Grateful Dead - Dark Star 3/30/68 Live

[botvinnik64]

jerry

[beans1600]

i think i like live music sometimes.what happened to jerry.

[nachoisone]

@beans1600 He passed away August 9th 1995

[jwpwwe59]

Can't remember if I was there or not. Went to a lot of Dead gigs, Avalon Ballroom, Winterland, Fillmore West, Berkely, etc. Nice clear piece...!

[DocEleven]

archive.org is all you gotta' know. Get in there!

[towne777]

I took my 1st psychedelic trip on April Fool's Day " 1969. I know I saw the Dead at Fillmore West several times that year when the whole venue was on LSD together as Jerry took us out of ourselves, with him, on a Magical Trip with This song and of course St. Stephen !!! I've said so many times that Jerry had the incredible gift of taking us all "Out There " to explore the Unknown, and then ALWAYS Bringing  us Back Home ! I have never felt the Spirit of LOVE as strongly as I did then !!!!

[casualtySR]

@towne777 I guess they didn't call him Captain Trips for nothin

[bobjegle]

@towne777 u got that right !!!



[thestoryplease]

Nice version - gentle, Pigpen(?) organ giving bubbling outer space peeps, the chorus of echoing voices at the end...the early Dead - around this era when they were still experimental but had it all together for a ride to the outer limits and beyond if one has the right " fuel", for me , is the best.

[JimmyPage97]

I love the early dead years. They seemed so experimental.

[silkstrings9420]

@JimmyPage97 dude he was just joking it was actually pretty funny. as fellow fans of the dead lets not argue here just take the joke and give it a thumbs up/thumbs down based on your opinion of it we dont need an explanation of it.

[JimmyPage97]

@silkstrings9420 (im assuming your talking about the false dichotomy comment)

There is no argument being forced on anyone. I understand that this is a joke, and the philosophical side is actually what is the essence of the joke. I posted the comment just because I recently got into philosophy and was simply applying what I learned in this situation, hence the "Just to comment." Someone else can learn from the comment as well accepting someone will take it in a totally negative way.

[JimmyPage97]

@johnnypeace37 just to comment. What you wrote is actually a philosophical fallacy. Its known as a False Dichotomy.

[DClean]

Can i get a big thumbs up for my boy Kurty Boy, who is the biggest Dead head I know, and put me onto the Dead. Although I'm nowhere the level of deadheadedness as him, I fuckin love the shit out of this tune (in all its versions)! KURTY STUD!

[joshmasters420]

god (IF SHE EXIST...) bless the dead!

[joshmasters420]

WOW! 

[revilor]

i like em

[TheJetfighter666]

It's so funny, people listened to this boring music while tripping instead of Hawkwind a band that has as many albums out as the dead and still tour and make GREAT music FOR tripping !

[mikmeg]

It sound like a flood of serotin passing all your sysapses to your brain I remember seeing them at the filmore east the shows were called the dead at midnight the first act was the new riders of the purple sage then the dead would come out with Joes light show with colors melting notes traveling us trippin wow the definition of the word FAR OUT MA N.....

We would walk out on 2nd ave in NYC and the sun would just be rising then go back to North Jersey and try to be nornal.

[bwanna23]

@mikmeg I tried to be normal in West Caldwell, once.

[kerfax]

Great Version. Pic is from either 72 or 73. Donna sang with the DEAD NYE 71 but the Godchaux's didn't officially join the band till end of 71 or beginning of 72.When PIG started getting I'll. Donna was an official member og the Garcia Band at the time. I do believe the first studio album they were on was Wake of the Flood 72 or. 73 I do believe. So if this was from 3/30/68 the pic def is not. .

in 68 I do think that was the first year Micky joined the band and Pig Pen was still Alive.

[Karnevil717]

8 people have Lady Gaga on their Ipod

[1019drummer]

One damn cool post. Great sound. Thanks for sharing.

[psycedelicole]

I must say I have had a few trips to GD! Thank Dead & Nothing...

