I just got done listening to the version of this show from the boxed set. This show is amazing. One of the best. It starts off one fire and never lets up.

I noticed a number of reviews mentioned "Mr. Charlie". It's generally not a song many people get excited about, but Jerry's solo on this version is fantastic.

The first set has its share of jamming with China/Rider, Playin', and Good Lovin, and the 2nd set picks up from where it left off.This is the only show on the tour with both Dark Star and The Other One. The latter has just incredible energy and also some very quiet parts. It does seem a bit out of tune at first, but the playing is so good that it kind of doesn't matter.

To me, this version of Sugar Mag is better than the one on Europe '72. But if that all wasn't good enough, check out Turn On Your Lovelight. Has Jerry ever done a better guitar solo? Has anyone?

They could have easily ended the show there, but no, they weren't finished, and the remaining songs don't disappoint.

To recap, this concert is the Grateful Dead at their best.

As long as you use the CHARLIE MILLER source for SET ONE and then start this Recording at the DARK STAR you will be good to go.
This is a really amazing show and the difference between the Soundboard and Audience is as wide a gap as the ocean between the U.S. and Britain.
The band was tight for the entire Europe 72 tour but they did not shrink from the limelight and the distinction of being the closing act for this Festival and the honor seemed to raise the intensity level even with the tuning issues and less than optimal weather for the bulk of BICKERSHAW.
Freaking Pigpen could jam on that organ!
After 1970 It was not everyday they played both the Dark Star and the Other One during the same show.
While Veneta had its naked hippie gyrating on a telephone pole this show has some wing nuts diving into a swimming pool from ill advised heights.
No matter the band kept playing on..

the trio of sugar mag -> lovelight -> gdtrfb from this show, for me, might be jerry (and the rest) at his pinnacle. not to say he didnt peak after or before this countless times but god damn they were absolutely crushing it. i've listened to this combo probably more than any other. it never gets old.

and the second solo in sugar mag is my all time favorite of jerry's. its perfection. every note. he hurt em bad.

With such a high overall level, some shows of the tour stand out for statistical this-and-thats. 5/16 is the shortest show and this is the longest @4hrs plus intermission. In fact, it's one of the longest shows ever; 28 songs including a 20min Dark Star and 33min TOO. (1:48 1st set; 2:12 2nd set). Some think length of songs or shows is the only indicator of quality (though you could just compile two shows and call it A+). Those fans will find this show all they need (which is certainly fine). Luckily for the rest, there's plenty of good playing. The festival was legendary for a generation of Brits - understandably so. While it doesn't have the zap of some of the later shows or the crystalline moments of the earlier shows, it has its own vibe.Unfortunately, it's marred by out of tune guitars for many songs. E72 is tough competition.

First Set. The first two aren't bad versions but Mr. Charlie is amazing - because of Keith. Beat it on Down the Line-8½ ("how bout 8 and ½?") is the tour's best. Because it hadn't been fully arranged yet, He's Gone isn't usually this good on the tour. Each China>Rider has some new bits and it's a stand-out most stops, including this one. Black Throated is pretty tame until the end. Playin' is just fireworks all the wah wah through. It does have a small Donnaskreech™. There's a really good, 20min Good Lovin', though these didn't vary that much the middle weeks. Casey Jones was played almost every night yet this stands out - Bobby and Keith's fills are perfect.

Second Set. Greatest Story isn't 4/7, 4/11,or 4/29 but it's still great. The next couple are average '72 but Jack Straw is the height of the '72 arrangement. Parts of Dark Star are interesting (though not like, say, 4/8) and parts are had-to-be-there. E72 doesn't have the year's best Dark Stars and Billy says he looked forward to Other One, which here is the most out-there of the tour (though not the longest). I'll take 4/21, 5/3, 5/24 & a couple others. Going in and out of tune was unfortunate both sets and then Bobby seems to flag by Sugar Mag. But not Pigpen, who fires Jer on a whopping Lovelight. It's fireworks again for GDtRFB, albeit with Donnaskreech™. The next two are average versions.

