This show just explodes with energy. This early summer tour is a Grate one! The LET IT GROW and SAMSON are absolutely epic!

This Charlie Miller transfer is awesome. I enjoyed revisiting it today.

This is a monster show. It makes all the difference in the world what you listen to it on. It is incredibly clear in voice and instruments. Criticism about Garcia's drug use effecting music.. well I counted two lyrics and one guitar miss-step. How horrible. Charlie Miller version again tops.

Riverbend Music Center was new at the time and in a cool location [in Anderson Township, well SE of the city, overlooking Kentucky], but it's one of those sheds where lawn ticketees are on the outside, peering in through a slot. They had built up goodwill in Cincinnati in the '70s, but at this point hadn't been here in 9 years. They played this venue one more time the following year, then it was back to the Coliseum. In this era Cincinnati still had notoriety for the Who concert disaster and for mayor Jerry Springer personally welcoming visiting bands. Peak '85 is late summer>fall, whereas June in general is below average to average. But this show is more of an outlier – perhaps the tour's most consistent night.

First Set. It takes a few to warm up. Jer gets way lost on the verses for Alabama, though it comes together somewhat on the end jam. Though Bobby fares better with Greatest Story, They Love Each Other trainwrecks on the second verse, and Jer has to make up for it by playing like he do. The turnaround is at Minglewood [bluegrass fillies/here in Cincinnati]. Bobby's Slide Practice™ is relatively minor and Jer is getting hot. Most of the verses are snafued on Tennessee, but the solo is nifty. After a solid Brother Esau, Mickey says that Bobby's song had a "hostage ending", so Bobby teases the rhythm section on-mic. This is a strong Loser but the Let it Grow is a beauty contest winner; a hyper-melodic version, and perhaps the year's best. On the OFF, noise at the beginning is removed with heavy filtering, and the sustained notes leading to Bobby's "back in just a little bit" are edited.

Second Set. Iko Iko is just solid enough to squeak by, including Bobby's misquotes [Dixie boys on the battlefront/Wild Tchoupitoula goin' chomp chomp chomp/Brother John is gone/wild wild chomp chomp chomp chomp], when he unexpectedly takes a verse. He makes up for it on a plat principal Samson & Delilah. Jer then completely sends it with a brilliant He's Gone, that pairs with Smokestack Lightning like Gouda and a Mendoza Malbec. Cryptical is the 3rd of the 5 return shows (all in '85), but almost a wash. After a Drums>Space cleanser, Comes a Time>TOO and Wharf Rat (good sound & tones) are solid enough to leave a wreckage of strewn, happy Heads. Cryptical completes a sammich that looks good on paper, but the best playing is elsewhere. It dips for a perfunctory Around & Around>Good Lovin'. Though it's OOT, U.S. Blues is an all-out shooter.

1st Set:  B-
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3⅓ stars

Highlights:
New Minglewood Blues – turnaround into X
Let it Grow – hyper-melodic
He's Gone>Smokestack Lightning – pairs perfectly

SOURCES: The miller_25315 is pitched mostly 1% fast, but the mix is better in places than the OFF and it's the best SBD. It also has a repeated section of 25secs, @3:40 in Space – as do half of SBDs and oddly some MTXs. The other half of SBDs are missing the beginning of Space (intact on the OFF & me80_hessberg). The murphy_2274 runs slightly slow, and harrell_8198 is bricked. 30 Trips has the whole show. Definitive Live has Let it Grow.

Riverbend >>>

For 1985 it's 5 stars. What I recall is that everyone there had a magical evening. Storms were in the air, it was cooler than normal for summer Cincinnati and there was lightning in the sky behind the band during Let It Grow. Perfect vibe for that song. I also recall a tugboat pushing barges upriver going behind the stage during He's Gone. I saw them 25 times in 1985 from coast to coast and every show I thought it might be the last. The rumors about Jerry were out to the tour followers and we treated every show with a feeling of dread and an urgency to see as much of it as possible. Get it while you can.

This is the show that got me into the Grateful Dead. My friend had been listening for a while, and told me about how awesome this show was, with the rain forest sounds in Drums > Space, and convinced me to listen on a night we were drinking heavily, and I was sold!!! This show is still the epitome of the Grateful Dead as far as I'm concerned.