[Hwillijonl]

I have no way to express the feeling this recording brings up in me. But to say that it somehow calls out to the essence of the moment of the middle 60's, in a time of formation of a mood , a sense, a motion. Of what? I would say...of the possibility of love, of joy, of freedom. The rushing crash of the surf on a dark night on a California beach, stars glowing. People singing, dancing. A new dawn, but an energy within humanity that is a million years old.

[GratefulDiver11]

There is no video! The static photo isn't even not from 1968. Donna didn't sing until NYE of 1971.

[dlm9293]

@GratefulDiver11 get over it

[TransitiveNIghtfall1]

I got this 3/30/68 concert from furthur, the only (that I know of) LEGAL file sharing software as it was live recordings of bands that officially consented to such things. Anyways this particular version of Dark Star from this particular concert was one of the first songs I ever heard from them and this concert was the one that got me hooked on the Dead. This song is a brilliant mess, as if J.S. Bach wrote a raga in a 2 step rhythm

[WharfRat44]

oooh yeah i llve the dread from the late 60s to the 80s so much. i love dark stars in the 60s, so beautiful :D

[TumbrelJockey]

I never thought The Dead were challengers to The Cream or the Mothers _ just know that I saw the original line up (with" Pigpen" McKernan ) completely  straight & was thoroughly into it. Never forgot it, cosmic /meandering jazzy at times ,the back to solid roots rock.Yes Clive,indeed there were clothes on the emperor..

[scarletfire28]

man this is giving me the chills!!!!! right on thanks for the live jam, this is badass!!!!!!

[andytooj]

this is epic, thanks for sharing it and directing me to the archive.org recording. what a sweet, gentle dark star, and yet not without raw moments. looking forward to checking out the rest of the show.

[andytooj]

oh, man, that's a sweet one. thanks so much!

[spacedancer]

Amazing! Thank you for uploading.

[jaccusse]

Love hearing this version of Dark Star!

[daneslav]

You wouldn't understand unless you were there. It was a trip.

[WharfRat44]

@daneslav You saw this show??

[neagrigore]

@daneslav I was not there, and still I get the feeling that I understant, well if not all, at least a large part of the notes ...

[jbdfc]

haha i like the way u handled the negative comment dark star will always be magic

[DClean]

Oh my god in the heavens above - this music is truly inspired by some intergalatic cosmo stellar genious. Get em Jerry!!!

[maxdex8]

Beautiful!

[scarletfan95]

thank you

[Millzy20]

Amazing... This is the reason the dead will never die.

[dwbdcy]

I haven't listened to this the whole way through but Dark Star is a religious experience rendered through the device of music. To the extent that you could embrace the various quantum forces that create the platform of our various membrane universes...may the transitive power of diamonds (the stuff of stars in all of us) rain on you.

The other commentary is all quibbling amongst the cognoscenti of the GD disputing with their fellow music-philes.

[rockyracoon667]

@dwbdcy Yeah man...i always kinda felt that dark star and a few other of the real out there jams bring your mind into a sort of meditative state. like, the song is only two chords repeating, but the way they develop all the intricate interplay takes you further and further out as they play it. and then they bring it back down with the verses, which reflect the fleeting nature of that sort of experience.

[panteradeath666]

didnt get to see jerry, check out dark star orchestra, amazing

[swingmethefirecal]

where did you get this recording. i have a reprint of the poster that goes to this concert

[moshwangles]

got it from archivedotorg a few years back. I bet thats a cool poster.

have a good one

[kylegancarz]

@swingmethefirecal whole show should be on archive dot org.... there's also a trick to downloading the shows that are stream-only, go to the streaming page for the show with the track list and change the word "details" to "download" in the url and load that, it'll list all the files

[ZachTheRanter]

Why do people argue over how another person 'found' the Dead? It's not necessary, the important part is that we all love their music. Rest In Peace, Jerry, we all miss you. Peace & love.

[legaldead]

For those who were not lucky enough to see The Grateful Dead before Jerry passed, check out Further. Not the same, but the music and culture does live on. July 8 - 11, AllGood Music Festival. Cool line-up and should be a blast!

[Mudbone00]

This photo is from the sixties man.. how could the guitar impact your vote? nice picture none the less...

[Learning2Phly]

Donna singing = mid seventies...great photo. Love dark star.

