7-2-71 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA

This show was the band's last at the Fillmore West and was broadcast on several radio stations as well as having circulated on on many bootlegs over the years as well as some pre-fm's making the rounds. The set list is pretty standard for the time but the playing is mostly stellar. The show is filled with songs that would appear on Grateful Dead in the Fall. Two of the songs from this show, Casey Jones and Johnny B. Goode appeared on both the Farewell To The Fillmore film and soundtrack as well as Henry from the New Riders Of The Purple Sage set which featured Jerry on pedal steel. Unfortunately, the film prints of the rest of the show would be thrown out later in a big dumpster.

The show starts off with a great Bertha and is followed by a nice Me And Bobby McGee. Next Time You See Me gives Pig a real chant to strut his stuff with nice harmony from Jerry. China Cat Sunflower-I Know You Rider is ripping with a nice jam. Unfortunately, Playing In The Band is very off and rather painful to listen to. Loser is a nice early version with Jerry singing the "Sweet Susie" verse. Ain't It Crazy (The Rub) finds Pigpen back in his element. Me And My Uncle is very good as is the following Big Railroad Blues. One of the things that '71 is known for is it's swinging Hard To Handle and this one is no exception as the band BURNS behind Pigpen. early versions of Deal and Promised Land are good but the next highlight is the set ending Good Lovin'.

Sugar Magnolia is a really nice way to start the second half. Sing Me Back Home is a Merle Haggard song that was only played by the band in the early '70's. while a lot of people prefer the slower versions of '72-'73, I think, I like the '71 versions better. The band follows with another Haggard song, Mama Tried. The band then sets up That's It For The Other One with the Cryptical Envelopment opening before diving head first into a drum solo and then long and far out The Other One with the band choosing not to repeat the Cryptical at the end. Big Boss Man and Casey Jones are good but the set picks back up with Not Fade Away->Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad->Not Fade Away. The Johnny B. Good encore is very strong even in an era littered with them.