It was nice to be 21 years old, thin as a rail, and running every day. I was built for this kind of weather back then. Now, well, I might not even bother with the Deer Creek Phish shows this year if it's going to be that hot. Risking my health and very life isn't my idea of a good time. It was 104 when Bruce Hornsby and the Range took the stage to open. What grass remained on the lawn was brown, and there was no shade anywhere you could see the stage.

Still, it was a good time, and the first set was actually quite strong. Feel Like a Stranger is well-jammed, though, Bob seems lost at times, not even playing. No matter, Jerry, Brent, and Phil have the melodic and harmonic space well covered. Franklin's was always welcome in the first set, though this one is short and rather laid back. More like a 78 Franklin's. Box of Rain was appreciated, and so would have been actual rain, but none was coming; this was the middle of one of the worst droughts ever to hit the Eastern half of the US.

Sugaree brought Bruce to the stage, and he took a while to find himself on accordion. The song was nice but a bit laid back for my tastes. Memphis Blues came off much better overall, and Bruce shined on his solo. Next was West LA, not my favorite but well played. Cassidy jammed pretty fiercely. Jerry and Bob out of sync? Not really. Jerry did hit the G# while Bob was still playing (I think) an A with a flat 5. A verse later, they're all on the G# minor chord heading for the finish. Deal closes the set in rousing fashion.

After such a strong first set, the Dead seemed to be begging our indulgence while they tried out three new tunes in a row on us. None of them were fully formed yet. Victim especially was just weird, like, is there a melody here? Jerry was clearly not yet comfortable jamming over the chromatic changes, and the song petered out quickly. Blow Away sounded strong, like a potential show-stopper. Foolish Heart was the best of the three, an easy-to-hear tune like an early Touch of Gray but perhaps with more jamming potential. Having laid out the new songs, the Dead went with the tried and true for the rest of the show.

After the show, the cops were rousting everybody off the lawn to squeeze through the narrow gates that let people into and out of the venue. I was with two of my brothers, and one got into it with one of them saying, "You guys just want to spoil everyone's good time." He answered, "Yeah, we do. We're mean, ignorant people." Ohio cops.

Another brother and I skipped the long wait to get out and slept out in the parking lot; it was quite comfortable, a little cool, actually. The lot had green grass -- they must have watered it regularly. Good thing. My other brother's friend died a few years earlier when he went to sleep with the engine running, and the fumes ignited the grass beneath his car that had dried out during a drought.

We lit out of Ct Fri nite after a good friends wedding. We arrived mid morning and found our campsite. One of my buddy's was covered in poison ivy and it was very hot and humid. On to the show with Hornsby (accordion) sitting in for a few in the 1st set And then they ended the set with West LA Cassidy deal
The second set opened very strong and Then the 3rd ever foolish heart flowed into terrapin (The only time they ever did this seque). Still etched in my mind are the red lightning bolts during the other one. The next morning we started our engine for Pittsburgh

After partying for 6-7 days straight and catching the shows at Alpine, I was pretty spent for Buckeye. I remember Phil coming out and making some funny gestures. Honestly, the only thing that really stands out to me from this show is Jerry saying "we don't just let anyone sit in on accordion" when Hornsby joined them. Jerry speaks!!! Worth the price of admission, which couldn't have been more than $20 bucks. It was a good show to enjoy, sober, save for a few joints. I was 22 years old. The show was 32 years ago tonight!

Left at dawn from Toronto, around a dozen of us in three cars, I was unfortunate enough to be stuck in the '78 Monte Carlo with the overheating rad, to counteract we had to blast the heat for 6 hours until arrival.

I made it to all three Buckeye shows through the years and this was the only one when they did not clear the parking lots after the show, needless to say the party was raging all night long.

As to the show, it was standard 1988 fare, tight and short with little jamming but much, much better than anything else that was going on in 1988.

There is a new source here - http://www.archive.org/details/gd1988-06-25.senn421.zaleski-kolodjeski.ford.107387.flac16

I think you'll like it...

i was living in columbus back in 88 and the maintenance man where i worked told me "you really ought to check out the dead this weekend out at buckeye lake" and the rest is history any idea where i can locate the missing hornsby nugs?

I remember getting a flat on the way to this show, which doesn't say much about its' memory, or mine, or both. We were pretty beat from the melee in Minneapolis and Alpine. Phil is WAY OUT FRONT in this mix, which is cool for me. Next stop, another riot in Pittsburgh in this "over the gate in '88 tour". I had other priorities on this trip.

