Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks
Curtis Hixon
Convention Center
Tampa, FL
12/19/73
Review by Barry
Small
© 12/20/2001
Dick’s
Picks Volume 1
is the first in a series of vault releases that is based on two track
recordings. This one features select portions of a live concert performed
December 19, 1973, at the Curtis Hixon Convention Center in Tampa, FL.
Back up singer Donna Godchaux was not present at the show.
The
first disc of Dick’s Picks Volume 1 includes parts of both sets.
It begins in high form with "Here Comes Sunshine," arguably the
best version ever, unquestionably stellar.
Also included are great versions of "Big River" and "Big
Railroad Blues." The
"Mississippi Half Step" is brilliant, but incomplete as they never
sing the “Across the Grande Rio” bridge, instead they just stop.
Regardless, what they did play of the song this night is great. For fans
of spacey explorations and extended jamming it is hard to find fault with
the Bobby songs, "Weather Report" > “Let it Grow" and
"Playing in the Band" on the first disc.
The
second disc is the ending of the show. It
begins with "He’s Gone" that travels into a small jam, where Keith
runs piano riffs so smoothly transitioning into their next song,
"Truckin’," that you wonder how they got there. After the singing
the song takes off with a jam that has Jerry, Keith, and Phil in perfect unity
that leads the song to an explosive peak. The mood gets deeper into a blues
theme with a seldom-played version of "Nobody’s Fault But Mine" that
has a long introduction. It is
followed by a jam that has "The Other One" written all over it, and in
no hurry, they finally get around to it. What follows is an exploratory spacey
jam ala “Feedback.” They shift gears to a ballad and close with a high
charged performance of "Around and Around."
The
Grateful Dead have released an abundance of live recordings to choose from.
While there are better releases than Dick’s Picks Volume 1, it
one has plenty to offer. The mix on this release captures Keith’s
playing in a way that to me sound better and has more clarity than any other
release to date (April 2002).
B +
Page last edited on 06/22/02
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