[Mudbone00]

@Learning2Phly  i meant its not i wrote "is from" i meant "isnt from".... my scincerest apologies :) Anyway your right on looks like jerry's got the wolf so its 1974 baby..

[Gossage54]

Actually the photo is from 1978.

[owenloquin]

dead is a band that takes you t the edge of the universe, the sound is so freaken sycodelic, and it emerse one in thought. love and peace to all and to all good night.

[moephishron1]

psychedelic*

[1bahno]

sweet black and white photo! nailin' the still life

[ClueSign]

Love hearing Phil singing high harmonies on this. Atta boy, Phil.

[bpressnall]

Was going to give it a 4, but then Jerry's guitar pushed me to a 5.

[selasie777777]

Nice early star, love the crowd chatter vibe, so real and there, thank you!

[BuyEarthFriendly]

Cool recording. Very raw. Thanks for sharing it.

[moshwangles]

@BuyEarthFriendly no problem, glad you liked it

[nesmdriver]

could have posted a picture from the same time period . this pic is from 77-78

[DrewAnti1960]

gotta love the dead,of course i am showing my age,,50 LOL,,I got the chance to see them on a few different ocasions,I think I'm having a Flashback right now

[jordanfan1023]

i don't think you're really showing your age too much since the dead heads keep coming every generation. i'm 17 and am a huge fan of the dead. i've already been to one of their (referring to The Dead, not the Grateful Dead) shows and i'm going to a Furthur show next week. so when you say you're showing your age, don't worry our generation will cover that up. haha.

[DrewAnti1960]

I would like to go see further myself,,should be a blast ,have fun,

Drew

[jordanfan1023]

thanks, i will.

Peace and Love,

Mike

[ifureadthisuranoob]

@DrewAnti1960 no worries march 6th I'm going to further and I am fifteen should be a blast. The torch is being passed.

[banerjesus]

This is so delicious...it makes me cream my pants.

[JIMMYguitar07]

@banerjesus prolonged exposure to the dead has been known to do that, do not be alarmed.

[pyrotech8285]

GypsyRhapsody, i think your talking about

UnbrokenChain.

[Poltergeist40]

BEAUTIFUL. THERE SEEM TO BE some people here who are trying to outdo others by posting "clever comments" on this site. Johnny Peace has it right. There are people who love the dead and people who don't like them. And I too love the Dead. They have given me SO MUCH pleasure in my life. I love them much as I ever did when I first turned on aged 15 and listened to American Beauty and Workingman's. If anything I love them even more than I did then if that were possible. Jerry rocks. So do they all.

[Joseph364015]

sounds great again at 51 i like to hear the dead alot and like youtube alot too. loved to smoke and listen.

[mellifluouschinook]

@Joseph364015

Im trapped ina republic nightmare... at the modern state university... no music, no smoking, really a bummer ... they ( the musicians) gave so much and they always have... like the army service but in a different way...

[corky11111222277]

IMHO, If you want to hear the best representation of this type of GD playing. Look to 'The Quick and the Dead' tour in the Pacific NW from 1.20.68 up to they're offcial lyrical release of "That's It For The Other One" @ The Carousel Ballroom on Valentine's Day 1968. They dedicate the whole "Anthem of The Sun" tunes (2nd set of show) to the memory of Neal Cassady. This transition from the 1st album to the 2nd is just pure magic!

[corky11111222277]

Kindbro- This IS Pigpen. T.C. performed with the GD from 11.23.68 to 1.24.70. He 1st appeared on "Aoxomoxoa" (3rd album). The studio version of 'Dark Star' only appears on a Best Of - "What a Long Strange Trip It's Been": released in 72). 'Dark Star's' 1st album appearance is on "Live Dead" in '70 from a number of live '69 recordings. Most important fact: Dark Star was the 1st song played by the GD using lyrics from Robert Hunter. Hope this clears things up.

[LysergicApe]

actually the studio version of dark star was originally released on 45 rpm backed with born cross eyed :)

[GypsyRhapsody]

It may have been this song but I'm not sure. There was a song they'd rarely play live because of its difficulty. Anyone remember?

[thedaddy9000]

it was St. Stephen. the rhythm changes are borderline impossible.

