32717 Cincinnati 21:32
Main theme at :06, 14:49 and 15:16.
First verse at 15:37.
Goes into Sugar Magnolia.
This comes out of the embers of Truckin’, with Kreutzmann rolling the toms through the intro lick, and starts with the main theme before quickly diverging with some rather low key jamming. Lesh is practically inaudible at first, which perhaps adds to the lethargic vibe, until he steps up with some rolling licks at 1:18. There’s a strange passage at about 2:48 where Lesh is playing above Jerry, I had to rewind it to figure out who was who, but Garcia’s tone on the bass strings is unmistakable.
Garcia starts a line at 3:21 that slides through the Sputnik tonal pattern at 3:31, then at 3:47 starts to run through the main theme notes, and then skitters off again until at 4:32 he hits the descending pattern we’ve heard a few times lately, so he covers a lot of bases here. At 5:14 there’s another brief quote of the theme; Lesh starts a minor-tinged riff at 5:40 that threatens to break the jam out of its current form, which is rather sleepy but not unpleasing. They fritter away without really leaning into it, until at 7:40 they lock into a rolling pattern which sort of comes in and out for a bit. Suddenly at 8:15 there is conviction, and they start to build a peak, going on to 8:42 when they break back into more straightforward opening-type jam.
This starts to spiral down into more spacey territory by 9:20, with Garcia getting a sound a bit like the “insect weirdness” we used to hear in 1969. They get to a fast weird thing around 10:15, and soon they’re buzzing around like a hive of bees. This doesn’t last long either, though; there’s a brief Sputnik-type thing around 10:51, and the band again seems to be casting about for an anchor. Garcia suggests a frenetic jam, then starts playing a two chord vamp, and Weir picks it up with some chiming country licks at 10:50.
By 12:20 Garcia is playing some licks that are reminiscent of Other One, then goes to another two-chord vamp, and then at 13:18 the music almost collapses as Garcia tunes up. There is no momentum at all now; there’s a little volume knob twiddling, and by 14:10 the whole thing has almost come to a halt. A little Sputnik rolling comes out of this, but it’s quiet and no one really wants to help out. At 14:37 they swing into the main chord pattern, and as the theme sounds we can hope the verse is coming to save us.
They lurch through the verse rather slowly, and as the closing licks die out the band swells and conures an atmosphere that allows us to hope for some good jamming to come. This hope is misplaced, however; they fiddle around for a little while before giving up on this Dark Star entirely. They almost lapse into a drum solo, but never quite relinquish the half-hearted accompaniment they’re giving Kreutzmann, so he does the reasonable thing and stops playing. We’re left with Garcia noodling alone until, mercifully, Weir strikes up Sugar Magnolia. (I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “noodling” before, but for once it feels apt).
This is certainly the worst Dark Star of 1972. I don’t need to tell you that there are engaging moments even here, but overall this one is a failure.
What was said:
JSegel:
(No bass in the soundboard mix which is difficult, but he can be heard in other mics.)
This Dark Star is deep in the second set, which again had started with Playin in the Band (a long one). Drums roll over the intro as they attempt to settle into a paced groove, accented with little riffing from Jerry and Phil. Lots of little runs from all players, small eddies in the current keeping it from settling down. Phil is playing fast little runs intermittently also, and getting into riffing things that the other pick up on. Jerry makes some theme statements before the 4 minute mark. At 6 minutes it lulls, into a pool, Bob playing with some minor hammer-on chords. Starts a section of trilling and arpeggios that leads to a strong set of emphasizing the three-beat feel, this builds and breaks to a thematic groove area at about 8:30.
It doesn’t hold together, Jerry goes into insect weirdness somehow (on the Strat!) and plays some repeated single notes and then to a pull off that heads atonal. They start speeding it up a minute later, getting more intense, but again it doesn’t stay and the band falls away. Jerry stretches out with some more repeating notes breaking away into riffs and then to a chord back and forth (A sus4 to A).
Even though the rhythm is mostly died away, Jerry is still working on little fast riffs, so Bill picks up a side stick thing. The chordal suspension comes back, almost a song hidden in there. Phil sounds like he’s just playing riffs endlessly.
