Rhino

By late 1973, the Grateful Dead already had a couple of years to settle into the massive cache of new material that they’d introduced since the beginning of ‘71 and several months to adjust to the six-piece lineup that fell into place with the death of Pigpen, the departure of Mickey Hart and the induction of Keith and Donna Godchaux. They’d also begun to understand that they were now a phenomenon, a huge draw that could no longer be confined to the classic theaters and ballrooms of the past – and they’d learned how to fill the larger rooms. So in a sense, there isn’t anything especially atypical about this LA gig – in fact, they’d played Pauley two years earlier – and you kind of know what to expect before you even listen and that they’re going to be on. Pauley presents a standard, if well-played, song-oriented first set, including “Looks Like Rain,” “Tennessee Jed,” “Big River,” “Deal,” etc.,and an epic second set built around a stunner of a “Morning Dew,” sandwiched by “Playing in the Band” / “Uncle John’s Band.” “Eyes of the World,” introduced only earlier that year, is already an engrossingly brilliant jam, indicative of the new sophistication that had come to the band’s songwriting over the past few years. The following year, the “Wall of Sound” would start another chapter – in a way, this and other late ‘73 shows marked the end of the first golden GD era.