My friends Steve and Chad turned me on to the Dead with this show. We grew apart from each other, but this will always be one of the big highlights of my life. We came back for the 86 and 89 shows. The last one at Riverfront was a major trip :-)

The first Dead show I attended, had just graduated from high school in Cincinnati and the Dead hadn't played in town for many years leading up to this. Went with a bunch of buddies, got sooo stoned, had some red shades on during the whole show which was a nice effect on everything. I remember they had some big banner up behind the stage (something about 20 years). I didn't yet know their whole catalog so this show was a lot of firsts for me: Other One, Weather Report, Comes a Time, Wharf Rat. A great time, and I'll echo what the earlier reviewer said about the weather, it was intense. Dark and stormy. I saw the Dead maybe 4 other times after this but this one was the most memorable. 1985 was before Touch of Grey introduced a whole different, rowdier? crowd to the scene. I now know it was a relatively special setlist for the 80's, but honestly I'm not a big fan of how they sounded around then- much more into their 60's sound and vibe. Sorry, I'm biased!

This show is a blast and the SBD qual is awesome. Of the top ten "Favorite Tapes" listed in DeadBase for 1985, seven are from June (eight if you count 7/1). 6/24 is listed eighth (with 23 votes). I just love these 80s shows that channel that raw 60s psychedelic spirit. As David Bolewski and doug_the_dude put it, show is cartooney! Comes A Time and Wharf Rat in and after (or just out of) the Cryptical Envelopment suite is a tasty treat. Second set really never lets up. First set closer, Let It Grow, is featured on the 30 trips definitive live story.

A standout show as the lads rounded the Summer Solstice bend in '85.
Sweet Comes a Time, and I'm sorry this is an INSANE Samson & Delilah!
Sad to see the review below give it one star. Everyone is entitled to their opinion! I think maybe they are one of these people who is married to 1972 or something?
I agree that Brent is sublime here.
As for Jerry, check out the biography by Blair Jackson entitled "Garcia". He recounts how Jerry was cleaning up his act during '85, slowly putting his life back together.
It most certainly was not the depth of his addiction and his playing reflects improvement all year.
Phil backs this up in his own book on the band.

I was privileged to see some shows in the Summer of 85 and folks this is a prime example of why they were interacting with weather patterns on a regular basis..
I have no reservations in saying this was the best year of GD with Brent in the lineup. (Yes Brent was on fire in 89-90 but the entire lineup peaks in 1985)
I was just getting into the swing of things in 85.
I was so into the music being made by this band.
This show as already reviewed is solid. Don't know how to quantify it but- They are electric. There is a certain snap, crackle ,pop to the 85 shows.
On a personal note Dan Heely messed with my mind. regularly from the Soundboard, and I was crispy to begin with.
Some of the sound effects during Drums/ Space were relaunched 9/7/85 - first set mayhem at Red Rocks
It was a great year to be a Head.
This show is sweetness from front to end!

consider this one of best '85 summer run, which is something; what a tour. great sounding sbd source; thx for this sweet pull

This is the most pitiful dead show I've ever heard in my entire life, and the only reason I'm here is because it was actually selected as the 30 trips show for 1985!! Hilarious! This is the best of what 85 has to offer? The cryptical gives me nightmares. This has gotta be the worst Jerry ever sounded, and the band is a shitty, sloppy mess. 85 was the peak of Jerry's heroin addiction in the 80s, so no surprises here. What surprises me is people that actually think this shit is good?? 85 might just be the worst year the band ever had. I can safely say I will never listen to this show again, other than to use it as an example for other people of how heroin destroys musicians. This is a sad recording.

He's Gone settles into Smokestack Lightning quite easily. Pretty transition every time I've heard it.

Thank you for this memory and having me re-live this fuckin hot show that almost slipped away.. I was 20 then and 52 now. i have save most of my 120+ dead tickets but a few as I said.. slipped away.. It started with me flying to Wisconsin from Jersey to hook up with my friends that were coming from California to see the Alpine shows, I happen to have one of those ticket stubs, my memory gets jogged listing to the shows, I can place myself at the exact time and space at some of these shows listening to the sets. I'm so blessed to be part of this ride from 82-95 for me. I remember hangin with Buckelew, last row under canopy, rain comin down like no tomorrow and as the lightning started we snorted a few lines of coke and once it started it seem like it was never going to end, truly why being at dead show was like no other. the energy just flowing from alpine, to here, then blossum music center, then Saratoga and our stop Hershey park. Seemed like we traveled with the entire parklng lot to see every one at the next venue. listening to Aiko and us(the crowd) going crazy when the thunder was rolling through,a magical experience that is coming back to me with these reviews. Thank you GD for good times and memories

DustTizzle, Gooney Bird was a potent and popular variety of LSD back in the day (~);}
This show? Stellar from start to finish.

