Today's review is a show readily available for download at the Live Music Archive, 7/29/88, at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey California. This was the first of a three show run at Laguna Seca, and in my opinion the best of the three. I chose this show mainly because of the extremely high quality of the recording currently available at the LMA. It sounds to me to be a mislabelled soundboard or soundboard/audience matrix recording, but I suppose it's possible that its just a phenomenal audience recording. If this is the case, it's one of the best sounding audience recordings I have ever heard. I'll definitely be sending this over to Born Again Ben because he somehow missed this clearly worthy addition to his great list of best auds at the archive.

One small note about the LMA: If you haven't been over there recently, you'll notice next time you visit that they have undertaken a major overhaul of their site. All the Grateful Dead has been moved over to its own section, and they have altered the way that you search and access shows. You can still search by year, but it's not as intuitive as before, and each search results in a long list of shows that is nowhere nearly as easy to navigate as it was before. There's a new forum just for discussion of the Dead, which I'm sure is a great relief to all the other posters at the LMA that have no interest in GD. The coolest addition is a little java jukebox on the page of every show that lets you easily stream from any song in the show. This is very cool, and while it doesn't exactly lessen the blow of losing download access to all the great soundboard recordings, it is a real nice feature none the less. It also allows me to easily listen to the show while I write these reviews, a nice way to record my impressions on the fly. I'm not a big fan of these changes overall, but I get the feeling this is a work in progress and hopefully the interface will continue to improve as time goes on. Now on to the review:

This was one of only five times the Dead played at Laguna Seca Raceway. This must have been a fantastic place to see a show, because of the gorgeous surroundings and the campgrounds right on site at the venue. According to a post on the LMA, several Deadheads camped on the grounds of a U.S. Army rifle range nearby the venue, resulting in the Dead being banned from playing there ever again. Definitely a great loss.

This show was in the middle of an extremely prolific period for the Dead. Jerry was healthy and strong, and Brent was really coming into his own, adding so much to each and every show. The first set opened with a nice, laid back Iko Iko, featuring some interesting sound effects on Jerry's vocals and great organ fills and solos from Brent. This is a nice, always unexpected opener and is a good indicator of some unusual song selection for the show ahead.

Bobby gives us a Walkin' Blues next, nothing too special here.

Jerry picks up the mike again for Candyman, always a treat. He mixes up some lyrics in the first verse but recovers nicely. Nice harmonies on the refrain. The first lead break is really nice. Jerry's vocals are strong here early in the show. The song builds up to a pretty powerful crescendo at the last verse, overall a great version.

Next song is Bob Dylan's Queen Jane Approximately, one of my favorites in this position from Bobby Weir. I was always so happy so see this instead of those cowboy double shots we get so often here. Nice harmonies from Jerry and Brent, and some great support solos from those two as well.

Jerry's up again next with Althea. A few more confused lyrics in the first verse, and a flaw in the recording cuts out a bit here, not too bad though. Great soloing after the bridge is the highlight here.

Brent takes over with an early version of one of my favorites of his original tunes, Blow Away. This is definitely an early version, only the fourth time played, with none of the backup vocals from the rest of the band that really added alot to this song. It's interesting to hear, though, and shows how this song evolved and really improved over the next couple of years. Phil comments after this song how the band seems to take longer in between songs than they used to and gets a rise out of the crowd.

Cassidy is next, pretty standard version here. This is just a great song, and I really never got tired of hearing it. Always a nice opportunity for Phil and Jerry to take off after the "faring thee well now" verse, and it never gets old listening to the whole band come back from the outer reaches to join together in unison for "flight of the seabirds." Probably in my top five favorite Bob Weir tunes of all time.

Deal closes the first set, which was always a crowd pleaser. Nice long high energy jam after the verses to end the set. Overall, while not a killer first set, definitely nothing to complain about.

