Straight to the Deep End
No sandpaper. Start here if someone told you to start here.
Five shows chosen for maximum departure from normal rock-concert logic: primal West Coast feedback, Fillmore East's Dark Star > Other One dissolve, Fall 73's architectural darkness, Miami Wall of Sound drift in a jai-alai fronton, and Hampton 89, where a disguised band brought Dark Star back.
Path Threads
weird · deep end · space · dark star · other one · jam
Stops On This Path
1. February 28, 1969 · Fillmore West
February 28, 1969 at Fillmore West · San Francisco, CA, US · Primal era · 2 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
The weirdness is still raw and partly accidental here.
Setlist includes Morning Dew · Good Morning Little Schoolgirl · Doin' That Rag · I'm A King Bee · Turn On Your Lovelight · Drums · Turn On Your Lovelight · Drums · Turn On Your Lovelight · Cryptical Envelopment.
2. February 13, 1970 · Fillmore East (Early Show)
February 13, 1970 at Fillmore East (Early Show) · New York, NY, US · Primal era · 9 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Fillmore East turns the weirdness into a long-form decision.
3. November 11, 1973 · Winterland
November 11, 1973 at Winterland · San Francisco, CA, US · Europe/Golden era · 4 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Winterland 73 is strange because the structure is so patient.
Setlist includes Promised Land · Bertha · Greatest Story Ever Told · Sugaree · Black Throated Wind · To Lay Me Down · El Paso · Ramble On Rose · Me And Bobby McGee · China Cat Sunflower.
4. June 23, 1974 · Jai-Alai Fronton
June 23, 1974 at Jai-Alai Fronton · Miami, FL, US · Wall of Sound era · 12 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
The jai-alai room and Wall of Sound make Miami its own category.
Setlist includes Ramble On Rose · Black Throated Wind · Mississippi Half Step · Beat It On Down The Line · Row Jimmy · Jack Straw · Let It Rock · Cumberland Blues · El Paso · To Lay Me Down.
5. October 9, 1989 · Hampton Coliseum
October 9, 1989 at Hampton Coliseum · Hampton, VA, US · Brent era · 8 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Hampton is weird as public event: a room discovering the band and song in real time.
Setlist includes Feel Like A Stranger · Built To Last · Little Red Rooster · Ramble On Rose · We Can Run · Jack-A-Roe · Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again · Row Jimmy · The Music Never Stopped · Playing In The Band.