First, a bit about this era of the Dead: The band was in a state of flux; Pigpen, the organist and blues singer who had started out as their front man, and still was a primary draw for concertgoers, had left the band just after the European tour in April and May; He would never return to the band 🪡

Show Post

After skimming off the top for years, their manager had absconded with all the band's funds in '71, and their second drummer (said manager's son) was so embarrassed, he disappeared too. So the band was in a position where they had to keep touring to make back everything their manager had stolen. 🪡

Show Post

But they had to do it without one of their most popular members (Pigpen), and the 45-60 minutes worth of songs he used to sing every night. The crowd wanted Pigpen songs, but the band couldn't do them without him. The crowd wanted long shows, but the band didn't have time to compose new material. 🪡

Show Post

So you get this era with long, jammed out versions of existing songs, gigantic 3+ hour-long shows with two or three sets, each the length of the average 75-90 minute concert. And they're playing their asses off, because they can't stop touring or the crew and band lose their houses back home. 🪡

Show Post

The Dead famously had a habit of recording their shows, because the improvisational jams often contained nuggets they used for future songs. They also liked to study their shows like athletes watching back replays looking for places to improve. Less so as it went along, but they still did in '72. 🪡

Show Post