Search - Grateful Dead :: Rockin the Rhein With the Grateful Dead

More of (Not) The Same

Miguel Gonzalez | OAK PARK, IL United States | 09/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Other Amazon reviewers have, IMHO, done a great job. So I'll just make one point: The three Europe 72 Tour releases I've got (a) Hundred Year Hall, (b) Europe 72 and (c) Rockin the Rhein are each unique in subtle-yet-important ways. This was one of the band's peak periods. And each show displays facets of the band's collective energy and greatness. HYH hits harder edges, higher peaks and raucous raves. Europe 72 opens new channels into the band's mountain music references and influences. And I find RTR to chug, rock and boogaloo with a gutbucket funkiness that bears the stamp of Pigpen's blues power. From other reviews and my own sense of the music on each release, I'd say HYH was a Bobby night, E72 was more of a Jerry night and RTR (maybe) had Ron McKernan feeling all right. I could be mistaken; and this kind of review is very, very subjective. But ... being someone who owns all three of these multi-disc sets, I honestly recommend owning and enjoying each in its own (love)light. Paz."

German-English Genuine Cognates

My Uncle Stu | Boston | 12/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"


The Europe '72 tour was a fertile one for the Grateful Dead. It lead to the Europe '72 live double album, probably one of their most flattering official live releases (a personal favorite of Tipper Gore's, believe it or not), as well as One Hundred Year Hall and Steppin' Out. And now Rocking the Rhein, which is billed as the first-ever official complete show release from the tour. They were energized and playing well back then. It was probably hard to limit the original Europe '72 album to a single version of each song when they were playing so well all around.



The Dead were uncharacteristically chatty on that night, April 24th, 1972, under German skies (meanwhile, back in Skokie, Illinois, I was cruising along the edges of furniture, contemplating taking my first steps.) Lots of on stage banter between songs, from cornball goofiness ("I say, my dog has no nose," "then how does he smell?"...), to charitable edification (after playing "El Paso," Bobby steps up to the mike to explain: "The hero dies.") I presume they were freed up by the assumption that their audience was primarily non-English speaking.



And, we have the moment when Bobby introduces newcomer Donna Jean Godchaux. Imagine the anticipation of the crowd. Of course, she is awful. Right out of the gate, she launches into a soulful wail that is nothing but sour notes. I feel bad saying it, I'm sure she's a nice person, and I'm no accomplished vocalist myself. But I didn't stand up there night after night and ruin nearly a decade's worth of bootlegs. Still, the German hosts are generous (or intoxicated?) and they give Donna a warm welcome.



Beyond the history of the gig, the music was great. Disc three has a "Dark Star" into "Me and My Uncle" back into "Dark Star," that is nearly forty-five minutes long altogether. Over ten minutes pass before the first words of the first verse, which is generally a good sign. It is a dense and rigorous Dark Star, with Jerry reaching in all directions up high battling Phil's Teutonic-tinged bass grumbles that lurk and menace throughout, anchoring the music down yet threatening to erupt at any moment. When the "Me and My Uncle" broke through, I burst into laughter. Standing shoulder to shoulder to armpit on the train in the rush commute, iPod buds in place, I burst into laughter and people turned. I had become one of those guys on the train, and I didn't care.



Also great: The ChinaCat/Rider is great, Truckin', Tennessee Jed, a great Mr. Charlie, always nice to hear Casey Jones, and Pigpen's vocals and organ soloing on "Hurts Me Too" are classic.





"

Dark Star is the highlight

Muddy Moe | Plano, TX United States | 07/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
This is a good show from the Europe '72 tour. Because it is mostly a complete show (albeit rearranged for the CD format) I find it in some ways more interesting than the overpolished (IMHO) Europe '72 release. The set list is excellent overall and the Dark Star -> Me and My Uncle -> Dark Star jam is a great, really trippy one. Not a bad release to pick up if you don't have too many from the early '70's.



All that said, I have to wonder how many more official live releases we need. With 30 Dick's Picks, nearly all three CDs or more, and I don't know how many other Vault and other official live releases, it's hard for me to view any of the newer official live releases as absolutely essential. There are a fair number of Dead addicts there who will buy anything newly released, in spite of their huge bootleg collections.



Don't get me wrong. This show is good. And with a great noise jam version of "Dark Star" and with Pigpen, it represents my favorite era of the Dead (anything from the Sixties through '73). But it has some low energy spots here and there. With so many other live releases it's hard to make a case this is "essential.""