Grateful Dead—Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI, December 15, 1971
zencowpoke.substack.com
The period from October through December of 1971 was, for many years, the best-documented run in the Grateful Dead's history. The fall tour produced 15 live broadcasts of complete concerts across the country. The shows, airing on local radio stations, provided burgeoning tapers with a rich supply of high-quality tapes that featured the addition of pianist Keith Godchaux and a rollicking new sound and direction for the band. If you're looking for a singular recording from late ‘71 that is telling of the new direction the Dead were heading, the second performance of the two-night stand at the 4100-seat U of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium is a worthy candidate. Pigpen is back in the fold nestled behind his trusty B3 organ, and his faithful rendering of old roots songs (and newly penned numbers like Mr. Charlie) fit right in with the Dead's new sound. Pig's two-month hiatus has allowed Keith some time to meld with the band, and his playing on this evening in Ann Arbor sounds as though he's fully settled into his role.
Grateful Dead—Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI, December 15, 1971
Grateful Dead—Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI…
Grateful Dead—Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI, December 15, 1971
The period from October through December of 1971 was, for many years, the best-documented run in the Grateful Dead's history. The fall tour produced 15 live broadcasts of complete concerts across the country. The shows, airing on local radio stations, provided burgeoning tapers with a rich supply of high-quality tapes that featured the addition of pianist Keith Godchaux and a rollicking new sound and direction for the band. If you're looking for a singular recording from late ‘71 that is telling of the new direction the Dead were heading, the second performance of the two-night stand at the 4100-seat U of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium is a worthy candidate. Pigpen is back in the fold nestled behind his trusty B3 organ, and his faithful rendering of old roots songs (and newly penned numbers like Mr. Charlie) fit right in with the Dead's new sound. Pig's two-month hiatus has allowed Keith some time to meld with the band, and his playing on this evening in Ann Arbor sounds as though he's fully settled into his role.