27: 1969-01-17

89798 Santa Barbara, CA 13:09

Main theme at 1:53.
Bright Star at 3:24.
Main theme at 3:55.
First verse at 4:35.
Verse melody at 6:44.
Sputnik at 8:40.
Bright Star at 9:08 (begins as main theme, more or less).
Main theme at 9:46.
Main theme at 11:13.
Second verse at 11:35.
Goes into St. Stephen.

It’s 1969! Does it sound different? For one thing, TC is a bit louder this time out, although he’s still a bit too low in the mix (spoiler alert: this will change in a big way, albeit temporarily, on the 25th!). This is another mix dominated by Garcia, to the extent that even when he’s barely hitting the strings you can hear him quite clearly, and his playing is pretty aggressive. There is an uncharacteristic pre-verse Bright Star this time, and Jerry plays with the timing of the ensuing main theme which starts at 3:55. Again the exit from the first verse is calmer and more meditative than it had been for most of 1968, and of course in the future this will be a place where the band often breaks it down into a space jam. This passage winds up with a statement of the verse melody, and note Garcia’s forceful runs over the following minor chord from about 6:55; at 7:10, he winds up big but then pulls way back, and the band responds, opening up a space into which Garcia starts dropping Sputnik-like lines (with Garcia and Lesh in lockstep as they manipulate the tempo and the rate of notes), which become even more Sputnik-like at 7:55, until we get the real McCoy at 8:40; throughout this section, the drums trickle in, and gradually they become more forceful. In general, we have more feints, adumbrations and variations of the various themes, so that labelling them is at times more difficult. The Bright Star I’ve tagged at 9:08 begins more as a statement of the main theme in a high register, until it stretches itself around into the more syncopated Bright Star theme. Lesh takes his time locking in, playing a pretty descending run under Jerry before dropping to lay a foundation under the theme. The following main theme I have logged as beginning at 9:46, but a case could be made that it starts at 9:43, where Garcia lands on the tonic and pauses; he hints at the tonic again without really playing it before starting the main theme, so that the mind reaches back and places it where it would be expected; this phantom note could also mark the start of the theme, and that’s where I’ve placed it, at 9:46. Notes that are lightly and almost inaudibly played will increasingly become part of Garcia’s style, and these are not always just grace notes but, as here, sometimes the foundational tones of a theme. At around 10:46 Garcia starts spinning out a high rolling figure that discharges itself into a near-Bright Star at 11:00, after which he tumbles into another statement of the main theme at 11:13 that is syncopated and sufficiently oblique that I hesitated over the attribution above (during this passage Weir does a lot to stir up excitement by bubbling along under the lead without directly calling attention to himself). This does not resolve into a more straightforward rendering of the theme, but leads directly to the second verse at 11:35. In general this write-up is doubtlessly too Garcia-centric, but he is the dominant force here, and the mix makes it at times difficult to sufficiently concentrate on the rest of the ensemble, but the entire band is playing very dynamically and responsively. Nothing happens that seems unprecedented, exactly; rather, Dark Star seems to be developing and becoming more subtle and assured, so that if we were to go back to one of the last few renditions we might not notice a stark difference, but compared with early versions this is a much richer, more varied and narratively gripping experience.


What was said:

26. 1968-12-29

80197 Gulfstream Park, Florida 10:25
Main theme at 2:14, and again at 2:44.
First verse at 3:00.
Verse melody at 6:31.
Main theme at 7:21 (Jerry), 7:40.
Sputnik at 7:49.
Main theme at 8:46
Second verse at 8:56

Goes into St. Stephen.


TC is again pretty faint, as he cranks out the ROR right after the intro. Garcia is aggressive and masterful, employing a rough-edged sound and some feedback in his introductory leads. The little figure coming out of the verse is gone at this point, it seems. After the verse, TC plays some good stuff; it would be nice if he were louder, but Garcia really dominates the mix here. Jerry weaves hints of the verse melody and the main theme into his soloing and at 7:21 he plays something with the feel of a Bright Star which is really more of a forceful statement of the main theme. Lesh is active but stays pretty close to home for most of this. The Sputnik at 7:49 comes abruptly, and in general this version feels sort of rushed, as though it isn’t given a chance to unfold at an organic rate…


What was said: 

25. 1968-12-07

88674 Louisville, KY 13:26

TC’s first Dark Star, although he’s hard to hear.
Main theme at :019, 0:46 (briefly), and 2:52.
First verse at 3:20.
Verse melody at 6:32.
Sputnik at 8:55.
Main theme at 11:06 (briefly) and 11:26.
Second verse at 11:55.
Goes into St. Stephen.


This cuts in after the intro. Garcia covers a lot of ground in the first section, and seems to employ a wider array of strategies than usual. There are some beautiful melodic passages here. After the first verse, Garcia eschews the usual figure and plays some gentle spacey lines instead, allowing us to hear TC a little. At 5:18 he starts playing with the volume knob, and things get even spacier. Then at 5:41 Garcia hints at Bright Star as he swings into action. The melody at 7:49 seems like something we hear again, maybe it should have a name…it gets very intense, and hints at Bright Star a few times before becoming Sputnik at 8:55. There’s a big buildup after Sputnik, with Garcia playing a series of chiming tones and then harmonics as Phil patters around until it swings around to the main theme. This seems a little anti-climactic at this point, as a Bright Star or something more dramatic would have really brought it all home. Nevertheless, even though this first Dark Star with TC is at times a little tentative, overall it is a really excellent rendition, as they all seem to be at this point.