Set two picks things up significantly. It opens up with a nice leisurely paced China Cat Sunflower. Jerry sounds good vocally and as usual for this song, there's some real fine interplay between his and Bobby's guitar work. There's a nice long jam at the end of verse three that sounds like a leisurely jaunt into the standard Rider, but tonight Jerry has other plans. He noodles for a bit before blowing everyones mind and smoothly transitioning into Crazy Fingers! The band is right with him and it's a really nice version. The vocals are very strong, and while there's really no jamming, it's still really sweet considering what a surprise it is for everyone. After this great diversion from tradition the band transitions right back into the I Know You Rider jam and into the song. It's such a refreshing change and it really is a shame that the boys didn't mix up this classic pairing more often. This kind of surprise is a great example of why seeing the Grateful Dead was always such a fantastic experience for me. There always was the potential for some crazy magic flying in out of left field at any given show, and for me, more often than not, the boys would deliver.

The set doesn't slow down as they go right from Rider into one of the best versions of Playin' In the Band since the truly amazing versions from 1972. This Playin' is so good it is featured on the Grateful Dead box set retrospective "So Many Roads." Brent and Bobby sing together and their interplay is really wonderful here. The instrumental is superb, with creative and imaginative soloing from Phil and Jerry following the verses. The fun continues as the jam takes off into some serious weirdness, before coalescing back into the reprise and transitioning into Drums>Space, which contains some nice easy going jamming along with the usual explosive moments of terror.

Jerry brings us out of space with one of my all time favorites, The Wheel. Something unusual about this tune: The Wheel, in my opinion, is one of the few songs I think that Jerry did better in the recording studio than in most live versions. The intro to this song, on Jerry's first solo album "Garcia," is probably my favorite guitar work ever done on any recording. Just hauntingly beautiful and melodic. It's also featured during the animation sequence of the Grateful Dead Movie. The version from this show is practically flawless, but I've yet to hear a live version that captures the magic of that studio release. There's a couple from 1976 that come close...

Phil and Brent take control of the mike with a pretty rocking Gimmie Some Lovin'. Great guitar jams, organ music, and some serious Phil bombs highlight this tune.

Jerry graces us with a rarity for the next tune, Believe It Or Not. This was played only seven times by the Dead. I was lucky enough to catch two of them live, in Hamilton Ontario 3/22/90 (a phenomenal show, a classic, deserving of its own review sometime soon), and in my hometown of Philly on 9/9/88. This song always reminds me of the JGB tune Gomorrah, I guess because of the signature little guitar run after each verse that is pretty similar. I think Gomorrah's a better song, in general. This version is as good as any of the few we saw, flawless but just not a lot to this tune in my opinion.

Sugar Magnolia ends the second set. Bobby sounds tentative and a bit off here. He actually stops singing during verse two and has Jerry and Brent's harmonies finish the verse. Maybe he was having equipment or mike problems. Jerry and Brent are all over this tune tonight, but this is not one of the better Sugar Mags. Nothing really wrong with it, just doesn't take off the way this song sometimes does. The jam at the end is fine, and maybe I'd get a better feel of how the crowd was into this tune on a recording that featured the audience a bit more, but what we have here is basically a routine performance of the tune to close the set.

The band encores with Jerry's Black Muddy River. Nice version, not much different than any other one. Jerry sounds a bit tired here, but it's been a long, hot night. This was a great song, consistently effective and evocative. Not my favorite encore, I agree with Phil when he expressed the sentiment in his autobiography that this tune was kind of a bummer to end a show with.

And that's all for now, another Retroreview comes to a close. Check out the link at the beginning of the review to head to the Live Music Archive for a downloadable copy of this great show.