It seems there have always been very few sources of this show in circulation. Never seen a board. This was apparently many people's first show, including mine. 15 and and on summer break. Good times. My real indoctrination would come the following spring with the excellent 4/8/89 Cinci show. I love the Stranger > Franklin's start. Always reminds me of Dead Set which I listened to a ton at the time. It was fun to hear Hornsby play accordian on Sugaree and Memphis Blues and his contributions really add. The Dead always seem to step things up a notch when they have guests. Always liked West LA and this version doesn't disappoint. Cassidy contains the only real jam of the show. It shows real potential but Bob and Jerry are just not in synch. Still one of the better moments. Deal is an energetic closer to a solid first set. The most rockin song of the night for sure and probably Jerry's best leads. They must have spent themselves on this one, because the energy level in the second set is very low. Early versions of Victim, Blow Away (listed as "Baby Who's To Say" on my first tape of this show) and "Unto a Foolish Heart" to start the second set. I liked both Victim and Blow Away immediately and still do (stellar version of Blow Away at the aforementiond 4/8/89 show). Foolish Heart grew on me. These songs were clearly still pretty embryonic. Standard setlist the rest of the way - well played albeit very mellow. Terrapin is always a treat. Pretty tight version and the highlight of the show. The drummers are all over it and succesfully build the energy level up, only to bring it back down again in "drums." Let's be honest, with a few excptions drums/space was simply a second set break at this point in the band's career. Why it was often the loudest part of the show, I can't explain. The Other One would seem like a great way to bring things back up. But Phil was apparently allergic to the bass intro at this point. Bob starts the verse before the drummers even come in. Very short, spacy, psychedelic version with all sorts of vocal/keyboard effects. Jerry seems disinterested and immediately steers things to Wharf Rat. Solid, mellow version. Never builds up much steam. The boys sound tired. Jerry just can't seem to get a fire going and Bob is actualy *louder* than him in the mix. It gets so laid back the drummers actually stop playing at one point. Bob swoops in and builds things back to the last verse. Sensing nothing's doing, Bob suddenly crashes into Throwing Stones. Brent's all over this one helping to bring the energy level up a tad with some tasty licks. Not Fade Away is a much needed energy boost to end the set and you can hear the crowd is into it. Still, very very short. Heaven's Door is an appropriate set closer and well before it would become the dreaded ubiquitous encore for me. Average show overall, maybe a touch below. 3 stars may be a bit generous, round it up from 2 1/2 as its a decent sounding aud. Nothing spectacular, but no real gaffes either. Way too quiet for my personal taste but at least Bob was mixed at an appropriate level which really only happened at a few of the shows I saw (the 3/21-22/90 Hamilton shows probably being the best examples). A decent first show with a few nice moments.

I had friends who went to this show.... Came home with news reports of an awesome show...
have seen pics of the venue.... looks very Yasgur's Farmish... SWEET!!!! Wish I was there.
I have heard the stories of Englishtown NJ... same kind of setup, sans the boxcars. Never got to see the band in this type of locale. Just played this on my home stereo.... Very Good for an AUD.... Can go up angainst any SNDBD. 4 1/2 stars for quality.

who were those girls that i shared the halftime with
and what the hell was with all that

this was the craziest show i ever been to

it was my turn to find out?

How could this possibly have been 20 years ago? I must have teleported to 2008. At any rate this is a great sounding tape, and I'm grateful to have access to it. It was the hottest day on record at 104, and the boys sure cranked the heat up even higher. It still sounds plenty good to me. It was also the wierdest parking lot scene you could imagine. It truly was a nomadic tribe of jesters with the best food, trinkets and "goods" that you could ever ask for. I have always been happy to have any of the Dead shows on tape, cd or online...they've always provided me with a touchstone making it easier for me to remember what is really important to me...thanks for the memories.

This was a good summer for shows, both for the band and for me as a fan. I saw this show after catching 3 of the 4 shows at Alpine.

Those shows were very high energy, but this one did not quite compare. They played pretty well, with the first set being more interesting than the second. The Other One> Wharf Rat> Throwing Stones in the second set was played nine times in 1988, and I recall another Head making a droll comment about the sequence.

Regardless, it was a memorable show in the intensity of the elements. It was arid as hell! At the end of the show, I mooed with other fans as we left the grassy area.

As a kid (I was born in '62), I grew up in southeastern Indiana, and while the Dead got a respectable amount of radio play on the classic rock stations in Cincinnati (plus one of my friends owned American Beauty), I really didn't get much exposure to them until college. That was when I bought Terrapin Station. On 8-track. For $2 at a Columbia House warehouse sale (I spent about $200 that day). Soon thereafter, I was playing Terrapin in my college DJ radio slot.

So, six years later, and I am married, with one son and another on the way and living in Columbus, Ohio. I also had about 10 Dead tapes/albums by then. When I heard about this show, I knew I had to go. My younger brother was up for it, so we went.

