The earliest seeds of Worldtown Soundsystem were sown nearly fifteen years ago, when DJ Ben Arsenal threw an epic DJ party with his Worldtown DJs project and met drummer and producer, Gary Dann, at The Boom Room, Dann’s studio and multimedia performance space. In their earliest collaborations, Dann’s drumming brought an unmistakably human element to Arsenal’s organically warm and soulful beats, and over time, the project grew into a full band, complete with a cadre of expert players wielding live instruments and beautiful voices. Since then, they’ve recorded and toured in a variety of configurations and essentially have grown together, both personally and professionally, like a family.

At Johnny Brenda’s, Pierre Paloma kicked the night off with a DJ set, where he blended electronic beats and live hand percussion to present house music and West African rhythms. He remained on the stage to accompany local artist Seraiah Nicole, whose style and set were both traditional and modern, singing both originals and covers with a voice both powerful and tender. As she left the stage, Paloma was joined by Dann, Arsenal, and a murderer’s row of love and talent who brought festival stage-sized energy to the 250-person capacity venue to offer a show as explosive as it was intimate.

Jules Starr (bass and vocals) employed impressive technique throughout the night, including moments of Stanley Jordan-esque right hand fretboard tapping that brought a percussive layer to the low end. Dan Keller (saxophone) interwove intricate melodic and harmonic horn lines, at times engaging in a call-and-response with Zeek Burse, whose scat at times replicated the sound of an alto sax with astonishing accuracy. (Maybe it was the sparkly yellow genie pants…?) Zeek’s brother, Stephan Burse, brought his larger than life, multi-octave voice to the room and left it all on stage, while Anessa LaRae’s commanding voice and magnetic stage presence left the audience no choice but to dance and dance hard. And Fawziyyah Heart’s mesmerizing voice, performance, and essence embodied soul and sensuality. (‘Nuff said.) 

As the band worked through their set, it became clear that there is something primal and eternal about their music, perhaps as reflected in the titles of some of the songs they performed: “One Night” (from their eponymous 2015 EP), “Water” (from their 2023 EP, House of Love), and “Divine Awaken.” The singers left the stage for a time, leaving the instrumentalists to engage in a semi-structured jam with Arsenal conducting. Philly rapper and producer Kow, a member of the extended Worldtown family, joined the group for a few numbers as the singers returned to the stage, while Dann kept the crowd dancing, mixing funk and disco beats beneath his cohorts’ genre-defying music. Then Nicole returned to the stage, and the assembled group brought the house down with their recent collaborative single, “Good Things Take Time.”

The energy and camaraderie of Worldtown Soundsystem were infectious, creating a sense of unity and celebration that extended throughout the crowd. Their ability to seamlessly blend diverse musical influences, while staying true to their Philly roots, serves as a testament to their artistry and their deep connection with their hometown. As they continue to explore new sonic territories and push creative boundaries, Worldtown Soundsystem remains a vital force in the Philly music scene and beyond. 

Photos by Alisa Shargorodsky @earth_algorithm

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Before the headliners took the stage, the NYC-based Clare Maloney & The Great Adventure delivered a short set of classic rock-inspired tunes. Maloney’s huge voice was the outfit’s calling card, as she vocally soared while the band slammed behind her on songs like “Making My Way Up.” Ripping guitar solos and vocal wailing kicked off the night with palpable energy as fans filed in.   

The Polyrhythmics, Ben Bloom, Guitars, Grant Schroff, Drums, Nathan Spicer, Keys, Jason Gray, Bass, Scott Morning, Trumpet, Elijah Clark, Trombone, Art Brown, Sax and Flute, crowded onto the venue’s small stage and kicked off the night with their musical foot in a funky space covering James Brown’s “After You Done It” with mellow ease as their groove slowly leaked out onto the dance floor. Their original “Yeti, Set, Go” was propelled by a bass line reminiscent of Archie Bell & The Drells, with snaking horns adding fun accents throughout. 