What is this talk I see in the reviews about "gooneys" or "gooney birds" on tour? I'm 29 and didn't get to a show til Phil and friends in 2002 so someone please explain

Mr. Miller's editing work shines. Jerry & Bobby's interplay jumps out the speakers like a couple of wild cats from the jungle. This Summer '85 show and all for that matter from this tour reminds me that Jer and the boys know exactly who is in charge. They are and we are at the edge of our bar stools waiting to fall off like a drunken sailor. Try to not let the neighbors know that T is for Texas. I just dare you. 5 bouncy stars.

And those extra rants in Iko were a nice energy infusion as well.

I was at this show and a majority of the tour. After so many years and over 400 shows I've forgot about this tour until rediscovering this gem on Archeive.org. Thanks very much to the recording community and Archeive.org not only for this gem of a recording but for helping to keeping all that is good alive. Without this community great art, of all kind, would be forgot.
As for this show, what a great surprise. Good O'l G-Dead were on all cylinders as well as Healy which may or may not have been ultimately been a good thing. After 1985 I think the Dead severed ties with Dan.
Without giving a song by song review I would like to express my joy upon hearing this show again after so many years. The sound instantly brings be back to the great state of Ohio, a heaping portion of Skyline Chili while watching the sun begins its surrender to a beautiful star filled sky.
Many shows follow but i do not recall another tour that consistently delivered on all cylinders like the summer of '85. I miss you, thanks for the memories.

The summer of 85' kicked ass..This show is a prime example..Nice sound quality but not the best that I've listened too from this run..High energy from start to finish with a powerful 2nd set..so please GIVE IT A WHIRL!

Weird and Good.. Just a great night and the Vibe is thick on this one.. Jerry still H'd out but hes got major energy and the licks from Jer,Bob and Phil are all really interesting and cohesive.. Some of these shows from the summer of 85(Jerry was slow kicking I guess) are so truly weird and funky.. Some of the last of the real deep trippy shows imo.....

One of the top 3 shows of '85 (or '85 and '86 for that matter).

Great song selection by Jerry. Energy and X factor off the charts. Newly busted out Cryptical segued nicely ( I read that Jer never felt like he got the song quite right this year) w/ The Other One and Wharf Rat.

This was imho the final pinnacle for the GD. I know there were good shows after this year - but the boys never captured the energy (despite Jerry's health) that went into the '85 shows, particulary the summer/fall tour. 5 Stars

these June 85 shows kicked plus wasn't too far from home stopped in to see my folks lol but anyway this show i'll remember the Loser alot all the energy that jerry put into it and Let It Grow to close was kickin too then a fer sure kickin iko thought fer sure they were comin outta space with TOO but Comes a Time not the best but good and really unexpected by me anyway a real decent Wharf Rat then it was on to the next killer show @ Blossum gr8 show gr8 tour gr8 sbd gr8 times 4of5 easy more like 4.75

Jerry's guitar playing being at it's peak and connection with Brent really blisters on this summer Evening...

Outstanding Show!

To follow up on Evan Hunt - donating to the archive is something everyone who enjoys its benefits should consider. I mean, really how unbelievable is it to have such an amazing universe of THE BEST MUSIC IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD at your fingertips?!?

A contrbution in their name Makes a great gift for Deadhead family and friends! Think about it!

Oh and this show already has me smiling on a cold rainy morning in New England!

Blistering. Will elaborate.

I was at this concert. I was 15. I saw alot of dead shows from'82-'92, and I think this was the single greatest dead show of the entire '80's. Taken in the aesthetic context of how they sounded then, this show was a divine triumph. and believe me, it felt that way then, not just in retro-spect.

