Thank you.

Strong Garcia guitar throughout but the Truckin’ to end the second set is one for the ages.

Veterans Memorial Arena was still new at the time, and it had been 7½ yrs since they since played across the river at SUNY Binghamton - though they had played close by: Cortland in '71 and Ithaca, of course, in May. This comes during a string of great shows - just two nights after the immense Colgate. It used to be a bit of a hidden gem - sometimes just the highly regarded Truckin' was traded as filler (contrary to old listings they don't quote Whole Lotta Love, though coincidentally the rest of the Zep '77 tour had just been canceled). Really it's an up and down show compared to others on the tour (this was the final stop). But if you think they aren't playing their best, you just wait and something extraordinary comes along again.

First Set. Half-Step Mississippi is a solid, propitious start, followed by an equally nice Jack Straw. Tennessee Jed features a New Orleans-styled, heavy shuffle, in a whopping version that builds, and builds the set. Mexicali is sloppy but watch how they make up for it going into Me & My Uncle, which is emphatic! Friend of the Devil is great (if you don't compare it to, say, 10/14, 10/16, or 10/29 - tough company this tour!). But this Minglewood ... man oh man. A goofy, hyper version with unique interplay, and one of the best you will ever hear. The roaring tone in Dupree's mostly makes up for the flubs, but Passenger is shoes-in-dryer. The end caps are pure juice. Dire Wolf is relaxed but serious; loose but tight. Though Music Never Stopped was a massive number for them in '77, this version racks near the top.

Second Set. It takes until the back half to regain the amplitude of the first set. While much of the show is uptempo, Scarlet is taken at a tamped pace. Jer blows the second verse [while messing with gear], causing momentary confusion, though it's rickety for awhile after that, improving for the final jam. Fire on the Mountain is again shaky and improving by the end solo. Try the MTX for Good Lovin', which doesn't waver as much as the SBD or OFFICIAL. Saint Stephen is where the set starts to shine. A coda is attempted (w/variable results) before they turn it over to the drummers. The rest is great. Not Fade Away punches through the psychedelic wall in a pugilistic grounding. Jer once said Wharf Rat is an ugly song but he loved to tackle it. Here he does just that, putting it all on stage. A version this dynamic is rare. Coming at Wharf's tempo, Saint Stephen is a swampy reprise. We have heard Truckin' so many times, and it's such a standard arrangement, that for most of us it takes a special one to get our attention. Be warned this one is coiled up like an Indian cobra. Don't let it strike you!

1st Set:  A-
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 4¼ stars

Highlights:
Tennessee Jed - N'orlans heavy shuffle builds
Me & My Uncle - emphatic
New Minglewood Blues - goofy, hyper, unique
Dire Wolf - dichotomy of relaxed/serious, loose/tight
The Music Never Stopped - massive in '77 & here
Not Fade Away>Truckin' - pugilistic sequence

SOURCES: There is a Seamons matrix (seamons_92273), better for a couple tracks. The 139055_SBD_Miller_Noel has fine Joe Noel SBD mastering, though the tunings have been edited. Dave's 25 has the whole show.

Thank you for this Grate upgrade of this hot show

Huge sound clean up here. Sounds great.

Just so people don't get confused by guit30's review, this was mastered by Joe Noel, Charlie only did the transfer

The October and November '77 shows are all essential listening. The only problem is that the SBD recordings tend to sound quite flat and compressed, even on official releases like Dick's Picks 34 (11/2 and 11/5 were chosen for this release, but all the dates around them are equally amazing; sadly, DP 34 has by far the worst sound quality of any DP) and the October '77 Road Trips. The Charlie Miller soundboards completely do away with this issue. Rich, full-sounding boards and incredible playing from the boys.

So why listen to Fall '77 instead of playing 5/7-9 and the June Winterland shows for the 10x time? Fall '77 has its own unique groove and some great setlists. Wolf is back in Jerry's hands with single-coil PUs. Jerry is digging into Wolf's unique wooden tone after a couple of years on the aluminum-necked Travis Beans. The synergy and precision of the performances carries over from the spring.

This show has a top 5 Mississippi Half Step.

Towards the end of 77, The Dead began to up the ante a bit, and the Wolf returns. Charlie Miller is the Greg Norman of the Vault and what a job he does here. This is a very clean recording. I wonder if he ever communicates with Greg.
Jerry has had a great run with the Travis Bean guitar, Now his Irwin is back for a bit. DP10, 12/29/77 the Wolf is roaring again. This show, he is still playing the super melodic style used when the Travis Bean ruled the roost.
Lots of double string riffs ,pedal steel sounds coming from the Wolf. Great mix coming from the show. You can hear everything clearly, wonder
what Millers secret is, probably just a great ear. A very good version of Trucking. Show starts cooking, then some Weir cowboy songs.