Jerry Garcia - lead guitar, vocals
"Pigpen" McKernan - vocals, organ, percussion
Bob Weir - guitar, vocals
Phil Lesh - bass, vocals
Bill Kreutzmann - drums
This is the first set on the third night of the Dead and New Riders of the Purple Sage's final run at the Fillmore East. This is another fine show and like the previous and following night, special guests are invited onstage. On this night, The Beach Boys would join the festivities during the second set.
Following the Dead's introduction (by someone other than Bill Graham), the band kicks it off with "Truckin'." Unlike the other nights of this run, they play quite a few covers during the first set, including Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee," Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" and a smoking version of "Hard To Handle," with Pigpen in inspired form. There's also a preview of "Loser," a tune destined for Garcia's first solo album as well as a paired performance of "China Cat Sunflower" and "I Know You Rider," a combination they would continue to play for the rest of their careers. The set ends with the classic "Casey Jones."
This opening set captures the band doing what they did best on what would become one of the more unusual and most memorable nights in their history.
