From the opening moments of Greatest Story Ever Told we get an immediate impression of both the performance space and the "head-space" of the band. The music has the sizzle of a charged particle – it's driving and focused. The various elements in the sonic presentation are tight and compact, with very little distance between the instruments. And yet the sound is not congested like Newcastle – it's simply smaller, tighter, thicker and less ambient...and thankfully in tune.
Jerry is ripping throughout this Greatest Story Ever Told – homeboy clearly warmed up before hitting the stage. Speaking from experience, it's virtually impossible to play that deftly when you're ice cold. I recall hearing an interview with Jerry years later where he explained that he would routinely practice for 2-3 hours before gigs. I'm not sure if he had that kind of free time on the Europe '72 tour...but he's ready to roll from the first down beat. Listen to the chunky synchronization of Bobby’s guitar, Billy’s snare and Keith’s left hand as the Greatest Story outro jam wraps up.
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The novelty not withstanding, the Dead are playing in front of roughly 700 people in a university cafeteria. The liner notes describe how the stage is set up at the far end of the room – and it sounds like it. A quick lesson in room acoustics: when you are positioned at an end point in a room, you are subject to massive amounts of low frequency peaks. This tends to cause the bass to sound tubby, muddled and slow. In addition, playing an audio source in close proximity to a room's boundary node creates a rapid slap-echo and a truncated decay of the reverb.
Kudos to Jeffrey Norman's masterful mixing skills – with all of these sonic issues present in the master recording – Phil's bass sounds punchy, the drums are controlled and you can still hear Pigpen’s tambourine cutting through as clear as day.
The more I listen to the Aarhus show, the more it reminds me of the recordings we used to make at the original Knitting Factory on Houston Street in New York City. The head engineer, James McLean had modified some Radio Shack PZM microphones with Crown elements and mounted them inside a wooden housing, suspended from the ceiling about 15' from the stage. The resulting recordings were always spot on – with a well-defined sound-stage, a crisp stereo image and an uncanny room presence. If I were to play you one of these tapes, you'd swear you were sitting in a folding chair, ten rows back in that dusty hall with its signature sweater-lined ceiling. Listening to Aarhus 4/16/72 gives me the same eerie feeling of realistic sonic immersion.
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Listen for the clinking beer bottles before the start of this solid version of Sugaree (more about this later). All of the necessary signature Jerry licks and Pigpen organ fills are present, giving it an almost studio-like quality. The very tasteful and subtlety powerful crescendo in the last reprise of the first verse in the 5th minute is also worth noting. There's just enough emphasis in Jerry's vocals to accent the sincerity of his plea to the song's namesake. All in all, a tight rendition – one of the tour's best.
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With every passing song, it becomes more apparent just how much fun the boys were having at Aarhus. For instance, I love how Jerry and Keith are "hanging out" in the background, playing around in the 2nd minute, as Chinatown Shuffle comes to a close. The typical European synchronized clapping resumes after Black Throated Wind...to which Billy obliges with a whimsical, pulsating roll on his snare drum.
As is par for this tour, the Tennessee Jed and Mr. Charlie are both rock solid and feature some fantastic guitar work from Mr. Garcia. It's hard to believe that we're only into the fifth night of a 22-show tour and I'm already taking (the once maligned in my eyes) Tennessee Jed for granted as a first set monster. Who'da thunk it?
Also very endearing, the minor flub at start of Beat It On Down The Line draws some laughter from the audience. For what it's worth, Billy’s got this Beat It On Down The Line in his back pocket – solid. His attack is hard-hitting and bristling with energy.
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Looking back at the notes from my first pass through of Aarhus Set 1, my preliminary impressions spoke of an almost pedestrian effort that was "not without its charms" – no major highs – no major flaws. Upon further review, those initial notions were way off. In fact, the first set of Aarhus represents a stunning effort – with its compact simplicity, effortless musicianship, upbeat disposition and energized feedback loop between the audience and the band. Much like the well-developed, layered flavors of sophisticated Indian cuisine, the complex spices of Stakladen creep up on your aural pallet. By the time China-Rider hits, your wiping the sweat from your brow and asking the waiter for another glass of ice water.
