Fillmore West 1969 - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
The 1969 double album Live/Dead holds a special place in the Deadhead universe; indeed, many band members and their inner circle consider it to be the band's best overall collection as well. This expanded, three-CD edition is culled from the same February/March '69 shows at the Dead's de facto live home, San Francisco's Fillmore West. What's documented here are not only some of the greatest performances of the band's early era, but the still-evolving template for much of the band's later flights of improvisation. The first, blues-dominated disc pays tribute to a band that a couple years earlier had been but an ambitious bar covers ban! d, while the second chronicles the Dead's expansive "Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven" triptych wed to a cover of the Rev. Gary Davis' "Death Don't Have No Mercy," 2/28/69 performances that turn on the freeform interplay that would become their trademark for decades to follow. The set's final disc is highlighted by a vigorous, nearly hour-long workout that jams its way through the band's early "Alligator," "Caution" and the obligatory drum break to the traditional closer, "We Bid You Goodnight." Said to be the first 16-track live recording, the epochal performances here are burnished to near sonic perfection via HDCD mastering, a heady, if ironic wedding of technology and the band's rootsy, musical humanity. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description
By 1969, the Grateful Dead's marathon free-form performances were fundamentally expanding the known boundaries of rock music. Grateful Dead Records' new 3-CD gold mine presents a bounty of iconic Dead songs recorded at their now-historic Fillmore West dates from February 27 to March 2, 1969. Indulge in the essential Grateful Dead at the Fillmore in 1969, the cosmic peak of their phenomenal rise to global superstardom.

Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

The Rest of "Live/Dead" November 12, 2005
82 out of 85 found this review helpful

If you're not already a fan of the Grateful Dead, then move on; there's nothing here for you to see (or hear). This 3-CD set will drive you just as crazy as any of the other 3,687 or so `Live Dead' collections. If, on the other hand, you are a `Deadhead' and buy into their marketing concept of eventually releasing virtually every recorded performance, then you have just stumbled upon the Rosetta Stone of `Live Dead' recordings.
The first `officially' released live recording of the Grateful Dead appeared in 1969, entitled "Live/Dead". To this day, a large percentage of fans consider this to be the band's best album, their shining moment. `Fillmore West 1969' is compiled from the same set of shows that were excerpted for "Live/Dead". It is special for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it captures the band just as they are discovering their own ability to explore the outer regions of their spontaneous compositional abilities. During a four-night run from February 27- March 2, 1969, in San Francisco, the Grateful Dead were the perfect band in the perfect place at the perfect time.
The `Live/Dead" album was a two disk set, approximately eighty minutes in length. At the time, this was fairly lavish, but by necessity, it represented only a fraction of the music from this historic stand. "Fillmore West" is compiled from the best parts of those shows that did not `make the cut' for "Live Dead". The 3-CD package generously triples the playing time of the original album, and structures itself as if it were one incredibly long, exhaustive set. A 20-minute version of "Dark Star" is the centerpiece, and segues beautifully into "St. Stephen," followed by "The Eleven," all of which capture the rich, exploratory nature of a band that was at the nascent crest of its powers. A near-perfect 23-minute version of "That's It For the Other One" precedes a 25-minute track simply entitled "Jam". The packaging is a lavish, hard-covered booklet that includes a lengthy, informative essay, and a multitude of excellent photographs. If you don't get the Dead by now, then it's safe to assume that it's never going to happen. If you're a fan, though, then this is one live collection that you simply must own.ATom Ryan

5 out of 5 stars

Gotta Have It December 8, 2005
22 out of 26 found this review helpful

Highlights:

Disk one: Morning Dew: grittier version while retaining staggering beauty. Doin' That Rag: quirky song that sticks in your mind, then really pays off with kewl Jerry guitar solo at the end.

Disk two: DARK STAR: Energetic as well as psychedelic; if you're a lover & collector of Dark Stars...you gotta have it.
The Eleven: Other than the "Filmore East 2/11/69" version, this is the best Eleven jam I've ever heard...very creative.

Disk three: JAM: Fantastic jam, goes through several changes...
all extraordinary. It really has a power.

4 out of 5 stars

how much are leftovers worth to you? November 7, 2005
12 out of 22 found this review helpful

leftovers of the greatest live album in the history of rock that is, "LIVE/DEAD" the grateful dead's masterpiece. these recordings are the best of the remaining (source) tapes used in making "live/dead". they are not the same versions of the songs as on "live/dead". they are alternate, almost as good versions (except dark star which is much worse) recorded the same weekend. morning dew, mountains of the moon, that's it for the other one, alligator, jam and caution woulda made a great 3rd (and 4th) record for the original 2 record album. naturally, buy "live/dead" before you buy this. it's better and cheaper, but this is still VERY, VERY GOOD. 4 and 1/2 stars.

5 out of 5 stars

Takes Off Where "Live Dead" Started. December 12, 2005
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Now that I have this set I am gonna be sorry I never sprung for the 10 disc complete Fillmore 69 stand. That was limited to 10,000 copies. Guess that's how the Dead pays the bills these day. We keep buying this stuff.

The sound quality is amazing. This was the first live recording to use a 16 track. Darkstar is amazing, but different than the performance on "live dead." Unlike the original Allman Brother's Live at Fillmore, there are no splices, every performance is as it happened. Morning Dew is one of the three best I have ever heard. Get it.

5 out of 5 stars

The real Deadhead deal is right here. November 22, 2005
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is by far the best pre 70's Grateful Dead music out there. This is a small slice of the four night show in 1969 at the Fillmore west. Any Deadhead that does not pick this up is being unfaithful to the band. The 10 CD box set is now history. The version of Dark star is awsome, jamming St. Stephen and pigpen heats up the harmonica. Get this today, [...]This set of tunes has a lot of long jams and sounds great.
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