Main theme at 4:07.
First verse at 4:34.
Sputnik at 12:00.
Goes into Cosmic Charlie.
This one comes in sounding kind of old-school to me for some reason, like a sprightly 1968 version. The tempo isn’t necessarily different, but there’s something bright and bouncy about this intro. At around 1:20 they begin to subtly migrate from the two chord pattern to a one chord vamp, as has been customary of late. At 2:00 Garcia starts playing a circular pattern while the band kicks up a bit, and the usual 1969 pattern of micro-dynamics asserts itself, where the band builds and recedes in small arcs. The tempo is flexible in a similar way; at 3:01, for instance Garcia begins a ritardando passage that culminates in a main theme fake-out at 3:07. Such feints have become a central strategic pillar of Dark Star in this era.
Garcia and Lesh are weaving in and out of each other’s wake throughout the introduction, while, as is often the case, the contributions of TC and Weir are more textural. However, Weir is subtly subversive in his way, slipping in C natural to pose a minor counterpoint to Garcia’s mixolydian leads. This, along with some keening organ, imbues the main theme with a melancholy flavor tonight (4:07), and this mood carries through into the verse, at which point this version has already traversed gradually and seamlessly from sunlight into twilight, but as we will see, it isn’t going to opt for either—here, darkness and light meet and decide they like each other. The theme of tonight’s Dark Star seems to be turning confrontations into a kind of( synthesis.
The restatement of the introductory theme after the verse ends at 5:39, and Garcia immediately begins playing a lead line, another throwback to 1968; at 5:59, however, he reverts to tolling, and it seems like things are descending even further into darkness. After a wandering bass passage, at 6:52 Garcia begins playing a hazy and somber lead. This leads to a transition that seems sudden, but at the same time it seems impossible to pinpoint exactly where it happens—I’ll put it at around 7:03—into a more upbeat passage that feels almost like a Bright Star section (the melody which Garcia feints at 7:10).
Lesh is quite active, one almost wants to say unleashed, in this improvisation. The bass and guitar continually weave around one another. The effect is like that of two people having a conversation, each so familiar with the other that neither needs to listen to the other to know what will be said next, and whose remarks harmonize perfectly at times, and at other times are divergent yet mutually relevant. This reaches a kind of peak at 7:32, where the interlocutors seem to be shouting at one another in joyous agreement. This is the first of a series of little peaks and descents where the aforementioned passage seems to recur (in more or less altered form) at 7:49, 8:17, and 8:36 before they finally pause for a breather. Each time until the last, the descent from the peak is a feint, an excuse to reaffirm their ecstatic communion.
Finally, at 9:06, they seem ready to move on to something else. One would expect Sputnik here, but at 9:19 Lesh starts to play the main theme, and Garcia begins playing with the volume knob. At 9:42 Weir throws in some feedback, and things start getting spacey. This inspires Jerry to reassert tonight’s theme of amicable confrontations, as at 9:52 his line becomes rather cheerful. This good cheer somehow has turned into tension by around 10:13, however, and the band kicks up again. Out of this morass, Garcia ascends triumphantly, igniting a flare at 10:35 that blazes across the firmament for 15 seconds or so until the next retreat into what starts to feel by 10:55 like Sputnik territory.
Weir heads off Sputnik with the main theme at 11:15. Garcia seems to be compliant at first, but he veers into some tremolo picking and then flashes Sputnik at 11:44. At 12:00 Sputnik finally arrives in earnest. This one comes in classic arpeggio form at first, but it has a kind of swing to it tonight. Garcia begins interspersing jabs with the arpeggios until the former take over entirely, and the music takes on a jerky rhythm, with both drummers banging away in a harmoniously staggered pattern. At 14:17, Garcia’s tremolo and Lesh’s impertinent flourishes lead us into an interstellar swamp, and Garcia decides the time has come for insect weirdness (15:13). Immediately, however, Lesh starts playing a deliberate, stentorian melody, trying to lead us out of the swamp while Garcia keeps buzzing in his ear. This leads to a brief argument, but at 15:55 they all decide to be friends. Finally, at 16:34, things trickle to a halt, and they start gently flashing the introduction to Cosmic Charlie. This is an unexpected development as, for the second time, they omit the second verse.
This Dark Star seems to be about juxtapositions. Every time a strong statement is made, it is met with a rejoinder, and a new synthesis emerges.
What was said:
bzfgt:
The melody Phil starts playing at 15:13 seems familar--is it a modular theme or just one of those things that seems familiar but isn't?
