Dick's Picks, Vol. 18: Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, 2/3/78 & Uni Dome, Univeristy of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 2/5/78 [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Volume 18 is the only one of the first 24 Dick's Picks to feature music from 1978, culling from two (maybe three) February dates in the Midwest. Following an artistic peak that lasted most of the 1970s, the band sounded more ragged and raucous in 1978 than they had during the previous few years, trading in some of their more textured, willowy tendencies for greater aggression and abandon. The centerpiece here is the half-hour "Scarlet"/"Fire" from the Cedar Falls, Iowa, show, which is followed soon after by an explosive "Other One" and emotional "Wharf Rat." Throughout, Garcia's guitar work is as adventurous and bold as ever, and though the band as a whole is beginning to fray a bit, it does serve to heighten the sense of adventure. --Marc Greilsamer

Tracks:

Bertha
Good Lovin'
Cold Rain And Snow
New Minglewood Blues
They Love Each Other
It's All Over Now
Dupree's Diamond Blues
Looks Like Rain
Brown-Eyed Woman
Passenger
Deal
The Music Never Stopped

Tracks:

Estimated Prophet
Eyes Of The World
Playing In The Band
The Wheel
Playing In The Band
Johnny B. Goode

Tracks:

Samson & Delilah
Scarlet Begonias
Fire On The Mountain
Truckin'
Drums
The Other One
Wharf Rat
Around And Around

Amazon.com

Volume 18 is the only one of the first 24 Dick's Picks to feature music from 1978, culling from two (maybe three) February dates in the Midwest. Following an artistic peak that lasted most of the 1970s, the band sounded more ragged and raucous in 1978 than they had during the previous few years, trading in some of their more textured, willowy tendencies for greater aggression and abandon. The centerpiece here is the half-hour "Scarlet"/"Fire" from the Cedar Falls, Iowa, show, which is followed soon after by an explosive "Other One" and emotional "Wharf Rat." Throughout, Garcia's guitar work is as adventurous and bold as ever, and though the band as a whole is beginning to fray a bit, it does serve to heighten the sense of adventure. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Rowdy! .......2007-02-10

Loud and festive! The boys came out smoking and wailed nicely. Good clean sound also.

Disc Three changed my life forever........2006-12-13

Bad News and Good News

First, the bad news: I'm not a huge fan of the setlist. The Wheel, All over now, Playin'? Eh. Really Bland songs. Also, Jerry forgets a lot of the words. I can't believe he left out the entire last stanza of "Scarlet Begonias", which concludes the whole story. I grudgingly sing it myself every time I listen to it.

Now the good news.
The Scarlet>Fire saved my soul. I kid you not. I was an atheist my entire life and listening to this album's Scarlet>Fire (along with a bunch of other stuff in my life) somehow proved to me God. There cannot be such musical beauty in existence without Love from On High. I listened to it nearly every single day of July 06 and August 06. Cures all ills, the jamming alone, no words needed. Jesus loves Jerry.

Additionally, Eyes and Prophet are hot. Bertha's jam is beautiful. Truckin is not as good as in DP1, but is good for running & such because it is a heavy hitter. Wharf Rat is also a sweet, sweet closer.

In short, this album's Scarlet > Fire obliterates all the album's other flaws. You will not find a more soulful, entire-human-experience-summarizing 29 minutes as the DP 18 Scarlet > Fire.

Signed, Charles Payson Frederick

Three very good performances.......2006-12-02

First of all, This release is NOT from two shows but rather three. The recording dates are 2/3,4&5/78. This is a pretty good collection of songs including most of the highlights from all three. Cold, Rain and Snow, Passenger, and Dupree's are standouts on the first disc. It's a shame they cut Ship Of Fools and the short drums segment off the second disc. Still, disc two is about as good as it gets. On disc three Scarlet -> Fire is one of the best ever and the Truckin' jam is just as great.

one of the best picks... .......2006-10-07

1978 wasn't the strongest year for the Dead. Sure, everyone's heard about May 77, Europe 72, and 73-74. There's plenty of DP from those tours.

This collection taken from a few nights, and is as exciting as it gets. The scarlet->fire is one of the best, easily among my 2-3 favorites. But, all the other music is great too. And, in this collection, the shorter tunes are nicely done as well. I love the Cold Rain and Snow, and the Trickin' jam is a blast.

One of my favorite Dick's Picks.

I can't stop listening to this!.......2006-05-20

Great collection. Personal faves (this week) are the solos on Bertha and, particularly, Brown Eyed Woman. Jerry's tone is stinging.

Superb 'Eyes' and Scarlet > Fire too.

This (along with Live Dead) is the one I play people who've never heard the band (i.e. 99% of the British public).

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