1st Set:   B+
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 4 stars

Highlights:
Mr. Charlie - Keith especially amazing
Beat it on Down the Line - "How 'bout 8½?" how 'bout pure zap
He's Gone - now it's finding its legs
China Cat> Know You Rider - beautiful sections
Playing in the Band - fireworks & wah
Casey Jones - the fills make it (Phil always makes it)
Jack Straw - height of' 72 arrangement
Lovelight>Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad - Pigpen pwns and a peerless progression

SOURCES: Were problematic until official release with mostly bad AUD and then composites floating around.

We had bought tickets in advance to be sure of seeing this legendary California band about which we knew little, and drove down from Scotland on the Thursday. The promoters had scheduled the festival for early May because weather records showed there was a tendency for dry spells about then. In the event the first two and a half days were grey and wet, turning much the site into ankle deep mud. It wasn't particularly cold, but it was rather grim and with inadequate provision for litter the site quickly got messy and untidy. The backdrop to the site was Coronation Street-style terrace housing. There was no trouble with the local people but they did quietly resent us and had tried to stop the festival. The local working men's club had a Union Jack flying at half mast on our account.

The promoters had provided large marquees for sleeping and I seem to remember that it worked quite well. The toilets worked too, but you could smell them about 70 metres away. They were a whole experience in themselves: look through the seat and there was an open pit containing an amazing stew of colours 'that no one knows the names of').

I don't know what happened to security; they seemed not to have shown up. People soon started to dismantle parts of the corrugated sheeting that formed the only enclosure to the site and it quickly became a free festival. Attendance was estimated at around 70,000, but apart from advanced sales, I doubt that many people paid to get in.

But despite the weather and despite being a financial disaster the show went on and only a couple of advertised acts didn't show (Pacific Gas and Electric was one). Can't complain though, Hawkwind's space odyssey was worth the discomfort, with a light show that was exceptional for the times. Stackridge finished a quirky set with Purple Spaceship Over Yatton, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Dr John in top hat and with a cane, finished off that night but he was way out of his tree on something and didn't give a good performance.

I think the Kinks were on the next night. Ray Davies was pissed, but functioning well and was clearly enjoying himself. The stage organ was out of tune so he and keyboards player attacked it beer cans and pushed it over, then went on playing with the grand piano while one of the stage crew remonstrated at them. They played a good set. In between sets DJ Andy Dunkley playing good music such as "this oldie but goodie" which turned out to be Subterranean Homesick Blues.

I remember a small, giggly, young Linda Lewis with a huge afro and a huge voice range. Family gave a good set, with Roger Chapman in good form. Quiver seemed pretty average. Cheech and Chong suggested that we all have a minute's silence for J. Edgar Hoover who had just died. It was probably that same night that the stage announced that the Night Assemblies Bill (an infamous private member's bill that was a serious threat to future festivals) had been talked out of parliament. This raised a big cheer amongst Bickershaw's muddy hippies. I didn't stay up for Captain Beefheart, but there was another big cheer when he came on.

Sunday morning was bright with bluish skies, although not too warm. I think Donovan performed sat crosslegged on a mat, but that might be my imagination. Country Joe MacDonald was certainly there, getting us all chanting: "And what have you got?" "Fuck Nixon". He was an excellent raconteur telling about trying to get a U.S. cop to illegally utter the F-word. But the weather soon got grey and wet and I think it was raining again when the Flaming Groovies played. The New Riders came on in the rain but it eventually started to clear and so they tried to charm the clouds away with their country rock before the Dead came on. And it worked. And for the first time during the whole three days there was a clear sky and it was dry for the whole of the Dead's set (around five hours from memory, minus a break of some 40 minutes). There was even a glorious sunset about half an hour after they came on, which was as good as Hawkwind's light show.

Wasn't too warm mind, so they put some sort of giant heater on the stage which made it more comfortable for the band but it also made their guitars go out of tune, requiring frequent tune-ups. (I thought this was supposed to be one of the reasons the Europe '72 album had no tracks from Bickershaw.) Anyway the heater eventually packed up and the band played better in the second set as a result.

