“There Is NOTHING like a Grateful Dead concert!”
Grateful Dead
Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL
December 18, 1973
SBD > Reel master > cassette > DAT > CDR (unknown gens) > EAC > SHN
Extraction and shortening by G.S. Hamilton
I have had cassettes of both the 12/18 & 19/73 shows since the early 80s, when one could get a “head shop” with
tapes on the back wall to spin you choices, providing you bought the blanks from the shop. The Dead put an end to
this, because “no money could change hands”… I agree with one of the reviewers that this and not 12/19 should
have been the first Dick’s Picks release, simply because I like this setlist much better…
Disc 1 – Set 1:
1. Tennessee Jed
2. Me And My Uncle
3. Don’t Ease Me In
4. Looks Like Rain
5. They Love Each Other
6. Me And Bobby McGee
7. Brown Eyed Women
8. Beat It On Down The Line
9. Peggy-O
10. El Paso
11. Deal
12. Jack Straw
Disc 2 – Set 1 cont’d.:
1. China Cat Sunflower >
2. I Know You Rider
Set 2:
3. The Promised Land
4. Greatest Story Ever Told
5. Bertha
6. Row Jimmy
7. Weather Report Suite: Prelude
Disc 3 – Set 2 cont’d.:
1. Dark Star >
2. Drums >
3. Eyes Of The World >
4. Wharf Rat >
5. Sugar Magnolia
Encore:
6. Uncle John’s Band
The only three reviews of this particular recording:
REVIEW: A jazz fused monumental second set…
Which certainly blows away the following night immortalized by Dick in his first pick. But I’d go with the superior
Eaton sourced Miller remaster, inspite of Clevengers re-tracking. This is a phenomenal jazzy performance and
certainly among the very best of ’73.
REVIEW: good!
In a perfect world both the 18th & 19th, in their completion, would have been released as Dick’s Picks 1 and I
wouldn’t have waited so long for this fantastic show. The sound is so clear and crisp! Listen closely to Dark Star,
with headphones perhaps, as Bobby subtley noodles around with Mind Left Body from the beginning until around
the 8 min. mark when it sounds like he might bring everyone in. But Phil seems to want Other One, until Jerry of
course steers the ship into the first verse. However, everything melts after that into feedback drenched space heaven,
so MLB or O1 is coming next, right? No, it’s Eyes! I love ’73!
REVIEW: Curtis Hixon
I was just a sophomore in high school and this show was my first (of 25) Dead shows. I didn’t have a DL and so my
mother drove me from our home in St. Petersburg over to Tampa, dropped me off, and came back to get me at
midnight. Lots of drugs in the seats and plenty of Tampa PD officers taking people out. Not me, I was scared of that
stuff. Anyway, a great show and a great memory. I’m glad that after all these years I can listen to it again and
remember where I was and what I was seeing on this date, a long time ago…
From other recordings:
REVIEW: !
Another tight China > Rider transitional jam, not as tight for me as the Cleveland show from this same year but…. I
think there’s a specific name or names for this jam. Someone will inevitably chime in about it, I’m sure.
REVIEW: I must be getting easy …
giving out 5 stars like it’s going out of style. Or else Fall 73 is THAT GOOD. This is another exploratory
masterpiece with yet another unique take on the Mind Left Body Jam. Where 11/11/73 rocks in a joyous rush, and
12/2/73 is slow, deeply introspective and tender, this is done in a mid-tempo blues rhythm, the only such version
I’ve heard. It’s followed by the first verse of Dark Star, which leads into a space jam punctuated by several very loud
Phil bombs. A longish and very well-played Eyes is next. Contrary to a reviewer for the other recording here, I do
not hear a Caution or MLB jam here, but the ending jam gets really spooky and intense before transitioning into one
of the most passionately sung Wharf Rats of this era. There is excellent playing on China>Rider and WRS as well.
REVIEW: ?¡
My God, the band is so on in this show that it hurts. Listen to Phil tease the Other One something fierce after the
MLB jam! 19,731,218 stars.
REVIEW: Becker and Fagan?
