36 From the Vault – Dick's Picks Vol. 2: 10/31/71, Columbus, OH

Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Steven Hyden and Rob Mitchum take a deep dive into Dick's Picks Vol. 2, featuring the Grateful Dead's Halloween 1971 concert at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. The pair explore the release's unique qualities—its brevity, historical context, lineup quirks, and musical highlights, dissecting both the album itself and the choices that led to its selection for the Dick’s Picks series. As always, they situate the show within the broader musical, cultural, and Dead-related landscape of the time.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Dick's Picks Vol. 2 Stands Out

• Shortest in the Series: The episode opens by noting that Vol. 2 is "by far the shortest album in the Dick's Picks series" at just under 58 minutes, composed solely of the second set and lacking the first set and encore. (06:00)
  • Rob: “This is the runt of the litter… I believe the only single disc Dick’s Picks.” (06:30)
• Selection Process & Phil Lesh’s Gatekeeping:
  • The hosts recount the difficulty Dick Latvala had in getting shows approved, attributing the delay between Vol. 1 and 2 to Phil Lesh’s strict involvement in the approval process. Shows like 2/13/70 and Harper College 1970 were initially rejected, despite being legendary among Deadheads, as Dick sought to share "unheard gems." (08:00–10:00)
  • Rob: "Phil basically shot down everything he brought to the table… He wanted to release some famous shows… Phil pretty much said no to all of them." (08:22)
  • Steven: "Does that account for the delay in releases? After this, I feel like they came out at a steadier clip than they did at the beginning." (08:00)
• Why This Show?
  • The under-the-radar nature of the 10/31/71 performance contributed to its eventual release. It was “an extremely under the radar show that wasn’t really floating around” at the time (11:19).
  • Dick’s passion is noted:
    • Rob (reading Dick’s quote): “I’m absolutely thrilled. I can’t believe anyone who hears this is not going to go to outer space intensely over and over… This show was like getting hit with a brick in the face." (15:08)

2. The Grateful Dead in 1971: Lineup and Context

• Ohio Theatre: Built in 1928, the episode provides colorful local history while Hyden jokes about the Dead and Newt Gingrich as a venue billing. (18:30–19:25)
• Lineup Change:
  • This concert is the 10th show with Keith Godchaux on keyboards, who’s brand new and, for the most part, barely audible on this recording. Donna Jean is not yet in the band. Pigpen is absent due to illness.
  • Rob: “On the Dick’s Picks mix, [Keith] is barely audible. It took me… a loud, unhealthily loud headphones listen to even notice he was playing.” (21:18)
  • Steven: “You cannot hear him really at all… During the Dark Star, he’s nonexistent.” (23:42)
  • The rare “four-piece” Dead shows: They point out how rare it is to get a full Dead set without keys or a second drummer in this era. (22:51)
• Phil Lesh as the Band’s Dad:
  • After some ribbing for his crowd control banter, Phil’s role as “cop” or “stepdad” of the band is discussed. (33:28, 54:16)
  • Steven: “Phil is the cop of the Grateful Dead… if you and your buddies rent an Airbnb… Phil’s the guy who set up the booking, so he’s worried about people trashing the apartment.” (53:52, 54:16)

3. October 1971: Pop-Culture, Sports, and Musical Backdrop

• Skull & Roses Release:
  • The Dead’s classic live album came out just a week earlier; many songs in the setlist are from this record.
  • Steven: "This is actually an album that I recommend to people when they want to get into the Grateful Dead… The Skull and Roses record, of course, was recorded live… it does give you more of a real flavor." (25:23)
• Recent Rock Loss:
  • Duane Allman (Allman Brothers) had died two days before the show. The hosts express surprise the Dead don't mention it from the stage (32:01).
• Pop Chart and ‘71 Contextual Deep-Dive:
  • No. 1 song: “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart (leading to a comical exchange where Rob confesses he "despises Rod Stewart", 36:34).
  • No. 1 album at the time: “Imagine” by John Lennon, with many other records and films discussed for 1971, painting a vivid cultural backdrop (40:46–43:12).
  • No. 1 TV Show: “All in the Family.”

4. The Complete Setlist and Editing Choices

• The Dick’s Picks release only includes the second set; the hosts discuss what’s missing:
  • The first set is a tight, song-oriented affair, almost all classics—but “there’s nothing that really jumps out, especially to someone like Dick who would listen to show after show after show.” (12:48)
  • Steven on the release’s structure: “If you're going to do an edited version, this is probably the best way to go, so that makes sense to me… as flawed as this album is, I do respect that decision.” (92:05)
  • Phil's sarcastic first set banter: “This here’s a new one designed to rock you all the way out to the parking lot.” (52:08)

5. Musical Highlights

The Main Attraction: “Dark Star” (23:00) [51:00–1:14:00]

• The show's highlight and centerpiece, nearly half the disc.
  • The “Tighten Up Jam” begins around 13:30—a riff the Dead sporadically revisited from '69 to '71, reminiscent of Archie Bell & the Drells’ “Tighten Up.”
  • Rob: “I want to read this quote… Dick Latvala: ‘I'm absolutely thrilled. I can't believe anyone who hears this is not going to go to outer space intensely over and over…’” (15:08)
  • Connection to later Dead: “Some fans have said this is a precursor to Eyes of the World.” (68:59)
• Critical, but not unqualified, praise:
  • Rob: “I kind of actually don't really like this Dark Star as much as a lot of Dark Stars… the 13 minutes leading up to [the Tighten Up] are aimless… it feels like the band is making an effort to save it.” (70:07)
  • Steven: “It's not really a mind-blowing Dark Star… [more so] a typical, if very good, example.” (74:15)