Meanwhile the crowd had lit fires and there were huge clouds of marijuana smoke wafting towards the stage causing Bob Weir to remark "I don't know what you're burning down there, but it smells awful". I had never used any illegal substance before, but we split a tab of acid and it started having effects while Bill the Drummer was playing the solo to The Other One. It's quite an interesting number when you are tripping. And then Pigpen took us through Lovelight and then I bopped my way through Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, and into Not Fade Away. This was one of the ten best days of my life and I was buzzing the whole evening and the whole of the next day (the intro to Lovelight going round in my head) as we drove back to Scotland, and I even felt some effects on the Tuesday as I was back at work planting spruce trees in yet more rain up in the Scottish Highlands. Halcyon days.

Postscript: Yeah show ended with Lovelight/Goin down the road/Not fade away. Wow, a never to be forgotten set - from Dark Star on is just out of this world. One More Saturday Night was the encore. The last six tracks on here are the New Riders.

Dark Star-drums-Other One-Sing me back home...
60 minutes of bliss

There's a cute version of the band playing Happy Birthday to Bill Kreutzman after "Next Time You See Me" that's not listed in the description.

I thought I was not very familiar with this show until I realized that several of these amazing performances were included on Steppin' Out (Good Lovin', Lovelight, Goin' Down the Road...) but what makes this for me is the stunning medley of Dark Star>Drums>The Other One - this is simply a fantastic piece of music and despite any technical tuning issues they may have been experiencing, should be counted among the finest performances of the tour.

I was especially blown away by this scorching Other One; as Cliff mentions the ferocity level of the first half MUST be heard, a definite throwback to their late '60s aggressiveness. Then the towering, fast-paced thematic jam at the end just seals it... I think this and 5/3/72 might now be my favorite performances of The Other One on the tour, and with monsters like 4/7 and 5/26 lurking around that is probably saying a lot...I urge you to get the box-set and listen for yourself!!

I usually do no render an opinion; I just feel so blessed that the GD existed in my life time - I have the whole Europe tour (minus 4/7) and it's typically in my car; well, I knew set II of Bickershaw was darn good and I typically do not agree with most reviews BUT a few of you got it right imho, the Dark Star>Other One>Sing Me Back Home is the Grateful Dead experience driven by the music played the band....might be my new favorite 60 minutes of music with the other being 4/8/72 DS>Sugar Mag>Caution>Saturday Night...if you don't have these two recordings, do whatever it takes to get and experience this music (2nd set)

I guess this was before inline guitar tuners were available, as The Other One is marred by a couple of minutes of Bob Weir attempting to tune up at full volume right after the first verse, and unfortunately he stays a bit out of tune all of the way through Sing Me Back Home: between the guitar and the badly out-of-tune barroom-quality piano, things can get a bit unlistenable for someone with a musician's ears. Needless to say, it's a bit of a drag on the general momentum of the music, and it takes quite some time before The Other One gets going again. Dark Star is nice, but not up to the level of the monumental versions from this tour. Highlights are a fantastic solo on Sing Me Back Home, and a nice Lovelight, but there's a reason this show is not discussed among the best from this era: because it's not. The first set might be great, but this audience recording is barely listenable, so we'll have to wait for the box set on that one.

I can't wait to hear this in all it's magnificence when the Euro '72 Boxset hits my door mat

"The crowd had built bonfires around the perimeter of the field to keep warm, but now they piled on the fuel and Bickershaw became a pagan festival, dancers circling the flames, and, in the words of a local writer, the 'Dead had offered safe passage through the wierd terrain.'" Dennis McNally

A rain sodden and chilly weekend seems to have dampened this festival, though the weather appropriately cleared just before the Dead's show closing performance. Although the sound quality for most of the show renders it rather difficult to enjoy, its obvious why so many songs from this performance were included on the Steppin' Out release.

This festival gig was, for the most part, very well played (particularly the second set) and at an extremely high energy level. It also represents Pigpen's finest performance on the tour, and what might be his last great show. The Truckin' opener cooks, while Playin' in the Band, Good Lovin' and the Lovelight> GDTRFB are all great performances.

