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Rating: At the end of 1971, on New Year's Eve, the Dead celebrate the advent of 1972 with a concert at the Winterland Arena. San Francisco's temple of music, originally an ice rink, was converted in 1971 for the exclusive use of musical events and shows in general.
They are not yet the Dead post-Pigpen (who would pass in 1973), nor the Dead of "Aoxomoxoa" and "Anthem of the Sun," which are the best studio Dead, but it doesn't matter, because whether it is 1968, 1975, or 1985, live the San Francisco band has always been impeccable. The Grateful Dead's live performances are the real trademark of the band.
In 1971, the California sun was setting on the acid summer of the late '60s. San Francisco and Los Angeles were giving way to the east coast and especially European music scenes. Some bands were seeking new sounds and shuffling the deck in an attempt to carve a place for themselves in the new decade's discography. The Grateful Dead, however, over the years, having gathered a large group of followers (Deadhead), did not need to change their style or adapt to the changing times. The idea remained one and unequivocal: live the live set as a unique and improvised experience, jam-session as a lifestyle.
In this live performance, the line-up is still the historic one (with the only absence being Mickey Hart): Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Pigpen McKernan, and of course "His Acidness" Jerry Garcia. The Dead present themselves to their fans with "Dancin' in the Street" (a cover of the piece originally recorded by Martha and the Vandellas), and during the performance, as per the largely improvised script, the band members don't fail to express their wishes for the coming year to the audience. The Californian sun still shines on the wonderful "Brown Eyed Woman" and the evocative interludes offered by the usual Garcia. The precise breaks of Bill Kreutzmann and the acid phrasing of Jerry Garcia introduce the classic "Chinacat Sunflowers," which flows into a medley with the jam of "I Know You Rider." The guitar intertwining between Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir is spine-tingling. The group develops a dizzying improvisation. The rhythmic blues of "Loser" and the fake march of "Ramble on Rose" highlight a rhythm section as precise as a Swiss clock. And after the inevitable medley "Sugar Magnolia/Sunshine Daydream," it's time for the masterful medley "Not Fade Away/Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad/Not Fade Away." We reach the apex. The pieces are transformed into a 17-minute jam session, stretched beyond the limit. The tracklist is completed by "Mason's Children" (from a concert held on December 28, 1969, at the Hollywood Pop Festival), with the vocal duet between Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia (another trademark of the band), the piece is intense, the band showcases the effectiveness of its "Wall of Sound," with an impressive solo, labeled Garcia.
An unmissable album!
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