Sand Castles And Glass Camels

Sand Castles And Glass Camels

10-09, 10-82 Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

The Frost Amphitheatre was a beautiful place to see the Grateful Dead and 1982 marked the band's first appearance at the Frost at Stanford University.

Saturday the 9th, kicked off with a fun Alabama Getaway->Greatest Story Ever Told. The They Love Each Other has a great jam and wonderful interplay between Jerry's guitar and Brent's electric piano. On The Road Again->Beat It On Down The Line is a really good renditions of both songs. West L.A. Fadeaway was pulled out the month before and features an extra verse not found in later versions. Me And My Uncle->Big River was pleasant and it's nice to hear the band pull out a "standard" at a new venue. Dupree's Diamond Blues has just been revived after a four year absence. The Music Never Stopped->Deal to close the first set packed a wallop.

New songs Throwing Stones->Touch Of Grey opened the second portion of the show on a strong note. The Estimated Prophet->Eyes Of The World->Drums->Space is good but it's the following Truckin'->The Other One->Morning Dew-> One More Saturday Night find the show returning to classic status. The Brokedown Palace is a wonderful version and ends the first show with all of us happy.

The Sunday show was nothing short of stellar and belongs in any one's list of legendary Grateful Dead shows. Yep, it's an all timer. Opening with a blistering New Minglewood Blues->Sugaree->Little Red Rooster, the band never lets up. Phil in particular is playing riffs in a different and interesting fashion. Tennessee Jed is very, very good with a great jam before crashing to it's end. Cassidy is jammed out while Loser smokes with hard core blues playing. The recently revived Far From Me gives Brent a chance to shine while the Looks Like Rain->China Cat Sunflower-I Know You Rider end the set in a classic fashion.

The second set of Playing In The Band->Crazy Fingers->Lost Sailor->Saint Of Circumstance->Touch Of Grey->Drums is nearly letter perfect aside from Bob's guitar being a little low at the beginning. The Playing is nicely jammed out while Crazy Fingers is as good as it gets. Lost Sailor->Saint Of Circumstance is very well played and new song Touch Of Grey is loads of fun. Not to be outdone, the Space->The Wheel->Throwing Stones->Not Fade Away->Black Peter->Sugar Magnolia is of the same quality as the pre-Drums portion of the set. The band ends the show with a double encore of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction->It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.

3-27, 28-89 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Spring 1989 starts at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia and the first set opens with a good Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo->Walkin' Blues. Next up are good versions of the new songs Built To Last and We Can Run. Queen Jane Approximately is very nice and Brent gets a nice synth piano solo. Candyman is very nice with the band in good voices and Jerry takes a great solo while Cassidy spaces out nicely. Touch Of Grey makes for a rare first set ender and is well played.

The Scarlet Begonias->Fire On The Mountain is very good and features some well played jams. Estimated Prophet->Eyes Of The World->Drums is good with the Estimated Prophet being the standout. Space->The Wheel is fantastic and leads into a great I Need A Miracle which leads into another then new song, Standing On The Moon. Turn On Your Lovelight ends the second set in a strong fashion with a hot U.S. Blues.

The second show opens with hot versions of Let The Good Times Roll->Franklin's Tower->Feel Like A Stranger. Stagger Lee comes next and features a great crescendo at the end. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again is tonight's Dylan cover and is nicely played with Bob getting most of the lyrics. Ramble On Rose is upbeat with a good jam and everybody sounding inspired. Let It Grow is tasty and runs into a nice Don't Ease Me In.

Samson And Delilah sounds uneven to me while Ship Of Fools is another noteworthy performance. Playing In The Band has a good jam and is the second time since '77 that it would be played complete without leading into another song. This would also be the last time that it would happen. A good Foolish Heart starts on the end of Playing and leads into Drums->Space. Gimmie Some Lovin' out of space is very well played as is Wharf Rat->Throwing Stones->Not Fade Away and the encore of Box Of Rain.

