The start of the beloved Academy run. Seven shows in NYC, on the way to E72. 3/23 is the big one, and 3/28 is extra-solid, but this is probably the second best (next night is the low point of the run and era). This show is known for having the first Looks Like Rain and the first Stranger. For a long time only the second set circulated. The first set is nearly 2hrs and the second 1½hrs. The Academy opened as one of the W. Fox movie palaces in the 1920s, in the Gramercy district of Manhattan borough, off Union Square. It became The Palladium in '76 [see cover of London Calling]. Steve Rubell tried to make the second coming of Studio 54 here in the '80s, long after the swingshut of disco's barn door. NYU bought the land and today the footprint has a 15-story dorm, with a Trader Joe's at street level.

First Set. There were issues the first night with a persistent buzz/hum. There's no mix yet for Bertha so it's a wash. Black Throated is just the 2nd one; still developing, if obviously woodshedded, they would now play it every night until Paris. Sugaree is the average '72. Chinatown is the 3rd one and the mix finallly improves - though it has a cut @0:34 of ~40secs and Keith disappears (throughout the set, actually). But the playing now soars. Greatest Story is the first great one of the new arrangement. Dig the way Jer plays the end of the solo when the verses come back in. Mr. Charlie must have the best batting average of '72: half of the 40 are aces. In the '70s/'80s the "Charlie" that had broke to mass consciousness was Manson. So for years people would claim/assume it was about him - even though none of the lyrics matched up (rock salt?). "Mr. Charlie" is older; mid-century slang (as is typical for Hunter) for prison guard and, by extension to the '70s, The Man (man!). For the first Looks Like Rain Jer switches to steel. It's also still forming, also workshopped, also played each night. But this early version got good quick; which see 3/28. Tennessee is uptempo even by early version standards. Bobby's rhythm is incredible. The channels switch @3:54. The set now stays in X Factor. Playing in the Band is the first in a few months, but now it's a couple minutes longer, with its first expanded jam. Inspired, even if some is OOT. Next Time You See Me has wicked Pig/Jer synchronicity and great Bobby. It's a decent Good Lovin', but it would get better on E72. The worn Heads are offered no respite before Casey Jones keeps the house on its feet.

Second Set. This is the first Truckin' to surpass 10mins. Sweetened jam, too. The Other One is fairly experimental, if not as fun as, say, 4/21, 5/3 or 5/10. The next few are above average, with the first ever (and stage-ready) The Stranger. Wouldn't you expect that from Pigpen? Then comes a sterling, super sequence of the kind that makes this run legendary. The very next Ramble on Rose is one of the best ever, but this one has might as well. Then two shorties in a row, both punching down. On Big Railroad Pig comes out to blow harp. Worth the price of admission. The rest is nicely uptempo, with a great seg into a hyper Saturday Night. No encore. No need!

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: A-
Overall = 4½ stars

Highlights:
Greatest Story Ever Told - first great one of arrangement
Tennessee Jed - uptempo, Bobby rhythm
Playing in the Band - first expanded jam inspired
Cumberland Blues - smiley
Next Time You See Me - Pig/Jer synchronicity
Casey Jones - house on its feet
Ramble On Rose - preview might
Me & My Uncle - punching down
Big Railroad Blues - pig blows
Not Fade Away - uptempo
Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad - peak instills afterglow
One More Saturday Night - hyper version

SOURCES: Most SBDs have a hum. The miller_92395 has the Chinatown, the beginnings of El Paso & Next Time You See Me, and the complete tunings. The 136670_sbd_sirmick has better sound as well as hum reduction. It is missing Chinatown, some tracks are clipped at their beginnings, some tunings are trimmed, and the tracks are mislabeled. Like other SBDs it can stand an EQ small drop ~180k, a large parabolic raise ~12k, the channels need switched (from mid Tennessee), and it needs balancing and normalization. Pitch correction of -1% is needed for Casey Jones & Saturday Night. I had good luck with hum reduction in Audacity by sampling the tuning after El Paso, applying to sections, and then normalizing. Dave's 14 bonus has Truckin'>Drums>The Other One>Wharf Rat. The channels are already switched and it's hum-reduced & EQd.

It's clear that even for people who aren't that into the 72 sound, this is something special. The musicians are all in excellent, playful but focused form conducive to spontaneous genius. Garcia's pedal steel in Looks Like Rain is utterly sublime. Nice jams!

The banter about the attack floor fan was funny. Sugaree is different than I'm used to, not who I thought she was. The greatest story is really weird, man. Please forget you know the song's name, my darlin' loser. Mr. Charlie came riding up on a quasar with a left hand monkey wrench. The tuning in this show has no chance of losing, and you'll never find another honest song. Lookin' high, lookin' low, lookin' for rain. You with find some honest tuning. They're only trying to make it back to Tennessee, where a storm is sure to come. Playing in the band that tunes a lot. Jed wins again. I hope you'll understand, a man is just a man with the Cumberland Blues. Next time you see me, what can I do? Gotta get down to the West Texas town of Cumberland. The crowd lied, cheated, woah-oh for so long; next time they're tuning, things won't be the same. Good lovin' in Rosa's Cantina. Driving that tuning, high on cocaine. Doctor, doctor, Mr. MD, can you tell me what's ailin' me, he said yeah yeah yeah yeah, what you need is some good tuning. Didn't discern drumming during drums. That's it for the trucking, just want to settle down. Wharf rat circle. Spanish lady comes to me lay on me this crowd; the heat came round and busted me for tuning on a cloudy day. Sugar Pearly's been true, true to me, true til my dying day, he said. I love the crowd noise, and banter during the tuning. Stranger Magnolia, she takes the wheel when I'm seeing double souls in communion. Ramble on Pig Pen, I know what to do. Me and my uncle need some correction, alteration and direction. Did you say your name was Big Railroad Rose? Taught me good, taught me all I know, taught me so well, you know that gold won't fade away. Wish I had a listened to wait my Mama said, I wouldn't be goin' down the road feeling bad. I'm going to tell you how it's going to be, if you're going out one more Saturday night, I'm going out both night and day, you know one more Saturday night. Finally, a song matches the title, sans reprise. Then Another Saturday Night, ALRIGHT!!!!