Mr. Rain:
Well this gets off to a flying start, like they can't wait to get into it. Like 5-23 it's very peppy (I can see the '68 similarity). Jerry starts soloing immediately, but pauses after :25 and lingers on one note for the next half-minute, letting the climate grow spacier.
TC starts off with the ROR but then recedes, rarely to be noticed again. (I don't think I heard him at all after the verse.) Lots of percussion straight off with congas & shaker -- Pigpen stays on congas intermittently throughout.
The jam's thick and biting, very dense and active. In keeping with the brisk feel, the opening jam is shorter than the norm lately, and they get to the theme in only 4 minutes. Once they quiet down for the theme, some whistling organ introduces the verse.
Jerry starts off with a little lick after the verse a la '68, but soon returns to bell-tolling. The post-verse space from about 6-6:50 is one of the best lately, really lovely with harmonic feedback & gong crashes & bass throbs, getting closer to the Deep Space of later Dark Stars. Bill comes in on cymbals, Jerry oozes into a slinky lead, and they fly off into a happy-sounding upbeat jam.
Jerry & Phil are way in the lead here; for a couple of minutes it's almost like a more energetic Hartbeats with the two duetting frantically over Bill's drumming. Bob lays out for a while. When he comes back in around 8 minutes, he's very assertive and his playing seems to clash with Jerry's like he's playing a different song at the same time -- the effect's a little discordant. (Can you tell what sounds odd here, is he off-key?) To add to the mayhem, after a peak at 8:30 Mickey's drums come pounding in too. It becomes that rare thing so far: a fullbore two-drumset Dark Star jam.
They crash around for a bit and realize they need to take a pause -- Bob's almost playing dueling lines with Jerry. Phil teases the theme to get everyone on track; Jerry goes for the volume knob to calm things down, and Bob backs him with some nice feedback. And before you know it they're back on track with the jam, drummers pounding away, Bob slashing out chords, and after 10:10 they're grinding their way to a peak -- Jerry switches to a brighter tone when they hit it at 10:30. The wave recedes but the air's still full of built-up energy -- at 11:10 Bob starts a quirky variation on his Dark Star riff. Phil joins him in this and Jerry starts trilling comically -- it's almost like a Dark Star parody! But then Jerry decides to change direction and cuts a quick path to Sputnik.
Seems like a long Sputnik tonight -- this one's really charged-up and kind of joyful; Jerry keeps the arpeggios going for almost two minutes as the band kicks things up. (Mickey's banging on cowbell now; no guiro tonight.) Finally Jerry gets into his off-beat jabbing, the tumult rises, and he climaxes with a wild scrub. And all of a sudden after 14:30 we're in Space again! This is full-blown Deep Space, full of hovering feedback & alien spacecraft -- it's really rare to hear this in a Dark Star so far; the closest example I can think of was on 4-4-69. Jerry brings in the insect weirdness, but Phil fights him off with this gigantic riff that the rest of the band wants to join. But Jerry won't give up -- he keeps up the insect shrieks while the band's off in another jam! By 16 minutes they're settling down into a quieter zone, insect buzzes and jam fragments washing together like shipwreck pieces on a beach.
Phil signals an ends to the feedbacky chaos with some melodic high notes -- Bob responds by gently plucking the Cosmic Charlie intro, and Jerry spirals down from the heights to join them in the song. The mood becomes soothing as melody is restored. So much for finishing Dark Star! Great out-of-nowhere transition, though the Dead are kind of sloppy once they actually start Cosmic Charlie.
This Dark Star is full of clashes. The band isn't as congruent as usual, they're kind of flying all over. So this isn't a smooth glide like some Dark Stars, more of a rough bumpy trip over the rapids. "Hectic and aggressive," one reviewer put it.
Dark Star has been a relatively subdued piece for a long time now, so I think they're figuring out how to harness the full two-drummer power into the jam. The whole band sounds extra charged-up here; Bob & Phil are really steppin' out.
Although this isn't one of the more harmonious & pretty Dark Stars, it's really densely packed and even the discordancies are thrilling. It repays closer listening: the more I examined it the more impressed I became. And aside from being the first of the Dead's Dark Stars to segue into another song mid-jam, it's another step toward the more wild & noisy Dark Stars soon to come!
P.S. After the Cosmic Charlie interruption, the Dead resume the usual Stephen>Eleven>Lovelight. High energy: you get to hear the band play St. Stephen without Jerry for a while when he breaks a string.
P.P.S. Phil's line at 15:13 sounded familiar to me too, but it could be I just remember hearing this Dark Star before.
bzfgt:
Interesting, we both hear confrontation but I ultimately thought "synthesis" and you "clashes." You may be righter than me, and I may have just allowed them to browbeat me into thinking everything was peachy....