The Grateful Dead was at their absolute "post-coma" peak from the summer of 1989 through the summer of 1990. They had never been more popular, playing at consistently sold out venues and even selling out some huge arenas. Jerry Garcia was by all reports clean and sober, and his playing and singing hadn't been as good since the late 70's. The whole band, as always, fed off Garcia's newfound energy and their playing reached levels not seen for over a decade. It's no accident that this era of the Grateful Dead's playing has been heavily mined by Grateful Dead Productions for official releases. These include:

Truckin' Up To Buffalo (Rich Stadium, 7/4/89)
Downhill from Here (Alpine Valley Music Center, 7/17 & 7/19/1989)
Nightfall of Diamonds (Meadowlands Arena, 10/16/1989)
Grateful Dead – Terrapin Limited (Landover Capital Center, 3/15/1990)
Dozin' At the Knick (Knickerbocker Arena, 3/24, 3/25, & 3/26/1990)
View from the Vault III (Shoreline Amphitheater, 6/16/1990)
View from the Vault I (Cardinal Stadium, 7/6/1990 & Three Rivers Stadium 7/8/1990)
Without A Net (tracks culled from the Fall 1989 and Spring 1990 tours)

In addition to these wonderful releases, this era of the Grateful Dead's touring contains some of the most popular live recordings in circulation among traders, including the brilliant Warlocks shows from 10/8 & 10/9/1989, Ontario Canada 3/22/1990, and the rightfully famous 3/29/1990, which featured the band's first meeting with jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

During this incredibly prolific year, the Dead revived or introduced a number of new songs, such as We Bid You Goodnight, Death Don't Have No Mercy, Help On the Way-> Slipknot, Dark Star, Attics Of My Life, Loose Lucy, Black Throated Wind, Easy To Love You, Revolution, The Last Time, and Hey Jude.

For all these reasons, many Deadheads are distracted by the glitter and glamour of the recordings listed above, and the 3/28/1990 show at Nassau Coliseum is unfairly overlooked and unknown. This is a real shame, because those that give this show a good listen will find that it stands up next to any single one of the shows or recordings listed above. On to the review...

3/28/90 features one of the best first sets of the year. The first set of this show is all about Jerry. His song selection is what makes the set so unique and different. The set opens with a smoking Cold Rain and Snow, which always seems to portend a special night ahead. The jams are crisp and concise, with none of the fumbling or lost feeling that you sometimes hear when Jerry noodles around a tight arrangement like this. There's nothing tentative about the harmony singing here, with Brent and Bob pitch perfect. Brent does a little noodling around the melody with his organ near the end of the song, adding a nice touch.

Next Bob sings New Minglewood Blues, highlighted by Jerry's creative, fiery guitar soloing apparent from the very first break. Bob sings about "Island fillies looking good" and "tea right here in Long Island" to get the hometown crowd nice and fired up. The second break features a couple of measures of some smoking organ solos by Brent, but unfortunately before he gets really cooking he's prematurely cut off by Bob's attempts at some slide guitar soloing. On my recording his guitar is way down in the mix, barely audible over Jerry's rhythm and the drums. Jerry takes over with some more lead and saves the jam from petering out.

Brent takes over singing lead with a pretty Easy To Love You. This was the third performance of this tune since it was revived two weeks earlier in Landover, MD. The arrangement is tight and Jerry plays some really nice licks behind Brent's singing. This is pretty low on my list of favorite Brent tunes, but this is a nice version. A sweet tinkling piano solo, a tight guitar solo, and nice backup singing by Jerry are the highlights here.

Jerry takes back control of the set, and continues the eclectic song selection of this set with the first High Time in over a year. A perfect time to break it out…his voice had never been stronger, and this version hit every note perfectly. The bridge is sung as beautifully as I've ever heard it, and all through the song the plaintive and wavering quality in Jerry's singing makes this version stand out as a highlight of the set. No lead break here and no need for one, really. It's all about Jerry's masterful control of the lyrics.

Bobby sings Dylan's Queen Jane Approximately next, which I was always so glad to hear ever since they started playing this after their tour with Bob Dylan in 1987. I found this tune a lot more satisfying in this position than some of Weir's other choices. There are more opportunities here for some creative Jerry noodling behind Bob's singing, and he takes full advantage. I love his harmony singing in this song as well, he sounds perfect in the high harmony here. The first instrumental break is a moving jam by Garcia with some really unique interplay with Brent's piano for a few measures.

