, we know you're killing it!
• Phillies catcher Carlos "Chooch"* Ruiz has been raking, hitting right around .348, moving up from hitting seventh to sixth, arriving at fifth on 5/14. In his first four games in the five-hole, he was 10-for-15 with 7 RBI and 5 runs. Not bad for a defensive catcher. (Of course, he went hitless until they moved him to the 4-hole last night, when he went 3-for-4.)
• When it became clear that Chase Utley was going to miss a chunk of time for the Phillies, the concern was whether Freddy Galvis could hit well enough to not sink the team. He's only hitting .235 overall, but in May he's hitting a serviceable .279 with2 HR, 12 RBI and slugging .810. Pretty good for a defensive rookie who's not quite ready for the bigs!!
• The defending world-champion Cardinals were killing it for a stretch, but after slowing down a bit they're looking mortal. Good thing, because when you lose your best player to free agency and one of your top pitchers to injury you should really struggle a bit. Good team, though; keep an eye on them!
• I see the NL Central coming down to a dogfight between the Reds and the Cardinals. Both teams are built to win now and playing solid baseball.
• Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman is pitching phenomenally. He breaks the 100-MPH barrier regularly, but the really impressive thing is the movement he milks out of it. They're handling him with kid gloves, pitching once or twice a week, but he's got the goods, folks.
• Speaking of coming down to earth, Matt Kemp slowed before heading to the DL for a bit, and the Dodgers slowed with him. That's why you build a big lead, especially in a winnable division. Don't freak out yet, Giants fans; it's early, yet.
• The AL East looks upside-down, with the Orioles and Rays at the top and the Red Sox and Yankees at the bottom. Crazy....
• Despite captain Derek Jeter hitting like a younger version of himself, the Yankees are struggling big time. They lost 6-0 to the Royals earlier this week. Ouch!

- Morning Brewer

PS (Pairing Suggestion): 

Today's beer is the extra special bitter, or ESB, a stronger version of the typical London session ale, the bitter. In general it is a bit on the malty side with ample hops to balance the flavor, and because of it's strength (5-6% ABV or more), a bit of the alcohol flavor is commonly present. English versions will feature a toasty malt profile and an Anglo hop balance, often from Goldings or Fuggles hops. In geeky beerbars in the states, you will often find these ales served traditionally from casks that are hand-pumped or gravity poured from a "firkin" resting on the bar. Cask-conditioned ales are naturally carbonated by being sealed before fermentation is complete. As the yeast completes its charge, the carbon dioxide byproduct has nowhere to go but into solution as the pressure builds. This is an example of what English beer geeks call "real ale," as opposed to the commercial (or American) practice of forced-carbonating the beer with pressurized carbon dioxide gas. To experience a traditional English version, try one of these fantastic brews, either in the bottle or on cask: Fullers is the gold standard, Wells Bombardier and Hobgoblin are closely tied for second, and Young's Special London Ale is also quite special. Export versions you can find in the States are typically different from the traditional versions in England, which tend to be a bit stronger and more malty. When in England, be sure to sample a wide variety for comparison!!

American-brewed versions are about the same strength or stronger. The malt profile will commonly leave the toasty, English corner to venture towards the caramel end of the spectrum, and it's more common for these styles to utilize American hops like Cascade or the like, alone or in combination with English hops. Here are a few respectable examples produced in the U.S.: even though they are now owned by a mega-brewery, Redhook makes the version that first turned me onto the style***, but be sure to check out Sawtooth from Colorado's Left Hand Brewing Company and Boont from Anderson Valley Brewing in California. A big shout-out to southeast Pennsylvania's own Scarlet Lady from Stoudt's and the Extra Special Ale from Yards.


The ESB is today's pairing suggestion because it's one of London's typical styles, but it's also one of the fantastic brews that will be on tap for Saturday's party. I've conditioned the brew in the keg, but it'll be pushed through the tap and into your glass with carbon dioxide because I don't have a hand pump or a proper firkin. Pair this one withe BBQ baked beans we'll be serving at the party.


