1979_reviews.txt

Early Brent Shows, boards only

Rated as: Audio: x Show: y Highlight: z

22-04-79
    Tape is a little hissy and the board a bit flat (comparing with the the '74 I have just listened to). It sounds a bit 80's already, even Jerry's voice is a bit out. It seems largely played at a similar speed throughout, with the slowdowns being on the Jerry ballads. Overall the sound is a slightly flat, there's more sonic space filled with the keys but the bass is less prominent. Not a bad show, lacks an obvious highlight. At least the Around & Around is double time at the end.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

03-05-79: AUD
04-05-79: Official release, no SBD on archive

05-05-79
    Again, the sound is a little flat and maybe a gen or 2 old. Again it seems slightly stuck in way less gears than the early 70s stuff (although it has maybe more energy). The second set flows through quite nicely, but nothing that really stands out. At least the setlists are decent in this period, and Brent fits quite well and adds a nice sound, although he doesn't seem to be singing that much.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

07-05-79
    Once it settles down, this board is the best so far, even with a little audience seemingly mixed in (this is the miller.fishmanj-repitch.78748 copy). It's a pretty decent first set. Slips into AUD for the second set unfortunatly; the first part of the show has some good Jerry songs in it though, especially the Peggy-O which is a good change in tempo.
    Audio: 7 Show: 7 Highlight: 6

08-05-79: AUD
09-05-79: AUD
11-05-79: AUD
12-05-79: AUD
13-05-79: AUD

28-06-79
    Only the second set in SBD, and even that manages a fairly hard cut in the Playin' to rejoin in the fist verse of Eyes. Also sounds a few gens down the line. in any case, it matches the show, which is a little workmanlike and lacks some sparkle. From here on, assume most shows have a much more fixed tempo than previous years. It's not that fixed, only in comparison with earlier years. I also why the boards are so sparse and not such great quality from this era?
    Audio: 5 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

30-06-79: AUD

01-07-79
    There exists audience VHS of a major portion of this show, maybe the earliest ever shot? Fairly decent SBD even if it wobbles a few times. Nice first set ending with high energy Passenger. Start of set 2 is a weird mix of songs but settles down when Terrapin starts and the quality continues to the end. Great join between Truckin' and Around & Around. Best Brent show so far, mainly because of the jam in the second set.
    Audio: 7 Show: 7 Highlight: 6

04-08-79
    Another decent SBD for a change. First what I would consider lengthy jam as well, 34 minutes of Shakedown > Playin' before drums, it's the best jam we've heard so far. First Althea and Lost Sailor at these shows don't do a lot for me - I'm already dreading the repetitive Sailor > Saints that are around the corner.
    Audio: 7 Show: 7 Highlight: 7

05-08-79
    The new songs are not quite gelled in yet, and the SBD is a little inconsistent in places but overall this is a fairly decent show, although lacking in highlights. The first Scarlet Fire > Estimated > Eyes and the Eyes is too fast really. Rocking end to a show to give it some pep, although the Aroundx2 is not as rocking as expected, despite the double time.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

12-08-79
    The SBD may lack the clarity of earlier years, but the cuts into audience are a magnitude worse! First set didn't really stand out for me. Jerry has sung "sleepy" summer home in Eyes twice now. Nice jam out of Eyes and drums has some uniqueness as well. Post drums not as exciting and the Aroundx2 double time has definitly slowed.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 7

13-08-79: AUD

14-08-79
    Partial SBD of Terrapin onwards. Best SBD quality of the year so far. Great start with the Terrapin > Playin' but really fails to go much of anywhere from drums on, although is nice and high energy. Hard and rocking to finish the show seems the way to go in these shows.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

31-08-79
    "I can tell the ACE of diamonds by the way she shines", unusual change. Audio unfortunatly contains good chunks of AUD spliced in. Estimated is good but again the Eyes that follows is a little too fast. Drums are definitly a highlight of this era, they are no longer the drum solos of the earlier years and are a big improvement. There another Aroundx2 ending. This time it starts too slow, but the double time is definitly there.
    Audio: 6 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