To the delight of everyone involved, Jerry keeps things moving full force by pulling Loose Lucy out of his bag of tricks. This is the third time they played this great song since its revival in Landover MD on 3/14/90, and this version is sweet. The singing is really strong. Jerry really belts this out, and his jamming is raunchy and wonderful. Brent's fills are perfect, not distracting in any way but add just the right amount to the mix. Jerry forgets to sing the "Bebop Baby" verse, but the jam in place of it is so fiery and smoking that it's barely missed. This is one of my favorite first set tunes in the Dead's repertoire.

Bob Weir's Cassidy is next, with Brent harmonizing really nicely through the first two verses and bridge. The jam that follows "faring thee well now" never reaches the peak of weirdness that you'll sometimes find in this song, but the result is a tight spacey jam that completely satisfies. Here's a really interesting link I found featuring John Barlow writing about his experiences with Neal Cassady, and the origins of the lyrics of this song. Definitely check it out if you haven't seen this.

This set closes with a really above average Deal. Jerry's leads are superb, and Brent plays his organ like his ass is on fire. It sounds like the drummers get really excited during the last jam in this song…someone is slamming really hard on their kit. At the end of the tune, after a fiery jam, everything gets quiet as Jerry nearly whispers the repeated lyrics over and over until exploding into the finale and ending the set.

Jerry opens the second set with Foolish Heart, a song I love wherever it appears in a set. The soundboard I have cuts a couple seconds off the beginning of the tune, and I haven't seen any versions without this cut. This song explodes out of the bridge into a beautiful jam that never loses its cohesiveness, feels forced or floundering. It's a perfect example of what I love about this show. As you'll see from the song selection that follows, the best word you could use to describe this show is "deliberate." There are no wasted notes here. Every jam is tight, and the loose, spacey feel that is so much a part of the Grateful Dead is little evidenced tonight. It makes for a unique experience, and really shows off the sheer musicianship and talents of every player in this band.

Bob's next song is Looks Like Rain, one of my favorites of his. Any song that affords Jerry the opportunity to noodle away behind Bobby's singing is ok in my book (see El Paso for another good example of this) and there's plenty of it here. There are some cool thunder effects provided by the drummers near the end of the song. This version of Looks Like Rain was taken and recorded for the tour compilation released by the Dead, Without a Net.

Jerry keeps everyone on their toes with the second of only three Cumberland Blues' in 1990. Bobby comes in early for the first verse and gets a laugh from the crowd. It doesn't faze anyone though, because this song just smokes right along. Listen for some really imaginative soloing around 4:45 into the tune.

Next is the cool breakout of this show…the first appearance of The Weight. It rarely sounded this good, the harmonizing sweet and vocals in general very good. Even on my soundboard version of this show, you can hear the audience explode when they figure out what song the Dead are playing. They burst out even louder with pleasure when Phil takes his verse. There's a little bit of confusion following the instrumental jam after Bobby's verse. It seems like they didn't have the arrangement perfectly down yet, and the jam is aborted. The song ends with a sweetly harmonized last verse. This song would generally be played as an encore in later shows, and seems a bit out of place here in the set, but from the perspective of a breakout it is really well done.

Brent gets to lead us into the drum solo by belting out a raging Hey Pocky Way. His organ solo really soars and you can tell he was ready to explode by the time he got set loose on this song. Jerry's solo smokes as well. This is one of the best Brent tunes, full of energy and opportunity.

Drums is about ten minutes, not much to say about it. It doesn't really take off like some of the drum breaks around this time period. About seven minutes after the band comes back on stage space morphs into what soon becomes a clear jam into The Other One. It's a really smooth, funky transition, and a nice change from the explosive openings we usually hear for this song. There's neat echo on Bob's vocals adding a nice touch. Once Bob starts the vocals the song only has about another three minutes left in it, but they are a wild three minutes.

