The show gets down into a thick sweet groove with the opening combo "Stranger/Franklin's." The "Stranger" is thick on the funk and "Franklin's" is the light fluffy whip cream on top. At the 8 minute mark, Jerry uses the "Franklin's" to quote a song that would appear later in the show. Later in the set there is a brilliant "Masterpiece," that Bobby choose to act out. During this song the heavens open up and buckets of rain start to fall from the sky. The thunder showers were severe, and lead to a comical interlude between Bobby and Jerry. Lightning that was not lazy stuck the parking lot area and there was even a tornado warning that went up there in Jersey. Garcia choose a very non rain song, "Tennessee Jed," but slightly changes a lyric in the song to address the situation. "You know, you bound to wind up WET." Bobby tries to wrap up the set with a phenomenal "Music," but Jerry quickly transitions into "Don't Ease" to wrap up the set.
The song Jerry teased in "Franklin's" opens up the second set, "Foolish Heart." Out of "Foolish Heart's" dissolution, Brent steps up and calls for a powerful "Just a Little Light." The band then propels itself through the mystical "Playin'/Uncle John's" combo. A week later at Alpine they played a better version of this combo but this "Playin'" is the dynamic of the two songs. Jerry flubs the lyrics to this "Uncle Johns" but gets pull back onto the tracks by Bobby.
The fun begins durning "Drums." The Neville Brother join the Rhythm Devils on stage and provide Billy and Mickey with some added hands. Don't skip the "Drums" here because there are some interesting grooves played and there is a Jimi Hendrix "If 6 was a 9" tease. Out of "Space," the Dead/Neville jam out a bumping "Iko." Jerry trades of vocals and guitar licks with the Neville's before shredding "All Along The Watchtower." Slowly the joined forces let Jerry take the decent into "Morning Dew." After transcending the fellow musicians, Jerry starts finger picking a glorious "Sugar Mags." The two bands then return to the stage to encore with "Knockin' on Heavens Door," and even though Bobby predicted it, no audience members floated up to eye level.
II: Foolish Heart, Little Light, Playin', Uncle Johns, Drums*, Space*, Iko*, Watchtower*, Dew*, Sugar Mags*, E: Knockin'*
We have an announcement of the next installment of Dave's Picks. The gig is from Horton Field House from Normal Illinois on April 24, 1978. The April 78 run featured a lot of high energy tight shows. This tightness later came apart when the band work with Lowell George in the studio in July and August of that year.
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