What was said:

REHEARSAL WITH TC (1968-11-06?)

82393 Pacific High Recording 14:38

Main theme variations at 5:28, 6:18, and 7:08. First verse at 7:27. Main theme (a bit) at 10:01. Bright Star (a bit) at 10:46. Verse melody at 10:56. Sputnik at 11:35. Bright Star at 12:14. Main theme at 12:37. Second verse at 13:10. Goes into St. Stephen.


This seems to be a rehearsal where they are teaching TC some of the material. You can hear someone telling him the chord changes from around 1:35. They start playing at around 2:18; Garcia repeatedly plays the ROR, trying to teach it to TC. By 3:25 Jerry feels he’s got it (although he sounds very stiff!), and starts noodling around. TC steps out a little at the end of the first verse, adding a few flourishes. He moves away from the ROR at times after the verse, and things seem to pick up a bit. At around 11:25 there’s a nice little passage with Jerry and Phil. TC starts playing something Sputnik like around 11:35, and it goes into a small Sputnik from there. TC gets better as it goes, although he is a bit stiff throughout.


What was said:

24. 1968-11-22

21933 Columbus, OH 11:52

Last Dark Star with Pigpen on keys for a good while (He added some organ on some 1972 versions, at least, but this is the end of him playing the ROR—though not the end of the ROR, as TC will take it over, although he’s less relentless with it than Pigpen) and Hart is the only drummer (Kreutzmann was sick, according to LIA).
Main theme at 2:08.
First verse at 2:32.
Sputnik begins (more or less) at 6:43.
Bright Star at 9:12.
Main theme at 10:02.
Second verse at 10:30.
Goes into St. Stephen.


This is a bad-sounding AUD, but at least Garcia is loud…his guitar really flows on the (short) intro, as his increasing mastery of the instrument is really evident here. We’re almost to the end of 1968, and Garcia is still coming out of the verse with the same little figure. It sounds like a cliché—or I guess it is one—but from the moment he begins the break proper on some particularly assertive low notes at 3:55, his playing is especially lyrical here. At times it’s almost as if he’s saying something with determinate semantic content, and if you strain you can catch his point…at least, we can almost identify a kind of syntax, as there’s a series of commas and then, at 4:17, an ellipsis opens; he gives us a second to let this secondary point sink in, and then rephrases it, after which he returns to his primary thesis with some emphatic low phrases at 4:25, then soars back up into a higher register to expound the finer points… at 4:45, he is suddenly confident he’s won our assent, and you can almost see him excitedly nodding as he works out some of the implications of the thesis to which we’ve now all agreed. Then at 5:06 he lurches into a series of funky rhythmic double stops, and again the music just seems like music…or maybe that was the thesis all along: it’s just music, so stop trying to impute some sort of message to it! At 5:37, his repetitious phrase descends into dissonance and feedback, intensifying at 5:47, as if to underscore the point, or lack thereof…which have somehow become the same thing in my interpretation, which is probably a good indication that it has run its course! But Garcia’s solo has not, in fact it takes off into a blistering series of peaks which reaches its apex around 6:42, at which point a transition into Sputnik begins. Although Weir is lost in the mix for much of this, we can hear him contributing to the Sputnik as it nears its peak, which increases the excitement considerably. Then by 8:05 we briefly enter one of the spaciest segments we’ve had in a Dark Star thus far, which culminates with a quick reiteration of Sputnik at 8:44. The Bright Star that follows (it’s hard to identify the exact beginning of this one) is one of the most thrilling iterations of this theme to date, although there’s already been so much excitement that it seems almost superfluous! Although the sound is not good, this is a very worthy addition to our stock of Dark Stars…and it might be even better than I think it is, since we can’t hear a lot of what is happening.


What was said:

23: 1968-11-01

9965 Chico, CA 12:23 (actual time 12:10)

Main theme at 2:39.
First verse at 3:08.
Verse melody at 6:18.
Bright Star at 7:51, 9:32 (feint) and 10:02.
Main theme at 10:27.
Second verse at 10:51.
Goes into The Other One.

This one seems a bit slower than most versions to date. The sound is a little muddy, with Garcia coming through most clearly, but it clears up a bit a couple minutes in so that Lesh comes through more; however, the rest of the band stays back in the mix. Garcia begins with a winding, vaguely Eastern-flavored solo. Lesh plays some bouncy lines under the verse…from 5:28 to about 6:05, Garcia plays a repetitive line and Lesh winds around it with some variations. Coming out of the verse melody at 6:38 Garcia plays a very fluid, longish passage and then reverts to repetition at 6:55, a particularly effective combination. At various points he throws in some bluesy bends. At 7:35 he begins a repetitive passage and then lets it unwind—kind of the reverse of the strategy mentioned just above—until it becomes Bright Star at 7:51. At 7:59 there is a kind of variation on Falling Star, which has become more rare (although Garcia is not done with it yet). Bright Star briefly returns at 9:32, with variations, until it bursts out in earnest at 10:02, an effective exercise in delayed gratification. Overall, the variety and fluency of both Garcia’s and Lesh’s lines is remarkable here; this has come a long way in just under a year.


What was said:

HARTBEATS D: 1968-10-30? (2)

1205 MATRIX 19:47

Probably not from this date, but this is how it circulates.

