After the rains of Bickershaw Festival, the next Dark Star would be played on May 11, 1972, under the roof of the Rotterdam Civic Hall.
It would be another Dark Star for the ages; and a return to having only the first verse for vocals.
The opening space jam was as eloquent as usual, before building slowly to a pulsing Other One feel. This took the band into a warp speed tour of extra-planetary destinations. As Billy’s excursion to the Planet of Drums wound down, Phil joined him for a drums/bass duet. Then Jerry trickles into the jam making it a magical celestial trio jam. Billy, Phil and Jerry are then joined by Keith, taking the band to the first verse after a 23-minute intro.
(I LOVE a 23-minute intro!)
After the verse Phil bombs and howling “Pheedback” ushers in a fantastic Dead Fusion Jazz maelstrom of polytonal and polyrhythmic explorations. Jerry’s guitar glides into a spectrum spanning from Wes Montgomery to Jimi Hendrix.
Then at 32 minutes Phil roars back with a crescendo of Phull Phil Pheedback into a swarm of notes that were not for the meek of heart. The jam would enter a maximum intensity drive featuring hints of Playing in the Band, I Know You Rider and Bird Song. Keith takes a spin on Pig’s Hammond B3 adding more colors to the galactic spiral of sound.
The charging jam would finally dissolve into a segue into Sugar Magnolia. This masterful journey through space/time would extend all the way to 48 minutes.
The Paris and Rotterdam Dark Stars would become two magnificent cresting sonic waves of the Spring of '72. Together they would stand as my favorites of their tour.
Rotterdam would also be notable as their last performances of Caution and Who Do You Love.
But they were not finished. Germany would soon have their third splendid Dark Star in Munich and London would be blessed with two more fine Dark Stars during their final run on their spectacular trip to Europe.
A 23 minute intro. That's several costume changes
Dave Abear, 6/2; Boulder
Peak2Peak (GD), 6/10; Longmont
Melvin & JGB, 6/30; Boulder
Dead & Company, 7/1-3; Boulder
.....She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running
like a watercolor in the rain
The Dead returned to London for the last run of the Europe '72 tour. The Dark Star from May 23rd at the Lyceum Theatre would be another half hour of interstellar bliss. It may be somewhat lesser in (((Maximum Intensity))) than Munich, but a splendid excursion by all measures.
Part of the roof at the Lyceum was retractable, and portions of the shows were played under the stars, adding a real sense of space to the experience.
It launches into a brisk rolling jam, moving into softer explorations before entering outer space. Billy and Phil interact for a nice drums/bass duet. As the others join back in the mix, the energy surges all the way to the first verse. (What’s not to like about a 17:42 intro?)
Immediately after the verse the band floats back into zero gravity space, revealing the intertwining strings of the Jerry, Bobby and Phil. Their spiraling network of interwoven textures pass through auroras and nebulae. Billy’s drums push the music outward to its aural edges of powerful and dynamic fusion.
All in all, ‘tis a tidy and pleasant Dark Star, just under 30 minutes. Just enough open space and just enough tight jamming to take you where you need to go.
By now it’s become clear that there’s no such thing as “just another Dark Star”. Each one is its own living musical entity, with its own unique identity. A microcosm of all Grateful Dead shows.
The Brits who were lucky enough to catch this version would have one more chance to hear another Dark Star two days later, at the Dead’s penultimate show of the tour.
Jambase takes a look back at the May 23rd Lyceum show:
They cover what I didn't in my Dark Star E'72 series.
Grateful Dead’s Europe ‘72 Tour 50th Anniversary: May 23 – London, England
Revisit the historic tour’s 19th performance, recorded at the Lyceum Theatre.
Since I work weekends tonight is my Saturday. Omsn may not be some folks first pick tonight, but you never know.
Works for me!! Happy weekend!
Thanks! I am picking a miracle tonight and a days coming soon..
Did someone listen to 5/23/93 Shoreline today?
I: Jack Straw, Loser, It's All Over Now, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, Bird Song, The Music Never Stopped
II: Iko Iko, Wave To The Wind, Saint Of Circumstance, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > I Need A Miracle > The Days Between > Not Fade Away, E: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
May 25th 1972 was the third of a four show final run. Far from being burned out, they were as energized as ever. Their final show on the 26th would be heart of their Europe ’72 album, with a shining Morning Dew sandwiched between fierce Other One jams labeled Prologue and Epilogue.
Their final Dark Star of the tour was a doozy.
Jerry introduces the verse theme instead of the usual opening line played in unison by both Phil and Jerry.
