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The band's enthusiasm for and committment to the many song and diverse musical forms they tackle comes over well. There's so much to get into ; blues, country tunes, original songs some then newish to the reportoire.
"Dark Star" is very present and correct running some 31 minutes, as is "The Other One" jam which surprisingly, and yet feeling so right, takes in Marty Robbin's "El Paso" on the way. Yes, the whole gamut of The Grateful Dead is here. Well recorded and presented and top form playing and singing throughout.
In our defense, I and many of the others who packed into the newcastle City Hall to experience our very first Grateful Dead concert, were starving for the psychedelic Dead that we had grown to know and love so much. Sure, we also loved Workingman's and American Beauty but we were not so sure about the second live album. The New Musical Express at the time derided it as 'Boogie Dead' and claimed that the band were well passed their peak. I recall at that venue too, dancing was not permitted and bouncers were employed to restrain the audience and return them to their seats or throw them out if they were persistent offenders. The show was indeed great music and I listened in awe to the sheer magnificence of Pigpen and Jerry's fluid guitar runs once they got going. The performance was also marred by the frequent tune ups and by the fact that at 11pm the band was still playing but many of us had to leave otherwise there was no transport home until the next day.
By contrast the Bickershaw Festival was one of those miracle days. The event was cold and wet. Plenty of mud but no frolicking like Woodstock. Instead we all huddled together to keep warm as their was little fuel for fires. We had been rained on again and it was very cold. The New Riders had put on a fine performance and shortly, it seemed, before dusk the band came on to the stage and the sun shone with a fantastic performance including 'Dark Star' which raised our spirits and helped us forget our troubles for the next four hours or so.
Some of those performances are recorded on this album. At some points the tape hiss intrudes but none of it detracts from the performance. I love the whole of side four but my real favourite is side three with an admirableseries of fluid tunes from 'Truckin' through to 'Wharf Rat'.
The set has some of the best official recordings of Pigpen I have heard, especially given that he was in poor health. 'Turn on Your Lovelight' on disc two is AWESOME.
Steppin' Out is the Dead at the height of their power. Their versatility is incomparable. No other band before or since could perform the range of material they do switching easily between genres and yet making it their own. I am a little biased because these were shows that I was at but trying to be as objective as I can I would say that this is one Grateful Dead album that is a must for any collection. Superior to Hunded Year Hall, it is an historical record of the pinnacle years of the band's performance.
Great job on the sound and production. My only reservation is the sparcity of tracks from Newcastle City Hall. Perhaps when the Terrapin project is completed I can make my own CD from the band's own archives.
Excellent, excellent, excellent.
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