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Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks Volume 29
[May 19 & 21, 1977]
(Grateful Dead)
The Music Box's #5 specialty package for 2003
First Appeared in The Music Box, November 2003, Volume 10, #11
Written by John Metzger
There was no shortage of mesmerizing Grateful Dead performances in 1977, so
it’s not surprising that Dick’s Picks, Volume 29 returns to that year for
its latest edition. It’s the fourth chapter in the ongoing series to do so — the
second from the magnificent month of May — and it’s the series’ first six-CD
set. Granted, this may seem a little excessive to outsiders, but for those who
are well-aware of the band’s magic, it’s every bit as welcome as the sunshine of
spring after a cold, cloudy winter. Not to mention, the only possible way to
release the concerts recorded on May 19 and 21 in their entirety (save for a U.S. Blues encore) is to issue such a monstrous collection — a concession
that most everyone upon hearing the music contained therein will agree is
warranted completely.
In short, Dick’s Picks, Volume 29 is an epic and monumental package
that ranks among the very best outings of this rapidly expanding series. As
such, there are numerous highlights to be found within it. For certain, there
was something special in the air during May 1977, a month that found the
Grateful Dead’s creative juices returning full-force. The up-tempo material was
given a significant infusion of energy, but it was the ballads that stole most
of the attention. In particular, the first set from May 19 was stuffed with
transcendent beauty from the shimmering strains of Peggy-O to the quiet
desperation of Loser to the tenderness lent to Looks Like Rain
through Donna Godchaux’s stunning harmonies.
Sugaree, however, was the one song that consistently managed to outshine
everything else that the Grateful Dead performed that month, and the rendition
featured on Dick’s Picks, Volume 29 was no exception. Stretching the tune
into an astounding 16 minutes of unadulterated pleasure, the band never hit a
lull nor did it ever force the song to go where it did not wish to travel.
Simply put, the group allowed the melody to carry it away, rather than the other
way around. Driven by Jerry Garcia’s mellow, yet intense guitar lead, the song
shifted from graceful swing to thunderous roar and back as colors pranced,
tumbled, and twirled through the patchouli-scented rhythmic accompaniment. Among
the many spectacular showings that this song received, this may be the greatest
of them all.
Even better, this is hardly the be all and end all of Dick’s Picks, Volume
29. In fact, these concerts were merely getting underway when the Grateful
Dead launched into Sugaree. Throughout the four gracious sets of music
featured on this collection, the band continuously dabbled in spacious
experimentation, channeling its muse to create music that utterly melts the
mind. Estimated Prophet appeared in both shows, and thus is featured
twice; both versions were stellar, turning reggae inside-out through the song’s
rippling rhythms. The latter half of the second set from May 19 was built around
the psychedelic anthem Playing in the Band, which skipped merrily into an
inverted Uncle John’s Band, blossomed into a resplendent rendition of The Wheel, and floated through the fragile strains of what is surely one of
the finest performances of China Doll — all before landing squarely back
where it all began with the scintillating conclusion to Playing in the Band.
As for the May 21 concert, it had plenty of its own spectacular moments. The
Grateful Dead struck gold with the shimmering strains of They Love Each Other
as well as the gentle oscillation of Row Jimmy. It traversed the cosmos
through the spiritual rebirth recounted in Cassidy, delicately danced
through Jack-a-Roe, and found bliss within the intoxicating transition
from Scarlet Begonias into Fire on the Mountain. The diamond of
this performance, however, was the opalescent He’s Gone that sprung up
midway through the second set. The tune dripped with a portentous ache before
charging full-bore into the thunderous roar of The Other One, only to
ease effortlessly into the sweet strains of Comes a Time. It all amounts
to another classic moment in the Grateful Dead’s variegated history.
As if this isn’t enough, Dick’s Picks, Volume 29 is augmented with
additional material recorded on October 11, 1977 in Norman, Oklahoma. Dancing
in the Street was full of funky jubilation; Dire Wolf sauntered along
at a pleasingly slow, deliberate gait; the breezy elegance of Eyes of the
World — omitted from the bonus tracks — wafted through the introduction to
what became an expansive and explosive rendition of Not Fade Away; within
the tender, melancholic ballad Wharf Rat, the Grateful Dead inserted a
resolutely uplifting gospel song; and Around & Around was built from a
mid-tempo blues groove into a frenzied fury. Indeed, either of the primary shows
featured on Dick’s Picks, Volume 29 would have been sufficient to make it
a terrific collection, but taken together and supplemented with selections from
the Norman, Oklahoma concert makes this extraordinary package not only the
ultimate encapsulation of the band’s 1977 tours, but also a keeper for fans of
any of the Grateful Dead’s eras.
Dick's Picks Volume 29 is not currently available from Amazon.
To order, visit the Grateful Dead Merchandising Site!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2003
The Music Box
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