In my experience with Dead shows, they often tailored their sets to the venue, area or weather...and this is a prime example. We drove up to Cincinnati from Lexington,Ky, enjoying a beautiful sunny summer afternoon. Riverbend Ampitheater is set up so you can see the boats behind the stage and are looking across the river into Ky. 1st set the weather was perfect...then the storm clouds built up across the river. A torrential rain storm began during the break, with cloud to ground lightning strikes that made us wonder if the Dead would come back out at all. Of course, they did, during the hardest part of the rain for a scare the bejeezus out of you 2nd set. Enough has been said about the songs themselves, but the circumstances surrounding their performance is what stands out to me. I mean, when they sang "if I had my way, I would tear this whole building down" in Samson, they meant it! It seemed as if they were egging on the storm, daring it to do its worst...thundering drums echoing the actual thunder.And they wanted more. Smokestack Lightning during lightning...I mean come on!!!! Then Cryptical (REALLY?!?!) I remembered the Drums>Space as a frightening experience. WOW!!! You will be hard pressed to find a better show than this, in my opinion. Dick's Picks/Vault are you hearing me?

I saw both Alpine shows and the Blossom show - but have regretted skipping this one for years! Yeah Jerry's vocals are not the greatest, but still Iko, Smokestack, Cryptical, Come a Times ... I'm still crying....

Put this 2nd set with the first set from Blossom the next night and you'd really have something.

Another awesome show from June '85! Things get off to a hot start with Alabama Getaway>Greatest story that i filled with energy. A good sign of things to come. A standard They Love Each Other is followed by an excellent version of Minglewood that has some remarkable soloing from Garcia. The other highlight of the first set and possibly the brightest spot of the show is the set closing Let It Grow. This version is ferocious and possibly in the top five all time. It simply has to be heard to be believed.

The second set starts off with a very nice Iko that segues into a scorching Samson. Again Garcia is o fire and he nearly tears the building down. This is followed by a soulful rendition and a short but always welcome Smokestack. The biggest surprise of the event occurs when they bust out Cryptical, only the second time played since '72(the first being busted out on 6-15). The momentous occasion outweighs the actual performance of the song, which is very short lived before Drums comes along. The boys hint at Other one but instead go into a very nice version of Comes a Time which is always welcome. The Other One finally erupts out of Comes A Tie and it is a monster. This is primal Dead at it's best and sounds as if it could be from '69. Garcia is playing like a maniac. This is the highlight of the second set and shouldn't be missed. The jam flows into a short Cryptical reprise which in turn segues into a soulful Wharf Rat. Jerry's vocals aren't completely up to task but I've heard much worse. Three rockin numbers end the show.

I was born about 2 years too late as my first show was right around the corner (4-3-86) but man I wished I had done this whole Summer with the Dead.
Terrific Loser and Wharfrat. I love Comes A Time here but the one from Ventura 7-13-85 is by far the best ever period. Incredible put your head phones on and crank it.

Very strong performance. Nice remaster by Charlie. It starts of with the mix a little rough then turns into a crispy delight.

Just listening to Jerry singing Alabama brings back all the wildness this show was about. I feel truly blessed to be among the people who could really give a shit if jerry forgets the lyrics

Why does this sound like there is a TV on. You know that subtle TV sound of a TV when it's on (without volume)? It sounds like this in the recording, and I can't handle it. Good show otherwise.

Love Bobby's verse in iko iko, still can't figure out what he's singing

Sorry, this show was just OK with me. I had high expectations after reading the other reviews, but after all the mistakes and multiple blown lyrics there is no way that this is five star Dead. Otherwise, five stars for the soundboard recording. You can almost hear the conversations between songs teasing each other about what they did wrong.

Again, sorry to those who were there and had a great time. Still beats the 90's by a long shot.

One of the last of the great shows.

Is there a subsequent GSET that comes close to this one? No there isn't.

And I'm all over Healy's manipulations of the vocals. The guy was a genius.

...great second set. among other things comes a time and wharf rat are pathos filled beauties.

Wow, this is a great show. I'm more of a 70s guy myself, but this show really smokes. First off, the sound quality is superb. Jerry and Brent are absolutely locked in and synched up. The Albama Getaway and Samson & Delilah that open the show are fast and energetic.

The first set is good but the second set is on fire! Jerry starts tugging on the heart strings with a wrenching version of He's Gone, leading in to a sick Drums and Space, which I'm not normally a fan of, but there are some really cool forest sounds and animal chirps--trust me, the Space sounds absolutely pre-historic. This leads in to an awesome Other/Encryptical jam and then a killer Wharf Rat with Jer-Bear singing his fat little heart out.

All I can say is, get this show.