6-12, 13, 14-84 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO

The first set of the first night starts off with a good Alabama Getaway->Greatest Story Ever Told. The Friend Of The Devil that follows has a nice feel while the Little Red Rooster, Big Railroad Blues and Me And My Uncle->Mexicali Blues are their usual selves. Althea is very good with some great Jerry soloing. Looks Like Rain is good as is the set ending Might As Well. The Scarlet Begonias->Touch Of Grey is very nice and the first time we'd get this short lived combination. Estimated Prophet->Eyes Of The World->Drums->Space->The Other One->Wharf Rat->Around And Around->Johnny B. Goode and U.S. Blues are typical of the era but a good listen none the less.

The second night had a lightning storm during the show and begins with Hell In A Bucket. The Candyman, C.C. Rider, Ramble On Rose and My Brother Esau that follows is very nice before leading to the set ending Cold, Rain And Snow->Don't Ease Me In. The China Cat Sunflower-I Know You Rider gets a big cheer with the "cool Colorado rain" line. Man Smart, Women Smarter and Ship Of Fools are good with Let It Grow jamming out into the Drums. Space->The Wheel->I Need A Miracle->Stella Blue->Sugar Magnolia are all good and It's All Over Now, Baby Blue is sweet.

The third and final night opens with Iko-Iko followed by a nice Cassidy->It Must Have Been The Roses. New Minglewood Blues is typical for the era while the Brown-Eyed Women and Jack Straw are above average. Jack Straw->Day Job ends the first set. Shakedown Street is okay but not the best of the year by any means. Playing In The Band is quite nice and leads into the first Dear Mr. Fantasy before leading into Drums->Space which then leads back into Playing In The Band. Black Peter is strong and leads into Throwing Stones->Not Fade Away with a repeat encore of U.S. Blues.

2-17-79 Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA

This show, which ended up being Keith and Donna's last, is quite good and features a few songs which hadn't been played in years. Greatest Story Ever Told opens the first set and makes it's first appearance since October '74. Don't Ease Me In, Mama Tried->Mexicali Blues and Friend Of The Devil are all well played. However, Passenger, the first High Time since May '77, Looks Like Rain, Jack A Roe and Lazy Lightning->Supplication are the standouts in the first set.

The second set opens with Might As Well but it's the I Need A Miracle->Bertha->Good Lovin' that get the set going. Donna's From The Heart Of Me gets it's last performance with Donna forgetting the words. Big Railroad Blues is better in it's first live performance since October '74. The second set jam of Terrapin Station->Playing In The Band->Drums->The Wheel->Shakedown Street->Playing In The Band->Sugar Magnolia is fantastic. The Playing In The Band has a deep jam and I love the beginning of Shakedown Street at a slower tempo and the way it builds up after The Wheel. The One More Saturday Night encore is the last we would here from Keith and Donna as members of the band.

9-26-81 War Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, N.Y.

This show starts of with a groovin' Shakedown Street->C.C. Rider opener. The Shakedown seems pretty fitting given that the auditorium wasn't in the nicest neighbourhood in town. They Love Each Other, Cassidy and Jack A Roe are all very well played while On The Road Again makes a nice appearance. Ramble On Rose is nice and has a rather laid back beat with the "New York City" line getting a huge cheer. Looks Like Rain is a good version as is the Brown-Eyed Women that follows. The Let It Grow is massive before giving way to Don't Ease Me In to end the set.

The second set has the unusual song pairing of Playing In The Band->Bertha->Estimated Prophet->Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad before going into Drums. Space is nice and we get a long slow burn of Not Fade Away out of it. Morning Dew is really good and featuring some great singing by Jerry before heading back into Playing In The Band. One More Saturday Night comes out of the very end of Playing and ends the second set while Johnny B. Goode is the encore.

3-7-81 Cole Field House, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

This is one of those shows that has a typical set list for the time but every song is a standout version. The Alabama Getaway->Greatest Story Ever Told starts off at an explosive rate. Dire Wolf is fun and energetic while Me And My Uncle->Big River is an A+ version. Candyman->C.C. Rider have soulful playing and singing. Jack A Roe is played at a fairly fast tempo with Jerry getting the verses and Passenger rocks hard. the Bird Song->Looks Like Rain->Deal is as good as it gets with Bird Song being the longest version ever clocking at over 18 minutes.