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The first set of 4/16/72 really takes off with the arrival of China-Rider – a song sequence that comes of age on this tour. Its organic maturation is made manifest as the band delves deeper into the continental realms, with its true majesty come full blossom in the iconic 5/3 Paris performance – the high water mark for the early expression of this legendary composition.
There are so many beautiful, artistic moments during this China-Rider. Take for example the very hip call and response at the end of first intra-verse mini-jam – at 1:21 Billy presents an almost melodic line (his drums are tuned perfectly) that Keith answers at 1:25 during the beginning of the “Crazy cat” verse.
Then, during the 2nd minute, after the modulation to E, we experience what can be argued is the essence of China-Rider...Jerry blowing a crisp, singular lead over the changes...Keith throwing down stout yet dexterous chord melodies...while Bobby is toggling between supporting rhythms and leading counter-melody ideas.
Pay attention to Keith’s third part harmony during the transitional section. His ideas are exploratory and innovative, as he floats between Jerry’s primary and Bobby’s secondary-melody. As the jam continues, Phil adds another melodic element to the mix – essentially giving us four melodic devices working in concert. In addition to the lead instruments, Billy’s snare accents also add much to the musical tapestry, especially when you consider them in relationship to Bobby’s rhythmic contributions.
The truth is, in the 4th minute Bobby takes the lead and Jerry falls into a supporting roll – the tables have been turned. A major aspect of why China-Rider blossoms during the spring of 1972 is the development of Bobby’s rhythmic lead in the transitional section. With each plate appearance, his stroke has been getting more confident and by the time we reach Aarhus, Bobby is ripping line-drive doubles into the gap.
At the 5:02 mark we have a brief, subtle interjection of Phil’s 12-beat 7 vs. 5 motif. He's carried this concept with him all the way from merry old England – and he's not about to let it go now. Phil's musical falafel is again in full effect!
:06 seconds into the I Know You Rider Keith introduces a repetitive, tight left-handed roll. It's quite impressive that he's able to maintain this thought for the remainder of the song sequence. Throughout this tour Keith is continually exploring new musical areas that the band had not harvested prior to his joining the ensemble. In many ways, the group as a whole is sowing seeds in one concert and harvesting them in subsequent performances.
As the Dead dance the razor's edge between independent invention and group-think improvisation in Aarhus, we have a crystallized demonstration of why China-Rider was such a crowd pleaser throughout their storied tenure. I can't say enough about this bifurcated composition and how it is presented on this tour – there is so much going on. Granted, this is a written blog but (...I give up...) the Europe '72 China-Rider's are beyond words. You simply have to listen to them over and over again to truly appreciate their brilliance.
In the 3rd minute we have Jerry showcasing more open-chord banjo finger style and Phil utilizing a sweep-picking technique at the 3:55 mark. I love when Phil starts dropping chords – rock bass decadence at its finest!
The last go-around of the Rider jam section, just before the reprise of the chorus is great stuff. We have Jerry flashing more of his open banjo picking...Keith's masterful chord melodies and Phil filling in (no pun intended) the spaces left behind. Add to that an array of snare shots and myriad other accents from Billy's kit and you have the icing on the cake for this smokin' China-Rider. The proverbial cherry on top comes in the form of Jerry’s upper register lick at 4:20, which is skillfully answered by Keith at 4:33 – and again at 5:01.
Damn!
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For apparently unknown reasons, Donna is M.I.A. from the Stakladen show. Her absence becomes most apparent as we reach the Playin' In The Band. Prior to this instance of Playin' Bobby had been introducing her to each of the European audiences. Tonight...not so much. With all due respect to Donna, she's not missed in the least.
A quick and focused pass through of the verses gives way to the jam portion of the work. The entrance to this Playin' jam is light, open and airy – featuring some nice interplay between a major scale motif in Keith’s right-hand and Jerry’s rolled-off, feedback induced guitar bites. As the jam section gradually builds, it begins spinning in on itself. As it spins inward it grows faster, harder and denser. This Playin' jam is a primer in basic physics and centripetal force...
