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:

The Dead introduce this one by asking for their scratcher back! "Someone stole our scratcher," Bob says. "We need it for the next number!" And they even explain to the audience what it is: "something you hold and go scratch, scratch." "Sounds like a little tiny wooden washboard," Jerry adds.
It's been about two or three months since the last Dark Star. Jerry's tone is different in this one, I don't know if it's the recording or a new guitar or different tone settings, but it's kind of a pinched plush tone. (I'm not too fond of this guitar sound, it needs to roar a bit more.) He does dominate the mix, the rest of the band is more of a blurry background. Since the last version his improvisational vocabulary in Dark Star has expanded quite a bit, and he happily explores away for minutes on end. After he hits the main theme at 3:30, it isn't even time for the verse yet, they patiently glide down for a while. (I don't remember the main theme being played so clearly before the first verse before.) His voice is less wobbly in the verses. When the solo starts after the verse, he's finally done away with that little introductory motif, instead it's like he's gently pushing off from shore into the jam. And on and on he goes! As in March the biggest improvisational part of the solo is the first part before the themes, but it takes a few minutes just to get to the verse theme now, then he trickles onward with some interesting playing...the theme is more like a rest stop than the main destination.
The end of the solo is curious, after 12:00 Jerry gets wrapped up repeating some circular licks for the next couple minutes. Maybe the idea was to ratchet up the intensity but it doesn't quite come off...it does sound like an embryonic Sputnik. The drums unobtrusively sneak in by the end. Then he signals the verse with a snappy low riff.
I agree this is not a hot Dark Star, it seems almost more like a subdued rehearsal take, there aren't really any peaks. It's a transitional version...twice the length of the March Dark Stars, but lacking the power of the August performances.
The first St. Stephen after Dark Star! Is it an improvement from Dark Star>China Cat? I'm not so sure.


I agree with @Mr. Rain that Jerry’s guitar tone seems different in this performance and/or recording. It still sounds good but there is less rawness, less bite (with exceptions at certain points like 7:50-8:00). His vocals continue to be less warbly too which is a change for the better. The extended portion between the verses in this longer version is really nice overall. The repeating part at 12:00 is interesting but you can see why that wouldn’t stick. I like the buildup prior to the Main Theme that starts around 13:08 too.


Although low in the mix, it sounds like one of the drummers goes to the drum set during the jam (around 13:30), maybe for the first time. I guess it's Mickey since you still hear maracas while this happens.