One of my favorite shows ever, and not just because it was played in my native Hudson County, NJ. Incredible set list with Sugaree, Eyes and Scarlet-Playin-Scarlet in the first set and the superlative sequence from Sugar through He's Gone, Truckin', Spanish Jam, Other One, GDTRFB and back into Sunshine Daydream that wraps up the second. Band is at the top of its game here. I've been listening to '74 Matrixes lately and was surprised to see they played shows in different cities the previous two nights. No worse for the wear here, and the recordings/melding make for a supremely pleasurable listening experience. Thank you, Dave Usborne!

while I've already commented publicly on another source for this show (that one is gorgeous and should be considered for any listening session), the music within could not be more perfect. It should come as no surprise the caliber of playing the Grateful Dead were syncopated with around this time had wondrous ends. They played until they couldn't, which is for another review, however I'd like to add here that while the playing is hot and attuned, it's also wild and passionate.

The proceeding months shows in London (9/11) and Hinterland (10/19) hold majesty in court. It's only my thoughts, however, what vision could this have actually been? Mountains can only raise high enough into the clouds. And, then you see a sprawling vista of what roads lead there. Others which might lead down, or to simply wait and decide later on which summit then to peak. Many of these sonic journals (photographs) are only whispers from which we can gather views to form opinions, only just. Careless it seems, I am thoroughly enjoying this show and my foray of audience tapes. The occasional hiss only has me speculate further into why or how pictures are taken. And, what purpose they truly serve toward history.

As always, thank you for the preservation of this tape. It's careful, dexterous and all the while welcome in the small, yet massive world of mine.

I was checking out Eyes..Very beautiful but is it just me or does Jery sound out of tune. I have heard similar before in 74.

Any guitar players with insights?

I don't suspect wrong notes, but maybe keeping Wolf in tune?

Sorry for finding fault with such a famous show!

Perhaps the best show of 1974, which could be my favorite GD year. Cool matrix too - nice job, Dave.

the answer to world peace
don't hate Donna

The band's enthusiasm throughout most of this show is outstanding. There are so many highlights, but I hear it as consistently inspired from Bertha through Row Jimmy and the best I've heard from 74 so far. What's amazing to me is how tight, creative and juicy songs like Don't Ease Me In are. It's like they could have played Day Job (with aid of a time machine) and I would say this song is killer.
As another reviewer mentioned, Big River was played alot during this period, and yet I don't hear it as yet another Big River. It's like alright!!! Big River is happening!
So yeah the Eyes, Playin>Scarlet>Playin are most ut, but when the little songs blow me away, I know this is top 10 show.

When he said "but that wasn't the only news" he referred to news of the "smoking gun" tape that forced Richard Nixon to resign three days later.

A bit hectic and rough around some edges (as Bob Weir's temper seems to be at one point), but wow, what brilliance.

And to the writer of the horrible hit-blurb below: telling people not to talk politics somewhere IS talking politics, you bag of Nazi dicks. I don't care what Garcia said: an artist has no control over the context their work is seen or heard in mind of. It's good to think about the world the music is happening in, and the ones who should be getting pathologized out of town are the insensitive prick-tips like you who tell people not to talk about it.

to the previous reviewer, please don't bring politics into the grateful dead realm. if your memory serves you well, you will distinctly recall jerry's disdain for taking on any large political disputes while there was a dead show going on !!!!!!! it was always just about the music ( again, if your memory serves you well ) . haven't we all spent enough millennia arguing whose god or whose government or whose political system is the absolute best . why did you ever take lsd ? and, hopefully, what did learn from it ? don't you remember all the wonderful moments ? LET US NOT FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE ..... because the like the song says, man, " if we can't or won't forget it ..... i guess we could be through " ..... some of my fondest fuckin memories are from grateful fuckin dead shows !!!!!!!!! and i side with garcia on his notion that a dead show ( a good old fashioned rock n roll concert ) was not to be made a forum for the issues. trust me, i couldn't agree more that the big religion, big government, big corporations, big $, tend to not have the average cool person's best interests in mind . however, the rock n roll show is for groovin on the music ( and not for confrontation ) .... imho ( in my humble opinion as you kids say nowadays ) ....... look forward to seeing any of you guys at a show in the future ... come up and say hello !!!!

as such.

…and according to my parents, I was at this show. It only occurred to me recently to look for a recording of it. Pretty, pretty great.

This is a very fine matrix which includes a stellar Eyes and excellent versions of UJB, Ship and He's Gone. The latter sounded best in '74.

If only this show had a Dark Star->Dew it would be easier to say that this is my choice for '74. Still, I'm going with this one. Thanks so much to the Dead and all who contributed in making this available with such excellent quality. This show rocks!

"Beautiful".

A great matrix of a favourite show. Already well known from existing soundboard, audience and Dick's Picks recordings. Now we have an equally good matrix to add to the set, which supplements a crystal clear board with some (but not too much) audience sound to provide the 'almost like being there' feeling.
My favourites are "Jack Straw" leading up to "Eyes of the World", what are yours ?

Thank you 'Mix-Meister'.