Other One segues sweetly and perfectly into the always moving Wharf Rat. Jerry's vocals continue to highlight and be perfectly on the mark in this powerful rendition of this song.

Bobby closes the set with an upbeat Good Lovin'. Check out near the end of the first verse for two of the girliest squeals you have ever heard emanate from Bob Weir's vocal chords. Verse two is handled robustly by Brent. Jerry's first jam reminded me of the cool Good Lovin-> La Bamba-> Good Lovin' sandwiches we heard a few times in 1987. The verse after the jam features some really cool interplay between Bob singing lead and Jerry joining Brent with the "ooh baby baby" response and then moving to the "got to have loving" line. Very nice.

The encore features the band's final performance of the Beatles' Revolution. I guess Jerry finally gave up on getting the words right; I don't think there is a single version of this song done by the Dead that has correct lyrics. It's a shame they didn't bring this back once the band added teleprompters to the stage, because this song was a huge crowd pleaser. Once again, even on the soundboard, you can hear the crowd explode in joy at the first few notes of this tune. A great closer, muddled lyrics and all.

So that's it…this is a great show and definitely a worthy addition to any Deadhead's collection. Like I mentioned above, it is certainly unique with the absence of some truly psychedelic jamming. This show reminds me of the best of the shows we heard the Dead play in 1971, when the songs were frequently short and the playing extremely tight.

This is hands down one of the cleanest, best sounding soundboards I've ever heard of a Jerry Garcia Band show. As you may know, Jerry never authorized recording of any incarnation of the Jerry Garcia Band, so most recordings in circulation are stealth audience recordings. Soundboard patches were few and far between, so everyone in current circulation is like gold to me. This one is absolutely perfect, with a pristine mix and gorgeous tone all the way through.

This show is a fantastic representation of the kinds of shows Jerry was playing during his run with the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, as well as this final lineup of the Jerry Garcia electric band. This particular show is unique in several ways. First, it is the premiere performance of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Second, it is the only time that Jerry played an acoustic set with JGAB as well as two full electric sets with his regular band. At all the shows after this one there was only one electric set following the acoustic set. Finally, the acoustic set contained the only known performance by this band of Friend of the Devil, and one of only two versions of Little Sadie.

A little about the site itself: French's Camp at Eel River is a gorgeous site in Humboldt County, in Northern California. Now you probably are aware, Humboldt County is known for more than its gorgeous scenery. You have to imagine that this beautiful outdoor venue in the heart of the summer had some splendid aromas wafting through the air, and I'm not talking about the scent of fresh pine.

Nice place to see a show, huh?

On to the review:

The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band featured JGB regulars John Kahn on bass and David Kemper on drums. Rounding out the group were Jerry's old friends David Nelson on rhythm guitar and Sandy Rothman on mandolin and dobro. Both Nelson and Rothman were longtime associates of Garcia, from as far back as one of Garcia's earliest live bluegrass bands, the Black Mountain Boys. Several recordings of the Black Mountain Boys are known to circulate amongst traders from various dates around early 1964. David Nelson later helped form the New Riders of the Purple Sage, who frequently toured with the Grateful Dead in the early 1970's and for a time featured Garcia sitting in on pedal steel guitar and banjo. Garcia also appears on three of the New Riders early studio albums. There's a lot of history in the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, and you can tell by how tight this band played on their very first live performance.