The Iko-Iko that opens the second set is fun. Lost Sailor->Saint Of Circumstance is very well played and gives way to a jam that starts off like Uncle John's Band but quickly turns into something else. The Drums->Space is very good and gives way to a great Truckin'. Black Peter comes out of Truckin' and features some good bluesy licks. Around And Around->Johnny B. Goode is a high energy end to the show as is the One More Saturday Night encore.

12-6-73 Cleveland Convention Center, Cleveland, OH

This is one pretty hot show even if the vocals are sometimes underpowered as Donna was missing and due to give birth so she skipped the shows after Winterland in November to stay home.

The show starts off with Jerry, Bobby and Phil giving it their all on Bertha. Mexicali Blues is a cool Cowboy Bob tune with Phil joining in on harmony. Loser is played very well with Jerry turning in some impressive licks with Keith playing some good counter point. Black-Throated Wind stands out even among '72 to '74 versions. They Love Each Other, Beat It On Down The Line, Deal, El Paso, Row Jimmy and Greatest Story Ever Told are all played very well but Beat It On Down The Line, Row Jimmy and Greatest Story all suffer from Donna's absence. China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider is very good and features that cool '73-'74 jam while a good Around And Around ends the set.

The second half starts with upbeat versions of Ramble On Rose and Me And My Uncle. Here Comes Sunshine has a nice jam in it and stretches out nicely. Big River, like most '73-'74 versions is very lively. Dark Star is VERY long and nicely jammed out traveling many universes and visiting alien landscapes before falling into Eyes Of The World which is well jammed although missing Donna's voice. A very sweet Stella Blue flows out of Eyes and goes into Sugar Magnolia with Bob handling the Sunshine Daydream on his own while the slams away behind him.

5-19-66 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA

This great show starts off with a rip roaring Beat It On Down The Line. Standing On The Corner is a nice song but it's easy to see why it didn't last too long in the set lists.  I guess the same can be said for Mindbender with it's trying to be "hip" and "trendy" lyrics. Hurts Me Too is very good with Pig belting out the blues while Jerry plays some tasty licks behind him. Viola Lee Blues rocks hard but without the long jammed out end it would begin to pick up soon. I Know You Rider is fun with it's "I'd rather drink muddy water' line still intact. It's A Sin is a really nice blues tune sung by Jerry while Sick And Tired is sung by Pigpen. Cream Puff War is really good and brings the first set to a close.

The second set starts in fine form with Sitting On Top Of The World and keeps up the vibe with New Minglewood Blues. Cold, Rain And Snow is very lively and followed by a cool version of Come Back Baby. Silver Threads And Golden Needles is a very good song and I wish they had played it longer. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, Good Lovin' are very good while You Don't Have To Ask is okay.

4-21-71 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, R.I.

This show starts off with a kickin' Casey Jones and is followed by a very nice Mama Tried. I love the country tunes from this era and they make for a great start to this fine show. Pig is up next with a rousing version of Big Boss Man to be followed by Jerry's then new song, Loser. This Loser is full of juice and has Jerry singing the "sweet Susie" verse that was dropped later on. Nest comes a hot jam featuring Truckin'->Drums->The Other One->Wharf Rat. Truckin' is still a fairly new song and was getting some airplay being the single off of American Beauty was has come out the previous November. The Other One is filled with some nice jamming before giving way to a great early Wharf Rat. Pigpen's Hard To Handle is filled with energy and has some really great playing from all the band members. Cumberland Blues features some really great country licks and pretty good vocals. An early version of Bird Song is next with a nice Me And Bobby McGee rounding out this set.

An early version of Bertha gets the second half off to a swinging start. Sugar Magnolia is quite nice in this early stage of it's development. Good Lovin'->Not Fade Away->Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad->Not Fade Away is the major jam in the second set and finds the band ending the show with this rockin' set of songs. The band encores with a sweet Uncle John's Band before giving way to Johnny B. Goode.