If this had been remastered as Dicks’s Picks #1 you would think it was as good as DP #19. Some amazing jazz
fusion jamming here, this is very special!
REVIEW: Nice Show for the taping
Well played and mostly top notch singing too. Greatest Story is a burner towards the end. Enjoy the Dark Star… just
don’t wonder too far
REVIEW: Dick picked the wrong Curtis Hixon show!
This jazzzy show blows 12/19/73 away! The entire show smokes (A+ SBD) but the China/Rider segue is just
amazing, as is the WRS and tremendous Dark Star. Weir is slashing and playing very well, which leads to some
very fused interplay throughout. Some of these versions are particularly unique, especially the jazzed out Eyes!
REVIEW: Jerry’s Pipes!
Very solid show! Jerry has a great night. Generally, I’m partial to Bobby’s vocals in Jack Straw (cut down a man in
cold blood shannon!), but he definitely gets outshone on this night. All in all, a very enjoyable show.
REVIEW: Excellent performance and sound
Excellent set list with a jazzy feel to many tracks, including a strong China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider with
some unusual improvisation during the transition. Highly recommended!
REVIEW: Nice show!
Great transitions in-between tunes during this show. I hadn’t really noticed before but they are getting to the point
where the songs flow into and out of each other. Eyes>Wharf Rat is a great example.
REVIEW: Awesome
Definitely a more mellow night tonight with their slower starts that ease into deep jerry playing, what really stands
out to me here is Phill though he’s doing some really cool stuff with his bass and the sound makes my brain melt.
Overall great performance (~;}
“Today’s Dead Tomorrow”, Upcoming Gig Events
As always, verify with the venue…
Kettle Of Fish:
Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Wed., Dec. 20th, 7:00 p.m.
5238 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, 346-5443
Marina Jack’s Patio Bar, Thurs., Dec. 21st, 6:00 p.m.
2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, 365-4232
Cortez Kitchen, Fri., Dec. 22nd, 6:00 p.m.
Cortez Fishing Village, 198th Street, Cortez, 798-9404
The Blue Rooster, Sat., Dec. 23rd, 8:00 p.m.
1525 Fourth St., Sarasota, 388-7539
Stottlelmeyer’s Smokehouse, Sun., Dec. 24th 3:00 p.m.
19 East Rd., Sarasota, 312-5969
Michael Miller and Laura Rader:
“Winter Solstice”, benefiting the Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research
with Joe B., Ray Ostorico, Adrienne Nightingale, Peter Le and Sammy B. Warren.
The Tea House, Fri., Dec. 22nd, 5:00 p.m.
1869 Fruitville Rd. Sarasota, 346-6361
The Blue Rooster:
Tues., Dec. 19th, Suitcase Full Of Blues, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 20th, Al Fuller Blues Jam, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Thurs., Dec. 21st, Thomas Carabasi Samba Jazz Quartet, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 22nd, Ari and The Alibis, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 23rd, Kettle Of Fish, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 24th, Truality gospel brunch, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
1525 Fourth St., Sarasota, 388-7539
J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Cafe: (all shows start at 7:00 p.m.)
Mon., Dec. 18th, Open Mic with Rick Alvis
Tues., Dec. 19th, John Howard
Wed., Dec. 20th, Dr. Paul
Thurs., Dec. 21st, Ted Stevens Band
Fri., Dec. 22nd, Missing Links
Sat., Dec. 23rd, The Plaiders
987 South Packinghouse Road, 371-9358
Sarasota Folk Club:
This month’s Sarasota Sailing Squadron concert is Mon., Dec. 18th, “Holiday Of Song”, with no open mic.
Remember this date is typically an annual event, avoiding the holidays at the end of the month.
Performers scheduled are Kim Mayfield and Roy Schneider, Rick Hardeman, James Gromko and Lisa Bohn, with Mindy Simmons.
Next month’s Sailing Squadron concert is Mon., Jan. 29th, Eric Taylor
Open mic at 7:15 p.m., concert at 8:30
1717 Ken Thompson Pkwy. 388-2355
For all information regarding the Sarasota Folk Club, go to their website:
http://www.sarasotafolk.org/