Dick's Picks 4 review
Dick’s
Picks Volume 4
is a compilation of two special nights at the Fillmore East, in New
York City, February 13 and 14, 1970. Both of these concerts had
three sets, they began and ended with electric segments with an
acoustic set in between. None of the acoustic material is included
on this release, but it does have set three from both evenings. The
encore from February 13, “And We Bid You Goodnight” is excluded,
though that song is included from the following evening.
Additionally, disc one has “Casey Jones” from set one of
February 14. For space
considerations, the sequence of “Dark Star” > “The Other
One” was separated between discs one and two.
The
second electric set from February 13 clocks in at over an hour yet
has only three songs. The set is balanced with Garcia leading
“Dark Star,” Weir leading “The Other One,” and Pig Pen
leading “Turn On Your Lovelight.” All three renditions are
better than exceptional, but the “Dark Star” is over the top.
It begins melodically setting the tone for a thirty-minute
musical journey with nearly ten minutes elapsing before the first
words. After, long space jams ensue. They briefly burst back into
the melody before diverting back to a jam with hints of “Cosmic
Charlie” arriving and then disappearing as mysteriously as it
appeared, only to be replaced with a high powered jam that merges
miraculously into “The Other One.”
The
second electric set from the February 14 is less intense than the
previous evenings. Its theme relies more on songs rather than jams
to entertain the crowd. The
first disc of Dick’s Picks Volume 4 begins the set and all
five songs are superb, “Dancing in the Streets,” China Cat
Sunflower,” > “I Know you Rider,” “High Time,” > and
“ Dire Wolf,” setting the stage for a splendid evening of music.
The
real meat of the set is the 60 minutes of non-stop music on the
third disc. It begins deliciously with “Alligator” laying the
foundation that hits many high points within. The “Not Fade
Away” goes into an extended jam throwing out a taste of the
“Mountain Jam” before settling into a rare “Mason’s
Children” and finally a great version of “Caution.”
Dick’s
Picks Volume 4
is superb. Both of the featured sets from these two nights in
February 1970 are memorable in their own right.
You may want to complement this release with Bear’s
Choice as it has several songs from the acoustic sets and first
electric sets.
by Barry
Small
©
Grade A