“Cracked Pepper” was more of a shimmering slow groove that showed off some big guitar stylings, while “Dub Poster” brought in brass hits and an ominous reggae vibe. The group jumped into the deep end of the electro-based funk via layers of synths on “Digital Cowboy,” highlighted by Spicer’s keyboard work. The smooth-rolling first set ended with “Marshmallow Man,” which called to mind Menahan Street Band’s polished funk stylings.

After a very short break, Polyrhythmics was back at it with more instrumental outings as the energetic “Give a Crippled Crab a Crutch” used a circular guitar riff and popping brass lines to excellently bring everyone back into the fold, restarting the dance party and acting as a show highlight. The energy stayed revved up for a motoring run through “Roller,” which showcased Bloom’s six-string and pedal work, while “Chelada” used more snaking electro riffs and head-bobbing trumpet hits, all swirling around fuzzy electro keys. 

During the second set, the band also dropped in elongated jams around both The Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” and Tears For Fears “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, delivering their laidback grooving style to cheers from the crowd. Polyrhythmics “Twice Baked” had hip-hop undertones flowing throughout the jam before the band wrapped up with the pumping “Clydesdal,e” hitting and quitting it as the band delivered their instrumental funky goods to the appreciative Manhattan fans.  

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Sidestepping whether McCartney’s tune is as bad as “they” say – if this piece were a conference call, I’d suggest we take that conversation offline – the more proximate origin story of the pair’s turn as troubadors-cum-Santa’s little helpers begins around 2006 with One More Drifter in the Snow, Mann’s album of holiday covers and two excellent originals: “Calling on Mary,” by Mann and longtime collaborator, Paul Bryan, and “Christmastime,” by Mann’s husband, Michael Penn. (You may not know the legendary musician with the familiar last name and face, but I assure you he’s no myth.) Soon after, Mann began an annual-ish tradition of touring around the holidays in a revue with artists whose performances fall somewhere in the middle of the music/acting/comedy Venn Diagram. (Past participants have included Jonathan Coulton, Fred Armisen, John C. Reilly, and Will Ferrell.)

Fast forward to the early 2010s, when Leo and Mann began to write, record, and perform together as “The Both.” (Their original moniker, “#both,” didn’t seem to last, despite their desire to call themselves something that begins with a hash tag. Look, it was a long time ago, and hash tags were just becoming a thing – perhaps another story for another day.) They released an LP and two original Christmas tunes over three years before commencing The Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show around 2015. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Which brings us back to Collingswood. Mann donned a short sparkly dress and fishnets, in keeping with her sartorial approach since she began touring in hot pants around a decade ago, Leo wore all black – turtleneck, pants, and shoes – perhaps drawing inspiration from Steve Jobs…or Dieter. After the McCartney tune, they next led their core band, including Mann’s longtime sideman, multi-instrumentalist Jamie Edwards, through a cover of Slade’s “Merry Xmaƨ Everybody,” before bringing out their first guest, Philly’s own actor, podcaster, and all-around comedic polymath, Paul F. Tompkins. 

In a completely “on brand” move, Tompkins laughed about the thing that everybody had noticed but nobody dared say, let alone mock: that Ted’s amp had begun to amplify a broadcast from somewhere in radio land. (Electric guitarists, we’ve all been there, amirite?) The performers riffed with one another before Tompkins and Mann sang a bit of “O Tannenbaum,” prompting Leo to wax philosophical about the role of the evergreen in pagan culture. So began the gag theme of the night that would resurface throughout the show, beginning with Leo’s leading the group through his own version of “Favorite Things,” listing the pagan totems he’d like to see this Christmas. (The rest of the show touched on goats, G.O.A.T.s, ritual sacrifice, and backstage sex parties.) Tompkins exited stage right to see if he could find a henge for Ted, returning periodically throughout the night – sometimes as himself, sometimes as Krampus, sometimes as an evergreen – to report on the backstage pagan shenanigans. 