Some tuning happens at 13:20 or so, then volume swelled notes. A nebula is forming, some Sputnik-y playing way down low. And they break back into the Dark Star groove at 14:20, a strong thematic statement from Jerry a little later, but the licks are all starting high and falling. The groove happens and heads to verse 1 a minute later.
Strong and dramatic vocals. A big fermata on line 2 from everybody. Hard to tell exactly but I think Phil is exploring a bit on line 3. To the refrain, Bill rolls out of it. The outro happens with rolling toms from Bill, and into a suspended chord set, but Bill is holding a rhythmic beat together, so Jerry starts his falling chordal arpeggios and into light fast runs initiating the jazzy fast bits with Keith rolling notes out. After 18 minutes, it sounds like the guitars drop out and it’s piano and drums (maybe bass too.) He uses his wah pedal on the piano. He eventually drops out and it leaves drums and bass (which sounds like a drum solo.)
At about 20 minutes, Phil is starting the Stomp, but Jerry is riffing again. Neither is gelling, really, so Bobby starts Sugar Magnolia.
Not a great version, sort of a wandering set of whirlpools that never develop. It’s not helped by the lack of strong bass in the mix. OK, OK, I'll probably also say "worst of '72."
adamos:
Truckin' slowly winds down with some bluesy guitar from Jerry and then they shift into Dark Star. Bill does some rolling drums as they get underway. Things are very mellow at the start, almost sleepy. They drift along in the clouds as Jerry works a low-key line with complimentary textures from Bob. Bill is fairly active relative to the others (or is perhaps more present on the recording). Phil bubbles up and is doing his thing but it's sometimes difficult to make it out.
By 1:45 or so they've picked up a bit of momentum and Jerry gets into some repeating notes. There's a pretty quality to the collective sound as they mosey about. Jerry and Phil play off of each other in lower territory. Keith adds some sparkle in the distance. Jerry heads higher and there's a touch of Sputnik sound to his line. The vibe has mellowed again and Jerry dances around the theme with a light, bouncy feel. The collective interweaving is become more apparent and they continue to wander forth.
They return to the theme briefly at 5:15; Jerry works some gentle notes and Keith adds some pretty, wavey sounds. Around 5:40 there's a lull and they shift into lower territory with a different vibe although it's still very mellow. There's kind of a ruminating feel and Bob adds some rhythm textures that sound a little like Sugar Magnolia. Jerry winds up a bit and they get into a spinning pattern but it's all still very low key.
By around 7:45 or so it feels like they might move into a more melodic or thematic jam. The momentum starts to slowly build and then suddenly they rise up more emphatically. They climb to a small, spiraling peak that crests around 8:42 and then keep wandering forth. Things are still mellow but with a bit more pep.
Around 9:15 or so they start to head in a spacier direction and Jerry busts out some insect weirdness! He works it for a spell in fairly gentle fashion. Bob adds some intermittent rhythm and Bill is active. The momentum starts to build a little and then suddenly they launch into a fast paced thing. It sounds like it could become frenzied but then they pull back. Jerry brings back the Sputnik-esque sound at 10:50 and then shifts into something that sounds like The Other One.
They linger in this zone in semi-hover mode and Jerry strums some chords that sound like they could prompt a new direction. Phil is percolating underneath but they don't seem to be collectively latching on to anything. Bob comes in with some twangy rhythm and again there are possible on-ramps to a jam but they don't seem to be grabbing anything. Instead they continue the mellow ruminations and things get a little Other One-ish again.
Jerry works this for a bit and then shifts it up and Bob adds some melodic notes somewhat delicately. Jerry goes low again and they reach a quiet zone where not much is happening. There's a bit of volume knob action and gentle intermittent sounds from various players. Phil suggests the theme and then around 14:35 it rises up and they saunter to the verse. The vocal delivery seems to match the overall vibe.
After the verse Bob plays some notes, Billy works the kick drum and Phil comes in and it sounds like a groove might be coming together. Jerry spins up some quicker paced notes and Keith comes forth more strongly. But they opt to keep it all on the low burner. Bill comes forward more and Keith adds some wah effects. Then he drops out and it's mostly Bill with a bit of Phil but this doesn't fully come to fruition either. Phil adds some deeper, darker strums and Jerry riffs for a bit and then Bob steps in and starts Sugar Magnolia.