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* Interestingly, this show is missing from the Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Vol. 1, which I can only guess was an inadvertent error. Ouch!!!
** This line ("pays my ticket when I speed") is one of the most commonly mis-heard in all of Dead-dom, mistakenly understood by some as, "bakes my chicken when I sleep."
*** It was after a crazy week on tour with SCI, and after the last show I was double-fisting a Sierra Nevada Bigfoot barleywine and a Redhook ESB. The combination was sublime!!

5/23/72 Strand Lyceum: "NFA" > "GDTRFB" > "NFA," NBA Playoffs, & Dubbel

When: Tuesday, May 23, 1972
Where: Lyceum Theatre, London, England

Setlist: (In order of the released CDs, check out the stream on dead.net here)

1. Promised Land, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black-Throated Wind, Next Time You See Me, Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Me & My Uncle, Chinatown Shuffle, Big Railroad Blues, The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion), Playing In The Band, Sitting On Top Of The World, Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu^, Mexicali Blues, Good Lovin', Casey Jones
2. Ramble On Rose, Dark Star > Morning Dew, He's Gone, Sugar Magnolia > Comes A Time, Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away > Hey Bo Diddley > Not Fade Away  E: Uncle John's Band

As always, my personal highlights are bolded.
^ First time played.

It wasn't exactly the Lion King that came through the Lyceum in late-May, 1972.

As I noted in the tour opener, the Dead's initial venue to start the show - the Sunshine Theatre - closed its doors for financial reasons a few short weeks before they arrived in England. The Wembley shows were a poor replacement in a giant, partially filled, boomy room that once housed a swimming pool. The Lyceum shows were the real make-up for London, and what a treat it turned out to be. First of all, the historic theatre built in the heart of London during the 19th century was an intimate gem, much like many other venues that saw the Dead perform some of their best shows of the tour. Elegant inside and out, the current building is only the latest iteration of a London institution that was burned and rebuilt, housing such treasures as a Mozart performance, a chapel, Madame Toussade's first exhibition of waxworks, and even a circus.* Its central location just off London's famous Strand was also fitting, allowing the band to channel the energy of a bustling metropolis (and the hall's historic forebears) and filter it through their own lens.

Imagine these seats filled with English heads in 1972. Crazy, man... crazy.

Sam Cutler in the liner notes:

The Lyceum was exactly the right venue [for the Dead's "swan song for Europe"], and we had the perfect pleasure of doing four dates in a row, which would allow everyone in the band to settle in and produce some of their hottest music. The place was all gold leaf and crumbling wallpaper, and a somewhat shabby reflection of its glory days as a London theatre. The staff were in bow ties and maroon jackets, and it was run with British stiff-upper-lip military precision. It was just the kind of venue the Grateful Dead loved to descend upon, grinning from ear to ear, and reduce to a more relaxed form of chaos where everyone could have a California version of anarchic fun.

Dennis McNally, in the band's official band history Long Strange Trip, describes the entire entourage's awareness of the final run of shows as inspiring everyone to break out the Visine bottles and turn up the psychedelic energy for a mini-residency in London. In Living With the Dead, Rock Scully tells the (likely embellished) story of the red-coat-wearing ushers being dosed into oblivion each night, causing a new batch to be brought in for each show. Colorful and dubious in detail, we can get the picture of how electric the atmosphere must have been inside the 2500-seat theatre in the heart of London proper.