The night continued in this fashion: originals, covers, shtick, guest performers, costume changes, rinse, repeat. The other guest performers included comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, whose set covered the holiday basics – 95-year-olds, mistletoe, being Jewish around Christmas (I can relate), and of course, paganism – and the idiosyncratically charming Nellie McKay, longtime veteran of the Aimee Mann Christmas Show who performed in a variety of styles and attires, running the gamut from western European cabaret to Sinatra (on ukulele!) to Alvin and the Chipmunks. (Shout out to Gondelman for his spot-on impression of Simon Seville, the thinking man’s Chipmunk.) 

The night’s many highlights included the duo’s holiday originals like “Nothing Left To Do (Let’s Make This Christmas Blue),” along with other re-workings of classic tunes, including “This is Gary,” a tongue-in-cheek yet somehow weirdly relatable re-working of Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry,” except about mistaking your new stepfather for Santa Claus. (Who among us hasn’t been there?) Mann shared that the erstwhile group will perform for the first time in almost 35 years at the May 2025 Cruel World festival.) And the group’s cover of “Stay,” by Lisa Loeb, an AM&TLCS alum, where they only sang backing vocals. (It was amazing!) The straight-ahead covers and the stories that accompanied them did not disappoint. They performed Ed Ames’ “The Ballad of the Christmas Donkey,” which Leo said would make dad weep every time he heard it, naturally prompting the Leo children to compete each year to see who could get their dad crying first. The group also played straight-ahead originals like Mann’s “Sugarcoated” and “Save Me” Leo’s “Bottled in Cork,” and the Both’s “Milwaukee.”

While it’s never a bad time to see Aimee Mann, Ted Leo, or any member of their ragtag holiday coterie, there’s something magical about seeing them together around the holidays.

Photo by Matt Hoffman @tonapdivine

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Gloucester City, NJ’s finest, The Warhawks, are now one of those “overnight sensations,” but their origin story begins over a decade earlier. Bilodeau shares songwriting and lead vocal duties with his brother, John Bilodeau (guitar, vocals), and their cousin, Matt “Mo” Orlando (guitar, vocals), with childhood friend Tom Lipski (bass, vocals) rounding out the quartet. (Lipski was unable to attend the show, so the band’s friend, Zach Tyler, of the local band Dead Flowers, filled in admirably) This shared history, built on close relationships, is part of what makes the Warhawks special, though it doesn’t hurt that they write compelling rock music with honest lyrics delivered in perfect harmony. Their earnest sing/shout-alongs, replete with “whoa-oh-ohs” and harmonic guitar leads, evoke many of their influences, from Arctic Monkeys to The Hold Steady, Japandroids to The Strokes, and Weezer. 

Throughout 2024, the Warhawks released their latest album, The Wellness Check, in three groups of three songs via Philadelphia’s Blue Collar Records. This is their first collaboration with producer Aaron Sprinkle, and it’s going well: two of their songs, “Domino” and “Parade,” have hit #1 on iTunes, and they’ve received attention both in the US, both locally (WXPN) and nationally (SPIN Magazine), and internationally, including Billboard Argentina and upcoming coverage in the UK. The media attention is both well-earned and well-deserved. 

The band gave the hometown audience all they could have wanted from a live show. Their high-energy set included songs written by each of the family members, giving everybody an opportunity to shine. Playing his Jazzmaster through a well-loved VOX amp, John took the band through “Secondhand Promised Land” and “Parade,” with Mo playing his tobacco burst Les Paul through a Mesa/Boogie as he led the crowd through the anthemic “Domino.” In a true rock ‘n roll moment, Mo’s Les Paul shattered as he played it. (Fortunately, he had a backup Les Paul on hand.) 

What you see is what you get with The Warhawks, who offer a rare display of genuineness in a world where originality is in short supply, and the line between fact and fiction is getting blurrier by the day. The Warhawks promise to fill in what’s missing in modern rock music, as they’ll continue to prove when they release their Sprinkle-produced follow-up in 2025. 

