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:

Really liked this version. We've mentioned Dark Star getting more energetic over time, and boy this one's a toe-tapper. It's brisk and sprightly, the band sounds hot and Phil stays very busy. (And this source is in mono, so that helps the whole electric-Dixieland feel.) I like the absent vocals, it's like listening to an outtake version. Jerry's not really stretching out in this version....with all these early Dark Stars, it's like he plays through his little bag of themes and then "that's it, out of ideas, solo's over." But I noticed he's developing the falling-star motif a little more, it's becoming more elaborate now.


I am also seemingly in the minority, a fan of Pigpen's ROR. And (not to get too far ahead) really like how TC evolved that riff later on. - The thing is, since "Dark Star" was a 2 minute single, the song was short enough that the repetitive organ riff, didn't seem that repetitive. - Who knew they'd eventually let this song go for 47 minutes! It is amazing to me that these mostly "similar" early versions of "Dark Star" with ROR do not get old or boring to me even though I'm listening to them one after another. There is a freshness and energy to the band that makes these recordings so endearing. - It reminds me of playing in bands with friends when I was younger and really learning to jam and learning everyone's musicianship and how to develop ideas. - It's so hard not to think of where this song would be only 1 year later and to think of something like 4/8/72 is just amazing...I also remember the band saying in the earlier years when they were developing their jamming, "Dark Star" was a great vehicle and having Pigpen playing that riff over and over was their "North Star", meaning that when they would get lost, they just listened to the organ riff and they'd find their way right back...Also, people were talking about Bobby's playing earlier in the thread and I just have to say, yes, he's way too often overlooked and overshadowed because of the vastness of the Dead community and the legend of Jerry Garcia. - But that's really no bother, because we have all these hours of Grateful Dead greatness and anyone who is listening is hearing the brilliance of Weir, even if they don't ever realize it!




I like this one; maybe it’s just the oddities of the recording but it’s got an interesting feel. As it cuts in there’s a nice groove going leading up to the first verse; Jerry’s guitar tone sounds good and the bass is prominent too. And I also dig the verse melody through Falling Star in the times @bzfgt noted above. Good version.