Playing In The Band

So this one is along the lines of that, but it's not as hot, but it's incredible.

incredible howie i listen to this now you know yesterday driving back from sarasota in the car really loud and again this morning with the headphones on and i'm telling you it's as good as i remember you know i haven't heard the show probably you know about a year and i always knew this is incredible boy this playing in the band the one thing that stuck out for me howie they don't go on that many like tangents it's very linear Very straightforward.

But the five musicians are so tight and they're so in sync.

It's incredible.

I've never heard a band that's so focused and playing together as one as in this playing in the band.

It's incredible to me.

Just opening a set with playing, whether it's the first or second set, it's just such a beautiful way for the band to get loose and take the show in a direction they couldn't even imagine.

will.

This set, it's a second set that begins with the following set list.

It's jam, drums, jam, jack-o'-roll, playing in the band, playing jam, shakedown.

And my understanding is that Bob Weir was sick.

Like, he was puking backstage.

¶¶ Thank you.

the guesses are in.

It was playing in the band at Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia on November 30th, 1980.

Nick, you requested that portion of the jam specifically.

... uh, longest Grateful Dead song.

On May 21st, 1974, Playing in the Band, 46 minutes and 42 seconds.

Jesus Christ.

May 11th, 1972, Dark Star, 48 minutes [laughs] and 20 seconds.

The first is that there are five songs that debut in this show that would become mainstay staples for, until the end, for the next 25 years and, you know, beyond into covers and Dead & Company and all that.

Five songs that debuted that night were Bertha, Loser, Greatest Story Ever Told, Wharf Rat, and Playing in the Band.

So, I mean, that alone would make this show noteworthy and memorable for that reason.

But there are more reasons.

It closes out a, a tremendous first set and, and they're not done with, with debuts and hot playing.

They go into set two with Casey Jones, kinda calling it back to when Phil teased the crowd about it for the second-- before they went into Truckin.

Casey Jones to the debut of Playing in the Band.

Me and Bobby McGee, Candyman, Big Boss Man, Sugar Magnolia, St. Stephen, Not Fade Away into Going Down the Road Feeling Bad into Not Fade Away, and then the Uncle John's Band ender.

The Dead in '86 are concise and powerful.

A 15-minute-plus playing in the band leads the way, but other than that, double-digit length songs are rare.

The two new Dylan covers hit it.

In fact, Desolation Row is longer than the Morning Dew in Philly.

Notable for the incredible Visions of Joanna, which should have gained more notoriety than it did.

Too bad Jerry didn't play it more.

The second set features the lone China Rider combo and the only playing in the band among the six shows.

The playing is one of the highlights of all six shows and deserves a second listen.