3/30/76 hempstead: WHO WAS JOHN turns brief corner. closing 1st set, debut of jesse stone’s DON’T LET GO, sounding like it’s been in repertoire forever, earning instant cheer, starting to stretch conversationally when tape cuts off (& bit like SUGAR MAGNOLIA as nick calls out). new jam vehicle & staple for rest of garcia band’s history, save ’79-’80. unusually dramatic KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR intro, though obviously gets sleepy. pretty up MYSTERY TRAIN, too. #garciafreaksunite #jg033076 [2/2]

3/27/76 st. louis: i think i’m incapable of getting sick of garcia (& godchaux) doing RUSSIAN LULLABY. FRIEND OF THE DEVIL works up a slow-motion steam. 19-minute LONESOME & A LONG WAY FROM HOME is longest yet, getting to a pretty good boiling point, with some big tutt thunder, opening to the FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN-like conversational plateau with keith godchaux piano. #garciafreaksunite #jg032776 [2/2]

3/26/76 kansas city, MO: sweet spidery RUSSIAN LULLABY with some ivy-like godchaux piano. another big piano moment in WHO WAS JOHN, low & ominous. 14-minute LONESOME & A LONG WAY FROM HOME encore, like turning on the full sunshine at the end of the night. taper seems to stop recording right at the false ending, though. #garciafreaksunite #jg032676 [2/2]

3/20/76 austin: might be the quality of the audience tape, but pretty zesty-for-’76 garcia tone throughout, spicing up CATFISH JOHN & all the other sleepiness. but not totally sure it’s just the recording quality, even the oft-snoozy 17-minute KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR has some speedy flashes. 11-minute LONESOME & A LONG WAY FROM HOME gets to bliss-point, with premonitions of a bass solo, & moment of silence before coda. #garciafreaksunite #jg032076 [2/2]