01-09-79
    Starts with one of those long Half Step > Franklins. Unusual out-of-tune Jerry in Uncle. Long Scarlet Fire only really surprises in the length. Another great drums really sets the scene, and it gets to the end in good style, a decent Wharf Rat and a well rocked ending to the show.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

02-09-79
    Slightly messy first set, especially the Minglewood where Weir's singing seems all over the place. The second set is average I suppose, however this was the first show where Brent's keyboard playing impressed me to some degree. The sound drops out to a fairly rough audience near the end of the second set. Overall, not a stellar show.
    Audio: 6 Show: 8 Highlight: 8

    Re-review:
        This was highly rated by both my full list (4.5!) and my top 700 (B2!), so I decided to re-listen; there is indeed a 35+ minute Terrapin > Let It Grow and the latter fills 22:50 of that. The Terrapin is pretty relaxed through Lady With A Fan. The next section is has a great middle but the end is uninspired. The Let Is Grow is ripping before 5:00, eases off a little and goes into a great keys solo; Jerry's run after is much shorter before it starts to really jam out at the 12:00 mark. At 14:20 they have mostly left the song, by 15:30 they could easily turn into space. It lingers for a while before Jerry drags it back - 17:00, and Jerry continues to blitz fast runs through slow music until 18:00, it then starts to turn into volume pedal space wahs at 18:50. Despite the obviously coming drums, the space holds and builds to 21:20. Jerry is last off the stage, it's like they can't drag the man off! He's almost solo at the very end (22:30).
        Review updated.

04-09-79
    The board isn't the greatest and switches to an AUD occasionally; the band seem to flub a few things post-drums. Despite this, I would say it's not a bad show. The first China > Rider for some time at the start of the second set is decent, leading to a long He's Gone. Messy but good.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 5

05-09-79
    Same source as the previous show, i.e. not great but also not terrible. There's nothing really wrong with this performance but I can't say I really remeber anything specific from the show. A bit pedestrian in general, although I suppose the pre-drums set 2 material has a good setlist on paper.
    Audio: 6 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

06-09-79
    I have questions. What's up with Bobby's Minglewood Blues changes in this run? Is this the first Brent song in soundboard? Show also has the first "Don't Ease"; neither of these are real selling points! Not really an exciting show unfortunatly, there is however about 30 seconds of a Mind Left Body jam before Stella Blue. If only!
    Audio: 6 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

24-10-79
    Very dull sounding board to kick off with (first 2 songs are AUD only). First set passed by fairly anonomously. Second set has a great setlist, no real surprises and a few 10 minute songs but still very decent. It's just it lacks a real highlight, although the Pre-drums playing tries. In contrast, the ending crescendo on the ending reprise is magnificent.
    Audio: 6 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

25-10-79
    First set AUD only. However the SBD that we do have is better than others of the era; helped by the blistering Shakedown / Passenger that opens - the latter is a total rager. The rest of the set is a little more sedate, although it has plenty of energy through the end. It just can't compete with the start.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 7

27-10-79
    Nice sound quality and a pretty hot first set that is decent from the opening song. Can't say I'm a big fan of the setlist in set 2, but the length of songs, decent jamming and sheer energy is great. Drums takes 63 minutes to arrive and that's just 4 songs! Even the Aroundx2 double time is decent.
    Audio: 7 Show: 7 Highlight: 6

28-10-79
    Starts with a crazy long Half-Step > Franklins which really dominates the first set. Second set is a story of two halves. Pre-drums has decent energy, and some long jams, whereas post drums feels more like a a sprint to the finish; not as good, and a hint of tiredness. Still, overall a very decent show.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

31-10-79
    Great show from the very first tune and whilst it doesn't venture into brilliance it is well played with lots of energy and some decent exploration. Very unfortunatly, the sounnd quality takes a major nose dive post drums into a distance aud with indistinct singing. A full board would be great!
    Audio: 6 Show: 7 Highlight: 6

01-11-79
    This is a decent show, although the highlights are not obvious on examination of the setlist. Good start to the first set and a great Promised Land to end, just as it started to look a bit rough. Longest Scarlet > Fire ever roams a little too loose. From Terrapin onwards it's all good, especially Playin' and the closing trio post drums.
    Audio: 8 Show: 8 Highlight: 7