Photos by Cecilia Orlando

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Case in point is her 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, which features some of her strongest, most radio-friendly tracks to date and is the reason for her current tour. It also raises the question of whether an act with such a massive online persona can match it in her performance. Does this level of celebrity, influence, and marketing power render the typical standards for a great concert moot when simply basking in her presence is enough to make most fans giddy? This was a lingering question after Eilish’s current tour – one of the most in-demand and top-dollar tickets of the fall – made its way through Portland, Oregon on Sunday, December 8th, for a very sold-out show at the Moda Center. 

As the moody blue light – no doubt to capture the Instagram-ready aesthetic of HIT ME HARD AND SOFT album cover and tour merch – faded in and out, and the fog machine belched out puffy clouds, a palpable anticipation filled the air of the basketball arena. Finally, the house music dropped and an army of phones rose up to record Eilish performing in a glowing cube to the house music-driven pulse of “CHIHRO.” What ensued for the next ninety-ish minutes was a performance that was as much about showcasing the dynamic talent of this 22-year-old superstar as it was about putting her connection with her fans in the spotlight.

Dressed in her signature garb of oversized t-shirt, basketball shorts, and the kind of socks many of us remember stuffing with cleats before soccer practice, Eilish was the epitome of weirdo cool for a generation entrenched in nostalgia and fashion mash-ups. “LUNCH” was a sharp, bass-driven ode to sexual exploration that saw Eilish running across the stage as she belted out the song’s upbeat pop flow. While the performance had its share of bangers, it also leaned into the ballads that connected on a more emotional level. Following a version of “Therefore I Am” that included hip-hop-like verses and blasts of pyrotechnic flames, Eilish took a break to admire her fans and bask in their excited collective roar that easily surpassed the volume of the speakers. In response, she serenaded them with “WILDFLOWER,” a folksy work of R&B-laced pop that showcased her vocal power. 

With her bandmates performing in sunken portions of the stage, Eilish was front and center throughout the performance, creating what felt like a communal experience with her fans. It was impressive to see one artist maintain such a magnetic hold over a crowd this large, like when she asked for complete silence to live loop her vocals on the dreamy and vulnerable tune “when the party’s over.” Yet, somewhere between “THE DINER” and “ilomilo,” it was hard not to wonder if Eilish might ever engage in the kind of theatrics we sometimes expect from an artist who is dominating the upper stratosphere of pop and commanding these kinds of ticket prices.

For the most part, she ran back and forth around the stage, laid down, and minimally interacted with her backing band. It was easy to admire Eilish’s front and center approach during mega-hits like the bouncy carnival wonk of “bad guy” and her singing “THE GREATEST” from a dangling platform – one of the show’s best moments both for the vocals on display and the production – but it was hard not to find the overall performance a bit underwhelming at times no matter how many lasers and pyrotechnics were fired off. This was especially true during the acoustic section of the show that included “Your Power,” the whispery “SKINNY,” and “TV,” songs that would have commanded the attention of a coffee shop but felt hollow and a bit snoozy in the cavernous arena.

Luckily, the performance finally seemed to gain momentum when Eilish ramped up the energy again on the eerie goth-pop of “bury a friend” and a version of “Oxtocin” that exploded into full-on rave vibes when she was sprung out of a platform to perform her verses on the recent Charli XCX collaboration “guess.” The level and excitement and glee from the audience was carried through to the end of the show, with Eilish’s breakout song “Ocean Eyes” being a highlight as well as the set-closing “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” perhaps her most straightforward and palatable work of pop to date.        