Now this version of "Promised Land" is more like it!! Fast and hot from start to finish, it starts the show off on a different foot from any other show on the tour and sets the tone for an out-of-the-ordinary setlist. As you'll see, there were many unusual songs performed at this show, evidenced by the fact that "Greatest" and "Bertha" are both absent. "Black-Throated Wind" holds a special place in my heart and memory, and I haven't drawn attention to the stellar versions played throughout this tour. Listen to this one for another stellar and succinct version of this great Bobby tune. "Me & My Uncle" is likely the hottest stand-alone version of this song performed on the tour, with scorching guitar leads from Jerry, swingin' drumming from Billy, and bouncing bass runs from Phil. Outstanding!! As always, "The Stranger" tugs at your heartstrings, and Pigpen really reels off the final vocals. The whole band really nails this version. Another fantastic version of "Playin'" follows (what more can you say at this point?), and then we're back into unfamiliar waters with "Sittin' on Top of the World." Like "Promised Land," this version is greatly improved over its tour debut, and with the entire band ripping through it with energy, speed, and precision. Next up is the band's debut performance of "Rockin' Pneumonia," which is exciting and fun but needs some work. Phil drops some classic polka bass on a fantastic version of "Mexicali Blues." Listening to this version the other day got me thinking about the meaning of the lines:

She took me up into her room, and whispered in my ear
"Go on, my friend, do anything you choose"
Now I'm paying for those happy hours I spent there in her arms
With a lifetime's worth of the Mexicali blues

This verse, along with "thinkin' and drinkin' are all I have today" made me think "Mexicali blues" may refer gonorrhea or some other STD. The idea doesn't necessarily hold for the final verses, when "He made me trade the gallows for the Mexicali blues," but it's an interesting thought nonetheless.


The "Dark Star" is everything you want from the song in 1972. The initial jam is melodic and fast, as the band finds new grooves and permutations of the theme to explore with fervor. They descend into a quick spacey jam that is cut short with a brief drum interlude. Phil joins Billy for quick, melodic drum-and-bass duet, and then it's off into deep space. Jerry plays wandering lines with that harsh yet clean tone, as Bobby, Keith, and Billy strive to find weirder and weirder ways to play the rhythm, ultimately settling on dissonance and chaos. Jerry finds some semblance of form coming out of the chaos, and Keith peppers his meandering notes with crashing piano chords. Billy swings like the rhythmic beast he is, and Phil helps steer the groove back to the light. Jerry takes some coaxing, but eventually they find release and re-emerge with the "Dark Star" theme, crisp and clear. However, it's clear this one traveled a long, arduous road to get back to the song. It must all seem trivial to Jerry, and he signals the dawn with the opening chord of "Morning Dew." What an epic way to end this sequence, with the gently building guitar lines eventually exploding into the crescendo and the nuclear ashes settling on the soundsphere. Ladies and gentlemen, we're not yet halfway through the first set!!


After a remarkably mature rendition of "He's Gone" (see below), we're treated to a wonderful version of "Sugar Magnolia." As if making up for a slow start, Grateful Dead monster rears its magnificent head at the end of the song; Jerry's chords scream with joy, Billy pounds out the groove, Keith chops it up on the piano, Phil unloads power-bombs, and of course Bobby must have shattered his vocal chords with his spine-tingling shrieks. But my favorite part of the set follows, with one of the most soulful renditions of "Comes A Time" I've ever heard. In the opening verse, Jerry's voice nearly cracks with emotion, and his guitar solo drips with painful emotion. Pigpen's subtle organ captures the solemnity of the song, adding an ambient shadow of misery. You can tell Jerry is trying to convince us all of something he doesn't quite believe himself when he sings, "Gotta make it somehow / On the dreams you still believe." Phil steps in with big bass that pushes the door open for Jerry's angry guitar to step through, as Pig's organ continues to whir in the background. The ending is almost hopeless. Incredible!

From there, the Dead waste no time jumping right into "GDTRFB" featuring excellent playing throughout, particularly during the gospel bridge and the energetic finale. The familiar rhythm of "NFA" emerges, and the band plays a nice introductory exploration. Before long, however, Jerry steers the melody towards the rare and exciting "Hey Bo Diddly," which he sings with gusto, and then it's back to "NFA." Bobby again rakes his vocal chords during the finale, and Jerry tries (with limited success) to get fancy with some of the final flourishes. For the encore they bounce into a singalong version of "Uncle John's Band" that, despite its noticeable flaws, leaves the crowd primed for not one, not two, but three more nights of this amazing band of psychedelic rangers!!