The acoustic set starts off with a peppy, rousing version of Deep Elem Blues. This song was probably made most famous by its version on the GD album Reckoning, but one of the earliest incarnations I've heard is from as far back as 1965, and this version is reminiscent of those early days. Upbeat soloing from Garcia and Rothman, and clear, crisp vocals mark the beginning of this great set. Next is the traditional classic, I've Been All Around This World, another highlight of the early 80's acoustic Dead sets. Jerry's picking here somehow seems both melancholy and upbeat, no mean feat, but perfectly suited to the themes of loss and redemption inherent in this song. From here we hear the only known performance of Friend of the Devil by this incarnation of the JGB. It's fairly similar to many of the slower, more sedate versions of this song we've all heard the Dead, JGB, and Garcia/Grisman perform. Nelson's backup guitar is a real nice addition though, he's more studied in the bluegrass style than Bobby Weir ever was, and you can really hear the difference here if you listen. A superior, melodic Jerry guitar solo helps this version stand out from many of the others. Next, Trouble In Mind showcases Jerry's bluesy chops, and features some great singing by Garcia. Little Sadie marks another return to an old classic of Garcia's, played only four times by the Dead but a number of times during his solo acoustic shows in the early and mid 80's and his duets with John Kahn from the same era. This version is solid and enjoyable, with some nice backup jamming from Sandy Rothman on the mandolin. David Nelson takes over on vocals for an upbeat version of Tex Logan's Diamond Joe. Tex Logan was an accomplished fiddle player and played in a number of bands throughout the 1970's, notably the New Lost City Ramblers. Next Jerry takes back vocal duties for a bluesy jam of Mississippi John Hurt's delta blues classic Spike Driver Blues. Up next is a really nice version of Elizabeth Cotton's Oh Babe it Ain't No Lie, featuring some really interesting guitar work by David Nelson here. There's a cool story about the origins of this song at the following site:

The band picks things up again and features some unique vocal harmonies in this version of I'm Troubled. The set closes with a nice version of Ripple. Any time Jerry sings this song you can't help but feel good and sway back and forth in time to the simple, hypnotic melody. Nelson and Rothman's backup guitar and mandolin add a lot to this sweet version. This fantastic acoustic set is a true precursor to the classic performances this band will go on to display at the famous series of Lunt-Fontanne shows on Broadway in New York City later in 1987. This set in itself stands on its own as a classic.

Next the Jerry Garcia Band takes the stage for two full electric sets. This version of the JGB is the same band he would continue to play with until his death, consisting of John Kahn on bass, David Kemper on Drums, Melvin Seals on electric organ, and Gloria Jones and Jackie LaBranch on backing vocals. The sound quality on the recording I have takes a small hit during the electric set, I don't know if it's the mix or what, it just seemed to me the acoustic set sounded a lot crisper and clearer. The quality is still A+, just not the A+++ of the first set.

How Sweet It Is was always a great, rousing opener to any JGB show, and this one is peppy and full of energy. Great solos and flawless vocals help this version stand out from the many others. Jerry's fine vocals throughout this show are one of the prime reasons this show is so good. Bob Dylan's Forever Young is next, and is of anthemic proportions. Jerry's solo work is heartbreakingly beautiful here. Things pick right up again with a one-two punch of Get Out Of My Life Woman, and Run For the Roses. Roses  is notable again for the fine vocal work and none of the lyrical flubs that were somewhat common due to the difficult pacing of this song. Van Morrison's And It Stoned Me comes next, and it's another great version. When Jerry didn't sound good, this tune could really drag a set down, but not this time. Here he sings with real emotion and you can feel it in his unique guitar work as well. An average Sisters & Brothers comes next, which segues right in to a rousing, smoking Deal to end the second set.

Set three opens up on a high, energetic note with an eleven minute Harder They Come. Melvin always came alive during this tune, and this version is no exception. I Shall Be Released is next in the set, and with all the power and pathos that comes with this version of the song, it would have been better suited to closer to the end of the set. The soloing is just gorgeous here, and you can feel the resignation tinged with hope come out of every note played. Jerry had such an incredible instinct for how long to hang on to a note, and it really show during this song. A nice bluesy jam comes next with Think and the energy of the set picks up again during Evangeline. Next comes one of my favorite JGB tunes, Gomorrah. I do prefer the Keith and Donna versions of this tune, however, even though this one is really, really nice. Another of my favorites comes next, Let It Rock, but unfortunately Jerry starts to sound a bit tired here. His guitar certainly didn't suffer any, but his voice starts to waver a bit, and he starts to have some of the first problems of the day remembering lyrics here. Hey, I'll cut him some slack; it's been a monster, epic day of music. Lucky Old Sun showcases Melvin Seals' fine organ work, but the set really drags to a halt here. Not one of my favorites. Things pick right back up again, however, with a fantastic version of Bob Dylan's Tangled Up In Blue. What a pleasure it always is to hear Jerry sing Tangled. You can tell in every line and every jam how much he loves this song.