Any performer who can singularly command such a large audience is impressive, and at this point, it’s clear to anyone not living under a rock that Eilish can take her career in any direction. Her performance in Portland proved this, of course, but also left much to be desired in terms of the sheer excitement many of us expect from the biggest concerts. For most legendary artists, a dynamic stage performance is ultimately what matters for longevity. While those in attendance may have felt that it fulfilled their worshipful adoration of the artist, anyone taking a broader view of the concert experience as a whole could see that the most exciting part will be where Eilish finds herself as she continues to evolve and meet the challenges of an artist growing into adulthood. Hopefully, this means building a more dynamic live show that adequately showcases the full breadth of Eilish’s creativity. 

Edit this setlist | More Billie Eilish setlists

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2024 has been a busy year for the band. Craig Finn, Tad Kubler, Galen Polivka, Bobby Drake, Franz Nicolay, and Steve Selvidge have toured from Australia to Canada, and that has paid off. The group is in incredibly tight form, playing with added power and zest. Before they arrived, however, the Austin-based Good Looks started the night with their guitar-driven indie rock.  

Tyler Jordan (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Jake Ames (lead guitar), Robert Cherry, (bass guitar), and Phillip Dunne, (drums), were genuinely excited to be opening the show, as Jordan mentioned multiple times. “It It’s Gone” built upon itself with layers of revved-up rock, while “Almost Automatic” had big drums and shimmering psychedelic guitar lines. The short set ended with the upbeat strums and ripping rock guitar of “Vision Boards” as the crowd filled in.

Coming out to the strains of “Lido Shuffle,” The Hold Steady wasted no time, dropping into “Constructive Summer,” with Drake’s drums reaching punk rock levels as the energy erupted. “Barfruit Blues used chugging guitar lines, “Sideways Skull” had gorgeous backup harmonies and hand claps, while “Chips Ahoy!” went over the top. The opening run of these four songs provided a major statement that the band was in top-notch form on this night. 

The Horn Steady arrived to augment the rock with soulful lines on the excellent “Spices,” while their brass groove swayed winningly throughout “Banging Camp.” Kluber’s gorgeous solo on “Lord, I’m Discouraged” was a standout moment, as was the crashing power and sing-along charm of “Stuck Between Stations.” 

The band mixed longtime favorites, like the show’s theme, “Massive Nights,” and a fantastic, pogoing version of “Your Little Hoodrat Friend,” with rarer songs. The band broke out their live debut of “40 Bucks,” preceded by a birthday gag and featuring pretty piano work from Nicolay, while the slow, dripping “Criminal Fingers” started the encore via touching guitar lines from Selvidge.  

The main set wrapped up with the dramatic rendering of “Slapped Actress,” as Finn mellowed things out with poetic lines. The encore concluded with the crowd chanting energy (which never dissipated all night) of “Killer Parties.” 

This is the ninth year the band has hosted its Massive Nights year-end celebration, and with the success of shows like Friday Night, The Hold Steady does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. 

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The album’s opener, “Light On,” sets the tone with shimmering flutes and marimba accents that dissolve into jazzy guitar riffs. The track feels warm and introspective with lyrics that wrestle with themes of loneliness, truth, and mortality. Tracks like “Econolining” and “Flash Bare Ass” showcase White Denim’s newfound embrace of digital assembly. “Econolining” is a hyperactive burst of rhythm, with keyboards and percussion racing each other. “Flash Bare Ass” dives deeper into themes of connection and creativity. Its layered vocals and vocoder effects inject complexity, demonstrating Petralli’s ability to balance technical precision with emotional weight.

The middle of the album is where 12 truly shines. “Look Good,” featuring the “Queen of Austin Soul,” Tameca Jones, is a standout, with its infectious groove and silky synths creating a timeless funk-soul vibe. This is immediately followed by “Second Dimension,” a song steeped in synth-driven electro-funk reminiscent of Stevie Wonder. “I Still Exist” gives the listener lush woodwind arrangements and tight harmonies, which serve to mask the weight of its introspective lyrics. Meanwhile, “Hand Out Giving” dips into country-rock territory, blending pedal steel and banjo with modern synth textures, giving a little taste of White Denim at its best. The album closes with “Precious Child,” a smoky ballad that leans heavily on brass and vibraphone. The lyrics on “Precious Child” seem to be focused on mortality, which creates a kind of bookend with the lyrical similarities from “Light On.”

