Dick's
Picks 20 review
Dick’s
Picks 20 is the first release from 1976. This year falls into
the post retirement Keith era that also includes 1975, 1977, and
1978.
Of them, 1976 is generally considered the weakest year. I
would have to agree, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have great
moments; only that it is selectively great rather than consistently
great.
Two
major characteristics contributing to 1976’s lack of consistency
include adding Mickey Hart back to the line-up after his departure
in February 1971, and material changes that includes reworking many
song arrangements and adding and subtracting others. Understandably,
these changes take time to perfect. One thing I notice is that the
rhythm section plays more in union than is typical for the Grateful
Dead. That is, Phil Lesh’s bass lines tend to follow the beat of
the drummers more than usual, rather than filling in the spaces with
unanticipated notes and creating directions for the band follow.
Dick’s
Picks 20 includes two concerts, one from Capital Centre in
Landover, MD on September 25, 1976, and the other from Onondaga
County War Memorial in Syracuse, NY on September 28, 1976. Only two
songs are missing, "All Over Now" from September 25 and
"Bertha" from September 28, though each of the songs was
performed the opposite evening and is included.
The
first and third discs are primarily the first sets of their
respective shows. Both of the first sets have much in common. First,
they start out average and get better as the go along. Second, they
end with “Let it Grow” followed by a strong set closer,
“Sugaree” from the 25th, and “Goin’ Down the Road
Feeling Bad,” from the 28th.
In addition, the bright spot in the middle of the sets are
Garcia ballads, “Peggy-O” on the 25th and
“Candyman” on the 28th.
The
second disc of Dick’s Picks 20 is the last part of set two
from the 25th; “Lazy Lightning” >
“Supplication” opened the set and are on the first disc.
Certainly the set list is mouth watering and the playing is nothing
to complain about. Though some of the highlights when you break it down, “Mississippi
Half Step,”
while very well played, was generally much better in ’73, ’74, and ’77, and both
“Cosmic Charlie” and “St. Stephen” peaked in ’69 and
‘70.
The
strongest of the four discs is the last. The split “Playing in the
Band (PITB)” to open and close the show is solid. The “PITB”
leads into “The Wheel” which is quite good; although, it is
interesting to hear the rough transition between the two songs. In
later years those two songs would blend into each other effortless.
The “Comes a Time” is my favorite part of this set. Warning,
“The Eyes of the World” is played with an extremely rapid beat.
Dick’s
Picks 20 is a great representation of the band in 1976, which
had a unique sound and set lists. I would get several other releases
from 1977 and 1978 before (not instead) getting this.
by Barry
Small
©
Grade B
DP20
review by Joe
Prisco
DP20: 9-25-76
I know everyone prefers the 9-28-76 half of DP-20, so these notes
are for 9-25-76.
Performing musicians of any real creativity get tired of playing
songs the same way, however cool they may be, and they must reinvent
the way they think in the songs to keep it fresh. This is the tone
of the whole show -- they set out not to impress, but rediscover
these songs over again:
"Bertha" takes a bouncy feel that is just slightly
different, but consequently refreshes the fun factor; Minglewood
returns entirely different from its 60s incarnation, emphasizing the
bluesy lyric; "Ramble On Rose" is so subtly changed I
can't place the difference, but this is a very convincing RORs --
Jerry sings it with fire and conviction. "Brown-Eyed
Women" shows some of this as well, with Mickey throwing in some
judicious toms on the vocal line to good effect. Mickey's playing,
so often decried in the years following, is inventive and enticing;
he alternately drives and reigns in "Peggy-O" or "Let
it Grow" like a rider at a gymkhana. Even on a simple backbeat
like 'Sugaree" [growing the wings we expect in 1977], he's
trying to find new rhythmic angles -- one reason why Jerry flies so
high on that song; check the 8:20 - 8:25 mark for a great moment
made by Mickey, Jerry and Phil.
"Mama Tried" reminds us of the more overt country
influence at work here; on Loser, we hear Jerry altering the guitar
line with the addition of a single bass note -- just enough to hint
at a country swing not previously explored. In some ways, this song
is a measure of Jerry's mood on a given date -- the arrangement is
strict, right down to the note-for-note solo, so Jerry must wring
out meaning in his tonality and timing. As always, Phil makes all
the difference -- for example, his slow-motion notes leading into
the line 'come to Daddy' is like watching a tree fall, sweetly
agonizing and yet so powerful.
Special mention must be made for "Let it Grow," which
shows all the jamming subtlety [at a much faster tempo] of the pre-retirement
years combined with the Mickey-fueled power to come; especially nice
is the drum break, which (can I really be saying this?) seems all
too short. Vocals are strong and clean, playing is fresh and
assured, ideas are interesting ... have I finally found a favorite
rendition of this song? :-)
Set two: again, Phil makes "Lazy Lightning" almost
impossible to nail and yet irresistibly compelling; they're in fine
form when Jerry comes trickling in on the break, or Keith sneaks up
to the transition to "Supplication"; Mickey alternately
lays out in favor of Bill's easy-but-energetic groove or sparks up
fantastic snare paradiddles -- like Bruce in 1991, he's obviously
excited to be in the band, and not short on ideas. It's not
unreasonable to listen to this from his perspective.
"Mississippi Half
Step's" reinvention is back to the slower side, again hinting
at country without actually going there, and the discofied
"Dancing in the Streets" shows Jerry not yet processing
his guitar. No competition for the 5-22-77 Dancing on DP3,
but Jerry does get the fire nicely stoked around 7-8 minutes in, and
they try on "Cosmic Charlie" for size; not really so
different from 1968 but for Donna's new-and-improved vocals --
another point in favor of post-retirement shows; it sure is nice to
hear Donna sounding like she intends to. "Scarlet
Begonias" is strong and lively, and of course not yet attached
to "Fire On the Mountain" (a tender subject for some).
Interestingly, "St. Stephen" is not the strong part of the
set; Phil wisely throws down the "NFA" riff, seemingly
startling the rest of the band, who quickly pick it up. by
Joe Prisco ©
