John Dawson - guitar, vocals
David Nelson - lead guitar, vocals
Jerry Garcia - pedal steel guitar
Dave Torbert - bass, vocals
Spencer Dryden - drums
By early 1971, The New Riders of the Purple Sage had acquired a year of touring experience with the Grateful Dead and their first self-titled album was hitting the charts. The group now had ex-Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden on board and Jerry Garcia's pedal steel guitar playing had developed and become an integral part of the band's sound. This show was part of the first Fillmore West run to feature New Riders of the Purple Sage as a headlining act, supported by James and the Good Brothers and Boz Scaggs.
This recording begins with the first song, a cover of Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man," already in progress. They play most of the first album as well as a handful of tunes from their forthcoming second album, Powerglide. There are respectable covers of "Six Days On The Road" and John Fogerty's "Lodi," but the undisputed highlight is their original "Dirty Business." After a wobbly start, this version stretches out into a spacey jam, not unlike the Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia's bubbling, gurgling pedal steel guitar embellishments are all over it and the group really gets out there for several minutes.
Although the last two songs are missing, this is, overall, an enjoyable recording of the classic NRPS lineup when their most memorable material was fresh and exciting.
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