FEELING GOOD WAS EASIER

The Grateful Dead finished their fall 1973 tour with two shows in Tampa Florida. Today is the anniversary of the first of the two nights. The second night was released as Dick's Picks Volume 1 in 1993. Download the show HERE and HERE.

The show opens up with a fluffy "Tennessee Jed," which was used as an opener only four times and this is the third time it was done. A rare comical drumming error by Billy occurs durning the beginning of the "LLRain." Billy is playing the beat for "BT Wind" and when Bobby sings the first line, sheepishly Billy drops into a lazier beat for the correct song. There is no mistake by the band member for the upbeat "TLEO," which features the break and the third verse that later versions abandoned. After a lively "Bobby McGee," the piano needs to be tuned and this prompts Bobby to improv a story for the folks in the crowd. It's a story that he builds from audience participation, which makes it kind of funny considering "Holland was now neutral." Lucky the piano gets tuned in time for a prefect "BE Women." The set ends with a blazing "Jack Straw" and "China/Rider." The "China Cat" glows like an early winter sunset. A crest of sparkling glowing colors, peaking as it flows into the "Feeling Groovy" jam that eases into the "Rider."

The second set of music gives you something to write home about.
                                               Dear Mom, 
                                               You missed an amazing set of music. 
                                                                 Love, 
                                                                         Your Son
The band strings together three rockers to open up the set. Then Jerry calls "Row Jimmy" and plays a slide solo between the verses that melt like butter on your heart strings. So delicately each quiver of each note is song unto itself. The jamming begins with "Weather Report Suite." The accumulating comfort the boys have with the song has grown in the two months since it's debut. The a master seamstress the band sews together "Let It Grow" and "Dark Star." The "Dark Star" floats for a while around the theme before disintegration occurs, but the energy of the lead in "Weather Report" is something the band doesn't lose. The keen listener will pick up on different proposed directions for the "Dark Star" to go in, but Jerry stays the course. The presented themes are "Sugar Mags," "Mind Left Body," and "Other One." At about the 20 minute mark, Jerry stumbles up yet another theme and in order to aline the stars, he pauses for a "Drums" break before vaulting into an "Eyes." Phil's bass solo jam at the "Eyes" sets up the band for energetic out put jam, till Jerry and Phil hit these excitable alternating notes that peak the song. A magnificent "Wharf Rat" is pulled from the "Eyes" jam, before being kicked into high gear for the set closer "Sugar Mags." Listen to Phil in the background scream at Bobby right before the "Mags," "Go ahead." Yeah Bobby, what you waiting for go ahead.

I: Jed, My Uncle, Don't Ease, LL Rain, TLEO, Bobby McGee, BE Women, BIODTL, Peggy-O, El Paso, Deal, Jack Straw, China Cat, Rider

II: Promised, Bertha, Greatest, Row Jimmy, WRS, Dark Star, Drums, Eyes, Wharf Rat, Sugar Mags E:Uncle John's