Grateful Dead
Friend of the Devils Box Set
**and1/2 out of *****
Standard disclaimer: When reviewing any Grateful Dead release at this point, it needs to be noted that a lot of the truly great shows from the band have already been professionally released. (If you are new to the band, check out RtBE's Beginners Guide to The Grateful Dead Part's one and two.) With their vast back catalog on archive.org and all of their previous releases, the band's selections are running thin when it comes to must own, professionally released shows.
That said, the band still release shows because rabid fans (RtBE included) will listen to everything they put out. So let's dive in...
Overall the Friend of the Devils: April 1978 box set, which covers 8 shows in the bands 1978 Spring run, falls into the OK to good area from the band and is far from a must own for casual fans. RtBE already reviewed the stand alone Duke '78 release which really makes less and less sense the more you listen to the other shows released here.
Graphically the set is a let down with uninspired art, however the linear notes and photos were cool and the percussion wave drum included is a nice touch as the drums, and specifically Rhythm Devil section of each show, is the focus of this release. For percussion fans, these shows were the birth of the "Drums" section on all of the setlists to follow, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann are the MVP's for each show and the focal point throughout.
That alone may be tough for the average fans to buy into, but Deadheads are not the average fans. The playing can be phenomenal at times and at others sloppy yet still interesting. The audio quality presented is top notch with the original recordings done by the excellent Betty Cantor-Jackson and the updated production was fronted by David Lemieux and his team.
Rather than breaking down each of the shows, RtBE will just mention a few highlights or things that jumped out to these ears from each of the eight shows released in this boxset.
April 6, 1978 – Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa, Florida:
An OK show to get started, far from the best but still a few fun moments. First set's speedy "Passenger" blows by with energy, some excellent playing in "Estimated Prophet" from Jerry Garcia and Bob Wier and "The Other One" which is the big standout in set 2 at over fifteen minutes of goodness. Weird sonic passages arrive, as the full band get out there in their best spacey way, somehow shifting in unique directions but managing to stay cosmically connected like the Dead can, a cool version of this trippy tune.
April 7, 1978 – Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida:
Good overall. A laid back first set with a big version of "Sugaree" and a very pretty "Peggy-O" (a song Jerry was clearly feeling this run) from Garcia. The second set also has a few unique highlights, like the huge outro from "Terrapin Station", a fun "Not Fade Away" and a version of "Playin' In The Band" that gets spacey with a disco beat backing it at times. Solid overall outing.
April 8, 1978 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, Florida:
Awesome show, the best in this box set. Everything seemed to be clicking on this night in Jacksonville as the band is just on. Loud bass from Phil Lesh all night, and from the opening notes of the dynamite version of "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo", the group never let's up. The real highpoint arrives with the sequence of "Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain -> Estimated Prophet -> Eyes Of The World ->Drums" as the group get's exploratory while remaining rhythmic and engaging. Great stuff.
April 10, 1978 – Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia:
An OK, mellow first set from the band with another nice "Peggy-O" and a version of "The Music Never Stopped" that is a mess with laughs from Donna Jean Godchaux. The second set's focal point is an odd pairing of "Franklin's Tower>Black Peter" which is unique and memorable. Otherwise not much jumps out as must hear.
April 11, 1978 – Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia:
Very good show and our 2nd favorite in this release. A rock solid first set with great versions of "Friend of The Devil" and "Tennessee Jed" along with a very energetic "Big River" delivery. The "Samson and Delilah", "Scarlet Begonias" > "Fire on the Mountain" kick open the second set wonderfully while "Terrapin Station" is well done leading into a monster "Drums" before a very fluid and fun version of "Iko Iko" from the band.
April 12, 1978 – Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina
Full review here, our least favorite show in this box set.
April 14, 1978 – Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Virginia:
A very good show with a first set that rivals the second as standout versions of "Tennessee Jed", "Peggy-O", "Dire Wolf" and "Dupree's Diamond Blues" are all top notch. Another strong, drum fueled "Samson and Delilah" starts things while a fast disco of "Dancing In The Streets" keeps the party going while a crazy "Drums" leads into Jerry scaling heights and Phil dropping bombs in "The Other One". A bluesy version of "Black Peter" just may be the stand out moment of a good to great show.
April 16, 1978 – Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, West Virginia
The loudest Keith Godchaux piano in the whole box set highlights the last show that has it's soaring moments and wobbly playing. "Jack Straw" starts things off proper, with strong singing and playing from Garcia on possibly the definitive version of "Peggy-O". Weir's cowboy songs are a bit wobbly as is Jerry in "Scarlet Begonias" but the band pulls it together for an excellent grooving version of it's partner "Fire on the Mountain". Another nice "Estimated Prophet" follows while the disco drumming of "Eyes of The World" is a bit odd this go around. Overall the show mimics 4/8 and RtBE would rather hear that one.
'78 overall was an interesting year for the band and it is nice to have the birth of The Rhythm Devils documented as the drummers push these shows from beginning to end. A fun release but far from essential.
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Support the band, buy the box set and peep some video below (not official audio):
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