6-22-91 Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

The boys roll into Chicago on Summer tour and hit the ground running with Hell In A Bucket. The band the gives us a treat with a surprise Shakedown Street which is usually a show opener itself. This one stretches out giving us a long jam before finishing. Wang Dang Doodle is it's usual self while the Friend Of The Devil->When I Paint My Masterpiece is very nice. Brown-Eyed Women is very good and the set ending Let It Grow is over the top.

The second set starts with great versions of Foolish Heart->Looks Like Rain->Crazy Fingers. Playing In The Band is long and exploratory giving way to a flowing Terrapin Station. The Drums is good before giving way to Space. 1991 Summer Tour was famous for Dark Star jams and hints galore. Tonight, Space turns into a long Dark Star jam before returning us to Playing In The Band. Black Peter is really good and it's nice to get a break from Wharf Rat for a change. One More Saturday Night ends the show on a rocking note while The Weight encore is a nice way to end this Saturday night show.

8-20-72 San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose, CA

This is a good show for the time and while there are better from '72, I find this one to be a good listen. This show starts with an energetic Bertha followed by a nice Me And My Uncle. The Sugaree has some cool soloing from Jerry and Beat It On Down The LIne is fun. Bird Song has a good but not great jam in it. Jack Straw is good and is followed by the first Friend Of The Devil in nearly two years. Black-Throated Wind is always a highlight of shows from '72-'74. Cumberland Blues features some hot playing and El Paso is quite good. Playing In The Band is very good but like the rest of this show, it isn't the best from this period.

Promised Land, Brown-Eyed Women and Me And Bobby McGee are pretty good. One of the highlights of the show is the jam of Truckin'->Drums->The Other One->Stella Blue. The Truckin' is played with fire with The Other One travels the solar system at warp 9 only to give way to a pretty and early Stella Blue. Sugar Magnolia is high energy as is the show ending Casey Jones->One More Saturday Night.

5-29,30, 31-92 Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, U.N.L.V., Las Vegas, NV

The first night was hit with a wind storm and there were sound problems for the crowd so a soundboard tape might sound better than what was heard at the show and on the audience tape. The first night's show is pretty good featuring good versions of Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Peggy-O, Black-Throated Wind, Crazy Fingers->Playing In The Band and a rare China Doll. 

The second night opens with a classic Jack Straw->Sugaree the band has clearly found it's vibe. Tonight's blues song, Wang Dang Doodle, gives everyone a chance to cut loose and groove. High Time is a nice Jerry ballad and works well here. The Maggie's Farm is nice and gives everyone a chance to sing a verse while Cumberland Blues features some tasty licks. The Cassidy->Don't Ease Me In end the first set and are very well played.

The second set opens with a great, jammy Eyes Of The World into a rocking Way To Go Home. The Truckin'->Smokestack Lightning jam is played to perfection before going into a massive Terrapin Station. The weather hadn't been the greatest and now we're beginning to get a lightning storm overhead which runs through the Drums->Space->Spanish Jam->I Need A Miracle. The Standing On The Moon is very good and One More Saturday Night is one of the best. The Knockin' On Heaven's Door is as good as the rest of the show.

The third show opens with an over the top version of Help On The Way/Slipknot->Franklin's Tower followed by a hot New MInglewood Blues. It Must Have Been The Roses is pretty and was a bit of a rarity by this time. Queen Jane Approximately is very good and features nice solos by both Vince and Jerry. Bird Song contains so more fantastic jamming and the set closer of Picasso Moon is both and and unusually placed.

The second set kicks off with a very good Scarlet Begonias->Fire On The Mountain. The Man Smart, Woman Smarter is pretty nice and is followed by a sweet So Many Roads. Saint Of Circumstance is energetic before flowing into a mellow He's Gone. Drums is very good and the Space is out there before turning into a moving Attics Of My Life. Steve Miller who was the opening act then joins the cast for the remainder of the set. Spoonful is good and it's easy enough so that Steve can play along. The Other One->Morning Dew proves to be more of a challenge but thankfully he keeps to the background for the most part. The same can be said for the encore of Baba O'Riley->Tomorrow Never Knows.