WOW, THE GRATEFUL DEAD, JERRY GARCIA BAND, RATDOG AND PHIL AND FRIENDS, THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST "COMES A TIME" YOU WILL HEAR , THERE ARE A FEW OTHER'S THAT COME TO MIND BUT BETWEEN THIS SONG AND THE SETLIST AND THE SOUND QUALITY OF THE SHOW, THIS TO ME MAKES THIS THE BEST VERSION AROUND , SO MANY WONDERING NIGHTS WITH THE BOY'S PLAYING IN THE BACK GROUND WHEN YOU FEEL SO LOST IN THIS LIFE AND YOUR QUESTIONING EVERYTHING THAT THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER AND THE GREAT MEANING OF ALL THIS LIFE AND YOU JUST DONT SEE THE POINT IN NOTHING ANYMORE AND THEN YOU HEAR THE GRATEFUL DEAD IN ALL THERE GLORY SING THIS SONG, ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW, WOW, WOW !!! I FOUND I GOT AN EMPTY CUP THAT ONLY LOVE CAN FILL, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER LEARNED THIS IF IT WASN'T FOR THE BOY'S AND FOR THAT I AM FOREVER IN DEBT TO THE BOY'S, THE WAY OF LIFE THEY MADE FOR US AND THE CONTINUING LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT STILL AMAZES ME TO THIS DAY, THAT I CAN PUT ON A SONG AND HEAR EVERYTHING A DIFFERENT WAY AND IT ALL MAKES SENSE AGIAN!! HAHAHA GOTTA LOVE THE BOY'S!! MISS YA JERRY, TAKE CARE OF MY BRO UNTIL I GET THERE FOR THE REAL PEACE!!! I NOW HAVE ABOUT 8TB OF GRATEFUL DEAD AND OTHER JAM BANDS AND THIS IS STILL BY FAR THE BEST COMES A TIME!!!

ANYONE EVER HEARD OF A VIDEO OF THIS SHOW PLEASE CONTACT ME AT THIS WEB ADDRESS

GRATEFULDEAD2778 AT YAHOOCOM

this WAS a kick ass show ! great spirit, strong playin, truly epic second set, thunder, crazy skies, the river, thats it for the other one...

I have heard Uncle John's Band, Playing In The Band and U.S. Blues a dozen times, in different shows, in the past two weeks listening to GD shows from off the Archives.org.

These songs finally grabbed my attention and I realized I was wrong about my previous apprehension.To dig. Them. But...

What a hideously sick and raunchy version of USB this is. Sloppy>mistakes>galore>ignore>brilliance. All that change all that fast. A presence that follows you around and gives you chase to rhythm.

The P.A. twinges during this show are Mr. Healy using the "effects" on vocals which eventually got him fired. I remained cloven-hoofed on this one, for I enjoyed Healy's colorizations on the vocals, yet I know it disturbed a lot of listeners.

However, I have not heard many of the shows of the 80's. Maybe Healy's histrionics wore thin fast. I don't know. Sounds like a possibility ~ if you have logged 400 plus shows during this time.

Frankly, 1985 is new territory for old Dead Heads like me.
And frankly, I surely do love what I hear.

I donate $25.00 to this organization on an annual basis. I encourage you to think it through and then to donate to keep the Archives.org up and running.

Thank you Archives.org. I am not ashamed to ask others to support you financially.

This is a really good and positive thing.

EPIC, EXPLOSIVE, GODDAMN MASTERPIECE OF MUSICAL EXPRESSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These reviewers below are correct--this one is for the Vaults!!!! Alabama-get-it-going and she just don't stop!!! WHOA NELLY!!!!

I love the archive for this. One of many great times on this tour. 85 was possibly the last year I really felt the vibe. After that I caught shows and toured a bit, but this was kind of my last monster tour. This show stands out as particularly ripping and emotional. Lost in America. God bless.

This is an excellent recording of perhaps the best overall show of the tour - from the opening alabama to the set closing loser>let it grow - the playing is exceptional and the second set is even better with a great iko and a seamless transition out of smokestack into cryptical - the wharf rat is one of the best I've heard - well worth the download.

I'd seen the dead 12 times before this show but i'd never walked away from a show so speechless and awestruck. my buddy and i had driven from the alpine shows and were struck dumb afterwards -- it was all we could do to just muster up a "wow" or "holy shit". can't recommend this more highly. comes a time simply garcia's vocals at their most exquisitely expressive.
mike lee - chicago

A good 80's show. I was delighted to hear Cryptical Envelopement but bummed that Cryptical Envelopement is screwed up in the streaming audio. Still worth listening to. Let it grow is very good.

