Very strong performance of The Dead in Newcastle, UK some 33 years ago. The recording is bit rough around the edges but what do you expect when Bear is passing around some heavy medicine. My thinking about tape noise/cuts is that they can often mirror what the dead is about. A crackle or hiss here or there is not so dissimilar to A jam that fermented out of some idea or passage. I would have loved to have been there. Free and a very young Black Sabbath were on the bill too. What to Toni Iommi And Garcia have in common?

Tubes are hot, levels peaking. Sounds nice to me. This Other One is white heat jamming. It is ELECTRIC. You can feel the power of the amplifiers...the sensitivity of the microphones. Billy's kick drum probably sounds pretty close to what Jerry heard standing on stage. Turn this one up. You won't be sorry.

and freak out your house pets with this Dark Star. primal show, worth streaming.

go here for info on the box set for the festival this show was played at.

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/hollywood-festival-DVD.html

If you are a Pigpen fan then I warn you: have a handkerchief ready when you listen to the Lovelight cuz the sound is not all it could be but ... but ... but ..

Jerry is so wacked or antsy on this show (what is the deal with that lame, lame Cryptical Outro??!?) that Pigpen plainly decides to take the helm. Listen to the fxcking organ, my friends! Skip to about 10:30 for a taste (the sound quality gets raspy there but bear with it ... no pun intended).

Beginning at 12:15, Pig induces Jerry into one of the sickest solos this side of Caution ... unless that's some "guest" guitarist that showed up on stage. Is it Jerry? Because Pig tries to bring him back at 13:30 and is completely IGNORED! Then at 13:29, suddenly: it's the Jerry we all know and love. Did he just snap out of his bad trip? Or was he taking a smoke break while Lord Felcher Pamphlet stepped in to take his place for a desperate minute?

No worries. By 15:00 we are back in uncharted territory. And then there's a tape cut. Who knows how long they were at it? At 16:00 Jerry, Bobby and Phil pretty much unplug themselves to solve the feedback problem!

BUT THE DRUMMERS AND PIG KEEP GOING!!

At 17:16 somebody yells, "Yeah, let's keep going!" and another guy yells, "What are you going to do Pigpen??"

So Pigpen does "his thing" and by 19:38 the entire band is back on the bus. At 20:00 Pig gets the European freaks (or their roadies) chanting "Right on! Right on! Right on!" along with the music.

"What's that you say?" "Right on! Right on! Right on!!"

After that the energy sort of goes downhill although the final chords are impressive.

Re the Dark Star: at the beginning, the sound quality is far superior to the Lovelight and the mix is very interesting. I almost wonder if Bobby is playing a borrowed instrument because the tone sounds nothing like his usual 1970 tone ... far more distorted. I don't think it's a recording artefact.

Phil is sort of absent until around 3:00 and then just rolls in as if he was there all along (he probably was). The levels get progressively weirder until the sound quality nearly disintegrates. Then around 5:00 a hum sets in. But stay with it! Because at 10:00 the percussionists are truly "exploring the space" (although I don't hear the wind chimes or xylophone as beautifully as in the McFarlin Auditorium later in December). After that ... it's okay but not your mama's perfume or anything or like that.

The Good Lovin' is relatively solid sound quality. There are some glitches in the China Cat but as you might expect from some of the other problems, Bobby's not mic'd loud enough for his solo during the segue.

Nice jam in dark star worth the listen. Think its a darkness jam kind of Uncle Johny, pretty long as they go. If you like 9/18/70 Star Check this out. Peace And Love to the Dead And all the heads

Anyone that thinks this show is 3 stars or less needs to have their head examined! And if you disagree with my assessment, then you must have eggs for brains! lol Easily one of the best shows of 1970. In fact, for 1969-1971, it's a top-10 off-the-hook show, IMHO.

This setlist rocks! I think it's safe to say the Dead were trying to make a statement since it was their first international show (outside of North America). The China Cat > Rider are some of the best versions out there that easily rival the best versions. The Other One and Good Lovin' put this show into high gear. Then comes Dark Star, which one could make a case for a top-5 DS of all time! I think Garcia and the boys were definitely experimenting with this version, but it's a killer version at that!

This show has energy from the start of Casey Jones all the way through Lovelight. If you like 70's Dead, then this is a "must-have" show to download. It's definitely worth 5 stars, hands-down! This soundboard patched with audience source is quite good. Nothing wrong with the sound quality for this show.

Oh, and Me and My Uncle just may be a top-5 version out there! Bob Weir's rhythm guitar and profound singing compliment Jerry's lead guitar quite admirably. And then they go right into Crytical Envelopment. Doesn't get much better than that, folks!

If you want to know how to download this show, feel free to email me at rfkrox44@hotmail.com.

Danny from Northern Virginia outside of D.C.

One of my favorite Rider's. I've spent so much time with the late 70's and 80's sbds that I had forgotten how "heavy" the Dead could sound. Someone throw me a "heavy" a.m. Dew.

I have just added some very interesting info about film footage that resides in the Deads vaults of the show itself and also of the visit to the UK in 1970 http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/hollyfilm.html
hopefully some of this will see the light of day soon .
blame the film crew for dosing themselves and thus fucking up the film shoot - too much desire to taste of owsleys finest and we were deprived of a classic show !
Rated 4 , a great show but I don't listen much as the sound is so grating.