For the sake of this experiment, cue up Track 1 / Disc 2 of Aarhus. Sit yourself in a well-oiled desk chair and as the Playin' jam begins, give yourself a really strong spin. Better yet – have an assistant spin you – it's far more effective (and they can catch you if need be). As the boys' musical train pulls away from the station, pull your legs into your chest. You will find that you both start to spin faster and faster still. I recommend you keep spinning on the chair for the remainder of Disc 2...
Some highlights worth noting from the 4/16 Stakladen Playin':
* Check out Phil and Billy’s conversation at 4:30
* If you drop the needle at the 6:14 mark, you will hear Jerry introducing an alternate version of Phil's 12-beat falafel motif.
* General observation – Keith handy work is omnipresent throughout. He has an uncanny knack for playing multiple rolls simultaneously. As the rhythmic glue, he fills the spaces within the push-and-pull expansions of his band mates. As a soloist, Keith adds his own unique flavors and accents to the mix. And in his roll as a traditional member of the rhythm section, his piano helps support the foundation upon which the innumerable musical expressions are built to soaring heights.
* From out of the underbrush in minute 7:00 springs Jerry with a frightening tiger freak-out. This is no melt-down – instead it's just a full-on tiger attack...ROAR! This bombastic barrage swells to a furious crescendo at 7:20. As Chef warned us in Apocalypse Now "Never get out of the boat!"
Willard: Absolutely goddamn right! Unless you were goin' all the way... Kurtz got off the boat. He split from the whole fuckin' program.
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The gradual introduction of Good Lovin’ demonstrates again just how tight the sound is in Stakladen. Pay attention to Billy's snare and Jerry's guitar. The room end-point sonic characteristics are clearly present – namely an almost instantaneous slap echo, a tight sound stage and shortened reverb decay.
Dig on Jerry’s over-reverbed, recessed wah-wah noodling between minutes 3:00 and 6:00. He has no responsibility towards the structure of the overall groove – he’s just laying back and having fun. It’s very cool to hear Jerry play with such free, creative abandon. At 4:47 we have the return of the accented 12-figure – the falafel thread continues...
We have more examples of the Aarhus acoustics in minutes 8:00 through 11:00, especially as the music quiets. Again, focus on the boundary reflection present in the staccato shots of Keith’s punches, Billy's snare, Jerry’s reverb and the decay of Pigpen’s vocals. All of these sonic elements give you a well-defined mind-impression of the long, thin nature of the room – with the band stuffed-in at one end. Turn up the volume and give it a good listen.
The middle sections of the Europe '72 Good Lovin' jams are some of the quietest, most intimate moments on the entire tour. They're the kind of grooves that give me a feeling of "Shhh…we don’t want to wake up the people in the next room." A fantastically expansive dynamic range is on display as the band bobs and weaves around Pigpen's rap in minutes 6:00 and 7:00 – dances through the spaces of 8:00 and 9:00 – ultimately advancing the collective kinetic energies to a peak in minutes 10:00 and 11:00.
Variations on Phil's (now-famous) falafel groove return at the 13:17 mark. Upon further, more acute listening, this 12-beat figure sounds a lot like the negative/mirror image of the Good Lovin' intro itself – it's frequency having been shifted a half-cycle in space-time. It's as if the groove exists as the “dark side” or underbelly of the prototypical pop-rock bass line. It’s so oddly familiar and yet equally as foreign at the same time...
In Rocky Mountain High, John Denver sang about "Comin' home to a place he'd never been before." Carl Jung referred to this phenomenon as the "shock of recognition" – Gestalt Psychology, the "Ah-ha!" (Thank you Mr. Gans). In this moment, the individual becomes aware of truths he has always known but has not been able to express in words...
In this way, the recurring falafel motif tantalizes the inner thoughts of the listener. A musical mandala of sorts – an idea common to everyone, everywhere. Jung spoke of these ideas as "archetypal images" from humankind's "collective unconscious." There have already been several moments like this hidden in the deeper recesses of the Europe '72 box set – Phil's falafel motif just happens to be more pronounced and oft repeated. And so it is here in Aarhus, Denmark, almost 40 years later – through Phil we all relive a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago.
