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Grateful DeadGrateful Dead Live at Berkeley Community Theater on 1972-08-21 (August 21, 1972)

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Collection: : GratefulDead
Band/Artist: Grateful Dead
Date: August 21, 1972 (check for other copies)
Venue: Berkeley Community Theater
Location: Berkeley, CA

Source: Soundboard
Lineage: S:MR > PCM > DAT > CD > EAC > SHN
Keywords: Live concert

Description

Promised Land, He's Gone, Black Throated Wind, Friend Of The Devil, Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Me & My Uncle, Sugaree, Beat It On Down The Line, Stella Blue, Playin' In The Band, Brown Eyed Women, Mexicali Blues, Casey Jones Greatest Story Ever Told, Ramble On Rose, Dark Star-> El Paso-> Jam-> Deal, Sugar Magnolia, Mississippi Half Step, Uncle John's Band-> One More Saturday Night

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Reviewer: Towelie - - October 2, 2008
Subject: How do i download these songs?
i can't seem to figure it out

Reviewer: TerpStn - - October 1, 2008
Subject: Wow...
Fantastic show. The BTW is probably the best I've heard and the He's Gone is top shelf, not to mention the other gems on here. I really can't get over how great the intro sounds on that BTW.

In my opinion, even though their library wasn't complete yet, they never sounded better than they did in 1972, especially from that New York run right before they left for Europe, through the end of the summer tour.

Reviewer: hambonetst - - July 23, 2008
Subject: change of lyrics on stella
Jerry sings "can't keep from crying" instead of "gonna make'em shine" in the 3rd verse of Stella. Can't remember another show in which he's uses this line. (But there are manymany Stellas I have yet to hear.) The change parallels the other "cryings" in the standard lyrics, but I was wondering if anyone out there has other insights/information to shine on Jerry altering the line.
As everyone else has said: this is a magnificent show. A very adventurous Dark Star. I love Jerry's vocals on He's Gone and Stella: he's really impassioned.

Reviewer: thewhoquad - - May 5, 2008
Subject: What Great Show!
Have to agree with Batcaver...
Phil sounds great on Jack Straw. Brown Eyed Women is awesome and Dark Star is off the rails.
Wish I could have been there... What a great year to see the them.

Reviewer: sky dog - - January 2, 2008
Subject: Great performance, great quality
The audio quality is top-notch. Great mix, album-quality. Keith's keyboards are a great new addition to the band at this point (plus, Donna's caterwauling hasn't reared its head yet!) Great selection of songs, amazing quality, definitely a show you should get to know.

Reviewer: gdp88 - - September 24, 2007
Subject: yup
defenitly a keeper, any fan of 72 must get this, great quality, great setlist, flat out sick show

Reviewer: sondlerd - - September 23, 2007
Subject: Full Concert
Sirius Satellite Radio played this concert tonight. I am happy I got to hear it, it's really really good. They feel full of energy and provide a superb performance.

This is the night that they introduce Keith and Donna Godchaux were introduced into the family of the band this evening. The audio is right before Playin in the band... not sure if the stream captured it or not. I didn't listened to this streaming version.

Brown Eyed Women is superb. It is right on, sounds like they are all connection in this one. It's got good energy and Bobby sounds great. Most of the songs in this concert are have these qualities... this is a great concert to own. The Dead seem to play individual songs rather than jam out a 15-20 minute versions of each song. It's an unusual quality for the Grateful Dead but it is a nice set of terrifically performed songs.

Black Throated Wind is awesome. This is certainly my favorite version of this song. The opening guitar sounds a bit wavey and psychadelic; it sounds so darn good.

Good rendition of Gratest Storey Ever Told, very high energy. Donna is showin why she should stay with the band. Her vocals are great and she's into it, full on.

Reviewer: batcaver - - July 30, 2007
Subject: Harmonies
The most noticable aspect for my listening is the clarity of the harmony that Phil provides. (Maybe I have this wrong since I've never seen footage to be sure). The one I'm speaking of can be heard most clearly when he outsings Weir and Garcia in Jack Straw. The strain is evident but the results are great. After listening to JS it's no wonder he stopped singing. One of the things that makes '72 distinct for me is the strength of this harmony that he provides.

Reviewer: jockeyhollow - - June 23, 2007
Subject: what a delicious recording!
with coffee cup in hand and a little help from a friend my morning has started with a simile.

Reviewer: gruUbic - - May 14, 2007
Subject: THIS is WHY!
How cool is this recording????

