This show will always be near and dear to my heart. On November 25th, 2022 I hooked and landed my first steelhead while spey fishing the Snake. The 2:33 minute mark of Sugar Mag is where it all began... '73 was a special year and this has become such a special show for me. I hope something of similar magnitude happens in your life while you listen to this Sugar Magnolia!!!

What was going on with Phil, starting around 9/24/72 he started getting rowdy and commanding, eventually orchestrating the band through the Philo Stomps in the Fall. This gig sounds like where the 73 jam sound really begins, and he's really active. There's a new feel to the mixes with the new PA, Billy is playing a little differently and his cymbals shimmer and crash over it all. As someone noted Phil started having a real peak era in February 73. I like the Dark Star and Other One jams from Spring 73 because of this. Everything stays a little more on pace, jazzier, more focused and less deep space than the Fall. I love that too, I just also love early 73 for these Phil jams. I wonder if there's a reel out there that completes 2/24/73, that show would be an instant vault release if there were. It's worth patching together the various sources to listen to.

As for this show though I'm more a fan of the Truckin segment than the Eyes. These early ones just kinda go on dreamily without much direction, I prefer the ones that came a bit later with the impressive gear shifts and twists and turns.

I have NO idea why someone would say there was no first set because I was there.
The New Riders of the Purple Sage opened with Jerry sitting in on pedal steel for the entire set. I watched the Dead’s whole first set from my ticketed seat against the back wall, but the acoustics were so bad I knew I had to move. When the second set started I was right in front of the stacks stage left! The cops were bored so they didn’t chase me away. Bobby asked the audience in front to move back but they were all center stage. I stood there for about 10 minutes and marveled at how clean the sound was even at that volume. Sadly I had to leave then to catch the last train to my suburban college dorm room. I really regret missing what turned out to be a great 5 hour show, but I was too scared to sleep in the train station over night.

For those of you wondering what happened to the first set, I was at this show: THERE WAS NO FIRST SET. NRPS opened, then the Dead came out, played this one set and left. Chicago's International Ampitheatre was a big old barn with terrible acoustics -- didn't seem like the band an audience connected. I left disappointed, wondered if I'd ever go see 'em again. (Luckily I came to my senses!)

Came across this in my journey this November day. The wonderful opening three of the four song jam includes a long and wonderfully interpreted He's Gone, a Truckin' where all the lyrics were remembered and then an Other One from Mars.
What come next, however takes things to the five star rating with a soulful, melodious Eyes which includes some wandering followed by an ethereal China Doll - Jerry is perfect in tone, pace and both voice/guitar emotion.
What better way ro end it up, but with a raucous Sugar Mag and an even more raucous Casey Jones.
Mr. Miller strikes again and how glad I am that he did.
I wonder what Set I sounded like.

Who needs a first set with a second like this? Nearly seventy minutes of jam from he's gone opener->truckin'->other one->eyes->china doll. Holy smokes. This is just the third eyes ever played. (Eyes debuted 2/9.) It of course would become a second set mainstay. Not as common, at least in historical terms, is the eyes-china doll pairing. This is the third pairing (of what would ultimately be 24, none post-76). It's a beauty. The other one is a terror. Phil shines...lead-bass from start to finish.

We all know the timeless adage : It's not what they play but how they play it."

Case in point here to a " T".

Great insights listed below from the many fans of this shorter show.

This is only the third time they played both Eyes and China Doll and it's wonderfully clear that these new songs reinvigorated the band, not that they really needed it at this time,

The Eyes of the World comes in at just about 20 minutes so the band fully explores it's subtle nuances and the more important melodic and thematic changes that make it a highlight of many shows this year.

They are also in no rush as they perform it in the slighty slower tempo then the song eventually would become by fall.

The China Doll is sublime.

They race to the finish with a joyous Sugar Magnolia then a full throttle Casey Jones, which is easily one of the top five of their celebrated careers.

Happy Trails.

Sweet! Excellent jams. There are parts that sound prettier than Bach.

Love 73.
Highlights: Banter, He's Gone, Truck'in, The Other One, Eyes, China Doll

He's Gone >Truckin'>Other One is always a good sign.

This snippet shall surely satisfy all you Leshophiles out there, including the writer of this review. In fact, I'll be as bold to say that Phil never shined brighter than in Feb of '73 during his whole 30 career with the Grateful Dead. Pity we don't have access to the entire contents of this show, but the He's Gone-->China Doll run is some of the jammin' best 70-odd minutes the band ever played, and we should appreciate what we can get! This one is worthy of a place in anyone's collection.

yes,yes,yes!smile,smile,smile!

This Eyes is the best. Sick. Disgustingly good. Wish the rest of the show was here but I'll give this a 5 star rating just for the jam out of Eyes of the World.

It was a beautiful China Doll, I wonder if the lyrics were originally in that order or if Jerry got them mixed up accidentally.

Lesh kicks ass and takes names.

Holy crap this is a stellar show. They start out and don't stop. Sometimes these partials are all that's needed. Totally works for me.

wow...what great jams...the jam band by which all others are measured in my book. great he's gone, other one, eyes...a little mistake in some of the words, but who cares about the words...get them out of the way and jam, jam, jam...smile smile smile :):):) 4.9455 stars

Stellar! Great! Epic! One of the best from 1973, that's for sure.

The Phil Zone and more. Loved it!