Road Trips: Vol. 3, No. 2 - Austin 11/15/71

By the time the Dead returned to Municipal Auditorium on November 15, 1971, they had resoundingly affirmed their interest in Americana by putting out the twin masterpieces Workingman's Dead and American Beauty (as well as the live "Skull & Roses"), but the band still had a few surprises up their sleeves, including a great young piano player, Keith Godchaux, and a cornucopia of fine new songs. The entire fall '71 tour showed the thrilling impact that Keith's arrival had on the Dead's ever-morphing sound - talk about a quick study! - and Austin, just his sixteenth show with the band, is certainly among the strongest of that era, and a worthy choice for the latest installment in the Road Trips series, presented in its entirety.

Sound quality is crisp and clean, and sonic sultan Jeffrey Norman has once again mastered the whole deal to the HDCD spec. Included, as always, is a booklet with a lively historical essay and cool period pics.

Early versions also come with a bonus disc featuring the hot show at Fort Worth's Texas Christian University the previous night, 11/14/71.

Track listing:

1. Truckin'

2. Bertha

3. Playing In The Band

4. Deal

5. Jack Straw

6. Loser

7. Beat It On Down The Line

8. Dark Star>

9. El Paso>

10. Dark Star

11. Casey Jones

12. One More Saturday Night

Disc 2

1. Me And My Uncle

2. Ramble On Rose

3. Mexicali Blues

4. Brokedown Palace

5. Me And Bobby McGee

6. Cumberland Blues

7. Sugar Magnolia

8. You Win Again

9. Not Fade Away>

10. Jam>

11. Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad>

12. Not Fade Away

13. Johnny B. Goode

Bonus Disc - early editions only

1. China Cat Sunflower>

2. I Know You Rider

3. Sugaree

4. Truckin'>

5. Drums>

6. The Other One>

7. Me And My Uncle>

8. The Other One>

9. Wharf Rat>

10. Sugar Magnolia