This is a mellow and relatively uneventful Dark Star. It has some pretty qualities and occasional moments but they don't seem interested in fully exploring anything. It was nice to get some insect weirdness though.
Mr. Rain:
A rare Dark Star coming out of Truckin'! And there the excitement ends.
The mix is not too good -- basically mono, bass very quiet, drums very loud, which is fatiguing to listen to. (Bear apparently had some recording gear stolen at the 10-21 show, and the tapes from there through early November have a variety of odd mixes, when there are soundboard tapes at all, as he tried to work around whatever went missing.)
Probably the main thing affecting this Dark Star is that the Dead had just played a massive raging Playing in the Band a few songs earlier with a jaw-dropping jam -- this seems to have drained them more than they realized. The Truckin' jam starts well but quickly settles down to a Nobody's Fault-type jam, pleasant but undistinguished. (Keith's kind of buried in the mix but I hear some wah work.) Within a few minutes they're petering out, and the last minute tapers off to some surprisingly quiet blues riffing; they seem uncertain how to end this. But a big drum roll ushers in Dark Star.
The opening is very subdued and low-key, but not bad. Though quieter than usual, Phil's still present -- the passage at 2:50 bzfgt pointed out where Phil plays a high lead while Jerry plays bass notes is pretty neat. Jerry teases the theme at 3:50, and the jam gets more busy & engaging, various musical lines curling around each other. Keith switches to wah after 5m, with a nice swirly effect. But there's still not much energy, and by 5:40 things just sputter out, and they hover quietly for a bit. It sounds like a minor-key jam might blossom here, which stays an intriguing possibility for a while with some dark chords from Bob, but it isn't pursued. Jerry gets restless and after 7:30 he starts spinning out other directions. They dig into some chord riffing after 8m, finally a small burst of energy! -- then it's back to regular Dark Star jamming around 8:45. They amble along; there's some insect-buzzing from Jerry at 9:30, and everyone else quiets down. The jam gets noodly; Phil seems to be barely participating. Jerry speeds up around 10:20, Bob & Keith trying to help, but this also dies out and they return to noodling. By now I get the impression Jerry's just casting around for anything to stick, no one's able to push this forward, and the energy onstage is very low and still dropping. At 11:30 Jerry starts strumming a two-chord riff like he's about to bust out Foolish Heart. Bob follows this and there's some promise, but this soon vanishes as well. Back to more noodling after 12m, getting ever quieter like they're fading out, back to soft chords at 12:50. Then after 13:20 they stop to tune up and things all but skid to a halt. They barely play for a minute after that, just quiet tinkles -- it sounds like they've totally lost interest. At last Phil brings up the theme around 14:30, and everybody gratefully clings to it like a life-raft, and they lumber their way to the verse at 15:38. Jerry sounds kind of sad in the verse.
Well, that was very dispiriting -- it's like listening to the band's battery run out as the life drains out of their playing and they all get quieter and slower. Will things improve after the verse? The usual post-verse figure sounds like it's about to usher in good things, but they just putter around aimlessly for a while. Jerry sounds bereft of ideas, and the jam struggles along without picking up. They make way for a Bill/Keith/Phil break at 19m - but Phil gives up, then Keith, then Phil quietly noodles along with Bill. Jerry returns after 20:30, which gets Phil's spirits up -- time for liftoff? -- but no, it's only time for some more quiet noodling, Jerry all but left to himself until Bob starts Sugar Magnolia. I will say, the transition to Sugar Magnolia is very good as Jerry seamlessly makes the switch, and the band gets their rock & roll shoes back on for a rousing version.
That was a disaster. They sound very tired and out of sorts and not interested in playing Dark Star at all. Some pretty moments in the opening jam go nowhere, and it sounds like they'd rather be playing anything else and just want to get out of this. Not since Woodstock has any version gone this badly.
In short: skip this one and listen to the Playing in the Band instead.
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