All in all, a fantastic run with the shows turning out to be some of the best of the '90's!!!

9-28, 29-77 Paramount Northwest Theatre, Seattle, WA

Unfortunately, all the currently circulating copies of the first night are missing the first five songs of the first set. The tape of the first set of the first night kicks in at Tennessee Jed which is followed by a smokin' Passenger. The Peggy-O is very sweet and filled with excellent playing. Me And My Uncle is a very fired up version while Friend Of The Devil has cool solos from both Jerry and Keith with great singing from Jerry, Bob and Donna. The Music Never Stopped rocks the first set to a close.

The second set opens with a great Bertha->Good Lovin'. Next, we get the first Dire Wolf since October '74 which is quite well done. The jam of Estimated Prophet->Eyes Of The World->Drums->Not Fade Away->Wharf Rat->Around And Around is a fairly standard for the time but the playing is good. The same can be said for the encore of U.S. Blues.

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Mama Tried and Deal open the second day's show with a great burst of energy before giving way to a mellow Looks Like Rain. Ramble On Rose is it's usual upbeat self while El Paso is given a splendid reading. Sugaree is full of passion with a couple of great jams in there. However, the set ending Let It Grow->Franklin's Tower take the show to another level.

The second set opens with Samson And Delilah and is followed by a great Ship Of Fools. Estimated Prophet->He's Gone->Drums is standard but good. The recently revived Truckin' is a blast and gives way to a beautiful Stella Blue. Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad comes out of Stella Blue and the feel good attitude is a nice change from the somber Stella Blue. Johnny B. Goode is it's usual self and the encore of Uncle John's Band is just wonderful.

1-16-70 Springer's Inn, Portland, OR

This is a show that I really like but seems to be somewhat forgotten compared to the ones around it by others. After getting the levels somewhat dialed in, the band starts with a good Casey Jones. Mama Tried is very good while the following Black Peter is haunting. Hard To Handle gives Pigpen a chance to step up and shine. China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider is good even with a tape flip during the jam. This High Time is one of my all time favourite versions. A clipped Good Lovin' rises to the occasion while Dancing In The Streets isn't as good as some of the ones we'd get later in the year, is still nice. The Alligator->Drums->The Eleven->Jam->Death Don't Have No Mercy is very, VERY impressive. We then get the reminder that the Dead will be back here on Sunday and to buy the band's new album, Live/Dead.

Set 2's Cumberland Blues, Me And My Uncle->Dire Wolf and Uncle John's Band are okay but it's the Easy Wind and That's It For The Other One->Cosmic Charlie that steal set 2.

6-18-83 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, N.Y.

This show opens with a killer Bertha->Jack Straw which is followed by an out there Bird Song. Clearly, this show has already distinguished itself and will go on to become one of the best of '83. The Mexicali Blues->Big River rips it up nicely and the Althea is a standout version. The first set ends with a hot new Hell In A Bucket into an awe inspiring Deal.

While the first set is great, the second is even better. The Scarlet Begonias->Fire On The Mountain is long, involved and loaded with jamming. Playing In The Band is really well jammed out and shows that the band could still reach the outer reaches in the '80's. The Drums->Space is quite good before heading into a great The Wheel. The band ventures back into Playing In The Band before segueing into a monumental Morning Dew. Throwing Stones->Not Fade Away-> Touch Of Grey are all quite good and push this set over the two hour mark before ending with a double encore of Don't Ease Me In->One More Saturday Night. This is one for the record books!!!

4-28-80 Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham, AL

Don't let the typical set list fool you, this show is a definite keeper. The band starts full throttle with Alabama Getaway->Promised Land. They Love Each Other is very nice and features some cool soloing by both Jerry and Brent. El Paso is above average for the time. The Althea is cool with a good laid back vibe that gets the whole crowd grooving. Looks Like Rain is very nice with Bob sounding great and a nice jam in the middle. Tennessee Jed is hot while new member Brent gets a shot with his new song Far From Me. Feel Like A Stranger is pretty good but the set ending Deal is better.

