Let Freedom Ring!

Let Freedom Ring!

Grateful Dead Live at Freedom Hall on 1974-06-18

1974.The "Wall of Sound" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound_(Grateful_Dead). One drummer not two. The "Wolf" guitar. The Bluegrass State. Old Freedom Hall, once a Mecca for Midwestern Basketball but always the real  Madison Square Garden of the area(sorry Rupp Arena!).. Some people think this is one of the greatest shows of all time(unfortunately I do not) and certainly one of the greatest from 1974(an acceptable verdict from one of my favorite years of Grateful Dead performances). And while a consenus has grown that this version of the "Weather Report Suite" is one of their very best versions, I would much rather the attention be focused upon the transcendtally great "Morning Dew" encore, which I humbly assert is the greatest version of that classic power ballad. The delicate interplay between Jerry Garcia and Keith Godchaux as the coda begins, with Godchaux tinkling ivories at the furthest end of the piano and Garcia listening very carefully, answering in the softest call and response ever recorded onstage for the band, before he gradually ascends with that amazing solo propelling the band to one of the most satisfyiing crescendos in their careers is beyond words. For those 15 minutes Louisville feels like Vallhalla(incidentally the name of its world famous golf course, designed by legend Jack Nicklaus) and that is why my first onemoresatnitestream had to highlight this great show from 1974.

https://archive.org/details/gd74-06-18.sbd.sacks.209.sbefail.shnf