Apparently there is some dispute over the date of this actual performance. Did the Dead actually play at the Eagles Auditorium in Seattle, WA?
From Deadlists:
Although this circulates labeled as “1/23/68 Eagles Aud”, no documentary evidence (posters, reviews, newspaper ads, etc) has been found for shows there during the Quick and the Dead tour, other than the two on 1/26 and 1/27. Joe Jupille researched the University of Washington Daily and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspapers and only found an ad for QMS and the Dead on 1/26 and 1/27 in the 1/26/68 edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (the weekend entertainment insert, p. 6). He turned up no mention of other Quick and the Dead shows at Eagles Auditorium.
Regardless, a number of cuts from what is purported to be 1/23/68 were included as filler and on the bonus disc of Road Trips, Vol. 2, No. 2. and they’re great listening. (Note: the complete Road Trips series, sans bonus discs, are now available digitally at Amazon.)
The first minute or so of this track consists of the band trying to figure out what they’re doing. Finally you can ever so slightly hear the number “seventeen” spoken and then all of a sudden, BAM BAM BAM…. etc. a full 17 hits on the opening F chord of Beat It On Down The Line. The band rips into the song full throttle. Pig is just cranking on the keys and everyone joins in for the “Going down the line” chorus. Phil walks us into the second verse and Garcia uncorks some fireworks as Bobby belts out the words. Jerry gets a quick solo after the second chorus. The third verse continues at this fever pitch only to stop on a dime.
One of my buddies from Chicago always used to call the sound of the Dead in this era “Go Go” music. Undoubtedly, anyone from Baltimore would disagree with this assessment, but ever since he said that I just think of those quick interludes in the Austin Powers movies when I hear some of these songs. Always makes for a good chuckle in my mind.
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The band gets into a debate over how many beats to open the song with. They narrow it down to either 9 or 17, then of course settle on 17. Good one! Weir shouts it out and the band rocks it to high heaven. It’s a hot one. The guitar solo is pinched–sounding and raw in its delivery. It would be hard to beat this early version under any circumstances. Hoo-wee!