The echo on their PA system is screwy but it doesn't interfere with the show.

Drums..Unforgetable 'Space' ala acid tests. Jerrys Oriental jam out of Space is as good as it gets. The whole show is dark,dripping like a candle. Sounds like an opium den would look. The sound has a strange cartoon like feel..tasty..yum yum!!

This whole week was crazy, wish I was there to experience it. Great Sound-Was Healy out sick?
5 Bears all around.

This was one of the first tapes I got of the Dead, and the first of 1985. We deadheads spend a lot of time trying to figure out why we love 1985. I still am not sure why, though it may have something to do with the Cryptical breakout that year, the soul-filled He's Gones', and the energy levels. To borrow a phrase from someone else, I have an irrational fondness for summer tour 1985. Fun, fun shows...warts and all.

I love this show. This is one of the greatest examples of what The Grateful Dead are all about. Just one hell of an amazing sounds and awesome jams. The best versions of both Good Loving and US Blues I've ever heard!!! 5 STARS A+++

This show has always been a standout fav for me...I wore this tape out when I got blessed with it. Jazzed to find it here, sounds great. I can hear the Dancing skeletons In the awesome IkO brew. Brent is on fire! From Aiko on, the music just flows like magic. Just listen to the Sampson intro, and you can see there is some fine explosive chemistry happening this night, keep listening, it does'nt tire. A unique GD show. Ding Dang! Grateful Dead!

This was the first show I ÃÂÃÂgotÃÂÃÂ the Grateful Dead, so it holds a very special place for me. Got on the bus, hitched up to Cleveland for the next one. It is '85, and Jerry sings better than most nights that year. He is playing was pretty on, the band had strong energy all around. The HeÃÂÃÂs Gone, The Other One (Including 2 Cryptical Envelopment segments), and Good LovinÃÂÃÂ are the high moments from tape. My personal memories were of everything dissolving during Drums & Space, and Jerry bringing it all back together in that special way only he could during Comes A Time. Still brings shivers down my back! I do think the Chula Vista Comes A Time is tastier.

ItÃÂÃÂs a strong show for the time, and BobbyÃÂÃÂs ÃÂÃÂterrorist rap during Good LovinÃÂÃÂ is especially appropriate in these times.

IMHO, this was not the worst show ever, by a long stetch. There were better and much worse in the days to come. IÃÂÃÂd say the GarciaÃÂÃÂs last few shows before his coma and again before the end make him sound very vibrant and young in this high point of 1985, a manic moment in a bipolar year for the Dead.

I rate it 4 tabs.

Playing They love each other was probably not the best choice, but the rest of the show is great. Cant convey how much I love cryptical envelopment, so glad they revived it.

i was at the merriweather shows from this run, and i just listened to this show... it is killer.

despite the fact that jerry literally remembers about a quarter of the words of TLEO (painful), the sound is awesome and the playing thru the whole show is really tight and inspired.

post-space is absolutely great... super strong vocals from jerry... the comes a time is really powerful, and the rest of the set is on fire.

if you dig the 85 sound, this is a GREAT night!!

In general, I know little of '85 and I place considerable weight on the quality of the reproduction.

Rolling the Dead's work and the archive's wonderfully vast material through Audio Research components and Thiel's on the front-end tends to reveal impoverished sources and low-brow mastering.

(Ever disappointing are those in the community that mistake overindulged tail ends for quality sound. I wish I had access to these people. I would consider it charity work to introduce them to the subtlety, balance, and integration of superior reproductionÃÂÃÂboth source and system. Or, perhaps, a step in the direction of medical work to diagnose damaged or deficient hearing.)

Nonetheless, it strikes me that you donÃÂÃÂt need to know much about ÃÂÃÂ85 to know that this night turned out about as best as could be imagined. WhatÃÂÃÂs more, itÃÂÃÂs not a final recording thatÃÂÃÂs ideal by any means, nor, at my guess, is the mastering--too much herky-jerky. However, thatÃÂÃÂs not entirely fair given my speculation as to what the source offered. BUT, you wonÃÂÃÂt find the machines or their users short of the capturing magic (unless your system is the corrupting influence). Makes me long for the days of recyclables and tv screens. This show captures a glance and with or without a finer sampling of your vice, promises to make it a dance.