Worth mentioning:

•  It's a shame I didn't get to use "Promised Land" for a Song of the Day, but maybe someday. When I was about to move to Albuquerque, I remember finding new meaning in the line "I woke up high over Albuquerque on a trip to the promised land."
• This is probably my favorite version of "Mr. Charlie," as the whole band seems to bring the boogie-woogie rhythm to new heights. Pig's clearly feeling good for the extra rest before this show!
• This is the first time the Dead played "Rockin' Pneumonia," and you can tell they're having fun with it. Like many other FTPs on the tour, it's a bit rough and definitely unrefined. It's loose and exciting (and noteworthy) to be sure, but the performance is not a highlight for me.
• This is yet another scorching version of "Good Lovin'" in which Pigpen does a fine job on vocals (and organ in the beginning), but he lets Jerry and Phil steer the song through an incredibly nimble jam. I love the way Phil signals the end of the instrumental section with his fat bass chords, bringing it back to the familiar theme. Keith really caps it off with stellar rhythm work on the ivories.
• This version of "Casey Jones" cooks!! The closing rhythmic rampage leaves nothing to the imagination.
• "He's Gone" sure has grown up over the course of this tour! This version features energetic grooves  while still attaining an emotional stillness. It still has some growing to do, but the overall arc of the song is in place. Bobby, seemingly mocking the English reputation for propriety, explains the pause before the next song by saying, "We're being ever so careful to make sure that the intonation is painstakingly proper."

Song of the Day: "NFA" > "GDTRFB" > "NFA"

The version played for this show, like several on the tour, jumps in with the meandering theme from "GDTRFB," but the full combination was long a staple for the Dead that showcased their rhythmic facility, instrumental brilliance, and keen awareness of the need for soulful release within what would otherwise be an energetic free-for-all. The classic "Not Fade Away," of course, is a Buddy Holly original written with the help of his producer-manager Norman Petty in 1957. The genesis of this song had it played in that rockin', rhythmic style that made Buddy Holly so famous, and the lyrics seem sweet and almost innocent. It was transformed by the Rolling Stones into a fast, raunchy tour-de-sex with a grinding rhythm, catapulting them onto the American rock scene for their first of many appearances on the charts in 1964. The lyrics themselves are a simple love song, steeped in bravado ("I wanna tell you how it's gonna be / You're gonna give you love to me") and Americana ("My love is bigger than a Cadillac").

Particularly from 1967-1971 (and after 1974, the Dead's version was driven by the two drummers, pounding out a thick, heavy beat with the rest of the band surfing the melody over the wave of rhythmic energy. Garcia scorches on the lead guitar, and you can always count on Bobby to sing the lyrics with verve and volume. In the end, though, it's the drums that set the tone for the song, taking the inspiration of the most popular renditions to new heights. Even in 1972, with only Billy Kreutzman on the kit, the Dead managed to bring a depth to the rhythm that is missing in even the Stones' version, with stellar contributions from rhythm guitar, piano, and organ chugging away. I love Pigpen's organ whining emphasis behind Bobby's over-the-top vocals. And with all due respect to the immortal Keith Richards, Garcia cannot be matched on lead guitar. His tone, precision, and energy takes the melody to new and amazing places, with Phil Lesh's bass contributing mind-bending counterpoint unmatched in the world of rock 'n' roll.

Before the final verse, however, Jerry will typically veer off into the lead melody of the folk classic "Going Down the Road Felling Bad." This is a traditional song with deep roots. As we learn from Blair Jackson (via The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics):

This is one of those songs that have been popular in both black and white musical traditions for many decades, and with a number of titles. According to noted folk ad blues authority Dave Evans of Memphis State, the tune is of Negro origin, but it surfaced as an Appalachian Mountain tune in the twenties. It became a popular song among Okies during the Dust Bowl era (for obvious reasons), and as impoverished famers fled the Southwest, they took t he song with them to California's blossoming fruit orchards, the best farms of Michigan, Oregon's cherry orchards, and a hundred other points scattered around the land. As the song traveled, the verses changed frequently, so the Dead's ersion is most likely a hodgepodge of lyric ideas from all over.