Main theme at 1:59.
Sputnik (pretty much, anyway) at 9:42.
Main theme at 13:14.
Main theme at 15:16.
Bright Star at 15:40.
Main theme variation at 19:00.

Garcia comes in at :47 with what is essentially a statement of the verse melody, and sort of noodles it out from there. Phil is very active again here (this is sometimes said to be Jack Casady, but I think this is definitely Phil; the bass sounds the same as it does on the first version listed on this date, and it sounds like Phil’s playing). Garcia sounds like he’s trying to change things up a bit, as with the other Hartbeats versions I suppose. There’s a bit of the verse melody again around 5:30, and elsewhere it’s woven into Garcia’s leads as he spins some variations; as ever, his playing is often very melodic here, and usually seems rooted in the basic melodies of the song in one way or another, even as he investigates other avenues. At 8:05 Jerry and Phil start doing some heavy riffing, with Phil playing chords on the bass. Garcia comes out of this with some striking runs; he’s developing a sense for drama in his playing that will perhaps see its most striking, and anyway its most well-known, formulations on 1969-02-27. At around 9:40 Phil starts pushing the tempo just before Garcia begins playing what is more or less Sputnik. Garcia varies Sputnik a bit here; at around 10:07 it starts to transform into something else which is a kind of variation on Sputnik that we don’t, I don’t think, hear elsewhere. Phil plays a sort of high, peppy line around 10:17 but soon abandons it and starts playing chords again, and then he and Garcia start playing more deliberate lines, as the tempo seems to vary a bit again. At 11:38 Phil begins a rolling, bluesy figure that gets things moving again, but he doesn’t stay with this long either, and at 12:20 Jerry hints at Bright Star and then the main theme. Kreutzmann comes in with the full kit at 12:48, which is a welcome change; up until this point, it’s essentially a guitar/bass duet with a little percussion. Phil signals for the main theme at 13:08, and Garcia takes him up on it at 13:14. Garcia’s tonal palette seems narrower on these Hartbeats versions, but he switches to a rounder tone at around 13:20. At 14:06 Garcia seems to put on a little tremolo, and he sounds like an organ; he repeatedly plays 4 notes for over a minute and lets Phil blow before stating the theme, and then Bright Star. It gets rather spirited at this point, and then the energy starts to dissipate, with some Sputnik-like runs and a few partial stabs at the main theme popping in before the end, and the recording fades out just as they seem to be returning in earnest to the main theme. Once again, although the full band is missed, this is a kind of low-key pleasure nonetheless…


What was said:

HARTBEATS C: 1968-10-30 (1)

1205 MATRIX 17:24

Main theme at 3:34 and 13:10.
Verse melody at 13:20.
Goes into Death Letter Blues.

Loose and relaxed, with Garcia playing free and easy. Lesh's tone sounds different to me, but apparently it is he…there’s a feint at the main theme at 2:56. Garcia and Lesh bounce off each other throughout. While Weir is still missed, this seems a bit more successful than the previous Hartbeats renditions due to the interplay between the two of them, which seems closer and tighter than the last two. Garcia seems to employ a lot of double stops and/or triads here, more than usual anyway. Lesh goes high around 8:09—the bottom drops out, I suppose, but it’s a striking passage—he seems to be mixing it up here more than on the previous Grateful Dead version (10-20); around 8:49 he starts playing chords, another notable passage. Some bashing on the drum kit beginning at around 10:50, but oddly it doesn’t change the feel very much. There’s a bit of a peak around 12:25; Garcia has been playing some rolling chordal passages and then Lesh again plays some chord stuff. Check out Garcia’s rake at 13:38…Garcia begins a new theme around 14:10, pushing at the tonality, but in short order, he reels it back in. Lesh tries an ascending riff around 14:50 that (pleasingly) sends it off track again for a little while. There is some delicate interplay toward the end, with a rather subdued Bright Star coming in at 16:28, with Lesh playing up the neck. Overall, an interesting version.


What was said:

22. 1968-10-20

9071 (also on 30 Trips) UC Berkeley 10:17

Main theme at 1:41, and a variant thereof at 2:35.
First verse at 2:59.
Verse melody at 5:42.
Sputnik at 7:18.
Bright Star at 8:11.
Main theme at 8:37.
Second verse at 8:55.
Goes into St. Stephen.


The very beginning is cut. Pigpen is back, but he’s not too far forward on this one. This is the advent of the SG and Garcia’s tone really cuts here! He sounds particularly nimble and avid on the pre-verse stuff. Garcia throughout his career has had a truly distinctive tone on the bass notes, and see 4:09 here for a great early example (he managed a similar effect when he began to play Fenders and then his custom guitars, although of course it’s somewhat different—later on, his low notes at times remind me of a giant insect!). Here he switches pickups at times almost mid-phrase, for instance compare just before and after 5:20; the effect is almost as if he’s having a conversation with himself, as has been remarked several times here (but it always seems noteworthy). Check out the variant of the verse melody at 6:55; at this stage, he is very adept at threading hints and quotes of the song’s themes throughout his improvisations. The transition to the following Sputnik is seamlessly sudden. Light Into Ashes considers the Bright Star here an “Amazing Climax” (“Dark Star 1968”) but the band as a whole keeps a pretty even keel throughout this one, to my ears. Some versions are exploratory, and some are kind of tours de force (a preeminent example of the latter, I think, is 1969-02-27), and the difference by the two seems to me to be determined by what Garcia does. That’s not to say that he always leads the jams, although at this point that is the most common scenario. This one is a tour de force, and Garcia held my attention throughout; I had to listen to it again to pay closer attention to Lesh and Weir. The latter is a little quiet in this mix. Phil is fairly subtle for much of this one, gradually introducing variations and most often keeping to a pretty straightforward approach. In any case, this is a wonderful rendition, although we still seem to be in a consolidation phase rather than a period of revolution…