[SativaBeliver]

will you go you and I?

[Kindbro]

Wolfkarel, I would have to disagree about this being Pigpen on keyboards. I would definitely say it is definitely TC on keyboards, who joined the band in 1967 for the recording of the 2nd album, not 1968, and played on the studio version of Dark Star. Does anybody want to weigh in on this?

[noorna1]

Hallelujah, sallymander57!...post McKernan no edge whatsoever...

[Thirdshiftzombie]

At 8A.M. on 92.3 KGON they play a cool radio show called "Dawn of the Dead" Noting but Dead tunes. Nice way to wake up in the morning.

[desolationrow]

Unfortunately there is a new breed of person - the "I like the Dead because I played their song on a video game" - Looking through many Dead videos these people, usually kids become easy to pick.

[Jerryjeffelvis]

well the kids find the Dead thru video games-cool, good for them, now let ole' Jer tune em in

[luckydog12472]

amen brother!

[KC7689]

this song is so mellow. its not trying to be something, it just is . . . which pretty much sums up the dead.

[MrRockwizard]

there was never anything like a dead show at any point in thier career like bill graham said the grateful dead arent the best at what they do theyre the only ones who do what they do

[1019drummer]

for this song....... this is my fav. period.......this is a great performance...........grt. snbrd.

thanks for sharing.

[gonzolizard01]

boils my bloooooood

[sickzak77]

What is this? Grateful what? Ho Dios!, where is my acid...?

[MaceGill]

What does a deadhead say when he runs out of drugs? "this band sucks!"

J/K! I love the Dead and have been to see them many times

Dark Star is one of those beloved tunes - when they are

playing "space" and you want to go get some concessions grub,and everyone else had the same idea so the lines are packed ... all you had to do was shout from back of the line "Hey! They're playing 'Dark Star'!" and half of the folks would split to the auditorium, then you could easily get your hot pretzel ;)

[popwarskatemore7]

what do you mean ''space"? what you call space i call jam and musical masterpeice.

[Apocalypse4162]

You know, the song, Space? Technically it is jam and musical masterpiece lol

[Submit92]

Please don't comment when you have know idea what you are talking about.

[twangblaster]

There truly was nothing like a Dead concert circa 1968-72. You just had to be there.

[BuzzMcTank]

[twirl]

[popwarskatemore7]

can i twirl with you

[lsudude901]

i love this song. it had an old jazzy feel to it, but with the magic of the dead. i really have no idea how they do it.

[ugaiko]

I'm about to try to get high and listen to this very magical song, I see it when I close my eyes. Something about the Dead I just can't put my finger on, how do they make their songs so magical?

[TheFreeshooter]

the magic of Dark Star, it made you think in a natural way, with influence of the music. theres no need for a extensive amount of effects needing to be used. if you do acid, it will make the effects for you, thats magic of dark star. Pink Floyd with out syd barrete (may his sould rest in peace) was almost overwelming, like take dark star now and add a ring mod on the guitar, and chorus on every thing you can see. Dark Star....just comes crashing down....

[OrangeSunshine2]

In 1970 when I was 15 years old I first saw the Dead play in a park in New York, It was daytime when I got there, and there were people and these balloons and some really pretty girl who I remember watching dance through the crowd, she was alone and yet she was with everyone.

[djtopp]

That's an amazing memory. I love it. Cheers mate!

[souljahNbabylon]

lacking a point maybe but what is the point to any music. For this puts me on another realm of cosmic consciousness. Unfelt by any other musicians ever that I know maybe more like ancient times when people had a higher intelligence with the source so it is truly beautiful. We think we are so intelligent now with all the technology out now but the true meaning of music is divine its to make us feel in a different aspect to reach a higher concsiousness. What music does that for you!

[catamatt68]

I just got high off that comment.

[chuckreinhardt]

pooh you

[clivetemple]

I realise there's a lot more to the Dead than their musicianship but when I hear this I can't help but think of The Emperors New Clothes. I guess you had to be there but really I find this track in particular totally pointless and lacking in any musical merit. But that's just my opinion and it's great that to this day they bring a lot of joy to many people so don't flame me. ;)

[moshwangles]

I wont flame you, ur entitled to your opinion and you were nice about it. But when I first started getting into the dead I realized they were different. It wasnt so much about music as it was about vibrations, and a sort of magic that seems to occur when they play. Its their capability to put you completely at ease, and then just let their notes wash over you.

