2-21, 22-73 Assembly Hall, University of IL, Champaign-Urbana, IL

Two great shows from '73 that are usually overshadowed by the shows around them. The Wednesday show starts right off with the new song Wave That Flag. Me And My Uncle features the band in rock and roll country mode. Brown-Eyed Women is full of spice and Beat It On Down The Line is it's usual happy self. Loser shows a change in mood from the more upbeat numbers that have made up the first set so far. Looks Like Rain is nice and mellow with good slide playing by Jerry. Row Jimmy is also still a new song but sounds as if it been played for years. Donna Jean Godchaux steps out with a cover of You Ain't Woman Enough. Box Of Rain is sweet while Mexicali Blues returns us to rock star country mode. Sugaree has a very nice jam while Around And Around gives us our Chuck Jerry number of the night. China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider is just beginning to get that cool transition jam that it had in the '73 to '74 versions.

Jack Straw opens the second set nicely while Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo  is beginning to develop it's jam. The second set jam session of Truckin'->Drums->Eyes Of The World->Stella Blue is quite good. Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones and the encore of Johnny B. Goode end the show in fine style.

I like Thursday's show better than Wednesday. It starts off with a rocking Promised Land followed by an upbeat They Love Each Other. El Paso is very nice even in an era were they're all pretty well played. Bird Song is over the top in it's second arrangement. Mexicali Blues and Deal return the show to a more rock and roll mode. Looks Like Rain is still mellow and a bit better than the night before. Tennessee Jed has it's southern roots down cold. Box Of Rain is good and Playing In The Band finds the band stretching out in full jam.

Wave That Flag and Me And My Uncle suffer from sound problems while the Dark Star->Eyes Of The World->China Doll jam is heavenly. Around And Around is nice but the ending Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad->One More Saturday Night is better.