02-11-79
    Another long Half-Step > Franklins, although this one is the best so far. Surely this is the best ever Sailor > Saint, if only for the supurb jam that emerges afterwards. Overall, another hot show from the period that retains energy right through to the end.
    Audio: 8 Show: 7 Highlight: 8

04-11-79
    First Alabama and second Althea lack excitement and the first set only gets going after Brown Eyed Women. Second set has a well-jammed Estimated but the He's Gone takes too long to get there (I will note it does get there, but not for any length). Post drums is fine, except the sound quality drops right off at the end.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

05-11-79
    The set-list looks epic, a 23 minute Eyes, a Franklins with an actual jam out into drums, a China Rider to open the first set... Drums > Sailor > Saint? And yet the show is a little pedestrian. Also not helped by the AUD patch in the last 15 minutes or so. Side note, is this the only show with no Jerry post-drums (apart from the encore, and those 3 in '78)? Sailor > Saint is terrible post drums, A tricky Weir song with no obvious pay-off - there's better times to tackle that venture. What we need is a rating for "surprising shows", because this is one of those!
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 7

06-11-79
    There's 2 songs that are good here: Terrapin is a good one and the Playing afterwards is the best of the year so far, and with significant length. The rest of the show was solid; however I would say I start to detect a hint of "lazy fuckups". It seems the band are starting to lose a little edge. It's not like they are coasting really, this back-half of 79 is clearly better than early Brent. Maybe it's with the new songs, none of this crop are bad but they are a step downg. "Easy To Love You" is pretty inoffensive and the band play it well, but it's already my #2 Brent song and there's a load more coming. It's not just Brent, either - arguably Bob is worst by pushing Sailor > Saint so may times, although 2/11 has exactly the version you need. Jerry gives Althea and Alabama, one universally seen as one of his last "best" songs, and Alabama - more of a throwaway but maybe the last real rocker he wrote.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 8

08-11-79
    Not the best of shows until Dew turns up at the end of the second set. Doesn't sound like Brent knows the song though - he's really quiet for most it. Show suffers badly from a non-jammed Sailor > Saint into drums, and there is a lack of fireworks everywhere else as well.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 5

09-11-79
    Show takes a while to get going, but the first set is not bad, it just can't compete with the Jack Straw set one closer and then the funky jam out of Dancin' into what what must be the must intense - maybe the best - Franklin's I ever heard, in a 12 minute slice that is the best of the year so far. Rest of the show is average by comparison.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 8

10-11-79
    Show has a great setlist on paper (the 2nd set is straight out of 1977) but nothing stands out, even with a 27 minute Terrapin > Playin'. Phil having fun to the intro of NFA at the end of space was best part, rare to hear such bombs at this point in their career.
    Audio: 7 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

23-11-79
    Great first set and start of second but it's the mild trainwreck at peak of Estimated that stays in the memory, simply because the show becomes a little more ordinary afterwards. Once again a classic 77 setlist for set 2, but not much of interest past the Sugaree.
    Audio: 7 Show: 5 Highlight: 7

24-11-79
    Opening China > Rider must be one of the greatest opening from the this period. Pretty much everything about this show is decent, although it lacks a stand-out moment and the Sairor > Saint after drums is in the wrong place. Overall though, a high energy show in great board quality - reccomended.
    Audio: 8 Show: 7 Highlight: 6

25-11-79
Another good quality show lacking a decent highlight, and the pre-drums is a little unsatisfying, despite a rare Other One pre-drums. Post drums rocks out as per normal, although Brents solo on JB Goode seems to kills Jerrys excitement (although no blame to Brent). Decent, but really average for the period.
    Audio: 8 Show: 6 Highlight: 5

29-11-79
    First set is nice but largely anonymous. Second starts well but also suffers from the same problem, it's good but lacks a little something. Weirdly, there's no space at this show, we go almost directly from drums into the first song.
    Audio: 8 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

