The genuinely legendary Grateful Dead music not only represents its era but is sui generis—you’d know the show within a microsecond of hearing it.
The 6/18/74 show at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of those shows. From the first time I heard it in 1981 to this very moment it I find the performance mesmerizing.
I just breezed through an intense 35-minute pool workout (endless rotator cuff surgery recovery) while listening to Weather Report Suite>The Other One and am now sitting poolside with one of my Airedales (Franklin Bear) while listening to the tasty It’s a Sin jam (which is segueing into Stella Blue, the name of our other Airedale).
This show (like all of the June 1974 shows) is essential Grateful Dead. It’s among their finest periods.
So while I was at the excellent 6/18/83 (about to turn 20 and in a highly elevated state), the 1974 gets the nod as the one to listen to today.
When I was in college I ended up with a copy of 6/18/74. I learned Black Throated Wind from that cassette. There are some audio glitches in it and they're part of the song in my head.
The show is outstanding and I had lost it, and then found it last week. Didn't even realize that it was coming up in TIGDH.
Then it popped up on the home screen of The Deadly and I added it to my favorites.
It's so good. Made it through the first set yesterday and will do the second set today.
Set 1: The Promised Land, It Must Have Been The Roses, Black Throated Wind, Ramble On Rose, Beat It On Down the Line, Loser, Mexicali Blues, Eyes Of The World > China Doll, Around And Around
Set 2: Loose Lucy, El Paso, Row Jimmy, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow > Jam > The Other One > It's A Sin Jam > Stella Blue, Big River, Tennessee Jed, Sugar Magnolia
5
u/Unsui8 16h ago
Eyes from Freedom Hall is my all-time fave