What was said:

21: 1968-10-13

 

115606 Avalon 13:08


Main theme at 1:28.
First verse at 2:12.
Verse theme at 6:45.
Bright Star at 8:25.
Falling Star at 9:12.
Sputnik at 9:45.
Main theme at 11:02.
Second verse at 11:42.
Goes into St. Stephen.

Pigpen is again missing. Very driving introduction up to where the main theme comes in, then it almost falls apart and comes back with a more laid-back mien. Weir is rather loud on this one, and you can hear how integral he is to the whole thing, playing triads in ascending bursts between 5 and 6, and when he finds himself alone right before Garcia’s statement of the verse melody at 6:45 he starts playing something that sounds a bit like Sputnik. The mix makes Garcia blend in a bit more on this one, but he is again brilliant, playing flowing, wide-ranging lines and employing an array of voices, and again some feedback. The run up to Bright Star is particularly thrilling, and Garcia comes out of this with some staccato bursts leading to a playful run at Falling Star. Lesh is almost constantly in motion here, and seems to be leading the way at times. Overall this is an energetic version, filled with ideas. They seem to be mostly consolidating their hold on the song at this point, although Sputnik has just been added, and this is a great expression of what they can do with it at this point.


What was said:

20: 1968-10-12

86759 Avalon 14:52

Main theme at 3:45.
First verse at 4:17.
Verse melody at 8:09.
Bright Star at 10:29.
Falling Star at 11:00.
Sputnik at 11:44.
Main theme at 12:43.
Second verse at 13:23.
Goes into St. Stephen.

No Pigpen this night. Jerry takes his time after the intro, playing moody, spooky lines and again varying his voice effectively. Lesh is fully unleashed here as well, with a seemingly endless supply of contrapuntal ideas. Garcia comes out of the first verse with the familiar pattern from earlier in the year, and launches into a remarkable series of melodies, double stops, bends, a little feedback, and repeated motifs with Lesh providing the perfect counterpoint at every step. Weir is less clearly audible much of the time but his presence is very much felt, and we know how crucial it is, especially after reviewing the Hartbeats versions. He’s more prominent when things quiet down between around 9:45 and when Bright Star begins at 10:29. During Bright Star you can hear him playing some melodic lines. We finally get an unmistakable Sputnik at 11:44. This is still relatively compact, and stays inside compared, of course, to what’s still to come, but it’s nevertheless a masterful version, and very satisfying.




What was said:

HARTBEATS B: 1968-10-10

Matrix 4513




15:29

There’s some tuning, accompanied by a chiming bell, at the beginning. Intro starts at 2:18, so this is really about 13:10 in length. No verses. Main theme at 7:22. Main theme at 10:02. Goes into 11 jam. Very relaxed version, dancing around some of the themes without really stating them for the most part. Garcia seems to be playing more double stops and partial chords than usual. Gets Sputnik-y around 5:46 for a brief spell; interesting oblique initial pass at the main theme, including a (possibly intentional?) wrong note, around 7:05. Sort of a mini-Sputnik at 7:58, and again around 8:27. A feint at the main theme at 9:48 leads to an interesting run from Garcia, then the main theme comes in at 10:02. At 11:36 Phil briefly plays something that sounds like some of the stuff he’d play in the “Philo Stomp” in 1972. He gets some similar stuff going again toward the end, which makes for an interesting way for this to wind up, and there finally seems to be a bit of energy (although again I can’t help but imagine Weir playing along).







What was said:

Hartbeats A: 1968-10-08

HARTBEATS A: 1968-10-08 25757 

Sometime around this point Weir and Pigpen were supposedly fired from the band, although the exact dates, and how serious the firing was, are unclear (the Dead would play with Weir a few days after this, and although Pigpen was absent, this is said to be because his girlfriend was ill). At the time, this show seems to have been billed as both “Jerry Garrceeah and his Friends” and “The Grateful Dead with Elvin Bishop,” depending on the listing (1968-10-08 The Matrix, San Francisco, CA, USA - Jerry Garcia ). ). It seems that there are no shows that were billed as Mickey and The Hartbeats until the next year, although Garcia calls them that at one point during this set. In any case, the personnel on this Dark Star seems to be Garcia, Lesh, Kreutzmann, and Hart.




12:55 (track time on the above source; there’s space at the beginning, this really lasts about 12 minutes). No verses. Sputnik (maybe, there is some controversy still!) at 6:28. Main theme at 7:11. Verse melody at 9:59. Goes into Cosmic Charlie.