All in all this is a classic show. The acoustic set alone makes it a sure-fire download, and followed by two solid electric sets, this one is definitely a keeper in my book.

I'm over my wishy-washy indecision about which show to review up next for y'all. I decided that this one is best because it is one of my "desert island picks" to borrow a term from Born Again Ben's recent post (that is, to those of you not familiar with the term, one of my top five favorite Dead recordings of all time and one which I would take with me to a desert island were I only allowed five CD's total) and is available to stream at your leisure from archive.org.

1970 was an incredible year for the Grateful Dead, special for so many reasons. Their two (arguably) finest studio albums, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty, were produced and released right around the dates of this show. With a wealth of new material to draw from, set lists were always unique and exciting. Frequent acoustic sets as well as increased attention to vocals and harmony singing expanded on the Dead's folkie roots and added a whole new dimension to their sound.

9-20-70 is a special show for a lot of reasons. It was one of the last acoustic sets of the year, and once the Dead hung up their acoustic instruments, they wouldn't pick them up again on a regular basis for a full decade. The acoustic set is, in my opinion, the finest of the year, with flawless playing and singing, and the Dead welcome two very special guests. Sitting in on mandolins are good friends David Nelson, from the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and David Grisman, who will later collaborate with Garcia in the Old and in the Way Band in 1973 and for some of Garcia's most haunting and beautiful acoustic work twenty years later in the early 1990's.

The acoustic set starts with a flawless Uncle John's Band. Gorgeous harmonies and Weir's pitch perfect falsetto highlight this version.

Next is a bluesy, wonderful Deep Elem Blues, followed by a quick and lively Friend of the Devil. The FOTD is album perfect. Bobby's backing guitar and Grisman & Nelson on mandolin make this song a real joy to listen to over and over again.

My favorite ever version of Big Railroad Blues comes next. The mandolins add so much to this track. It's a jumping, peppy, thrilling ride, and you can really tell how much fun Jerry is having this night by his improvisational singing on this song.

Bobby takes over lead vocals for his first song of the night with a nice Dark Hollow. I just love Garcia's backup vocals during this song. It was one of the first songs I learned with the acoustic band I used to play with a few years ago, because of the great harmony singing in this tune.

Up next is the beautiful, iconic, Ripple. This is probably the best version the Dead ever did. Grisman's mandolin over the bridge perfectly recalls the album version, Jerry's vocals are just spot-on, and Weir and Lesh's harmonies are understated and unobtrusive. A stellar version.

Garcia doesn't let up for one second, for next is one of the greatest To Lay Me Downs ever. Jerry sits down at the keyboards and plays some sweet tinkling piano here. I can't tell who's responsible, but there's some electric guitar behind Jerry's singing and it's sweet and wonderful. My guess would be Nelson, but it could be Weir.

The acoustics come out again for the fourth ever Truckin'. This would be the last time ever that they played this song acoustically. Of the four acoustic versions, this is the best. The arrangement is perfect, other than a false vocal start by Bobby. The acoustic guitars give this song a quality and sound that is completely fresh and unique for those only familiar with the electric versions. From the polish on this version its amazing they only played this song three times before.

Upbeat peppy mandolin fills continue in the next selection, a rousing Rosalie McFall. Jerry vocals really dominate this set, which is one of the prime reasons it is a favorite of mine. There's a little confusion near the beginning of the song, when everyone stops playing at the same time, but it's barely noticeable.

The set keeps rolling along with a great Cumberland Blues next. Jerry is playing his electric guitar for this one, backed up by Weir and the two mandolin players on their acoustics. Jerry's long country jams are perfectly accented by the acoustics behind him. The harmonies are fantastic as well, the boys in fine vocal form all night long.