They launch almost immediately into the vocals, with Jerry on the lead and Donna providing apt and soulful melody with her Nashville sound. Bobby highlights some of the vocal flourishes, but it's again Jerry's guitar that lifts the song to new and amazing heights. By the time he is fully into his solo, the rhythm has built beyond anything in the opening "NFA" segment, with Billy's rolls popping in emphasis at the end of Jerry's phrases. Just like that, they settle back to a mellow groove for the next verse, only to build it back up again with the power of Donna's pipes. This time, Jerry's solo brings the business, shredding his way through impossible runs and challenging the rhythm section to up their game. They don't disappoint, especially Keith on the ivories, but Jerry pulls up shy of liftoff for another round of vocals.

Going down the road feeling bad
Going down the road feeling bad
Going down the road feeling bad
Don't want to be treated this-a way

With every turn through the chorus, the musical monster gains stature and power, ultimately exploding into a a screaming crescendo that falls into the amazing instrumental groove from the gospel classic, "And We Bid You Goodnight." Jerry coaxes every big of emotion through a relatively brief release, and the band soon drops back into a redoubled "NFA" beat with screaming, teasing chords from Jerry helping to rebuild the tension. The song re-emerges with a giant wave of organ behind it for the final verse, and the "Love is love and not fade away" refrain from Bobby is pushed higher and harder as the Grateful Dead dragon takes fiery flight before exploding in a giant ball of sonic energy. The fallout is immense, and as a listener you are left marveling at the adventure on which these six men and one woman were able to take you.

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(One of the) Most Exciting Month(s) in Sports

Excuse me for following another sports tangent outside of baseball, but the NBA playoffs are heating up (no pun intended). It's one of the most exciting months of sports for me because there are literally multiple games pretty much every night, played with utmost intensity and skill. NBA athletes are freaks of stature, conditioning, and skill, and watching them play in fear of elimination and hopes of glory. The conference semifinals are wrapping up, and the eight teams involved each feature compelling storylines. Even though a couple teams are already eliminated, I'm going to review the storylines of each of the eight teams.

First, the eliminated teams from Los Angeles:

• Los Angeles Clippers: This is possibly sports' most snakebitten franchise, and if you agree with Phil Jackson it's karmically warranted for owner and infamous slumlord Donald Sterling. They turned the corner this year when NBA Commissioner David Stern nixed the Lakers' trade for superstar point guard Chris Paul, paving the way for a trade that brought Paul to the Staples Center to play for the other LA basketball team (and I'm not talking about UCLA). With young, athletic big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordon, the no-luck Clippers were transformed into "Lob City," making the highlight reel almost every night with poster-worthy dunks. They won their first playoff series since the dinosaurs were around this year, but were stopped short by the hot and experienced Spurs. However, this is a team to keep your eye on over the next couple years, as they could easily become perennial contenders.
• Los Angeles Lakers: The exact opposite of the Clippers, the Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports with a tradition of championships that leaves anything shy of that a failure. The current dynasty is built around superstar scorer and accused rapist Kobe Bryant, with a major assist from legendary coaching guru Phil Jackson. Jackson had the ability to balance the egos on the team and the pressure of the purple and gold with a proven system and championship pedigree. His retirement after last year's playoff loss cast major doubt on their fortunes this season, and his replacement, Mike Brown, has struggled to get buy-in on his offensive scheme and to balance his superstar players. With two dominant seven-footers (Spaniard Pau Gasol and hothead Andrew Bynum) to go along with his aging superstar, their method should be to wear out their opponents by pounding the boards and grinding out points in the post. However, the team's wildcard is Metta World Peace (neé Ron Artest), who can always be counted on for fireworks on the court and colorful interviews.** They survived his suspension for the bulk of the first round after he caught Thunder guard RJames Harden in the head with an elbow. Kobe Bryant - rejuvenated in an experimental German fountain of youth and focused on his legacy by matching Michael Jordan's six career championships and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career points - wouldn't let anyone else shoot the ball at the end of the game, cursing them to failure. He scored 42 of their 90 points to earn the Lakers elimination a couple nights ago. So it goes....

