These are the last three songs from 10Dec73 in Charlotte. Material from 4Dec73 is misplaced as
archive.org/details/gd73-12-10pt.sbd.elliot.11800.sbeok.shnf .
Everything extant from the Charlotte show (including these 3 songs) was released on
Download v8. There has never been an AUD, and some sources have listed missing songs. True, the 1st set is short, but there were other short 1st sets on this tour (also followed by long 2nd sets), and we probably have nearly an hour (without tunings cut). This is not the Charlotte Coliseum played in '89, '91, '92 & '95. This is the "Bojangles" (formerly the "Independence"), with the odd tin roof. They played it again in '79 and '84, having played just Durham for awhile. Deadbase says the SBD circulated but I never came across it and it never turned up on Archive in the modern era, so hmmm. Part of a Donna-less tour, it's known for the first Peggy-O and first split Sugar Mag. Reviewing the show itself:
First Set. In with a bang on
Bertha; the solo is incredible, then
Mexicali is jaw-dropping.
Deal is a bit "quiet" but does keep the pulse up for a coruscating
Big River. After an average
Dough Knees comes a big
Playing. Nice overall, maybe it's not 11/30 but I suspect some will find it matching. I would guess that on the official release there may be 1 or 2 missing, but probably not 4. My guess is a Paso and/or a Jack. Until the official release the lists were wrong regardless, so ¿quién sabe?
Second Set. I wouldn't say that
Promised Land really gets going; maybe Jer was busy thinking about playing the first-ever
Peggy-O. Notice that they arranged this for the key of G. After the hiatus it was moved to A. They feel their way through with Bobby missing chord changes - even
Row Jimmy is a bit stumbly. The next few are average '73 until the start of the jam in
Truckin', when Jer starts teasing
Nobody's Fault. It foreshadows for awhile before blowin' wide into a great version. Jer uses the "mother taught me to read/I have a bible in my home" verse, staying truer to Blind Willie's soul redemption paranoia (as opposed to, say, Plant, who added the Rolling Log Blues to his version), and interestingly ends up with more lyrics than he usually sang in this era. It's great at this tempo, especially into
Eyes, and check Phil. Hell, check Bobby doing his own leads. This is a night that refs '66. Though
Eyes sounds close to many late '73s, it's sooo perfect. 11/14 is arguably better, but for late '73 this is up there with 11/30. Just nice.
Brokedown is as good as it gets and
China>Rider is stellar (including a Feelin' Groovy jam).
Sugar Mag may start average but you gotta admit that Jer leaves it all on stage with the jam. And then they split off Sunshine Daydream for the first time. Bobby earns his bell bottoms on the reprise.
Casey Jones is unicursal but exacting.
1st Set: B+
2nd Set: B
Overall = 4¼ stars [for the 10th]
Highlights:
Bertha - what you need
Mexicali Blues - jaw-droppingly tidy
Big River - flows to the Gulf
Nobody's Fault But Mine - teased for awhile and then sprung from the bluesy soil
Eyes of the World - there are too many great '73s (if there is such a thing)
Brokedown Palace - palate cleanser turned ace
China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider - stellar
Casey Jones - unicursal works here