Yes, it is....

Reviewer: St. Vitus - - December 27, 2006
Subject: flashback
Didn't think the Dark Star would live up to the hype, it does, plus some, a mind bending monster not to be taken lightly.

Reviewer: smgarcia - - October 31, 2006
Subject: Playin' In The Band Equisite
One of the first songs I listen to for new shows is Playin' In The Band. Other people usually turn to Dark Star, maybe something else. But I like Playin' because it has a catchy, great tune and then an intense jam, followed by the remaining tune. Dark Star oppositely is just basically a jam.

Anyway this Playin' is absolutely fantastic. First, Bob articulates every single word into the microphone. In later years he sometimes misses words here or there, or changes the cadence. The enunciation of Playin' here is as written - and that's why I like it. By the 80's and beyond the song changed too much for me to really like.

The jam is also just utterly brillant. I've been listening to the jams around this time period, specifically 8/24/1972 and 8/27/1972 and they are all good, but this one sizes up the best. The jam gets really fast, but everyone is in sync. Sometimes jams have all band members playing kind of different rythyms, all coalescening together. But this one, they are synchronized to a blazing fast beat. It is primarily driven by Keith's piano playing. The piano sound and it's wicked thrust really drives Jerry, Phil and Bob into the song. There is a nice calm segue into the end of of Playin' too. Listen around the 8 minute mark.

A few other comments - having one drummer makes a difference, I think. It allows me to concentrate on the other musical instruments. When there are two drummers, you get this syncopated, skippy beat. Also, the kind of piano Keith plays is so much better than the tinker-bell popsy piano used by Brent. It's real music, not one produced by a bunch of kids playing on a $200 electric piano.

This concert gets 5 star in my book. I'm beginning to like 1972 as much as the may shows of 1977, when I consider the Dead at the professional musical peak (plus songs like The Wheel, Terrapin, Estimated, Scarlet > Fire all came out by that time.)

Lastly, note that this recording has a slight hiss. It's not perfect, especially when you listen to it at high volumes. But can't downgrade because of that.

Reviewer: Wheatabix - - September 21, 2006
Subject: Full On
Soooo much tastiness that it's hard to fathom the beauty. I feel I must pray - literally! Both Bob and Jerry's voices sound so great. Take special note of Jerry's in Stella Blue - an especially moving version, not just vocally - Garcia's leads are crisp, powerful, and authoritative. This show's version of Playing in the Band is also superlative. This show is Mighty.

Reviewer: Bird Creek, Alaska - - July 3, 2006
Subject: Thank you Betty
It is all true. Gett'n Down.

Reviewer: USBlues1977 - - May 9, 2006
Subject: Yeah, well that's like your opinion, man...
This is great semi-early Dead at its best. The Black Throated is full of energy as is the majority of the first set. The China->Rider is amazing and exhibits a level of play that only the early 70's attianed. I need not talk about the second set or the Dark Star as the reviews below say all that needs to be said.

Reviewer: Cliff Hucker - - May 5, 2006
Subject: Dark Star
Could be a top ten Dark Star.

Reviewer: rollandfin - - March 22, 2006
Subject: Great Great Stuff
This one's special to me, the 27th is the most talked about and the 22-24th have their qualities too, but there is simply some fine points to be heard within this recording that lifts it, songs like el paso and deal find their way to the top of the setlist interest, on the back of some interesting transitions. I'd caution don't look for magic, just put it in the background and let it grab your attention. Tunes Like FOTD and Miss Half Step, echo the september to come and all those DP's. Maybe August got a bum rap.

Email me at fieldhouse11277@hotmail.com Happy to share with responsible listeners.

Reviewer: rootsman - - March 22, 2006
Subject: Trippiest Dark Star Ever????
At least one of the best ever. Great sound, too

Reviewer: ghettobooster - - March 20, 2006
Subject: about this dark*
This is probably the most evil dark* of its time. It is not the prettiest (see dane county '73), but it will twist your brain and make your dog start barking at you. I feel pity for the poor souls who were too high on LSD at this concert. May G.O.D. have mercy on their souls.

Later with the use of midi and whatnot they could make 'em even more evil like florida '89... but I prefer the good ol' days when we didn't have midi and we liked it. This dark* is RAW dead with Jerry at his best. As the Dark* progresses out of chaos Jerry starts going into the "Morning Dew". That, according to Phil, was not what the Vibes needed.
Phil needed to get things groovin' for another 10 minutes with a Booty-Smackin funk jam to show us where the music could go if he wanted it to go there. Just to let ya know,

Yes, we really did just freak the "F" out like that on purpose.