Next up are the teams I expect to be eliminated in the next couple nights:

• Philadelphia 76ers: Under the guidance of journeyman coach (and former Sixers draft pick) Doug Collins, this young team has exceeded all expectations this year with team defense and unselfish play. The new owners (including Philly native Will Smith) are trying - successfully so far - to inspire the city that adored Philly's own Wilt Chamberlain, cultural icon Dr. J, legendary board-crashers Moses Malone and Charles Barkely, and the incomparable Allen Iverson. Despite inheriting crippling contracts of aging big man Elton Brand and offensively mediocre (though defensively talented) Andre Iguadala, they managed to beat the top-seeded Chicago Bulls with a little help from injuries to their two best players. So far, they've been able to hang with the Celtics, but overall Boston looks like the better team. The Sixers are in dire need of an elite scorer who can close out games late, and it's never been more obvious than in this series. They could still pull off a conference finals berth by winning the final two games, but I would be surprise. However, if they are able to deal with one (or both) of those contracts and find an elite scorer, this is a team that could rise to the second tier of the eastern conference.
• Indiana Pacers: What can I say? They're from Indiana! This franchise has been struggling since Ron Artest decided to go into the stands, killing three-point assassin Reggie Miller's best chance of a championship. However, Indiana legend and Pacers General Manager Larry Bird won Executive of the Year (to go along with his MVPs and Coach of the Year awards) this year in building a team that surprised the basketball world with their talent and success. However, they're still from Indiana, and despite winning the first two games of this series, they're going to lose to the Heat. Oh, well.

My prospective winners who should face off in to represent the east in the Finals:

• Boston Celtics: Their core Big Three (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen) has seen it all, from a championship to injuries to heartbreak at the hands of the Lakers a couple years ago. Their young talent (like Brandon Bass who went off for 27 points a couple nights ago, 18 of which came in the third quarter) has filled a lot of holes that have opened as the core has aged, but it's point guard Rajon Rondo who makes this team eminently dangerous to go all the way.*** Garnett has played like a younger man in the playoffs so far, dominating the boards and draining 17-footers like he did in Minnesota. This may be the Big Three's last chance to win a second championship, without which much of their rabid fan base will think they fell short of expectations. Last year, the team traded defensive center and Ubuntu (togetherness) brother Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder, and if they meet in the Finals, this will be as compelling as any of the possible match-ups.
• Miami Heat: Last night, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade brought the business to the Pacers, getting one step closer to another conference final. After the theatrics of building the core of this larger-than-life team, anything short of a championship is an utter failure that could likely spell the breakup of the three superstars. The third, Chris Bosh, has proven his value in absence due to injury, but if James and Wade can play the way they have the past couple games they'll survive long enough for him to get healthy. Many fans of the NBA can't stand James, criticizing his perceived inability to close big games. He just won his third MVP award in four years in what may have been his best season, but without a championship, nothing else matters for his legacy.