The highlight though, is certainly the phenomenal second set jam suite preserved in master reel source sound quality, featuring both Dark Star AND the Other One. It's the only performance during 1972 to include both songs. Though somewhat abreviated from other Dark Stars on the tour, clocking in at just over 16 minutes, this is a top notch effort nonetheless. The pre-verse theme intro is brilliant. Jerry is soaring! But what really stands out on this one is some rather fine playing by Bobby. His chord-work throughout is gorgeous. It might be his finest contribution to a performance of Dark Star on the entire tour. After a post-verse Space/Drums segment, the band just explodes into The Other One. It's a raging monster performance of the song. Not as jazzy or sophisticated as some of the best versions from the tour, this performance is more primal in nature. At times sounding more like '69 or '70 with a fierce pre-verse attack by Garcia and some amazing swirling organ fills from Pig. After the first verse there is an awesome solo by Phil, perhaps his best of the tour. The space segment continues with Jerry and Weir eventually going atonal. Finally Weir drives the band back into the theme and it catches fire again prior to the second verse.

The show concludes with a superb performance of Lovelight, featuring some great slidework by Jerry before another excellent GDTRFB/NFA. If the music of the first set was available in better sound quality, this amazing performance might garner a perfect score. (98 pts)

I downloaded this one before it was disallowed by the site and I must say: Probably the most rewarding experience of my life... Dark Star > drums> the other one> sing me back home. This is premium, ULTRA MEGA TITTIES TO THE MAXOID PREMIUM spacy dead at its finest. Possibly the finest dark star ever recorded, and I have never heard such an intense other one (it is like no other (one)). If you can find a copy in circulation listen or go buy the new release. If your fiending for a crunchy jam I prescribe one to two listenings a day at least for the first week if you hope to make a speedy recovery...Trust your doctor

Deadlists.com mentions that a complete audience recording is in existence. Does anyone have the audience source to add to the Archive?

I've only just joined this site. I was at Bickershaw so ... would like the whole show. But can anyone clear up the following - I easily downloaded a Watkins Glen show, the download link was available in a left hand window. This one, Bickershaw - the heading says it's available on Steppin' Out, which of course it isn't, not all of it and not as a show. Other reviewers talk of Discs 1 and 2 and Discs 3 and 4 - of Steppin' Out? There's no easy download link on the left, but there are lists of files that just bring up file titles or something. What are they doing there if they're not downloads? Any help on the way, please?
I don't really catalogue China Cat Rider Segues. But I am fascinated by them. The Movie one rates!

I keep returning to the tapers section at dead.net to hear Sing me back home which was just perfect after the amazing Dark Star-Other One

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/gd1972-05-07nrps.asx

i got the "steppin out" release not to long ago and its become one of my most listened to set of cds. i really really want the rest of this show though. there is so much good stuff. if anyone is willing to trade and can help me out it would be greatly appreciated. im dyin to get my hands on this copy of this awesome show. have lots of different stuff to trade.


go here for some good information about the show

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/dead.html


cb18201@hotmail.com

Dear Vadernader, 'dream on' - if just one song from the show in question is used on the commercial release, that is the excuse to block the whole show. I have done my best to 'familiarise myself on a regular basis' (I am sure you can guess what I mean !) with the whole of the Europe '72 tour - but my collection is blighted with gaps from the UK shows in question. This is despite the fact that I for one (and probably every other serious 'deadhead') buy every official release (including "Stepping Out") regardless. Still, if it makes the little Hitlers happy!!! I'll give the show 5 stars in the expectation that I will feel the same as and when I get to hear it.

The Dark Star > Other One > Sing Me Back Home is not the versions of the those titles from "Stepping out with the Grateful Dead".

Could someone please re-post the parts that are not officially released?

I was at this show--the whole festival was a rain-lashed, chilly, muddy two (three?) days of near-Woodstockosity. The Dead were the final act. Just as they started their set, the setting sun broke through the iron-gray clouds of the Midlands and the sky cleared. It was one of those "cosmic" moments for sure. And yes, this was one of the great sets of that era.

WOW! My suggestion is to get Dark Star - Saturday Night. This is top notch 1972 Grateful Dead!! This Europe 1972 run is flawless. Some of the best playing by any band ever...actually it IS.

i don't know why people can not read the source info listed for certain shows.
clearly stated: DISCS 1 & 2 are from multiple audience sources (-and relatively suck).

*BUT*, DISCS 3 & 4 are from master sbd. reel; and your a fool if you skip out on this show.

disc 3 & 4 are CLASSIC. The best part of this show just happens to be the better quality(see-perfectly mixed 72 sbd.) Dark Star and Other One are unreal and a MUST hear. --GRAB the GOODS.

