[rating=4.00]
If anyone had any doubts back in 2006 when they first heard the news that Rhino Records was going to be the keeper of the key to the Grateful Dead’s vault of live recordings, they have to have gotten over them by now. Rhino has kept a steady, well-chosen stream of live Dead flowing (with archivist David Lemieux’s assistance and guidance) and their latest offering is one of the best since they took over the reins. Winterland, June 1977: The Complete Recordings is as advertised: a document of the Dead’s 3-night stand at their home base at the time, the fabled Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. And it is complete: 9 CDs take us from the opening “Bertha” on 6/7/77 to the rave-up closer “One More Saturday Night” on 6/9/77, warts and all.
The fact of the matter is, though, there aren’t that many warts. Even two nights’ retreats to “Funiculi, Funicula” while the crew scurries to correct equipment problems feel more like planned interludes than time-buying exercises. The band feels tight and in sync with each other for the entire run – and it doesn’t get any better than that.
MVP for the Winterland shows has to go to Keith Godchaux, his piano work was never in your face, but always there, oftentimes offering sure footing for the frontline of Garcia, Weir, and Lesh to tread safely upon while taking some chances. Godchaux was still providing a healthy challenge to Jerry Garcia’s lead guitar work at this point – inspiring him to dig into his Travis Bean and haul out new ideas every night. All in all, the Winterland, June 1977 shows find Godchaux to be every bit the rock ‘n’ roll pianist with a jazzbo heart … just what was needed at the time.
The Dead of this vintage weren’t so much the rainbow-goggled space travelers of their earlier years as they were a dance band; although make no mistake about it, boys and girls: they jammed. Oh, Lordy – did they ever. From night one’s “Scarlet>Fire>Good Lovin’” to the second night’s “Other One>Wharf Rat>Not Fade Away>Goin’ Down The Road>Johnny B. Goode” to the continuous 50-minute onslaught of the final set of the run (which includes a visit from St. Stephen) we find a band who was working the drama of the songs and exploring the grooves. Other highlights include a beautiful “Eyes of the World” that eases out of “Estimated Prophet” on 6/8; two (count ‘em: two) takes on the then-brand-new “Terrapin Station” to bookend the run; a blazing pass at “Passenger”; and a “Help>Slip>Franklin” that will remind you of just how good they were at what they did.
Debates will go on ‘til the end of time itself about when the Dead was at the peak of their powers. The Winterland box set makes a pretty damn good case for the summer of ‘77.