The seed was planted at 13:17, with the musical idea taking root in Jerry's improvisational unconscious – although he never fully commits to it. At 14:47 Phil reclaims the idea and settles us into a well-developed groove...
Could he be any more aggressive in minute 17:00 as the primary Good Lovin' theme returns? I love the natural distortion of his bass tone...he has totally over modulated his amplifiers.
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Mr. Peabody has set the WABAC Machine to 1970 for this Dire Wolf. It doesn’t sound remotely like the same band that we’ve been enjoying on this tour, let alone during the previous song. Instead the open-chord country feel is raw and unsophisticated. The whole presentation is archaic when compared to the nominal Spring 1972 sound.
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Are those more beer bottles being cleared before Cumberland Blues? That clinking sound reminds me of when The Blues Brothers played Bob’s Country Bunker. After finishing the set, the band has to make their way through all the empty beer bottles to get off the chicken wire-lined stage.
* Jerry’s thin (i.e. bridge-position pick-up), reverbed, twangy, bended flat-picking solo during the first jam in Cumberland Blues is really hot.
* At the 4:30 mark, Keith extends the coda before the start of the final Cumberland verse. Jerry is clearly looking for a cue (visual or otherwise) for when he should start his vocal.
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Listen for more beer bottles before the El Paso. You can practically hear Bob scolding Jake and Elwood Blues outside the Country Bunker:
"You know you boys owe me a lot of money for that beer you drank tonight, Goddammit!"
Jerry’s unvarnished, arpeggiated running solo throughout the El Paso is endearing and real – especially in first half of minute 2:00. He revisits the same high-registered triplet feel at the 3:10 mark.
Furthermore, there is something very human, natural and “correct” about the tone of a Fender Strat plugged into a Fender Twin amplifier, with the reverb cranked way up. It screams early American Rock & Roll. I think as a red-blooded American, I’m genetically programmed to like that set-up, no matter what’s being run through it. The fact that Jerry is a masterful player just adds to the experience and the mystique of the mythical Fender tone...
Which leads us straight into the Deal. The Nash Strat is in full bloom. In particular, focus on the two vastly distinct tones presented in the solo section. During the first go-around Jerry’s clearly using the neck position pick-up. This pick-up sits closer to the middle of the guitar strings, thereby creating a fatter, rounder tone with less bite. Listen how he switches to the bridge pick-up for the second pass through the solo. The guitar takes on a cutting, biting, edgy tone. The same great "Jerry feel" resonates – there's simply a wholly different attack and tonal presentation on exhibit.
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Disc 3 of April 16, 1972 consists of one giant, multi-transitional song sequence. Although each song stands alone in the progression, musical markers exist within each composition, clearly denoting where the boys have been and where they intend to take us. For example, there is an obvious Other One cue at 7:40 of Truckin'.
Before we reach that point however, Bobby alters the first verse of Truckin' to include the line “Aarhus, New York, Detroit and it's all the same street.” Say that ten times fast.
Much like the instances of Playin' in the Band on this tour, Truckin' is a song where the Dead can summon a musical peak at will – seemingly out of nowhere – WHAM! Within a 30 second window, they deftly move from a chill two-chord vamp to a lightning quick crescendo and then bring it back down to a subdued, yet energetic groove.
At 4:47 of Track 2 (labeled Jam), Jerry reverts back to the over-reverbed tone first visited on Good Lovin'. It's as if he turns around mid-jam and cranks the Reverb knob on his amplifier up to 11. His tone takes on an almost surf guitar nature.
Phil is ALL OVER this jam. He lays down a cool thematic idea around the 6:00 mark. At the time, the band is engaged in collective, free-form noodling. With the introduction of this latest motif, Phil moves the conversation onto a whole new tangent. It's not quite the falafel motif but it’s same basic concept. These off-accent 6/8 grooves represent an overriding mindset that Phil has on this tour. On their own they are quite exceptional – what makes them even more special is how much the rest of the band enjoys latching on and taking them for a ride.