The China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider and Samson And Delilah that open the second set are good. The second set jam of He's Gone->The Other One->Drums->Space->Black Peter-Sugar Magnolia is over the top with He's Gone being heartfelt and The Other One going out there while Black Peter is driven. Sound man Dan Healy got the word that his dad had passed during the Drums and tears could be seen on his face as the band lauches into the first Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad in over a year. This would be Brent's first Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad. Dan Healy would leave the tour to return home for a few days before returning.

9-24-76 College Of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Promised Land opens the show on this Friday night in very high energy with the band flat out blazing while Deal continues in the same energy. Cassidy is it's upbeat short self as the song wasn't really the jam song that it would become at this point in time but it smokes nonetheless. Sugaree is a blast with hot leads and good vocals by Jerry, Bob and Donna. Looks Like Rain brings a somber mood to the stage with Bob and Donna sharing the singing. Row Jimmy continues the mellow mood and is just fantastic. Big River has Jerry playing some great metallic country leads and Keith stompin' on the piano. Tennessee Jed continues on in the "southern" tradition here in Williamsburg with the chorus sounding like a call to arms. The set hits it's climax with the set ending Playing In The Band->Supplication->Playing In The Band. The Playing is dark and moody before going into Supplication without it's usual Lazy Lightning partner before returning to Playing.

The second half begins with two songs which first appeared in the set lists in June. Might As Well is fun and Samson And Delilah is it's usual heavy self. Loser finds the band playing quite well and very fun. New Minglewood Blues made a return to the band's set list in June after being broken out by Kingfish (with Bob Weir) the year before. The Help On The Way is well done while the Slipknot is quite spacey before going into a short Drums. Franklin's Tower is long and jammy before turning into The Music Never Stopped bringing up the Blues For Allah content. Stella Blue is a standout version while Around And Around and the encore of U.S. Blues ends the show rocking.

This show wasn't given a good review in Relix and Bruce Hornsby, who attended, wasn't impressed but I don't think the show is all that band. The show has a lot of rock and roll songs which more than likely is due to the fact that the band is playing a college.

12-12, 13, 14-90 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO

1990 proved to be an eventful year for the band with their 25th Anniversary that Summer followed by the passing of keyboardist Brent Mydland. With the first European tour since '81 in the Fall, the band hired Vince Welnick as their new full time keyboardist. Bruce Hornsby also joined as a part time additional keyboard player.

The band opens strong with Touch Of Grey->Greatest Story Every Told sounding fresh and very energized. The following Candyman is SWEET with Jerry's voice sounding strong and the harmony vocals of Bob, Vince and Bruce are stellar. The blues tune Walkin' Blues soars with Jerry, Bob, Bruce and Vince all getting a chance to shine on their solos. Loose Lucy has a joyful bounce while the cowboy medley of Mexicali Blues->Maggie's Farm, once again, gives everyone a chance to sing and solo. Queen Jane Approximately is very good while the set ending Deal is over the top.

The China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider->Looks Like Rain gets the second set off to a good start and Bruce's grand piano recall Keith's early days with the band. The mid set Iko-Iko sound lifted straight out of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Mardi Gras in December. Dark Star is incredible. Long and jammed out with the perfect amount of space before giving way to the first and only verse before segueing into a long and majestic Terrapin Station with a wonderful jam into a far out Drums->Space. The All Along The Watchtower flat out rocks while Stella Blue is beautiful. The Throwing Stones->Not Fade Away jam was played SO MUCH in the '80's that it's a wonder that they could still play it with such conviction but here they do. The Weight is nice and shows how much Casey Jones was inspired by this song with Brent's verse being given to the "new guy".

The next night starts with an energetic Jack Straw->Sugaree on which Bruce's piano and additional singing help push this over the top. Tonight's blues tune, Wang Dang Doodle, gives everyone a chance to show off their chops. Friend Of The Devil is nice although I prefer this song without an accordion. The cowboy medley of Me And My Uncle->Big River is good. Ramble On Rose is very nice and Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again is fun. The set ends with the Hornsby song The Valley Road.