But I understand some dont feel this way, thats cool, have a nice day man.

[clivetemple]

Yeah, like I said there's more to it than musicianship, I'm old enough to realise that. Guess that's what makes them so different and their fans so loyal. Interesting phenomena the Dead. We never really had anything like this in England.

[SPFrobber]

@clivetemple I heard Eric Clapton comment way back then that the Dead basically mashed their instruments. He would agree with you that they lacked a lot in musicianship. Either way, they produced some good stuff and in 2008 I had one of the best days of my life seeing the remaining members and eating some liquid. Oh what a memory.

[dascruicloseout]

@clivetemple lol I thought the same thing until one day about 20 years ago I dropped a hit of pure clean liquid and on put 'Live Dead' starting right from the beginning at Darkstar .... once I passed the threshold of reality, this song had all the 'musical merit' in the world! ;-) ... Sometimes songs don't have to have a 'point', they just need to be a vehicle for a journey.

[dascruicloseout]

@clivetemple lol I thought the same thing until one day about 20 years ago I dropped a hit of pure clean liquid and on put 'Live Dead' starting right from the beginning at Darkstar .... once I passed the threshold of reality, this song had all the 'musical merit' in the world! ;-) ... Sometimes songs don't have to have a 'point', they just need to be a vehicle for a journey.

[gr8fulmatt]

Donna wasn't in the Band in 1968 , why is she in the photo? The song is positively 1968 though. Man I miss that old sound!!

[moshwangles]

I really wasnt making any effort to make the picture go with the time, at least its a picture of the dead tho eh?

[Robokiller80]

And garcia didn't have that beard either!

[patrickjohnmarks]

Dark Star is why I am who I am. RIP JERRY.

[vadral]

damn beatiful

[allenp109]

Superb Post, great job!

Thanks for taking your time to post this, so we could enjoy * * * * *

[moshwangles]

no problem, thank you for commenting, and I hope you have a nice day, everyday

[DeepSeaSeamus]

lol ignore my previous comment. Can you guys recommend me some of the songs by the dead that are more like this, "trippy" jam sort of songs. I don't like their overly rocky sounding songs.

[moshwangles]

check out spanish jam on the right of the screen

[pittsburghpodgeroo]

Just as I said that, I had to show him a Dark Star from '68 that I automatically assumed would have a, ahh.... an 11 ala Spinal Tap and "The Eleven" as far as 'heads are concerned but I said "I'm going to show them right, scold them, how dare you scold them for any live show ever! (as a joke, again)" I did not rate the post for fear I might bump the post to a 5 and my joke would make no sense. I actually like that Dark Star

[pittsburghpodgeroo]

*ahem* WHO THE PISS GAVE THIS LESS THAN 5IVE STARS???

[alexz2317]

people who are not under the influence of drugs

[pittsburghpodgeroo]

That's cool you said that, that was half the joke in the comment I posted. I listen to the GD streams at the pc at work, people gently rib me about, "is this the one that meanders for three days?" I say "yeah, Morning Dark China Rider something Tower BeGone blah-blah-

Row Straw... hey! You'll NEVER, really, REALLY! Never guess that every post has a Perfect 5 stars! As if, ta-duh, the Dead among their faithful can do no wrong!"

[Alfrunk]

Yeah, no talented artists have ever used drugs - from pre biblical times on to the present day. Brilliant observation.

[Aribdis33]

Hah!!! good one!!!

[Alfrunk]

A philthy phish phan??

[DeepSeaSeamus]

great song, too bad its the only good one the dead ever wrote

[abchowchow]

It was written by Robert Hunter like many, many great songs. He wrote most of their best stuff, but that doesn't take anything away. To say the Dead only have one good song is simply ludicrous. I could name 100 off the top of my head=)

[Alfrunk]

Garcia wrote the tunes - hunter wrote the lyrics on most of the greats. Anyone who thinks they don't have many good songs either doesn't like their sound (not everyone does) or hasn't put in the time at Internet Archive, imo.