Second Set Standouts

• Sugar Magnolia – Features Weir’s energetic (Donna-less) vocals; ends with a hollering "Sunshine Daydream" (80:04)
• St. Stephen – The last live version until 1976; performance feels “a little limp compared to Sugar Magnolia.” (81:27)
• Not Fade Away > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away ("The Sandwich")
  • Effortless jamming, creative transitions, and group interplay cited as the “real star” of the release. (83:55)
  • Rob: “This one is just a full on sprint for 20 minutes… they are really just throwing out ideas like crazy here at the end of this set, and… it’s thrilling in a way that the Dark Star just doesn’t do for me.” (83:55)
  • Steven: “There is a sense of effortlessness to it that makes it maybe easy to take for granted.” (86:31)
  • Johnny B. Goode is omitted as the encore.

6. The Dick's Picks Philosophy: Completeness vs. Curation

• The hosts debate the merits of releasing a tight, hour-long set versus the warts-and-all, full-show approach that would become standard later.
  • Rob: “They were trying things out… they were throwing it at the wall. The single disc Dick’s Picks model didn’t really work…” (95:10)
  • Steven: “I think as much as I would have preferred to hear a two-disc set… if you’re going to do a one-disc album like this, I think they chose wisely in terms of how they edited it.” (92:05)

7. Closing Thoughts and What’s Next

• Rob and Steven ultimately consider Vol. 2 a “good show with good performances,” but not an all-time top-tier Dick’s Picks. They encourage listeners to seek out the complete 10/31/71 show on Relisten or Archive.
• They tease an upcoming conversation about May '77 Dead with Dick’s Picks Vol. 3 (Pembroke Pines), one of the most beloved eras for Dead fans.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On Dick's Excitement for the Show
  • Rob: "This show was like getting hit with a brick in the face. I couldn’t believe it… I must have played it 10 times before I could talk." (15:08)
• On Phil Lesh’s Banter
  • Steven: "Phil is the cop of the Grateful Dead…" (53:52)
  • Phil (quoted, first set banter): "This here’s a new one designed to rock you all the way out to the parking lot." (52:08)
• On Keith’s Role
  • Rob: "On the Dick's Picks mix, he is barely audible… it took me a very loud, unhealthily loud headphones listen to even notice that he was playing." (21:18)
• On the Tighten Up Jam & Modular Jamming
  • Rob: “This is just one of a lot of different themes the Dead would regularly jam on… the Feeling Groovy Jam, the Spanish Jam… It's fascinating how modular Dead jams could be.” (64:43)
• On the Release’s Structure
  • Steven: "As flawed as this album is, I do respect that decision… this is probably the best way to go, so that makes sense to me." (92:05)
• Rod Stewart Loathing
  • Rob: "I despise Rod Stewart. His voice is proverbial nails on a chalkboard for me." (36:34)
• On Dark Star
  • Rob: “I kind of actually don't really like this Dark Star as much as a lot of Dark Stars…” (70:07)
  • Steven: "It's not really a mind-blowing Dark Star… [more so] a typical, if very good, example." (74:15)
• On Not Fade Away>Going Down the Road Feeling Bad>Not Fade Away
  • Rob: “This one is just like a full-on sprint for 20 minutes…” (83:55)
  • Steven: “There is a sense of effortlessness to it that makes it maybe easy to take for granted.” (86:31)

Suggested Listening Timestamps

• Level setting and album context – 05:29–15:59
• Dick’s Picks release backstory and selection debate – 06:30–12:16
• Dick’s rapturous praise, read by Rob – 15:08
• Insights into October ’71 Dead and the Ohio Theatre – 18:30–21:12
• Phil, Keith, and bizarre lineup dynamics – 21:18–25:22
• Deep-dive into “Dark Star” and “Tighten Up Jam” – 51:00–74:15
• Sugar Magnolia, St. Stephen, and Not Fade Away sandwich discussion – 77:25–91:13
• On the album’s legacy and philosophy – 95:10–97:04

Tone & Style

This episode is relaxed, irreverent, and passionate—typical of Hyden and Mitchum—mixing genuine fandom and deep musical geekery with plenty of snarky asides and personal tales. Their analysis is both accessible for the newly curious and satisfying for Deadhead completists.

Summary

Dick's Picks Vol. 2 stands out for its brevity, focused curation, and place in the early Dead archiving story. It's a window into a shapeshifting band in a fascinating transitional moment, featuring a rare, stripped-back quartet lineup. The much-hyped “Dark Star” and the high-octane Not Fade Away finale are worth hearing, but the release as a whole is ultimately described as a “good but not great” Dick’s Picks, best considered alongside the complete 10/31/71 show.

Next up: Dick’s Picks Vol. 3, a May ’77 classic—expect deep jams, legendary Dead, and perhaps less water and coffee in the hosts' beverage selection.

Recommended for:
Deadheads interested in the band’s live archival history, listeners curious about setlist decisions and Dead politics, or anyone wanting a crash-course in how the Dead sounded—and operated—in the fall of 1971.

“Whatever the Dead do, we’ll talk for 50% longer.” – Rob (99:19)