…Reason Taters The Force Tears Loose From It's Axis

 If you turn up disc 3 of your copy of "The Closing of Winterland," you'll hear a DeadHead shout "Dark Star" moments before they play the opening notes of the song. The crowd rejoices as they play the song for the first time since 10/18/74 in the building that was now officially closing. The band did not make DeadHead's wait another four years after this as mentioned in what was Part 1 of my "Dark Star" post. This is Part 2 and is going back 35 years to Shea's Theatre in Buffalo New York. Download the Charlie Miller FOB Audience tape of this show HERE.
This setlist is very similar to the last show I featured, minus the smoking hot Shakedown that propels Phil to intro the song, but this show is one that I can only listen to during the colder months. I put it on for a drive to Buffalo over the summer and had change it midway through the first set. Yet I've listened to it 3 or 4 times this month and it feels great like a warm fire. It's strange how some shows can do that. Because the Nassau definitely does not do that to me.

The "Bertha" on this show is another example of why Keith was on his way out. A song that he's bright keys would sparkle on is mysteriously absent from until the solo break. He ticks the ivory for a little bit and then slips off as the song jumps into "Good Lovin'."

This might be the most mysterious "Dark Star" of them all. The band an "Other One" sandwich that holds the "Drums/Space" there is the slow descention into what seems to be "Stella Blue" before twisting it into this magnificent "Dark Star." Just like the Winterland version the jam somewhat progresses into an "Other One" type jam before Bobby leads them into a spacey rhythmic "Not Fade." Again only one verse was sung on this version 1/10/79 and the New Years one. 

After playing "Dark Star" three times in twenty days, the band would only play it twice until the Formerly the Warlock gig from Hampton in 1989. The two version were played it on New Year's Eve 1981 and the Greek Theater on 7/13/84. That means over the span of 766 shows "Dark Star" was played twice and both were on the West Coast. Pretty amazing and it was this rarity and the songs abstract format that made "Dark Star" the holiest song of them all.

I: Promised, Sugaree, El Paso, Peggy-O, All Over Now, Jack A-Roe, Minglewood, Stagger Lee, Straw

II: Miracle, Bertha, Good Lovin, Loser, Estimated, Other One, Drums, Space, Other One, Dark Star, NFA, Sugar Mags E: OMSN

After announcing "Something new is waiting to be born" on Jerry's 71st birthday, the new jerrygarcia.com has launched. But I caution you, don't go on it unless you want to be sucked into its vortex. It's a beautiful web design and there is suppose to be addition infrastructure add, so don't get frustrated if you can't add your shows.