So who the hell else would jump into a giddy-up Western Swing classic like "El Paso" after a MASSIVE musical FReaKoUt?

For that matter, what the hell kinda band goes back into space after playing "El Paso"?

Only the best band ever would, that's who.
Big Balls and No Fear.

great sound for its time. I aint really rating the show just the Dark* > el paso

Reviewer: Dub Irie - - December 30, 2005
Subject: 5 Star Show
This show has so many qualities about it that make it a top pick that I am surprised that it has not been appointed to the Dick's Pick's series. This particular recording has a nice listenable tone and the sets are as solid as they get. Check out China Cat and get back to me...:-P

Reviewer: birdsgosouth - - October 4, 2005
Subject: Dark Star for the ages
Ohhhh man, if I had a dollar for everytime I put this one on after a bong rip or a tab drop in the last 15 years or so. While I had heard Veneta before this, this one absolutely KICKED MY ASS when I first heard it, and the quality was stunning. To say that this one gets OUT T H E R E is an understatement! there's something about this Dark Star that really puts it above most of the ones not just from 72 but 71-74. Phil shutting down jerry as he tries to play Dew is so awesome! he was not ready to end this one, and Jer ended up spinning a few more scorching licks before Bob fell in love with a Mexican girl.

Reviewer: markgugs - - April 22, 2005
Subject: Awesome summer Dead!
This show just absolutely rocks! So many highlights, can't name them all. The Dark Star, as mentioned already, really is a 4-star restaurant unto itself. Get the whole show!

Reviewer: bigboypeete - - April 14, 2005
Subject: great stuff
top not shit hear, love the setlist for 72 whats missing..well.. not a damn thing !

Reviewer: dr. flashback - - February 10, 2005
Subject: Don't Miss This!
This show is a favorite among older Deadheads and
tape collectors, because it was widely available and also because it's really good! So good in fact, that this was one of the doctor's top shows
for 1972 until I heard 8/24, and that one beat it
out. Well, it's hard to top a Dark Star>Morning Dew combination (Jerry tries it on this night, but Phil and Billy have other ideas - see below).

Nevertheless, this is a superb show in many ways
and it's guaranteed to thrill. Set One looks a lot like Europe 72, with a stacked deck of great songs like Sugaree, Jack Straw, He's Gone, BE Women and the welcome return of FOTD on this run,
not since Spring Tour 1971!
Playin is now all grown up as a jam vehicle, well seasoned from the Europe tour (check out the 30 min. version from 5/26!) This one is shorter but
leaves you wanting for nothing, featuring some lovely acoustic piano work from Keith along with
Garcia's wah wah blazing above the mix. A very jazzy and up tempo version that serves as an appetizer for what's to come.

The Dark Star is naturally the main course, and has been favorably compared to 4/8/72. For a good description, read Henry Kaiser's review in Deadbase. A very complex and explorative version,
with many moods. They play around with the main
A to G theme for a while on the mellow side. Then
halfway through, Jerry revs it up for some very
fast runs on the wah wah, and then the Star explodes in dissonant fury and fireworks - buckle
up and hang onto your brain for this! Then Jerry decides he's ready to do Morning Dew, but Phil has other ideas, and he and Billy manage to turn the jam into a fast jazzy train ride before everyone drops out and lets Keith take over with
some sparkling piano riffs. The short jam after
El Paso is interesting as well.
The surprises continue with the new addition of
Half Step, and instead of the normal NFA to end,
they pull out an Uncle John's Band.

A great show to add to your 1972 collection, and
one of the better Dark Stars of the year if you
like em wild and weird!
enjoy,
Dr. Flashback ;-)

Reviewer: jimkrum - - February 2, 2005
Subject: wow
what a recording is supposed to sound like! Absolutely great!!!!

Reviewer: meatpile - - January 6, 2005
Subject: One of my first tapes
Great second set. I usually dislike Donna, love her on greatest story.

The entire second set is some of my all time favorite. The DArk Star get out, and the move into ElPaso is fantastic. Everything else is very well done.

This is the beginning of the post pigpen, one drummer, really loose jams that tended to define '73 and '74. I think this show gets overshadowed by 8-27, but this one is well worth the download.

Get it.

Notes

S:MR > PCM > DAT > CD > EAC > SHN; via D. Hollister, G. Hamilton; see
info file for list of minor flaws