Adamos:
Peppy start and I agree about the old school vibe. Bob is prominent in the mix and adds some nice contributions. Starting around 1:35 Jerry is reaching upwards with everything filling in around him and it sounds really good and uplifting. At 2:20 they briefly ease up and then Jerry brings out a crunchier tone. A lot of energetic interweaving as they progress. They slow it up again before shifting into the main theme at 4:04 and then into the first verse. TC comes in more strongly just before the verse.
Post verse Jerry starts to take off right away but then quickly shifts into bell tolling. At first it sounds like there is more cymbal than gong washes but then the gong becomes clearer so perhaps not. Starting around 6:10 they do this repetitive, revving thing and you can feel it start to swell. Some nice Phil jumps out at 6:34 and then at 6:47 Jerry is off again. At 6:55 for just a moment it sounds a little like something The Allman Brothers might eventually play. They build to a peak around 7:30 and then keep cruising along with a chugging, revving vibe. They’re really going for it in a rock jamming kind of way. After 9 minutes they back off a bit; Jerry works the volume knob and they start cruising again, working in familiar territory but still revving it up. They slow down again around 11:10 but keep it going. At 11:24 Jerry starts doing this quick strumming thing and then they start heading towards Sputnik.
Sputnik is also energetic; lots of cowbell, rhythm textures from Bobby popping up, strong buildup. Around 13:05 it becomes more of a floating vibe yet still driving. They keep it going and it builds again with good contributions from Phil and Bob; the collective groove is really good. By 14:15 or so it works into a frenzied, scrubby peak which then becomes spacey again. Some insect weirdness at 15:12 and some strong bass lines from Phil. There’s a kind of triumphant, almost celebratory vibe now as they head towards the finish, although Jerry’s also still bringing in some weirdness at the same time; it’s an interesting mix. Slowly things start to run their course and after 16:30 they ease off, collect themselves and start heading into Cosmic Charlie.
Definitely an interesting version.
JSegel:
Interesting little lick after the intro, leading into a mellow jam with TC building as Jerry does a bell-like toll. (Maybe he’s tuning). Takes a minute before JG starts off in the mode to explore the Dark Star idea and then he does. Beautifully. Some little points of interest explored, a pull off, a riff, a collection of notes. The band sound very together, they build little complexities together and then unknot them. Jerry has some cool guitarisms to play with, the guy was always practicing, wasn’t he? At 3 minutes an almost-theme statement, but then off to explore more, Phil does little groups of threes to play with the rhythm. Bobby playing with interesting chord extensions, with that flat 6th. At 4 min the theme comes in for real, TC on reedy organ sounds before the verse comes in.
Strong line-by-line variants for the verse, though the “searchlight” is limited in its casting about.
The jam begins with guitar statements from Jerry before he thinks, “oh, bell, right”. Somebody is yelling “Hey! Hey!” The bell’s not developing feedback so much, so he starts trilling. It dies off, and then they start a nice jam with Bill in on drums, it sounds like everybody has a piece of a rope and they are tying little knots and untying them over and over. I love this. Each wave of intensity is like a little knot or mandala. JG’s got some new guitar things he’s playing with, arpeggios going up to new notes, but everybody is firing on all cylinders.
A dip at 9 minutes, small statements, could almost go to a drum jam, then JG starts off with a volume swell thing. Bobby coming in on feedback. Ok, kids, we may be heading into space… but they sound like they’re going to build this into a new knot of pull offs and forward-moving drums (both drummers on kits by now, I should have mentioned.) At 11 min, new little eddies of notes, but it’s breaking out into a country-sounding Dark Star riff area! With fast tremolos from Jerry. This moves oddly into a Sputnik as Jerry tries to tune his E string. Sputnik continues, TC warbling about, Mickey has decided cowbell is the way to go here. It comes up, has a lull and JG continues with the high version. But Phil is jamming out on the bottom end for a while. They develop it into the rhythmic Sputnik version they’ve been trying out lately. It’s going on for a while, JG settles into some fast note trems, then seems to break it apart in sweeping behind the bridge and it falls apart into low note feedbacks, odd scratchy sounds, warbles on organ, insect sounds, but Phil comes in hot and heavy with a riff after 15 minutes while Jerry is in the insect tone.
A lull again, some pull offs, (more cowbell…) a static insecty weirdness, and feedback. It leaves Phil alone for a moment, then JG comes in with a 6/8 thing, or more swung bluesy-cowboy type stuff and Cosmic C riffs… uh huh, I can see where this is heading… Cool, we’ve transcended Dark Star, no second verse, and instead we move into Cosmic Charlie! Wow. That was a nice surprise.
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