The second set starts with a good Help On The Way/Slipknot->Franklin's Tower. saint Of Circumstance is nice while Eyes Of The World->Drums->Space has some fantastic jams. The Other One is cool and spacey while Morning Dew is mournful with Box Of Rain ending the set while the U.S. Blues encore rocks.

The third show finds Vince taking over the keyboard spot with Bruce not sitting in for this one. The show opens with a hot and jammed out Shakedown Street. The Picasso Moon is very good and reminds one how unfortunate it is that this song is somewhat dissed in fan circles. Peggy-O is a pretty ballad and is handled very well here. the Little Red Rooster takes tonight's blues slot. Stagger Lee is fun and it's nice to here When I Paint My Masterpiece without the accordion. To Lay My Down->Let It Grow is a wonderful way to end the set and is the most enjoyable part of the set since Peggy-O.

The Victim Or The Crime->Foolish Heart is stunning. Vince really hasn't found his part on Man Smart, Woman Smarter but does a great job on He's Gone. Drums->Space teases Dark Star and that's exactly what happens out of space with a nice jam and the second verse that we didn't get the first night. I Need A Miracle-> Wharf Rat->Turn On Your Lovelight are all well played and the encore of Knockin' On Heaven's Door is a fitting end to this great run in Denver. 

2-21, 22-73 Assembly Hall, University of IL, Champaign-Urbana, IL

Two great shows from '73 that are usually overshadowed by the shows around them. The Wednesday show starts right off with the new song Wave That Flag. Me And My Uncle features the band in rock and roll country mode. Brown-Eyed Women is full of spice and Beat It On Down The Line is it's usual happy self. Loser shows a change in mood from the more upbeat numbers that have made up the first set so far. Looks Like Rain is nice and mellow with good slide playing by Jerry. Row Jimmy is also still a new song but sounds as if it been played for years. Donna Jean Godchaux steps out with a cover of You Ain't Woman Enough. Box Of Rain is sweet while Mexicali Blues returns us to rock star country mode. Sugaree has a very nice jam while Around And Around gives us our Chuck Jerry number of the night. China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider is just beginning to get that cool transition jam that it had in the '73 to '74 versions.

Jack Straw opens the second set nicely while Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo  is beginning to develop it's jam. The second set jam session of Truckin'->Drums->Eyes Of The World->Stella Blue is quite good. Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones and the encore of Johnny B. Goode end the show in fine style.

I like Thursday's show better than Wednesday. It starts off with a rocking Promised Land followed by an upbeat They Love Each Other. El Paso is very nice even in an era were they're all pretty well played. Bird Song is over the top in it's second arrangement. Mexicali Blues and Deal return the show to a more rock and roll mode. Looks Like Rain is still mellow and a bit better than the night before. Tennessee Jed has it's southern roots down cold. Box Of Rain is good and Playing In The Band finds the band stretching out in full jam.

Wave That Flag and Me And My Uncle suffer from sound problems while the Dark Star->Eyes Of The World->China Doll jam is heavenly. Around And Around is nice but the ending Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad->One More Saturday Night is better.

7-25-82 Compton Terrace Amphitheatre, Tempe, AZ

This show gets underway right from the start with smokin' versions of Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo->Franklin's Tower->C.C. Rider dispite blown lyrics. The following Bird Song is very good and certainly worth a listen. El Paso and Candyman fit the Arizona landscape while the first set ending Lost Sailor->Saint Of Circumstance->Deal round out the set on a good note.

We get a nice Scarlet Begonias->Fire On The Mountain->Samson And Delilah to begin the second set. A nice Crazy Fingers begins the jam. this is the second Crazy Fingers since the Fall of '76. Crazy Fingers goes into a nice Estimated Prophet leading into a great jam into the Drums. Space flows into a hot Not Fade Away while Black Peter is soulful and Good Lovin' is flat out fun. Don't Ease Me In is a nice encore. Certainly not the show of the year but I enjoy it.