As a whole, 12 is both a triumph and a work in progress. It showcases James Petralli’s evolution as an artist willing to adapt, experiment, and push boundaries, even if the results occasionally feel uneven. The brief instrumental interlude “Cat City #2” feels like an intriguing but incomplete idea, while the more traditional rock elements of “Swinging Door” and “We Can Move Along” struggle to keep up with the album’s adventurous spirit. The album’s eclecticism reflects a band in transition, caught between its roots in improvisational chaos and a more measured, studio-crafted future. Despite its moments of disjointedness, 12 is a testament to the creativity of Petralli. For fans old and new, 12 is a fascinating chapter in their ongoing story. Rich with ideas and brimming with potential, the album lends excitement to how White Denim can expand this sound in the future.

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Most of the time, it turns out to be internal tensions, a desire to do something different creatively, or both. The key to answering the question honestly is remembering that the artist often denies these motivations at the time. It’s only later—in the tell-all memoir—that the truth emerges. So when Chvrches frontwoman Lauren Mayberry announced her new solo LP, Vicious Creature—dropping this Friday—many fans asked that very question.

To be fair, Mayberry has denied problems in the Chvrches camp, telling assorted media outlets that it was a desire to explore her own creative muse outside of the limitations of the band. But are we wrong to think “that’s what they all say?”

And while we probably won’t know for sure until further down the road when Chvrches reconvenes, there’s no question that Vicious Creature focuses on a more pop-oriented sound as opposed to the luscious, Depeche Mode vibe that Chvrches generates via massive production. Did a desire to strip that down put her at odds with her multi-instrumentalist bandmates? Well, who knows?

What we do know is that she’s given us a strong, well-written record. Yes, she had collaborators, but the record has a personal flavor that you can’t fake. The album takes cues from her early musical loves, such as Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.  Whereas a new Chvrches record has more elusive melodies that leave you saying “I’m going to love this eventually once it sinks in,” Vicious Creature has an immediacy, infectious and accessible on first listen.

Is it fair to compare to Chvrches? Eh, probably not. But even music reviewers live in the real world and it’s going to happen.About that. Given the changing nature of the music biz, none of the sound of Vicious Creature is exactly a mystery at this point, so plenty are already forming opinions. Though the record drops in a few days, five of the 12 tracks are already available, giving listeners far more than a taste.

This record is not a wall of synths and beats and aptly demonstrates who does what in Chvrches. Consider one of Chvrches best songs, “Bury It,” from Every Open Eye. It has an infectious synth riff, and nothing on Vicious Creature takes synths this far out of the background. Instead, Vicious Creature is like a meeting in a comfortable library room or parlor while “Bury It” bangs away in the ballroom for those more interested in moving their feet.

But that’s not to say Vicious Creature doesn’t have a groove. Opener “Something In The Air” sounds melodically like Chvrches—you can hear the cadence in Mayberry’s voice. She even manages to use the words “conspiracy theories” in a way that isn’t frustrating, which is a real achievement in our QAnon-tainted era. “Sunday Best” also sounds like Chvrches and will likely please a lot of fans following Mayberry from that project.

But there are a lot of different paths, too. “Shame” has an almost-acapella section that’s hard to picture on a Chvrches track. “Oh, Mother” is a touching piano ballad inspired by family illness. It boasts a warm personal ambiance that’s hard to pull off, with an emotion that recalls Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie at her heartbreaking best. This track wasn’t released as a single and may provide the biggest surprise for listeners. “One of the Boys” has a distorted percussion sound that is the flip side of “Oh, Mother,” with corrosive moments that could appear on the score of a dystopian film. In Terms of the intensity of the beats and punk rock stylings, it weirdly seems almost more Chvrches than Chvrches. 