That was a hot summer, and this day was particularly hot ... as others have noted, one of the hottest. My brother and I "bought" our first tie-dyes on the way in (my mother had made us some when we were kids), and after the show, ate our first falafel sandwiches. The Deadheads were really half of the show. I am sure it was at that show that I gained an incredible, deep-seated appreciation for lithe, beautiful dancing girls in summer dresses.

The afternoon heat, during Bruce Hornsby and the Range's show, almost had us passing out, but we kept getting "doused" by security folks with water bottles, and managed to survive the afternoon furnace. Glad they were there ... and ready.

As the blazing sun made its way across the sky towards the horizon, the Dead arrived in a helicopter and landed behind the stage. It was the only time I have seen a band arrive at a show in that way ...

I went on in life to get divorced, managed to see five more shows before Jerry died, made contributions to rec.music.gdead, dated a rich girl for a year who had seen the Dead 400 times (she was at this show), collected my fair share of the live shows (and the albums/CDs/cassettes) over the years, and have downloaded about 25 more shows from archive.org (including a representative portion of the 65-73 Dead).

But this show will always be a sentimental favorite. Buckeye Lake was an interesting venue (cattle corrals, crossing a highway, natural half-bowl valley, minus an eastern wall), and the heat had everyone hot, sweaty and scantily clad. You would think the heat would tap so much energy that no one would be in to this show, but that was not exactly the case. Once the Dead started playing, everyone tapped into the reserves and sang and danced for most of the next four hours.

Yes, this is not the Dead at their ultimate pinnacle, but it was a great time. The first set was fun, but the sun was so oppressive, I guess it was just a treat that they did not just mail it in.

The second set started with the relatively new songs, and while none of the three are on anyone's greatest hits list, if you listen with an openness, all three were "nice." Everything thereafter, including the Drums/Space kind of led up to what you can still hear on this recording ... a very large crowd (55,000+ as I recall) wanting their love for the music, this band, this evening ... to not fade away. It was an interesting "encore" because they left the stage and the crowd kept singing NFA until they returned. A crowd of smiles, smiles, smiles.

I saw them four more times at Buckeye Lake and once in Cleveland, but the heat of that day, the venue, the songs, the scene, the last 40 minutes or so, Brent's death within a couple of years, made it what it was ... a touching, inspiring, memorable event ...

There was a reason why they were at their peak of popularity and continuing to grow their fan base at a rapid rate in '88 ... they had their entire arsenal of songs, all that experience, and they gave performance after performance that captured the imaginations and spirits of their fans. Yes, the improvisational "magic" was not always overflowing, and this show was not overflowing with that sort of magic. After all, it was freakin' hot. But sometimes the magic was not just taking the music to new heights. Sometimes the magic was more like when you see a couple in their 70s holding hands and making goo-goo eyes at one another. Sometimes the magic is in the heart.

This show had that other kind of experiential magic, and that is very hard to capture on tape, because much of it comes from within.

I think this was the first time Hornsby played with the band; in any case he's on hand for some accordian during a few first set numbers. The first set was actually quite strong, with most every tune getting a focused, above average treatment ("Franklin's" is a little short). Then the second set started with three long, lumbering readings of some brand new (at the time) material. None of these tunes had really taken on any flavor yet("Foolish Heart" got better with time, "Blow Away" didn't, and while it matured some musically, "Victim"'s lyrics assured it would always sound stupid and preachy). That sort of took the wind out of things- the remainder of the show was very by-the-numbers, including a mail-in "Terrapin" and a sleepy "Other One". I've heard worse audience recordings from big outdoor venues like this, but this one still has way too much "500 yards away" feeling of separation to it. It would be great to see a soundboard of the first set emerge but I've never seen one in circualtion in the 18 years since the show.

I brokedown on the side of I-80 2 hours from the show. My radiator blew and covered my arm and chest with its contents. By the time I pulled into the lot the first blisters were appearing and the last thing on my mind was scoring a ticket. Next thing I know some Heads took me into a first aid tent and got someone to tend to me. When they finished wrapping me up like a half-baked mummy a nurse took my hand and led me into the show and told me to let the music do its work. Ok, corny as hell, but damn if I didn't forget the pain by the time Sugaree started up. I've never forgotten those people and what they did for me and I spent the next 3 1/2 years on tour trying to give it back to anyone who was hungry, broke or needed a ticket. Sometimes its more about what we bring to a show than the music itself that makes it memorable.

------ I might sound like a silly "Jimmy Carter era" dead head, but I loved this song from the first time I heard it [?] --- I am doing my self a favour; cassette streaming as many as I can find.-------- the insermental jam always, ALWAYS takes flight!!!

Hottest day of the year, eh?! Will that translate into an equally blistering show? BTW, where is Hebron, suburb of Cleveland?

