John
Thanks for sending this round. One question: DeadBase lists a show at the
Fox Theatre, St Louis on 3-17-71 as well as the one on 3-18-71 but you
don't. I guess this may have been discussed some time ago on deadlists, but
I missed it.
My reason for raising it now is a couple of emails I have received from Jim
Parker - below - which contain some fascinating reminiscences about a show
at the Fox Theatre in March 1971, which he recalls as having been the first
of two shows that week. The songs he remembers (Sugar Magnolia, Bobby McGee,
Other One) are in the 3-18-71 setlist, but were played so frequently at that
time that it's possible they were played on successive nights .
My particular interest is in his reference to Garcia having played and sung
a verse of Sweet Georgia Brown. Have you or others heard of this before?
Alex Allan
----- Original Message -----
From: james parker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: 22 September 2001 22:28
Subject: Sweet Georgia Brown,
>Note re: Georgia Brown. I saw the Dead in St. Louis
>in March '71 at the Fox Theatre, the first of two
>shows that day/week if memory serves.
>
>Mid set, during another song, Garcia sang and played
>one verse of Sweet Georgia Brown and then went off in
>some other direction (surprize!!!).
>
>It was the second time I'd seen them (the first being
>late October, 1970, Kiel Opera House, St. Louis).
>
<from follow-up email>
>RE: impressions? This show was a remarkable contrast
>to the 1970 show at Kiel. Bob Weir fronted this show
>to such an extent that I've always referenced it in my
>memory as, not the Grateful Dead so much as The Bob
>Weir Show, featuring the Grateful Dead! Weir was at
>his most effervescent best. His singing and playing
>on The Other One was stirring as hell.
>
>Sugar Magnolia was the fan favorite and big hit of the
>show, although many in the crowd were calling (all
>futile of course) for Dark Star and St Stephen. It
>was a very transitional time for them as it turns out:
>they were playing shorter less lyrically obscure
>material (but always eclectic) music.
>
>Pig didn't look particularly well--he had been robust
>6 months earlier. Garcia was subdued at the Fox; in
>contrast he'd been totally the front man at the 1970
>show.
>
>Garcia was playing a red Gibson SG at the Opera House
>show, at the Fox he had what I remember as a odd
>little guitar (today I'm guessing it was an Alembic).
>At the Opera House show, Garcia's guitar sound was
>trademark Garcia--dominating and fluid; at the Fox he
>was very soft spoken in every way. The played no
>acoustic numbers at the Fox and Garcia played no pedal
>steel--highlites of the show at the Opera House. Weir
>introduced Bobby McGee with a personal reference to
>Janis Joplin.
>
>My favorite of many Dead show seen between 1970 and
>1974.