[t4b5klh]

there's a published book, The complete annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. it contains 187 bad ass tunes. that guys a douche

[faerylova]

man I love the Dead.... wish i coulda been there.....

[wellspout]

the gd quintessence = '67 -'73!!!!!!!, funny how most people will never even hear this stuff, but pig pen was indeed somehow crucial...afterall, this is when their sterling live rep was established, by the time they hit the bigtime with frat guys in the '80s, it was over, creatively speaking...i saw them routinely with pig, and never saw a mediocre show, listen to harpur college (binghamton 1970) if there's any question(s)....

[Alfrunk]

For what it's worth - Yeah I would agree with that for the most part. Garcia was a shining, bright star that still had moments of transcendent brilliance even into the 90's - but the real magic happened between 67-78/79 imo. The real drop off was the late 70's. Their sound differed, but they were strong until then. The heroin and coke took a toll - probably the fame too.

[gr8fulmatt]

Well put me Brother.

[jeemobon]

Thanks for this. A little shred of a past memory. Would have been great to see these guys and hear it in full. Jerry died when I was 14, before I knew much of anything about the Dead.

[trimphbsa]

Sounds like 68. Acid Jazz

[paros2525]

Hate to say it, but this ai'nt 68. Its '78. Donna Jean wasn't in the band in 68.

[moshwangles]

:) no its 68, I wasnt trying to make the picture go with the song, pic is from later.

[MANNY11RED]

Thanx 4 this moshwangles,been a fan for 30 years and really appreciate the chance 2 hear this piece of history-cheers m8!

[moshwangles]

no problem manny, hope u have a nice day : )

[wolfkarel]

You can only tell it's from '68. That's Pigpen's signature keyboard riff for the song.

This was even before TC joined the band.....

The only Dark Star from 1978 was at the closing of Winterland on New Year's.

[steVenh00by]

the dead is siq...no matter what....have anyone match jerry's playing...and just five great musicians together, you CANNOT MATCH IT...it started a revolution for god sakes

[michfan2123]

Incredible!

[5purnlad]

when everyone in the audience is tripping you can get away with this shit? i love the dead but i think you had to be there and also be on acid to enjoy this:)

[moshwangles]

5purnlad,i dont rlly think that u do love the dead if u would say that. Its all about the music and I think people that love the dead can enjoy their music anytime.

[21theworld21]

I know what you mean sometimes, especially with the times when they just go into "space" and play weird seemingly random sound. But this? This is just relaxing music that's good to listen to, I don't really get how you love the dead but don't like this...

[skootmagoot]

im perty sure the damb babys werent on cid

kick rocks!!

[chowfunnoodles8]

My mom was pregnant with me around Oct. 20, 1968, so I wasn't conceived yet, but my spirit was still in my mom's bones, so I was still here during this song in spirit. I was born moon landing day 7/20/1969. I just woke up today on 10/19/2008 and I just had a dream about that hot actress Kate Jackson and I was talking to her and I totally wanted to munch her. I always have wanted to munch Kate Jackson. Yum.

[stormfox1]

so much random background music

[marhill20]

what do you mean?? what would you prefer?

[andreadena]

that's great, thank you

[moshwangles]

no problem, thanks for the comment : )

[peaceonearth108]

beautiful...thank you

[moshwangles]

no problem, thanks for listening.

[desolationrow]

2/14/68?

[fishing988]

amazing

[22clodius]

these days they were a british psychedilic band call: high tide,very good ,someone know them,its not on youtube hélas

[pmf598]

Yeah, if you go on MySpace and search in "music" for High Tide progressive rock there is a kid who says his dad was into them and has made a page.

I enjoyed Dark star again, thanks moshwangles

[brianm1314]

thank you very much.

[moshwangles]

no problem, thanks for watching.

[CaptainFunTrips1950]

My My My did I ever enjoy hearing Dark Star it represented a Great Show! These were my friends and did they ever bring joy to my heart & soul! RIP Jerry!

[glotzotron]

very nice!!!!

[moshwangles]

glad u enjoyed it man