A Beyond-Incredible ! & Now ... Beyond-Legendary !! 1968 Grateful Dead Performance & Recording ... at the Shrine Auditorium ! - in Los Angeles, California !! on the '68 Summer Tour !!!

" Alright it's time to either get up, sit down, shake your leg, or go for yourself because the Grateful Dead are here ! "

Yeah, that's how this one starts - Meaning-Business ! ... and that's exactly what the Dead do during every-track selected from these Fantastic ! '68 August nights at The Shrine - in Los Angeles.  I mean look at these selections - and as usual words just don't really do a thing ... Schoolgirl - Dark Star - St. Stephen - The Eleven - Death Don't Have No Mercy - Other One - New Potato Caboose - Lovelight - Morning Dew.  Yeah, the heavy and rough-stuff played in pristine 1968 G.D. " freshly-evolved " fashion.  Personally, I've always felt that Summer '68 was the ' 1st ' unofficial period that marked The Grateful Dead as a " Great Band ! " - and one of the best regardless of what happened beyond this point.  Only three ( 3 ) years in - to my ear this is when it all came together musically when playing live.  Powerful, poised & at times a tad raw - which really was the secret sauce to making this era unique - and like no other.  I know many Fans believe Summer of '67 marked the true beginning - and many others believe Feb / March '69 was the beginning of the best - but for me personally ... I've really been hooked on this concept since I first heard this eagerly anticipated release when it hit stores way-back in 1992.  Every member of the Band is an equal-part & everybody is actively cognizant of hearing each other cleanly.  What members of the Band hear - musically guides the direction of what they play - and tempo is spot on throughout ... regardless of changes in gears.  The Billy & Mickey timekeeping is groundbreaking - no band had that then.  It's so interesting to analyze the fact that Phil & Bob are really the " Cosmic Glue " that steer the direction of the G.D. Ship in this Early & Fine-Era !  Jerry is really just still learning to control the exact tone & bridge/string gauge action on the electric guitar - which I believe was the Gibson SG ?  Right after the Guild Starfire / Les Paul combo order of appearance.  Don't quote me ... but that is the Tone ! that my ears hear.  Garcia is only what I would call 85% developed as a lead-player - but Mr. Lesh is probably in the 90% !  I mean just listen to the electric-bass Thunder ! during the Other One Suite ( Cryptical > Quadlibet > Faster We Go ... ).  However ... Jerry's raw, yet buttery tone & at times + high-volume Gibson tone really Melts-Your-Mind !  He plays insanely tight electric leads - some of them really take you ' there ' - seriously.  And who says overplay can't be beautiful ?!  I love this stuff ... & will bet my last dollar that you will too.  So yeah ... " Turn on Your Light ! & Leave It On !! " ... Enjoy !!!!!

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