Rating reflects lack of 1st two discs quality, but show would def. be a five if all four discs were the sbd.

I cannot get into this show at all, due to poor sound quality. I've tried and tried, sorry.

Excellent show. Highly reccomend the download time, however the first 6 or so songs have a very poor sound quality. Clears up and you get some awesome Dead at a peak performance. Dark Star--Drums---other one worth the time for the whole thing.

This show is so completely out of this world. I can't believe more people don't know about it. The Dark Star - Other One is as good as it gets. After it takes you to hell and heaven, you end up in church with Sing Me Back Home. And then after that is whole other amazing set in itself, with Sugar Magnolia, Lovelight, GDTRFB, NFA.
The Other One Jam is tangible proof of the mystic-power behind the Grateful Dead. Every day I check nervously to make sure it is still here. Get this quick, and share with friends!

Started playing this one at work hours ago. The sound was a little sketchy at first but half a day of sitting at a desk and jammin later I have to wonder, "When did I ever have the energy to party and dance for these entire shows" Wow they were good when they were good.

this show is so hot it'll make your brain leak out of your ears. lovelight -> gdtrfb -> nfa! what jams. unreal! i could use three more exclamation points!

50+ minutes of DarkStar>>Other One. This is one of the best shows of all time!!!! The quality is a hell of a lot better than my tape, that's for sure.

You can feel the cold, haunting and eery intense feeling of this place through the music - Pig or someone is doing some wierd stuff tuning in the middle of other one... lovelight is one of the best of the tour and prob in top 5...Garcia hammering the wawa in the beginning of NFA - this is a monster for sure...not to be missed and I am sure they left those jaded Brits with their jaws agape wondering who just stole their faces off.

After 2 1/2 days of freezing with chattering Brit speedfreaks and locals, watching everyone from the Kinks to Capn Beefheart, Sunday came upon the exhausted crowd, myself and my comely new long red haired lady friend. I'd been introduced to the Dead on their recent Festival Express tour in Casnada, Damn, if that band wasn't already following me around! :)
The damp was still stultifying as Donovan played his set in the early afternoon.... drizzle still cooled the crowd. Country Joe/the Fish livened things up with a rousing F*** Richard Nixon chant as the sound towers shuddered under the swaying weight of the mad climbers. 20,000 brits screaming F*** Tricky Dick.... unreal, but the best still was yet to come.
New Riders warmed things up more, and as sure as God's in heaven, as they finished their set, the clouds began to part and set the stage (literally) for the Dead.
There were video screens (hi tech in that day) on either side of the stage, and EVERYONE, all the villagers, crowd, cops, bus drivers etc had the show of their lives as the Dead played one of their all time classic shows.... under a blood red sky.
Sodden, stoned, exhausted and remorselessly devoted, or soon to be, Deadheads rocked until there was no energy left to spend. Pigpen was in his final glory days, Keith had blended and even Donna was on key. This show really left no survivors. We were all dead after that.
Luckily, I revived in time for the Lyceum shows.....
Get this one.... excellent quality. Thank you, contributor..... as I sit here, i'm, transported back to that smoky, smelly, stony ol english bog.... that I for one will never forget. Thanks for bringing this back for us.

this is the show where elvis costello recalls wearing a soaked poncho in a muddy morass (did he have his buddy holly glasses?), loving the dead not so much for dark star, but for the way they could belt out a truly touching, sad ballad. it was an inspiration for him, and, now, thanks to archive, hopefully an inspiration for generations to come.

old colliery town on a farm near wigan manchester well lancashire in 1972
a nice steady first set with the waft of the toilets drifting over to the band which prompted bobs what you smokin out there
but dark star was lovely spacey and flares being fired into the darkening sky and happy orgasm emblazoned on the electric sign
had to put up with my recording of this until the internet brought me the wonderful sounds as they should sound
wonderful stuff
happy trails indeed

As Bill says in the notes "The Dark Star's a true beauty" and he's right, one of my favourites. I can still remember sitting there under the sound tower listening to it. It's not the best sounding show you'll ever hear but it's what Europe '72 was all about, truly inventive playing.

Mick E