It's quite remarkable just how black the background is (thank you again Jeffery Norman and crew) and how forward Phil’s tone is in the mix during the Disc 3 Jam. Equally as amazing is how respectful the audience is for this (and every European) performance. It’s so quiet in the cafeteria that you can hear more beer bottles clinking at 9:08. Wow – they really take this Jam to the outer reaches of deep space. As a dear friend of mine would say...thrice as nice!
Minute 14:00 brings us a loose interpretation of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee. Having a nimble set of fingers on the keys creates the potential for interesting melodic moments like this. It was unthinkable to expect similar expressions before Keith's arrival in the band. Moreover, it wasn't until Bruce Hornsby's stint in the 90's that such interludes were remotely possible yet again.
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The students of Aarhus University are greeted with a kinder, gentler entrance to The Other One. The unusually delicate nature of The Other One introduction stands in stark contrast to the hard-hitting, probing Jam that proceeded it.
Interestingly, The Other One theme is woven throughout the fabric of the extended transitory sequence, however the song structure itself only plays a minor part in the final, tailored product that is Disc 3. In fact, it isn't until approximately 20 minutes into the musical menagerie that Bobby slips in the lone first verse of The Other One. The lyric serves almost as an afterthought to the harmonic concepts linking the different songs in the Second Set exploration.
Looking back at the tour as a whole, it is clear that the Aarhus Other One-Me & My Uncle-Other One is merely a dress-rehearsal for the "real deal" that comes further down the road...how's that for some blatant foreshadowing?
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After a brief Phil & Billy duet introduction, the band springs into a lilting and nimble Not Fade Away. As I referenced earlier, the Stakladen performance has a small-room feel to it – much like seeing regulars gig at your neighborhood dive bar. The room acoustics, the general proximity of the band members to you and each other in the sound stage – everything feels tighter and more intimate...
Take for example the two-plus minute span that begins with a pair of snare shots at 3:16 of the first Not Fade Away jam. Jerry settles into a triplet feel around the 7th fret of his Nash Strat like dropping into a well-worn, comfortable couch. Billy rolls up alongside with own story to tell. Brother Phil then punctuates the conversation with a set of corpulent accents at 3:32, to which Jerry happily replies with his own sliding country licks at 3:46. All the while, Keith, Bobby and Pigpen patiently shovel the coal to keep the rhythmic engine fires burning and the train a-rollin'...
Upon reading my initial notes, I went back and listened again to the aforementioned segment in a high quality near-field monitoring environment (at a decent decibel level I might add). Closing my eyes, I felt like I was standing directly in front of the stage. The many years and thousands of miles melted away before me. All that remained was the Grateful Dead – live – in my face and ears – thumping at my chest. I was completely enveloped by the music – blissful. In that ecstatic state, I think I might have even kicked over a beer bottle or two.
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With yet another Jungian archetypal reference – this time a brief Mountain Jam interjection from Jerry at 5:33 – we trip into a delightful Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad. Enjoy Jerry's playful triplet idea at the 1:44 mark – and the sudden surge of band-wide energy at 3:30. They were most certainly living in the moment – moving, breathing and functioning as a single cohesive body politic.
Jerry rides his Nash Strat atop another wave of over-reverbed, West Coast surf tone onto the beaches of the Not Fade Away reprise. As Bobby & Pigpen delight the audience with more primal call and response, Jerry offers up one last music thought for the night– a cool, repetitive counter-melody in the upper register at 1:53.
The charged, loose, almost sloppy close to the show is befitting the small venue experience. As the third and final disc fades into our collective memories, the generally reserved Stakladen crowd is left cheering and shouting for more, more, more! No encore is needed nor delivered – what more is there to say?
And so we leave the cozy comfines of the Aarhus University cafeteria – back down the road to Copenhagen for a date with a Danish television audience. As always, thank you for reading. Stay cool, stay focused and by all means stay tuned!
© Aaron Miller – 2011