This starts with the familiar intro lick. It’s very laid-back and noodly, and lacks the drive of the Dead versions of the time. It’s striking, in fact, how little seems to be happening at times with just two non-drummers playing (and the drummers aren't doing much). Garcia fiddles around a bit and then at 2:39 he starts a chordal vamp much like Weir would have played; this briefly mutates into a three-chord figure that sounds a little different than the usual part, which Lesh only loosely follows. Garcia plays something like the main theme starting at 5:14. Beginning at 6:28 Garcia plays what I think we can maybe call the first Sputnik, although it will subsequently pick up a few more notes. At 7:11 Garcia briefly plays the main theme, and since there are no verses starts playing around with it a bit. Starting at 8:19 Garcia starts fooling around with a little rolling figure that starts to sound a little like Sputnik. Around 10:30 Garcia begins to whip up some excitement, but I find myself thinking of a Weir part building underneath it, and how much better it would be…at around 11:40 Garcia gets a sweet tone that sounds almost Fender-like, probably something that’s more noticeable without another guitar in the mix (this is near the end of the tenure of the black Les Paul, although it’s possible he played a different guitar for this gig…I can’t tell that just by listening, but I am pretty sure he is still playing a Gibson here, in any case). This lacks the usual ending, as Garcia plays a harsh swell in prelude to the intro to Cosmic Charlie, which does not yet have the Chuck Berry-like double stop intro, but starts with the main riff. Overall this is certainly of interest, but it’s not terribly exciting. Goes into the first known “Cosmic Charlie,” which lacks the chorus (“Say you’ll come back…”) lyrics at this point. I put on the last Dark Star to check @Mr. Rain 's timing corrections (thank you very much for that!) after listening to this. For all our lukewarm reaction to that one, it seemed absolutely sizzling with molten energy after listening to this one!




What was said:

19: 1968-09-02

14:06 115592


Sultan, WA


Main theme at 2:05, and again at 3:46. First verse at 4:49. Verse melody at 8:13. Sort of a flash of Bright Star>Falling Star beginning at 10:38; Main theme at 11:05, which mutates into Bright Star, and back into the main theme by 12:05, although at times the distinction between Bright Star and the main theme is blurred here. Second verse at 12:40.


Weir is rather loud on this source, and Garcia switches channels a lot early on. Garcia again plays the old lick out of the verse. Proto-Sputnik at 10:08. Garcia again is masterful here, and there is a lot of momentum to this and some dynamics, although it doesn’t seem to push things forward much. This is a solid version, but in the grand scheme of things not a particularly significant one.


Despite what Light Into Ashes says, we do not really get a Sputnik until 1968-10-08 (which is the next one we will consider).




What was said:

18: 1968-08-28

10:49 133762
Avalon Ballroom

Intro is very slightly cut. Main theme at 1:36. First verse at 2:03. Main theme, sort of hinted, at 4:59 before verse melody at 5:04. Main theme at 8:57. Second verse at 9:20. Goes into St. Stephen.


Even more compact than the last one, but this is full of riches for those willing to peer through the murk! LIA is fairly dismissive of this one, but I think that the poor sound quality is, as it must, influencing him; I wasn't that impressed with it either when I listened to it a few weeks ago making my way through 1968, but doing this project forces me to listen really closely every time, which if nothing else is ample justification for doing this! I wouldn't call this a standout version, but if we had a really clear recording I think we'd all agree it's worthy. Dark Star has come a long way since January, and even though this one isn't really a step forward, it's not a step back either--like 8-24, it's a somewhat compressed version (now that 8-21 and 8-23 have flashed what a little stretching can do) but it has some power.

LIA identifies an "early version [of Sputnik]" here, which is ambiguous, because by "early version" he could mean a proto-Sputnik, and that's indeed what I would call this (6:23).

Some nice soloing by Garcia prior to the verse, with a beautiful run beginning at around 1:20 that winds up alluding to both the Bright Star theme and the verse melody. After the verse, Garcia begins with the figure that was standard in early 1968 (I think @Mr. Rain pointed this out on the last one, too?). From around 4:40 listen to Phil ascend and slow his line down, which makes a very effective foil for the busier stuff Garcia is doing. Really elegant fast descending run by Garcia around 5:27. Proto-Sputnik at 6:23. At 7:38 Garcia starts playing some low, angry licks, and then he drags the tempo a little for emphasis; meanwhile, the band seems to darken and intensify the music. This effect could be heightened by the poor sound quality; on the other hand, AUDs can sometimes be revealing of effects that are more subtle on a SBD. The crowd whoops in appreciation at the end of this sequence, in any case, so it seems like a genuinely powerful moment.


What was said:

17: 1968-08-24

11:20

Shrine Auditorium (Two From the Vault)
This is a very energetic and tight version, and the band sounds really together. Note how quickly the first verse arrives this time. Garcia does not employ as many different voices this time, or wander as far as he did on the 23rd, although he throws in a major 7th a couple of times, which I’m not sure has been done before. Note when Jerry pedals beginning around 4:42, the band brings it up behind him; again at 6:50 Jerry hangs on one note and the others start to bring it up, this time in a kind of profusion of notes that sounds really distinctly Grateful Dead. A satisfying version overall, if not entirely remarkable.


What was said:

16: 1968-08-23

15:28 (116193)
Variant of Main Theme at 2:22. Main theme at 3:39. First verse at 5:37. Brief proto-Sputnik beginning around 7:27. Verse melody at 8:06. Bright Star feint at 9:41. Partial return to main theme at 10:11. Bright Star at 12:29. Falling Star at 12:50. Second verse at 13:59. Goes into St. Stephen.