The jam moves at a brisk pace before they arrive in the rhythm and swing of the “Jazz Dimension”. After a cruise around it, Jerry lets out repeated wails to shift the direction. Billy’s driving drums ease into percussive accents and Phil moves in over Jerry’s textural scraping of the strings.
Bobby enters with some of his own suggestions, with chords and riffing that circle the swirling sound like the rings of Saturn.
Next, Phil lowers the boom with the vibrating double stop frequencies of harmonic and enharmonic curtains of sound. The warp core is charged with the Jerry, Phil and Bobby Trio reaching out into the dark energy and dark matter realms of deep space.
Eventually they reach the first verse. (Ah, yes. And who among us would not love a 16:44 intro?)
The Paris Dark Star would be the only one of the tour to feature both verses.
Finally, just after the verse, Phil plays his bass line intro without Jerry. Jerry never plays the opening lick in this version.
Off they go, as they return to the Jazz Dimension until Phil hits some funky lines that take them to his typical major key vamp. This particular theme has no name that I’m aware of, so let’s call it “Phil’s Dark Star Theme” this time.
This deep pulsar power surge soon arrives at another way station in the Bobby Zone, setting up chords that returns the band to another spin into space, back to the Jazz Dimension, and more soaring into interstellar space.
Phil starts plucking his strings in percussive patterns never known before by humankind.
Bobby adds tension with a strident emphasis on the ninth note (b) of their A7 chord. This trans-warp hyperdrive sends them around the Kuiper Belt for another final view of our solar system.
At 34 minutes, Bobby hints at Sugar Magnolia for a 35 second segue back to rock ‘n’ roll.
(Don’t you just LOVE a 35 second segue?)
And thus ends the 11th and final Super Epic Awesome Dark Star of the Europe ’72 Tour.
Now THAT was a long, strange trip.
All these epic 51st anniversary jams I discussed the past 6 weeks were just the Dark Stars of the Europe ’72 tour.
So, what about the other ones? Yes, the Other Ones offered their own amazing audio journeys. Some themes like Phil's would appear in both the Dark Stars and the Other Ones.
Playing in the Band also started reaching out further into parts unknown, pushing well past the 15-minute mark. Every show included this song, that peaked during their final run in London.
I’ll list some of my favorites of those two numbers from the tour. I prefer the uninterrupted versions of the Other One that didn’t sandwich El Paso, Me and My Uncle or Me and Bobby McGee. The exception would be the 5-26-72 Morning Dew wrapped in Other One jams, as noted earlier, that made it to their Europe ’72 album.
Recommended fantastic takes of the Other One:
Newcastle 4-11-72
Frankfurt 4-26-72 (Massive epic version!)
Lille 5-13-72
Bickershaw Festival 5-7-72 (Following Dark Star.)
London Lyceum 5-24-72
London Lyceum 5-26-72
Recommended outstanding versions of Playing in the Band:
Arhus Denmark 4-16-72 (Minus Donna)
London Lyceum 5-24-72
London Lyceum 5-25-72
London Lyceum 5-26-72
It’s all good, man. Here’s the link to the entire Europe ’72 tour:
All these epic 51st anniversary jams I discussed the past 6 weeks were just the Dark Stars of the Europe ’72 tour.
So, what about the other ones? Yes, the Other Ones offered their own amazing audio journeys. Some themes like Phil's would appear in both the Dark Stars and the Other Ones.
Playing in the Band also started reaching out further into parts unknown, pushing well past the 15-minute mark. Every show included this song, that peaked during their final run in London.
I’ll list some of my favorites of those two numbers from the tour. I prefer the uninterrupted versions of the Other One that didn’t sandwich El Paso, Me and My Uncle or Me and Bobby McGee. The exception would be the 5-26-72 Morning Dew wrapped in Other One jams, as noted earlier, that made it to their Europe ’72 album.
Recommended fantastic takes of the Other One:
Newcastle 4-11-72
Frankfurt 4-26-72 (Massive epic version!)
Lille 5-13-72
Bickershaw Festival 5-7-72 (Following Dark Star.)
London Lyceum 5-24-72
London Lyceum 5-26-72
Recommended outstanding versions of Playing in the Band:
Arhus Denmark 4-16-72 (Minus Donna)
London Lyceum 5-24-72
London Lyceum 5-25-72
London Lyceum 5-26-72
It’s all good, man. Here’s the link to the entire Europe ’72 tour:
It's the "Dark Star" fella. Nice theme laddy
Dave Abear, 6/2; Boulder
Peak2Peak (GD), 6/10; Longmont
Melvin & JGB, 6/30; Boulder
Dead & Company, 7/1-3; Boulder
.....She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running
like a watercolor in the rain
