Grateful Dead—Alexandra Palace, London, UK, September 11, 1974

Nineteen Seventy-Four was surely a high-water mark year for the Dead. For starters, the Wall of Sound introduced concertgoers to the largest, technologically innovative public address system ever built. In addition to the force and extravagance of the PA, much of the tour added halftime entertainment in the form of Ned Lagin and Phil Lesh, and their experimental modular-synth Seastones’ performances. Like many ardent Dead fans, I’m a real admirer of the collaborations between Lagin and the band, although the Seastones outings surely aren’t everyone’s cup of ayahuasca.

The ’74 tour wasn’t all roses though. Assembling, disassembling, and hauling around 75 tons of amps, speakers, subwoofers and tweeters was a lot of work and it really took a toll on the Grateful Dead family. In addition, there was a general dissatisfaction with playing larger and more impersonal venues, ongoing squabbles and inflexibility among the band members, and a growing dependence on cocaine to keep the locomotive moving.

Seven months and 24 shows after the touring debut of the completed Wall of Sound at the Cow Palace, the band embarked on a brief tour of Europe. The first stop was the famed Alexandra Palace in London. The third Ally Pally show of the 3-night stopover is rife with compelling music, including more pure improvisational offerings than any singular Grateful Dead performance. In a 2001 KPFA radio interview with David Gans, Lagin shared that the stress and burden of the ’74 tour came to a head on this evening in the United Kingdom. According to various sources, the band huddled together and agreed to push the pause button on the coca and participate in a bit of lysergic purification to reset the levels. Dick Latvala was as much a fan of LSD as he was of listening to and archiving the Dead’s music, so it’s surprising that his pick documenting this London run (Vol. 7) completely ignored the towering highlight from the show’s second set. Without question, it is hands down one of the most outside jamming adventures of the year.

The first frame begins with a well-played Scarlet Begonias to set the pace. The next standout is Sugaree, filled with elegant contrasts that soar above the song’s trying narrative. The remainder of the set is loose and articulate, with a punchy Mexicali Blues, a sweet Jack Straw with Jerry’s little daredevil fills under Bob’s vocal lines, and a sweet Row Jimmy with some downright superb ensemble work. The Playing in the Band set closer is brilliant; the group pushes and pulls the Hunter-Weir song, gradually building to a delicious apex before Garcia deftly stages the reprise at the twenty-minute mark.

Set II opens with Seastones. The beginning music presents Ned in solo mode, liberally sending synth waves spiraling outward into the great hall. Shortly afterward, Billy, Jerry, and finally Bobby join Ned and Phil on stage and begin to add to the lush mix. In due time, Lagin abandons his synthesizers and moves to his Rhodes piano. The group mind is at work now, and the resulting music is difficult to describe—tangibly psychedelic, with deep tribal grooves. Jerome soon picks up the pace and the jam moves in concentric arcs before dropping into a drumless space, followed by more annular jamming. Eventually, Eyes of the World appears on the sonic horizon; the transition to the song is slow, and it’s a real gas how it takes them a full 7 minutes to get their collaborative space together and begin the tune for real. The ensemble works through the Eyes and all its subtle changes, with Ned adding some acrobatic keyboard lines alongside Keith’s sterling piano work. And then, as they are often inclined to do, they find their way to another nameless jam for 10 more minutes, before winding down with Wharf Rat.

Phil announces a short break to break down Ned’s equipment, in anticipation of the band returning for a cursory final half hour of closing music. The first couple of numbers are fairly hot and spirited, but by the time they land on Sugar Magnolia, it’s very clear they’re completely spent. Given the absolute leviathan and expansive performance on this evening, that should go without saying.

Kidd Candelario Tape

Steve Brown’s Super 8mm ‘74 Tour Footage