This is an astounding version. This one shows that there is a way in which these early versions, in which Garcia is so dominant, and there isn’t a ton of variation in the other instruments yet, at least relative to later Dark Stars, can be a revealing showcase for his guitar playing. At 2:40 Garcia starts playing some brassy lines on the bass strings that will return in several future versions, always in the introduction (see 1972-11-26, 1973-11-11). It is more striking here than ever the way Garcia seems to play with several different personalities or voices that can seem to be in dialogue (this is a conscious strategy—see the quote under 1968-08-21), and how he employs dynamics and tonal shifts to great effect. Check out the breathtaking brief arpeggiated passage that begins at 4:18, the fluid phrases Garcia plays out of the verse melody section that begins at 8:06, the choking lines at 10:28, the volume swells at 11:12, and the rolling section that begins at 11:35, and then the answering barrage that begins quietly at 12:04 and gradually, subtly, crescendos, building the tension for the release that comes in the form of Bright Star at 12:29, and the angry emphasis of the Falling Star that follows. A Garcia tour de force that can almost make one forget how far Dark Star still has to go…




What was said:

15: 1968-08-22

12:10

143144

Main theme at 2:13.
First verse at 2:56.
Verse melody at 6:19.
Sputnik-like licks at 7:29.
Bright Star feint at 8:19.
Main theme at 9:20.
Second verse at 10:31.
Comes to a full stop at 11:58, when Garcia asks for the strobe light to be turned off because it’s making clicking sounds in the monitors, then they quickly go into Cryptical Envelopment.

Lexicon




This one is full of energy, particularly compared to the last few. Lesh is completely unleashed at this point, and his interplay with Garcia keeps the momentum going all the way through. There are less modular themes this time—no Bright Star or Falling Star—but Garcia plays with the melody in various ways, with Lesh providing a counterpoint.




What was said:

14: 1968-08-21

13:45

Intro cut. Main theme at 1:13, and again at 2:40. First verse at 3:03. Verse melody at 6:55. Second verse at 12:19. Goes into St. Stephen.


Garcia with some of his most horn-like lines, and he has become very adept at changing voices so that sometimes it’s almost as if another soloist comes in. (Garcia on John Coltrane: "I've been impressed with that thing of flow, and of making statements that to my ears sound like paragraphs - he'll play along stylistically with a certain kind of tone...for X amount of time - then he'll change the subject, then play along with this other personality coming out, which really impresses me. It's like...his attitude's changing, but it changes in a holistic way, where the tone of his axe and everything changes.").

Phil’s counterpoint seems to be becoming freer and more elaborate now, where he and Garcia wind around each other like two soloists, and the bass now claims more of the listener’s ear than ever before—note how much range Lesh covers, for instance, between 8:55 and 9:16!—such that the contrast with the ROR becomes more stark and jarring in this context, where it seems like the latter is justly heading for obsolescence (or at least the reduced role it will play during TC’s tenure). Weir on the other hand plays it pretty close to the vest, which is probably wise given what else is happening; the freedom he (and, eventually, the keys) will soon come to share is not easily arrived at in a context like this!

The song has become more stately, less jittery, and it has opened up into a venue for freer and more varied playing, particularly for Garcia and Lesh. It seems right on the cusp of something like the Dream Bowl in early 1969, but it stays around this level for a while; as for length, there are several 9-11 minute versions in our future. So it's probably more accurate to think that it has reached a new plateau, rather than begun a linear progression to the kind of thing that will happen in 1969. But that's getting ahead of myself a bit, and my view on this may change, or become more nuanced, as I revisit the rest of 1968 with you.



What was said: 

13. 1968-(6?)-xx (from reel 4 of the “mystery reels.”)

16:06 Main Theme 3:31.
First verse 4:52.
Verse theme at 9:09.
Bright Star at 10:40, into Falling Star at 11:02.
Main Theme at 14:01.
Second verse at 14:57.
Goes into St Stephen.


Lexicon

Garcia explores a lot before the first verse and between the verses, playing some killer runs and getting very quiet at times. His guitar seems to speak with multiple voices. Note his brass-like run beginning on a bass string at 6:42, and the screaming double stops at 8:00 and 9:47! At 11:23 it almost sounds like a Sputnik is in order, but that is not yet to be. Beginning at 12:03, Garcia plays a riff that we have not heard before, and I don’t know that we will again. Sort of Sputnik-y rolls from 13:14-13:50. The longest Dark Star to date; it feels a little subdued, but this may be partly due to the recording. In any case Garcia is very prominent in the mix, and this one is all about his playing, which is at times spectacular.


What was said:

12. 1968-03-30

8:59

Carousel Ballroom

First verse 2:47. Verse melody at 5:08. Bright Star at 6:13, again with dynamics, leads to Falling Star at 6:31. Second verse at 7:31.




This is the longest version yet. It’s labelled a soundboard, but the sound is very raw, and again this enhances the experience. Garcia encounters some static early on, but perseveres to play some beautiful leads. His guitar sounds incredible here, and he rips off some great licks. As always, his sound on the bass strings is fantastic. He seems a little more unfettered here, tossing out ideas, and throwing in the occasional blue note. Great rendition.

What was said:

11:1968-03-29

7:28




Intro riff cut. First verse 2:14. Verse melody 3:55. Bright Star at 4:54. Main theme at 5:26. Second verse at 5:51. Comes to a full stop before Morning Dew.