30-11-79
    First set starts well and ends even better, with a groovy 15 minute Dancin' jam. Great pre-drums setlist with the "best" 79 run into drums: Terrapin > Playin'. Oh no! There is another insistence from Bob for Lost Sailor > Saint. Get it over lads, we already had the best ever a month or so ago. This show started well but went downhill from drums. Don't Ease is not the best encore either.
    Audio: 8 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

01-12-79
    Fairly decent first set starts good (2nd song is a 17min Sugaree!) and gets better as it goes along. Second set continues this, and He's Gone descends into a decent and lengthy Gloria jam. Which then goes into CC Rider > Jam? Very weird but good! Post drums is a bit more average as the boil becomes more of a simmer but there's nothing bad. Good show.
    Audio: 8 Show: 7 Highlight: 7

03-12-79
    There's a decent setlist, if a touch too classic, except for another attempt at Sailor > Saint straight after drums. There's no real errors at this show, but in the same way there's not a lot of fire either except for maybe the ending Truckin (rare version to close the set, that is unusual!)
    Audio: 8 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

04-12-79
    Good setlist but it never gels into something more adventurous, other than an extended jam out of Franklin's Tower, which is the highlight of the show overall. There's a great setlist in here and it ends well; maybe a great party show.
    Audio: 7 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

05-12-79
    Really - REALLY - decent Other One stretches pre-drums to 70 minutes. It's a 2 hour second set and 2 encores, you certainly get your moneys worth here. Post drums is a little ragged but a great show overall, as it keeps getting better from the start to drums.
    Audio: 7 Show: 8 Highlight: 8

07-12-79
    Nothing of real note at this show. Sometimes Jerry's voice is very slightly off, a sign of the 80s to come? Best part is probably the rocking end. There's a Sailor > Saint into drums where they jam out after the song, but it's clear jump from song to jam and feels a bit forced.
    Audio: 7 Show: 5 Highlight: 6

09-12-79
    Another setlist with obvious fore-tellings of whats to come. Great first set and the vibe comtinues in the second, despite a few AUD patches. Set then drops off from Easy To Love You;there's another jam after Saint but it's too short. Some major coke Dead after drums, where the AUD patches are a bit more annoying.
    Audio: 6 Show: 6 Highlight: 6

10-12-79
    Dodgy source; it's a SBD but sounds overcompressed and the mix is rough at points. Jerry is also buried a little low, and Brent is mixed very high, to the detriment of the tape. Unusual Let It Grow in 2nd set - normally a good place - but here it is quite short. Good energy overall, but nothing here stands out unfortunatly.
    Audio: 5 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

11-12-79
    The board is over-compressed and has mix issues. The band seem to rush through things looking for something to grasp hold of. There's a jam after Saint but again it's distinct from the song itself. Slew of rockers to end but nothing special here.
    Audio: 5 Show: 5 Highlight: 5

26-12-79
    Only the 2nd set on SBD - except for the official release on Dicks Picks 5 - but it's great quality. What a setlist as well! It's weird one and feels very much stop start all the way through, even post drums where Brokedown is in an unusual spot. Best part is clearly the encore. On paper this all looks great but it didn't gel that well with me.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 7

27-12-79
    The opposite of the previous night; only set 1 is in SBD. What to say? Nothing of special interest, it's a fairly normal (if a little short) first set. Almost no jamming at all.
    Audio: 7 Show: 5 Highlight: 4

28-12-79
    These sets aren't messing around - a nearly 17 minute Sugaree is the first song! This is not a bad show, however it is slightly patchy in places. The jam in Playing is fairly unique and lengthy for the period, and follows a decent Terrapin. However, other areas are a little weaker and the boys try too much frantic energy in the back half.
    Audio: 7 Show: 6 Highlight: 7

30-12-79
    Short show, despite a double encore (maybe this is the shortest "normal" second set ever? Nice (but short!) jam out of Let It Grow before drums, but this does for sure feel like the show right before new years; it's short and they seem to be holding things back deliberatly.
    Audio: 6 Show: 5 Highlight: 7

31-12-79
    Audio is a bit ropey from the start, and the band sound ragged. This show is all over the place, what an intro to the 80s! The setlist, the audio source, Jerrys singing, the jams, all a mjor step down from the year before and likely the worst show for some time.
    Audio: 6 Show: 4 Highlight: 5