It will reward your attention.

I know a lot of people have reviewed this show but this one is just too good not to throw my two cents in!

This show, of course, features two of the recent bust-outs in Cryptical and Comes A Time, as well as (in my mind) the archetype Aiko as well as a scorchin' Samson and soul-tingling, deep He's Gone. But this show shines in places you'd least expect it - check out the Loser (Garica's lead just weeps for that poor bastard) and the, oh my god, Let It Grow. Garcia is doing his best Al DiMeola during Let It Grow. Seriously, Garcia's guitar on this one is spectacular. Jaw-dropping good! One of the first clues that this is one for the ages is the Minglewood (of all things), which they wring out with all their might.

Man, this is such a good show! One of the astonishingly good aspects of this night is Bob and Jerry's interplay. As amazing as Jerry is on this one, Bob is on the top of his game. His slide work on Samson (which you can really hear on this recording) is incredible. He's practically co-soloing with Garcia on the He's Gone and then pulls out the best Smokestack I have ever heard. Plus, the R&R blasts into my favorite post-Pig Pen Good Lovin' ever. For all the times Bobby's Good Lovin' or Lovelight rappin' left people scratching their head, this one he nails. This show just drips with energy and I never get tired of listening to it. "Push back, push back the night - that's right!"

This was my first show. I feel like I've seen some good shows in the subsequent 10 years, but this might be my favorite.

Back in the day, I had some great audiences of this night but this is the best recording I've heard!


This is worth 5 stars.

This show kicks ass, Jerry hitting on all cylinders here, best Loser & Comes A Time I've heard. A must have for any head especially those a fan of summer tour '85

smokin show great sound,great alabama getaway to start the show,along with everything else already mentioned

Ditto what all the others have said. This is a definitive second set. Jerry has some of the most passionate singing I have heard from him. He's Gone is THE version of this song- somewhat upbeat with great vocals- and that funky feedback type stuff at the end of the song that sounds so good.

The Cryptical/Other One is EPIC EPIC!. Last third of Space has a nice little "Other One" tease that magically transforms into Comes A Time, again one of the best versions ever. Short Other One followed by the Crptical follow-up, closed off by a not bad Wharf Rat. Bobby brings it all back home with around and Good Lovin!

Can't find anything to complain about here!

If you have trepidation about anything later than '77, open up to this show and you may begin to understand the jazzed-out technical brilliance that is the Latter-Day Dead...the Cryptical alone is to die for...too bad the discs don't split up more nicely...perfect sound, killer setlist, jaw-dropping performance...yeah, it's worth the download.

If i remember correctly there was an amusement park with a water slide and wave pool adjacent to the areana. We had a great time during the day going down the water slide and hangin' in the lot. this was back when the lot scene was mellow and very cool just to hang. This was before the onslaught of nitrous too. There was however plenty of good 'L' to be had and many pertook (sp?). We got into the place during daylight. The place was like a mini Alpine with about 1/3 the lawn...not too big, not too small.
The 1st set was great. I remember a steamboat going past on the river which was just behind the stage. Hence the name River Bend. The Let it Grow was insane.
This was the 25th anniversay tour so they had the killer backdrop of the skeliton w/a gun (i think??. they had also broken out 'Cryptical' 3 shows earlier at the Greeks and then skipped it at Alpine. So there was a buzz in the air! We got the whole thing: Cryptical>drumz>space>comes a time> the other one>cryptical!!!! I was in ecstacy! Comes a time was rare for me back then too. I recall boogying my ass off & making friends with an usher who was having a great 'ol time watching us psychodelic dancers> This night the boyz were into their 'play it soft, play it psychodelic' mode and the drumz>space was creepy & scary!!
To me this show is a trip back to a more innocent time when all that mattered was getting to the next show! ENJOY!

That's all you need to know. Top form on this version, and the set list speaks for itself.

This show kicks ass... Smokes from begining to end... for the era at least... Thanks to Charlie Miller for all of these remasters! Keep em coming Charlie.
Craig in SF

Yes! This is the sbd recording of this show I've been searching for. I had a mildly hissy cassette copy which never got air time. Now I can listen to this great summer '85 show with pristine sonic clarity. Thanks Archive contributors!!!

Finally a nice and crisp SBD of a smokin hot show. this show is a must for any deadhead