The album highlight is arguably “Change Shapes,” one of the advance singles. It sounds like Madonna, although Mayberry has a more angular sense of melody. The chorus is a great theme for the album, even though the lyrics are likely inspired by relationship: “I change shapes / ‘Til I get what I need from you / We’re all snakes / But what else is a girl supposed to do?”

Madonna isn’t a bad touchpoint for the entire project; she is a template for this kind of artistic shape-shifting. Given the types of influences Mayberry cites, she probably wouldn’t object to the comparison. Overall, the lyrics find Mayberry in the promised introspective mood, unsurprising for a solo record. She writes of leaving past loves in the rearview mirror, presumably a factor in her well-publicized successful relationship with Sam Stewart, son of Eurythmics’s Dave Stewart. She has stated that she took a character-driven approach to some of the material, but even that feels personal. It’s often said that the best writers write about themselves, and that may be. Or it may be that she is just good at inhabiting her characters and bringing them to life, similar to a talented actor. 

Overall, Vicious Creature is an enjoyable record that rewards thoughtful listening. The rumors are true: Lauren Mayberry has changed shapes and by design. What else is a girl supposed to do? 

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Now, Volume 52 of the Dave’s Picks archival series documents the versatility, not to mention the solidarity Mydland brought to the group during his ten-year-plus-long tenure with the psychedelic warriors. The prominence of his organ playing on “Alabama Getaway” is an early instance of how the earthy sound of that instrument elevated some of the pedestrian material the Dead was writing, performing ,and recording at the time (in this case, 1980’s Go To Heaven LP). 

Brent’s gusty background vocal also adorns a sprightly “Mexicali Blues.” Jerry Garcia’s Chuck Berry-derived guitar solos there–hearkening to later g selection of the rock and roll story-tellers “Around And Around”–supplies further distinction. As does the segue into the comparably witty “Greatest Story Ever Told;” as the Bob Weir/John Barlow songwriting team began to flourish around this time, their efforts were superior to their Garica/Hunter counterparts. at least when it comes to the latter’s modified blues “West LA Getaway”.

Likewise, “Hell In A Bucket” (the former pair’s collaboration with Mydland) makes for a very complementary piece juxtaposed as it is with “Dire Wolf” off Workingman’s Dead. The snappy dual drumming of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart comes through with great clarity and presence in Dan Healy’s original recording (and Jeffrey Norman’s mastering likewise preserves such detail).  At the same time, Phil Lesh’s bass is proportionate in the mix with his rhythm devil partners.

After proceeding apace in fleet fashion for most of disc one, “C.C. Rider” continues the downturn in energy begun by “Althea.” Thankfully, “Might As Well” belies its lackadaisical title as the band shuffles along at a good clip, effectively setting the stage for the “Help Is On The Way”>”Slipknot”>”Franklin’s Tower” triptych at the outset of the next interval. 

More than sufficiently warmed up at this point, the Grateful Dead are clearly inspired to proceed on a massive adventure in and out of segues, including “Drums”>”Space” and the late entries of “Truckin'” and “Sugar Magnolia:” The sextet is hardly tired of such warhorses and thus sounds both electrified and electrifying.

Anyone who thought this archival series–or Dead Vault exhumations in general–were slipping into the doldrums in 2024 will be convinced otherwise by the time an approximately half-hour unfolds to conclude the third CD. Taken from the previous night at The Downs At Santa Fe, the Grateful Dead musicianship becomes increasingly informed with ingenuity and intensity. And, proceeding by leaps and bounds as the show(s) close, Brent Mydland’s acoustic and electric pianos glue together the alternately majestic and merry tones.

The graphic design of the package by Steve Vance (who also did the fanciful front cover art) is thus as vivid in its way as the music that comprises The Downs At Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM 9/11/83. A twelve-page booklet of action shots and memorabilia within the triple-fold digipak also includes chief curator David Lemieux’s essay, the fond remembrances that constitute the finishing touch to Dave’s Picks Volume 52. 

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