THOUGHT I HEARD

Looks like we got ourselves a good old fashion debate, from this date 36 years ago. Download the show HERE and HERE, and you be America's Judge.

What is the issue? Where is the debate? The issue doesn't have to do with; is this the best "Slipknot," did Bobby sleep with Donna after that "LL Rain," or is "Samson/High Time/Dancin'" the most awkward combo ever? No. It is whether or not the "Morning Dew" was an encore or just the end of the set.
The question was first posed to me by GD Notebook on twitter because of a conversation that The Dead Blog had started when he asked, "I don't have a favorite Wharf Rat, what's your favorite?" My reply was "12/2/73 where they open up the second set with it after Bobby asked, "How many of you were listening to the radio last night?" I also added, "Is any show with a Morning Dew encore not just fantastic." The retweet of that got GD Notebook to suggest that I check out how the show ends.

When one looks at the setlist, right before the "Dew" is the "Other One." How many shows end with "Other One?" For that matter how many shows open with it? (Bill Walton had a show in the infancy of the GD Channel on Sirius and he said every show should open with that explosive baseline.) But as the second chorus comes to a close the music peaks and fizzles as the music dies. Jerry doesn't let the song or set die. It's possible that all his band mates put down their instruments and walked of as Jerry ran his scales up and down his guitar neck until they returned to the stage, hence the Encore labeling on some tapes.
Now there is the tape splice that comes at the end of the "Other One." The soundboard is not reel to reel master, they were probably taken directly from the PA, so it is possible that some of the show is missing from these boards.
What do I think. Well maybe it's both. Maybe it felt like an encore to the band and that is why they didn't return to the stage. (Look at Furthur's setlist from last night, "Dew" appears as the set closer but then is changed to be the encore.) So what did we solve, absolutely nothing.

I: Half Step, Minglewood, Ramble, Cassidy, BE Woman, Lazy Lightning, Supplication, Crazy Fingers, El Paso, Roses, Music

II: Help, Slip, Franklin's, LL Rain, Eyes, Samson, High Time, Dancin', Wharf Rat, Drums, Other, Dew

A very special happy birthday to three people. First my Dad, who influences me more than I care to admit, my friend Jeff Yurfest who always makes me laugh, and Bruce Springsteen.