This is an early Matrix, reportedly; the scratcher is very loud, it’s a really textural and graphic sound here, and the recording is in general quite three-dimensional. Garcia sounds amazing here (LIA points out that his guitar sounds like a horn on the Cotsman aud., and this version sounds quite similar to that). After Bright Star Garcia plays a repetitive roll through the last bit that’s quite effective. Right before the second verse, Jerry plays a rhythmic chunk on muted strings that sounds really vibrant, for lack of a better word; in general, the recording makes his guitar sound so present that it hits on a visceral level.


Nothing new happens here; note that there is no Falling Star, and this version seems to play it close to the vest in general. Nevertheless, the sound of the recording makes this one of the most affecting early versions. It gives one a better sense of what the Dead would have sounded like than any of the recordings we’ve considered so far.


What was said:

10: 1968-03-16

 

7:25


Carousel Ballroom. First verse at 1:52. Note the figure Garcia plays right after the first verse, this seems to show up here a lot. Verse melody at 3:30, which goes to an Em as usual. At 4:35 Garcia more or less begins to play Bright Star, which becomes more distinct at 4:40. This time he plays it with dynamics, as he brings it down soft and then brings it up again. Falling Star at 5:16. Second verse at 6:02. Comes to a full stop before Morning Dew.


This opens the show (or at least the portion we have) and goes into China Cat Sunflower. At this point the introductory section has Garcia exploring a bit more. This is a very strong version, and seems to me to stand out in the era, although soon it will become longer and more exploratory.




What was said:

9: 1968-02-23

6:48




Kings Beach Bowl, Lake Tahoe (Dicks Picks 22)

The intro was cut on the last couple, but here the call-and-response delivery is gone. Main theme at 1:34, still played kind of staccato. First verse at 2:15. Verse melody at 3:25. Again Garcia plays an ascending passage before Bright Star, which he hints around at before playing at 4:25. Falling Star at 4:48. Variation on main theme at 5:12. Second verse at 5:26. Goes into China Cat Sunflower.



Calmer than the last couple versions. Garcia still seems like he’s holding back, or hasn’t fully found his way into the song yet, but he plays some nifty stuff here.







What was said:

8: 1968-02-22

6:22 Kings Beach Bowl, Lake Tahoe

This was posted at the Grateful Dead site in the "Taper's Section" feature in 2007. It does not seem to circulate not, and the only place to hear it is the Vimeo video linked above.



It cuts in some time after the introduction. First verse at 1:34. Verse melody at 2:47. Around 3:29 Garcia moves toward Bright Star theme. This continues to 3:49, then after a little playing around the verse melody he hits the Falling Star theme at 4:05. Main theme at 4:49, played staccato in the style of the time. Garcia plays some funky bass notes before hitting the second verse at 5:02.

The vocals on the recording are barely audible; basically, only audible enough that you know when they are happening. It is a brisk, energetic rendition. The recording is a little too hot, but everyone is audible, and it gives the impression of a rather vigorous conversation among the instruments. It is perhaps a little perkier and less hazy than 2-14 (according to my memory), although both are energetic readings. Nothing new happening here, like 02-14 it's a confident but slightly sloppy run through.




What was said:

7: 1968-02-14

6:15




Carousel Ballroom




This performance is really about 5:55, but here I follow the timings in the video linked above. A variation on Main Theme beginning at 1:27; first verse at 2:05 (so about 1:45 after start of song); Verse melody at 3:12; again (see 02-03) Jerry walks up to one iteration of Falling Star (3:49) before beginning a Bright Star section at 3:52; then Falling Star begins again at 4:13; staccato main theme at 4:31; this leads to the second verse at 4:55 (so about 4:35 after start). Goes into China Cat Sunflower.

This is an energetic version, quite compact with a kind of nervous energy throughout; Garcia comes out firing with a dirty sound, and while he doesn’t really introduce any new ideas, he seems ready to shoot from the hip. A vigorous and effective version, although it doesn’t push things any further along.




What was said:

6: 1968-02-03

5:23


Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR





Introduction theme still staggered. Garcia comes in on lead at :18. Staccato main theme at 1:15. First verse at 1:29. Verse melody at 2:47. From 3:10 to 3:16 Jerry ascends to a high A; at 3:21 one iteration of Falling Star. Then at 3:34 the Bright Star theme emerges. Second verse at 4:00, and out…goes into China Cat Sunflower. At 5:06 Jerry (or Phil?) says “Leave the lights on, would you?”






What was said:

5: 1968-02-02

6:36

Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco

This is part of the bonus material on Disc One of Road Trips 2.2.

Intro is still staggered. About a minute and a half of Garcia soloing before the verse, playing with the melody. First verse at 1:57. “Reason shatters,” “transitional nightfall…” Verse melody at 3:07. There seems to be a kick drum, and the music behind Garcia starts to get sort of aggressive around 3:18. Starting at 3:41, the first glimmering of what we are calling (after Light Into Ashes) the “Bright Star” theme. Around 3:50 full drums are evident. Falling Star at 4:14. Second verse at 4:52. Comes to a full stop.





What was said:

4: 1968-01-23 (actually 1-27)

 7:01 

Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR

This is on the bonus disc of Road Trips 2.2, and there does not seem to be a recording of this on the internet.