Finally, here are the teams that will face off in the conference championship out west:

• San Antonio Spurs: This dynasty has won four championships, the first coming 13 years ago in Virgin Islander Tim Duncan's rookie season, but it's been five years since their last one. They always fly under the radar, even when marching ever onward towards another championship as they did in the mid-aughts. Like Garnett, "The Big Fundamental" (Duncan) has played like a younger version of himself down the stretch and in the playoffs, but he also benefitted from many DNPs (did not play), with the listed reason being "Old." Frenchman and guard Tony Parker had an MVP-caliber season, carrying the team when third star, Argentine Manu Ginobili, went down with a torn meniscus. The fourth major figure on the team is coach Gregg Popovich, who is making his seventh appearance with the Spurs in the conference finals. They've also benefitted from talented, young role-players, much as the Celtics have. Watching Dunkin and the others play without any wasted movements, turning it on at the end to seal the game in crunch time makes me think they may have enough to close out their season with another improbable championship. But the amazing thing is that this team hasn't lost a basketball game in almost a month!! Perfect in the playoffs is a good way to come into the conference finals.
• Oklahoma City Thunder: In 2008, new owner Clay Bennett knifed one of America's best basketball cities into moved his SuperSonics out of Seattle when lawmakers decline to pay for a new arena. Today, they have brought professional sports fever to the southwestern burg of Oklahoma City. This team has as much young talent as any team in the league. MVP candidate and three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant (at 6'10 with a wingspan of 7'5" "The Durantula" is an apt nickname) is just 23, as is scoring point guard Russell Westbrook. Twenty-four-year-old shooting guard James Harden**** is called the "Old Man" by his teammates, obviously for his beard and on-court wisdom. So far in the playoffs, the three have combined for just shy of 70 points per game, playing at a breakneck pace. In addition they get solid contributions from Perkins and always-hustling Nick Collison. They are exciting and flashy, but the question is how they'll match up against the veteran Spurs who are hotter than anyone. One thing we do know is that they will be a dominant force in the west for years to come.

That's where it stands right now, so enjoy the conference finals on TNT with that hilarious and astute studio crew. And Shaq.

- Morning Brewer

PS (Pairing Suggestion): 

Today's show is paired with the Belgian Trappist/Abbey dubbel, similar to the quadrupel described in a previous post, but with less body, sweetness, and alcohol. When done right, this style is fantastic, with sweet, bitter, and spicy/fruity flavors blending into a complex and unique taste experience that masks the moderately high alcohol content (6-8% ABV) and leaves no cloying sweetness on the tongue. Trappist monastaries of the Cistercian order are the only producers of authentic Trappist ales (and cheeses). However, similar styles are produced elsewhere in Belgium, and since they cannot use the name, they are called Abbey beers. Historically, this beer was made for the enjoyment and spiritual health of the monks, occasionally sold to the community. But the brewing tradition of the monks is an institution in itself, and one that has made this world a better place (at least for beer drinkers!).

• For an authentic Trappist dubbel, be sure to try the one from Rochefort (8), Westmalle, Chimay (Red), or if you're in Belgium the Westveleteren 8.
• Also try finding one of these excellent abbey dubbels from Belgian: St. Bernardus Prior 8, Corsendonk Bruin, or for a version that blends bitterness with tang, the Maredsous 8.
• American versions occasionally miss the mark (usually to the sweet end of the spectrum), but try these for good interpretations: Ommegang's classic abbey ale, Lost Abbey's Lost and Found, Russian River's phenomenal Benediction, or Allagash's dubbel.

But why pair this show with a dubbel? Well, because I'll be serving my homebrewed version at the end-of-blog party on Saturday, of course!! Hope to see you then.

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* In addition to performances from such legendary groups as Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Clash, Queen, and more, Bob Marley & The Wailers would release a live album from recordings of concerts performed at the Lyceum on July 18-19, 1975.
** After Saturday's game, Craig Sager from TNT interviewed MWP at his locker in front of a gaggle of other reporters. One of the others got tired of waiting and asked him a question. MWP responded somewhere along the lines of, "What do you think you're doing? Don't know know Craig Sager is asking the questions? You know, Craig Sager with the funny jackets. From TNT. Sorry, Craig, what were you saying?"
*** What was GM Danny Ainge thinking when he considered trading him?!?! If the Celtics have an immediate future, it's with the ball in the hands of #0.
**** Harden not only exacted revenge on Metta World Peace for the elbow to the head when the Thunder vanquished the Lakers, but he also beat Kobe, his high school hero.