Hear David Crosby & Grateful Dead Team For +30-Minute ‘Dark Star’ & More In 1972

The Grateful Dead performed at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on September 10, 1972. The band welcomed friend and collaborator David Crosby for a massive “Dark Star” and more. Today marks what would have been Croz’s 83rd birthday. The legendary singer-songwriter sadly died January 18, 2023.

1972 was a watershed year for the Grateful Dead, with the centerpiece being their legendary Europe ‘72 Tour. The first show the band played back from across the pond was at the Hollywood Bowl on June 17. GD returned to Los Angeles for a two-night stint at the Hollywood Palladium September 9 and 10. The second concert saw Los Angeles native David Crosby sitting in during the second set.

Crosby joined his friends and collaborators the Grateful Dead — Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart (who was not with the band in 1972) contributed to Croz’s 1971 debut solo album If I Could Only Remember My Name — for a stellar jam session on “Dark Star.” Garcia didn’t come in with the first verse until just past the 19-minute mark, with the song stretching out to 32 minutes sans the second verse before Billy took over for “Drums.” Croz returned after the percussive segment to add to a late second set “Jack Straw,” Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” and finally set closer “Sugar Magnolia.”

Listen to the complete show (via Charlie Miller) including Croz’s sit in below:

Setlist (via JerryBase)

Set 1: Bertha , Greatest Story Ever Told , Mississippi Half Step , Black Throated Wind , Bird Song , Promised Land , Deal , El Paso , Sugaree , Playing In The Band , Casey Jones

Set 2: He’s Gone > Truckin’ , Ramble On Rose , Beat It On Down The Line , Black Peter , Dark Star [1] > Drums > Jack Straw [1] > Sing Me Back Home [1] , Sugar Magnolia [1]

Encore: One More Saturday Night

Notes:

[1] with David Crosby on vocals and guitar