Grateful Dead 9/9/74

I had been looking forward to this gig so much that I arrived way too early and ended up queueing on my own outside the Ally Pally for some hours. There was an interesting moment while we waited. A big car drew up and out stumbled the man himself - Jerry Garcia. He shuffled up the steps to the door where we stood. He started to open the door and at that point he stopped abruptly and to no-one in particular said "Ugh!...I forgot my gitarr". Luckily the driver had not already left so he was able to retrieve the guitar from the boot.

Eventually we were let in and secured our place immediately in front of the "stage" which was just delimited by some floorcovering if I remember right. When they came on we found ourselves sat down cross-legged a few feet from the Grateful Dead with many people behind us with big tape recorders to bootleg the show. The Dead kicked off with one of my all-time favourite dead tracks "Bertha". This was at that moment perfection. The Dead pretty much at their peak starting one of their lengthy gigs with a classic track. Jerry may not have been very good at getting himself to the gigs but onstage he was unrivalled.

And of course the Dead were an ensemble and Bob Weir was an outstanding songwriter, singer and guitarist in his own right and "Mexicali Blues" and "El Paso" featured at this gig. This was the band that included the Godchauxs, Keith on keyboards and Donna on vocals as well as Bill Kreutzmann and Phil Lesh.

The Dead played a classic set that night. "Wharf Rat" near the end was immense. "Deal" was played - enough said. "Row Jimmy Row" was as sweet and poignant as it gets. As was "It must have been the Roses". "Ship of Fools" stirs faint memories but whilst I can see that they also played "Tennessee Jed", "Jack Straw" and "Scarlet Begonias" I can't say I recollect those particular versions.

The Grateful Dead were a unique live experience and this was one of my all-time favourite gigs. To immerse yourself for three hours or so in the fluid eclectic music the Dead produced was a privilege and a pleasure. Top 10 all-time gig hall of fame for sure.