The next song marks the last time the Dead would play New Speedway Boogie for over twenty years, until the revival at Oakland Coliseum on 2-19-91. Don't ask me why, this version is a bluesy, apocalyptic masterpiece. Jerry continues to play electric guitar for this song. Another perfect rendition.

The acoustic set comes to a close with another new tune, Brokedown Palace, which quickly found its way to its position in the set where it would stay: closing. This is a lovely version, with Jerry playing acoustic again, beautiful harmony singing, and clear, crisp acoustic guitars.

Upon reflection, we see that out of a twelve song first set, Jerry Garcia sings lead on ten of them. Bobby takes the reins on Dark Hollow, and the other song is the ensemble piece, Truckin', though most people probably consider this a Bobby tune. Jerry lovers cannot be disappointed with this set, it's really a masterpiece and virtuoso performance. In my opinion, this ranks as the best acoustic set the Dead ever performed. It's definitely my favorite ever.

The electric set opens with an energized Casey Jones. Nothing really stands out about this version, it's as good as it always is.

Jerry keeps things moving with a sweet China->Rider. Fiery jams in between the verses of China Cat are played to perfection. The transition to Rider peters out slightly near the end, but there's some cool unique jamming near the beginning of Rider that makes up for it.

Up next, Candyman. The archive version cuts the first few seconds out of the tune, one of the few flaws in this outstanding recording. Jerry's first guitar solo here is, while short, really nicely done, and evokes some real emotion going into the "oohs." This is a nice, mellow break after the smoking China Rider.

Next ANOTHER Jerry vocal. Did Bobby have laryngitis or something this night? I'm not complaining. The band delves into the 60's with an upbeat Sitting On Top of the World. I love hearing the boys play this tune, especially later versions as it is generally completely unexpected. The jam at the end is great.

Some really interesting three part harmony from Jerry, Bobby and Pig Pen highlight the rare Big Boy Pete. This would be the last time we heard this song till the band revived it for one last time at the Kaiser on 11/21/85.

Bobby finally sings us a song next, for the third time in a three show run he offers up Me & My Uncle. Nothing special here.

Pigpen takes up the mike for Easy Wind. This version seems a little bit slower and bluesier than usual. It's not one of the best versions, with the transitions not as jumpy and exciting as usual.

Bobby sings us an early version of Sugar Magnolia next, only the seventh time played. Jerry shreds it up with the first solo, exciting and full of energy. I love any Sugar Mag that has the boys trying the "doo doo doos" even though it never really sounded that good.

One of my favorite songs is broken out next, Attics of My Life. The band really takes its time with this version, and the harmonies shine.

Bobby sings Mama Tried, and nothing really comes of it. Very short and nothing special at all about it.

But things pick right up with an energized Not Fade Away. Really inventive, exciting soloing make this a standout version. Phil's booming bass brings the whole jam into some unexplored territories, and it really works. You can hear the genesis of the Going Down the Road transitions here, which wouldn't be paired with NFA for the first time for another few weeks, until 10-10-70. The We Bid You Goodnight jam is prevalent near the end.

The whole jam blends into a blistering latter day Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks.) Pig Pen has some genuinely funny moments in his rap before the whole thing takes off into uncharted territory. Peppy, bluegrassy jamming and harmonica fills are intercut with sudden bursts of frightening psychedelic explosions. The recording is unfortunately marred by some weird volume fluctuations throughout the song, but I'm not sure if this was an intended effect or not. It ticks me off though, because it really messes up some of the best parts of the song, until it finally cuts out completely and transitions into the always weird and unfathomable Feedback.

I always love whenever Feedback slowly and softly fades out and the singers come together into We Bid You Goodnight. A perfect ending for an outstanding show.

Head on over to the archive and download this before they realize their mistake and fix the tags so it's listed as a soundboard and you can't access it anymore. Here's the link.