The Grateful Dead
's fourth title was likewise their first extended concert recording. Spread over two LPs,
Live/Dead
(1969) finally was able to relay the intrinsic sonic magnificence of a
Dead
show in real time. Additionally, it unleashed several key entries into their repertoire, including the sidelong epic and Deadhead anthem
"Dark Star"
as well as wailing and otherwise electrified acidic covers of the
Rev. Gary Davis
blues
standard
"Death Don't Have No Mercy"
and the
R&B
rave-up
"(Turn on Your) Lovelight."
Finally, the conundrum of how to bring a lengthy performance experience to the listener has been solved. The album's four sides provided the palette from which to replicate the natural ebb and flow of a typical
set circa early 1969. Tomes have been written about the profound impact of
on
the Dead
and their audience. It also became a cultural touchstone signifying that
rock
music was becoming increasingly
experimental
by casting aside the once-accepted demands of the short, self-contained
pop
song. This version was recorded on February 27, 1969, at
the Fillmore West
and is presented pretty much the way it went down at the show. The same is true of the seven remaining titles on
. The rousing rendition of
"St. Stephen"
reinvents the
Aoxomoxoa
(1968) prototype with rip-roaring thunder and an extended ending which slams into an instrumental rhythmic excursion titled
"The Eleven"
after the jam's tricky time signature. The second LP began with a marathon cover of
"(Turn on Your) Lovelight,"
which had significant success for both
Bobby "Blue" Bland
and
Gene Chandler
earlier in the decade. With
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan
at the throttle,
barrel their way through the work, reproportioning and appointing it with fiery solos from
Garcia
and lead vocal
raps
courtesy of
McKernan
.
is a languid noir interpretation of
' distinct
Piedmont blues
's fretwork smolders as his solos sear through the melody. Likewise notable is the criminally underrated keyboard work of
Tom Constanten
, whose airy counterpoint rises like a departing spirit from within the soul of the song. The final pairing of
"Feedback"
-- which is what is sounds like it might be -- with the "lowering down" funeral dirge
"And We Bid You Goodnight"
is true to the way that the band concluded a majority of their performances circa 1968-1969. They all join in on an
a cappella
derivative of
Joseph Spence
the Pinder Family
's
traditional
Bahamian distillation. Few recordings have ever represented the essence of an artist in performance as faithfully as
. It has become an aural snapshot of this zenith in
the Grateful Dead
's 30-year evolution and as such is highly recommended for all manner of enthusiasts. The 2001 remastered edition that was included in the
Golden Road (1965-1973)
(2001) box set tacks on the 45 rpm studio version of
as well as a vintage radio advert for the album. ~ Lindsay Planer