Road Trips: Vol. 3, No. 2 - Austin 11/15/71 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a good show with some clear highlights although for the first few songs everyone seems very laid back except for Jerry. The band opens with a sluggish Truckin' and then slightly off versions of Bertha and Playing In The Band with Jerry unleashing some blistering licks. Deal and Jack Straw are both okay but the show picks up with Loser with the whole band now hitting their stride. Beat It On Down The Line is a fun song and is quite enjoyable. The show hits a serious level with a great jam of Dark Star->El Paso->Dark Star->Casey Jones. It's funny to still hear some of the band playing Dark Star when El Paso starts (sort of a Dark Paso). The first set ends with a new One More Saturday Night.
The second set starts with a good Me And My Uncle. Ramble On Rose and Mexicali Blues show up in early version and are quite nice. Both Brokedown Palace and Me And Bobby McGee are also in fine form and I love the early '70's versions of these along with You Win Again. The set ends with a rocking Not Fade Away->Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad->Not Fade Away. I should point out that several of the songs were new with this tour as was Keith Godchaux. The bonus disc was outtakes from the night before.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Road Trips: Vol. 3, No. 2 - Austin 11/15/71

By the time the Dead returned to Municipal Auditorium on November 15, 1971, they had resoundingly affirmed their interest in Americana by putting out the twin masterpieces Workingman's Dead and American Beauty (as well as the live "Skull & Roses"), but the band still had a few surprises up their sleeves, including a great young piano player, Keith Godchaux, and a cornucopia of fine new songs. The entire fall '71 tour showed the thrilling impact that Keith's arrival had on the Dead's ever-morphing sound - talk about a quick study! - and Austin, just his sixteenth show with the band, is certainly among the strongest of that era, and a worthy choice for the latest installment in the Road Trips series, presented in its entirety.
Sound quality is crisp and clean, and sonic sultan Jeffrey Norman has once again mastered the whole deal to the HDCD spec. Included, as always, is a booklet with a lively historical essay and cool period pics.
Early versions also come with a bonus disc featuring the hot show at Fort Worth's Texas Christian University the previous night, 11/14/71.
Track listing:
1. Truckin'
2. Bertha
3. Playing In The Band
4. Deal
5. Jack Straw
6. Loser
7. Beat It On Down The Line
8. Dark Star>
9. El Paso>
10. Dark Star
11. Casey Jones
12. One More Saturday Night
Disc 2
1. Me And My Uncle
2. Ramble On Rose
3. Mexicali Blues
4. Brokedown Palace
5. Me And Bobby McGee
6. Cumberland Blues
7. Sugar Magnolia
8. You Win Again
9. Not Fade Away>
10. Jam>
11. Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad>
12. Not Fade Away
13. Johnny B. Goode
Bonus Disc - early editions only
1. China Cat Sunflower>
2. I Know You Rider
3. Sugaree
4. Truckin'>
5. Drums>
6. The Other One>
7. Me And My Uncle>
8. The Other One>
9. Wharf Rat>
10. Sugar Magnolia

Click here for more information about Road Trips: Vol. 3, No. 2 - Austin 11/15/71