I WAS THERE! THERE IS A HOLLYWOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL BOX SET AVAILABLE! IT HAS SOME 30 ITEMS: CUTTINGS, REVIEWS, T-SHIRT, BADGES, CDs, 100 PAGE BOOK, AND DVD WITH FOOTAGE OF THE FESTIVAL, INC' THE DEAD. IT COSTS £50, PLUS POSTAGE, AND HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER BY A YOUNG ENTERPRISE GROUP AT THE COPPICE SPECIAL SCHOOL IN NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, STAFFORDSHIRE. A GREAT COLLECTORS ITEM. E-MAIL ME IF YOU NEED HELP garrymarsh@hotmail.com.
IT WAS A GREAT 1ST GIG IN THE UK. I ALSO SAW THEM AT THEIR SECOND GIG; BICKERSHAW IN 72. OH BY THE WAY MUNGO JERRY BLEW EVERYONE OFF THE STAGE INC' THE DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GARRY

you guys giving 3 stars need to go back to mars.

Never heard this Dark Star and it is a very very good one- it is a transitional phase star that scorches and then goes total space with gongs and bells...cant wait to see how it ends

I'm going to give this five stars, just to encourage more folk to listen to it. The band is ON!! OK, all the comments about the mix are true and they should really knock it down to a four, but...

...the performance is so great, it's got to be one of the best of 1970. Dr. Flashback is right about the '69 energy being there. All the songs are good but Cryptical Envelopment onward are GREAT! It's got the whole range, from the quiet and yearning thru to the wild and rocking. Listen to Dark Star, if nothing else! It's one of the best, and the sound is good throughout this one. Lovelight is a special one too but, unfortunately, suffers a bit more from problems in the mix - still quite listenable, though. Don't miss it, Pigpen fans, he really runs free on this one.

A personal note: I was at this show (the Bickershaw Festival), being still in England at the time, and I've passed it over many times in the Archive, not remembering it as this good. I guess the Dead's performances come over better in more intimate venues than this huge festival.

Thank you for giving this show another try. It was simply massive to see these guys for the first time in Europe. The guys were in great form, playing at this crazy festival in a beautiful surrounding blending the hot day into a mild night. With a great Dark Star still ringing in my head after - wow! 36 years! Thanks the guys making this possible!!

hot

I'm already writing and I'm on Casey Jones.

It's gonna be fine.

I've enduldged during my life, but I don't even have a clue where alot of you are coming from giving a energetic show like this 3 stars.

I also have a suscpision that this song selection may have been the most pertinant to the band or atleast the most popular of the band.

That's a guess.

Sound quality not up to the top 10%, but the Dark Star is very nice as Dr.Flashback says. The rest of the show not as good as many in 1970. An Average show for a great year (IMO). Overall a 3.5 , drop half a notch for sound quality.

my rating scale
1 = 10%
2 = 20%
3 = 40%
4 = 20%
5 = 10%

you ask what would I rate a 5? A few off the top of my head
11/2/69, 11/8/69, Dark Star from 2/2/70
2/11-14/70, 5/2/70, 9/18/70, 4/28/71 second set, 4/29/71 end of show, 5/11/72, a bunch from 9/72, I like 73 and 74 as well, many in may 1977, very few after, none from 93-95. Although my experience at a show may make it a five for me, but not one of the top 10% of all GD shows.

Just lisen to the this Dark Star!I think they scared a few people that day.Might scare you,so hold on to your seats.

Due to sound quality, I can't include this as a top ten. But don't let that scare you away from this monster show. The quality gets better as the show continues. These ARE 35 year old tapes, after all.
The Dead's first appearance in Europe I believe. A harbinger of what was to come in 2 years.
I will pencil this in as a top ten, to be possibly revised as I hear more 1970. But whereas some 1970 shows are weakened by experimental new songs that don't work - although interesting - this show really shines. As a matter of fact, with this song list, the effect is more like 1969 energy -esp. on the Dark Star and Other One.
The beginning sound on Casey Jones is a weak mix, but then things quickly improve as the Bear figures out the system, and they deliver a rollicking good China>Rider. And a rare Attics is always nice too.
The band were definitely out to prove something tonight - their first chance to blow Europe's mind, and their first big festival since Woodstock. The St. Stephen to the end is fantastic, just blazing.
A B+ for sound quality, but still a great and historic show that deserves a listen.
Dr. Flashback ;-)

...if this is considered unlistenable. It's still so much better than about 90% of the cassettes I ever had it's not even funny! A very fun and energetic set, with a nice Attics as a special bonus. How many times was Attics ever played live anyway, fewer than 20?

This is not intolerable by any stretch of the imagination and this show is really superb. Everyone is really on - Not sure what I like the best. Listen to the Dr. he knows what he is talking about and gives credit where it's due. Just listen up you will not be dissapointed!!

A nice tasty show and OK sound at first--the mix could be more pristine and gets worse into Lovelight. Interestingly enough, http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/Holly-dead.70.html reports that the Grateful Dead were a warm-up act, coming up from London to fill a 4:30 afternoon spot.

in addition tot he hum, it sounds like audio cable is being unplugged or recording levels are peaking.....yuck......good performance ofcourse....when did they ever disappoint?

i think love light sound is to low but what do i know

I am not one of those people who gives 5 stars to a show just to go along with the other reviewers. For the most part, Dick's Picks are what I think are 5 star shows.That being said, this is worthy of a solid 3 stars. There are some really great jams here. My & My Uncle is great. I love Hard to Handle. PigPen is rough and raw, Jerry electric and energetic. Attics of My Life is also strong. The sound quality is O.K., but not great. But all in all, very much listenable. I recommend this show highly.