Pigpen's House
The original frontman and blues center in the foreground.
Ron Pigpen McKernan was not background color; he was the band's first gravitational center. This path foregrounds his blues authority from Fillmore West through the next night's Fillmore East heat, the 1971 closing run, Europe 72, and Veneta, where his presence makes the coming absence easier to hear.
Path Threads
pigpen · ron mckernan · blues · lovelight · fillmore · personnel
Stops On This Path
1. February 27, 1969 · Fillmore West
February 27, 1969 at Fillmore West · San Francisco, CA, US · Primal era · 4 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Pigpen is still central to the band's authority, not a side character.
Setlist includes Good Morning Little Schoolgirl · Doin' That Rag · Cryptical Envelopment · Drums · The Other One · Cryptical Envelopment · Dupree's Diamond Blues · Mountains Of The Moon · Dark Star · Saint Stephen.
2. February 14, 1970 · Fillmore East
February 14, 1970 at Fillmore East · New York, NY, US · Primal era · 5 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Fillmore East keeps the blues-forward frame in a room that understood it.
3. April 29, 1971 · Fillmore East
April 29, 1971 at Fillmore East · New York, NY, US · Primal era · 6 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 4.86
Wharf Rat arriving near the Fillmore close makes the coming shift easy to hear.
Setlist includes Truckin' · Bertha · Hurts Me Too · Cumberland Blues · Me And My Uncle · Bird Song · Playing In The Band · Loser · Dark Hollow · Hard To Handle.
4. April 8, 1972 · Empire Pool
April 8, 1972 at Empire Pool · London, England · Europe/Golden era · 3 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Europe 72 catches Pigpen late, still part of the band's front line.
Setlist includes Bertha · Me And My Uncle · Mr. Charlie · Deal · Black Throated Wind · Next Time You See Me · Cumberland Blues · Brown Eyed Women · Beat It On Down The Line · Tennessee Jed.
5. August 27, 1972 · Old Renaissance Faire Grounds
August 27, 1972 at Old Renaissance Faire Grounds · Veneta, OR, US · Europe/Golden era · 3 recordings listed · Archive listeners rate it around 5
Veneta is near the end of his active presence, which changes how the warmth lands.
Setlist includes Promised Land · Sugaree · Me And My Uncle · Deal · Black Throated Wind · China Cat Sunflower · I Know You Rider · Mexicali Blues · Bertha · Playing In The Band.