For the last month I've been listening to all the versions of Wave That Flag just for fun. I'm not neurotic enough to dissect them and list all the lyrical variations or anything, though I am neurotic enough to where I'd really enjoy reading such a project were someone to do it. But I'd say this one might be the most lyrically focused so far, yet somehow it doesn't quite gel the same, like the early Half Steps where the "boots in transit" line come first, it feels off. There are some real mumble fests but a lot of em still have a lot of heart. Especially the ones where Jerry lets out a little "Whoo! Walk on waves!" Or maybe it's before sleep in caves. Or eat at Dave's...

This spring tour does have more famous shows with more magical second set odysseys, like 2/26/73 and 3/28/73, but 3/19/73 stands as a top contender for having perhaps the very best first set of 1973. While definitely a great sequence, to me the highlights of this show aren’t really Truckin’ > Drums > The Other One > Eyes of the World > China Doll so much as they are the masterful, majestic solo passages at the 10:00 mark of He’s Gone, the 2:00 mark of They Love Each Other, and the 1:40 mark of Box of Rain, along with that haywire Playing in the Band.

These stretched out Spring ‘73 shows often saw the boys playing a lot of the same tunes each night, and how they decided to shuffle and stack up a setlist could be just as important as what was actually played. This one cracks 3.5 hours, but has a consistent momentum that never seems to lose steam. The order and performance of the songs lends a fabulous flow and enjoyability. Although there’s no Dark Star, Bertha, Greatest Story, Bird Song, or Here Comes Sunshine, the way they unveil perhaps the all-time greatest He’s Gone ever as the second song of the night, pop Brown-Eyed Women between two Weir-led country covers, and precede the jam sequence with Half-Step, Stella Blue, and Jack Straw are really inspired moves that keep the listener entertained throughout.

The Spring ‘73 sound is essentially a more polished and aerodynamic, less rich and ravenous continuation of the Fall ‘72 sound, with some new Wake of the Flood toys to play with. For those with some time on their hands, this Nassau run closer is a gleaming ambassador of a truly great and often underrated tour.

mr. miller is a godsend to the community, thank you thank you thank you.

the first he's gone since pig died and even in a year full of all timers the eyes still manages to stand tall among the rest.