Intro still staggered. Sort of aggressive feel to this one. 1:38 a kind of variation on the Main Theme. First verse at 2:37. “Reason shatters.” Verse theme at 3:56. At 4:27 Garcia plays a lick from the beginning of "The Eleven"…so we need to name it. Falling Star at 5:20. Second verse at 6:01.  




What was said:

3: 1968-01-22

 5:40

This follows a Spanish jam, with the first lick briefly blending with the latter at the end. The Introduction Theme is still played in a call-and-response style by Garcia and Lesh. Garcia begins to play lead at :29. A staccato take on the Main Theme begins at 1:13. First verse, with distant vocals, begins at 1:37. The guiro is prominent on this version. Verse melody at 2:48. Falling Star at 3:46. A staccato allusion to the Main Theme at 4:04, with the second verse--barely audible at first--coming at 4:19, then the Closing Theme; goes into China Cat Sunflower. 

What was said:

2: 1968-01-20

 3:08

This version is cut, so there isn't much to it. It comes out of a Caution jam...they start playing the Introduction Theme, then stop and start again. Garcia and Lesh are playing a call-and-response version of the intro riff at this point (it's not clear whether all previous live versions were like this, as this is the first Introduction Theme preserved on tape). 

ROR starts at :19, but Pigpen can't seem to find the beat, so Garcia starts playing it at :44 (at which point it is perhaps more aptly called the RGR).  Soon both Pigpen and Jerry are playing the riff, but not together...Pigpen finally gets in sync around 1:55, and Garcia starts to play a lead at 1:58. First verse at 2:39. The recording cuts off right after "faults in the clouds of delusion" at 3:08. 

What was said:

1: 1968-01-17

4:48

This is the first Dark Star that exists in recorded form, although they probably played it once or twice in late 1967. The introduction is cut, but it seems we join the action quite close to the beginning, on a vamp for ten seconds, with the ROR the leading voice. Jerry comes in with some lead work at :10, until the first verse at 1:06. Lead guitar starts back up at 2:00, and Jerry plays the verse melody at 2:15, with a little embellishment. Weir plays a little counterpoint lead underneath Garcia from 2:38 to 2:44, Garcia plays the Falling Star theme from 2:45 to 3:05, then a choppy take on the Main Theme beginning at 3:10. Second verse at 3:30. This then goes right to the closing theme at 4:20, after which it goes in to China Cat Sunflower. 

This is a pretty straightforward take, with a little lead guitar that is absent on the studio version. 

What was said:

0: The Studio Version

The "Dark Star" single (2:42) was recorded on November 14th, 1967, and there is also an instrumental outtake from that same date:

Dark Star (Outtake)

We didn't discuss the outtake much, so make of it what you will (Garcia's review is negative: "It drags like that!").

The single was released in April, 1968, and failed to conquer the charts, purportedly selling only 500 copies. It was, however, included on the 1977 compilation What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been (which is like calling a compilation of music by The Fall They Are Always Different; They Are Always the Same--i.e., no one need utter that phrase in connection with the band ever again).  Since a lot of people presumably have been introduced to the band through this compilation--which was certified Platinum in 2001--it is perhaps not correct to call the single obscure. Still, it's probably not in the top one hundred things most Deadheads think of when someone says "Dark Star." 

Indeed, many of us, myself included, are devoted "Dark Star" listeners, and I can at least speak for myself in saying I only had a vague idea what this recording sounds like before this week. However, I am speaking for many of us when I say: we liked it! It's a delightful bit of Indo-Latin psychedelic folk music, and would deserve to be remembered even if it didn't eventually turn into Dark Star. 

It begins with the familiar Introduction Theme, which goes at a rather brisk pace. At :05 the song proper begins as the Repetitive Organ Riff (ROR) commences (if you see any unfamiliar terminology in any of these posts, check the GLOSSARY, which will remain the featured post, and is also available under the tag "Reference"). 

The vocals, which begin at :14, are either double tracked or sung by an ensemble (Garcia with either Lesh, Weir, or both, although the only clearly recognizable voice is Jerry's.) Lesh's playing is already very distinctive here, and there are several guitars, including an acoustic. It is also possible to hear a droning tanpura in the background, played by Hetty MacLise. MacLise's husband Angus was involved with La Monte Young's Theater of Eternal Music, and was also the first drummer of the Velvet Underground.

The introduction is reprised immediately after the verse, and a swelling gong is introduced to the mix. The second verse immediately follows at 1:20, after which we hear the Closing Theme. 

As the song ends, the tanpura swells in volume. Underneath, it's possible to hear Robert Hunter reciting some leftover lyrics:

Spinning a set the stars through which the tattered tales of axis roll
About the waxen wind of never
Set to motion in the unbecoming
Round about the reason hardly matters
Nor the wise through which
The stars were set in spin  

At the very end, there is an incongruous snatch of Scruggs-style banjo, which Garcia said was from a tape he made for someone to whom he was giving lessons. 

What was said:

Every Dark Star: Introduction

This blog will document a project several of us on the Steve Hoffman music forum have undertaken: to listen to every existing iteration of the Grateful Dead's Dark Star. I am going to assume that most people who are still reading are already familiar with this piece of music.

Here are some links to information and scholarship about Dark Star. This is not a complete list, and readers are encouraged to do more research:


The Dark Star Document

Song Statistics

Dark Star 1968

Dark Star - Evolution

The Annotated Dark Star

Songfacts



Here's an updated Dark Star Document. It is missing some of the commentary from the original, but the information is more up to date.