1st Set: About three minutes of quite "Strange'r'" tuning... uh huh. 'it's gonna be a long long (what) afternoon' The music so far sounds eerily similiar to the night before....easily listenable, untroubling and each tune is not exactly all that different sounding than the next...unobjectionable but streamlined Dead. "Franklin's" abides by this philosophy...flows nicely and unoffensive. Despite a couple moments of crunchy build-up "Box" remains as innocuous as always. Cool accordian-boards from Brent, oops... that's the jam-scene's Brruuuuuuuce..., accenuate a nice-enough "Sugaree." This is the Dead perfect for your Labor Day weekend barbaque cookouts. That appeal continues during the decent "Memphis Blues." Possibly the tinny sound cuts down on the electrifying capivation found in other shows, but this "West LA" is just standard. Bobby is slightly too high in the mix during an otherwise active and increasingly entertaining "Cassidy." The set is terminated with a rollicking enjoyable "Deal."

2nd Set: 77 seconds of tuning and this show turns murky (as a few men yell out in approval over the second) "Victim." Is that someone booing the proceedings at 5:25? Not happy enough for ya kid? Man, I'd be up for dosin and listening to 30 minutes plus of this dank dark stuff. It fades away after 6 1/2 minutes making room for an equally long (2nd) "Blow Away." This ditty, another collaboration between the burdgeoning productive relationship between Barlow and Mydland outlines the increasingly distant marital situation between Brent and his wife. Not bad...but good time for a bathroom break...Looks like we've got ourselves a threesome folks, "Foolish" starts right up when 'Blow' ends. Like many early versions, it gets increasingly compelling as the minutes roll away. Wow, we're near some 'screamy' ladies, including one who offers a hello around 5:40. Brent provides an amazing piano roll at 6:30. "Terrapin" was rather predictable considering the last was night one at Alpine. Despite the pieces coming together during the climax at the late 7's, the first six minutes are rather underwhelming: drab and going through the motions. The outro is handled nicely and disseminates into 1000's of centipede appendages heading into "Drums." "Space" is intergalactic by mostly stressing conversations from remote instruments. Watching the drama unfold between two disparate planets that may, in a few decades, spell harm for the denizens of earth. That premonition makes the "TOO" that sneaks up us rather eerie and foreboding. If the band wasn't a different shell of what they were in the 60s and 70s they would have taken this vibe at least 15...Be it as it may, after 5 1/2 minutes we visit the oddly comforting (for the band) milieu of August West. It's very nice as the band has caught a glimpse of a more comphrehensive fuller-bodied performance...but Jerry's voice and the music never reach transcendation. "Throwing" has a keen gravitational pull and firm up-tempo sounds. "NFA" only provides 4 minutes of boogeying, but ends this show justly.

Tonight's encore is "Knockin." Concurrently, I'm chattin with a friend about a life wasted. I'm feeling a tinge of sadness hearing his story while listening to a resigned, tired yet elegaically beautiful version of "Knockin on Heaven's Door"

3 1/5 stars.

Hottest day of the calendar year! 104 degrees...almost a state record. Bruce Hornsby & Range opened. Good Stranger>Franklins opener. Hornsby on accordion for Sugaree>Memphis Blues. New tunes opened second set: Victim, Blow Away>Foolish. The band maintained good energy despite the heat.Solid show. I remember that garbage was being hauled to an area behind the stage and at the end of the show during NFA and Knockin' the flies were swarming around Jerry and landing on his face. He was visibly annoyed. After a 3 year absence from Buckeye Lake Music Center, different garbage storage arrangements were evident when they returned 6-9-91.

i remeber this show it was hot and dusty someone lit the field on fire with the leagal fireworks next to my motel always loved Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again 88 was a hot summer!

I saw this concert, my only greatfull dead concert I actually saw; sans the party in downtown atlanta in 89; I never saw that show, just enjoyed the atomosphere.

This was a smokin show. When Hornsby joined on the accordion, my mind was blown man. I also had a blast playing around the water spigots with everyone. I don't remember it being so hot, so it must mean that the "enhancer' that I took was working well! I remember having a blast, and we must have walked 500 miles while space played out. Very spacy effects, the sound guy had the rig dialed in perfectly, as the drums surrounded from all sides, even in this huge outdoor venue.

Glad to have been there

Drove south from Pepper Pike with Wolf in a Subaru w/o a/c...The heat put a strain on all systems, especially after the show was over and I had to go back to work. Hornsby was really wonderful, and the 1st set rocked. Might be worthwhile to snag a board of this show, if it ever becomes available.

And I mean from the heat outside, man it was dry and misrable. Me and my buddy drove from Wilmington, De on Friday night because we were sitting around on Friday night trying to figure out what to do that night and I had the bright idea to drive through the night to Buckeye Lake. We took a bunch of no-doze to keep us awake for the drive, as it turns out I took too many and didn't sleep for 4 days! So on no sleep and 115 degree heat and humidity we went into the show and had a good time, although I remeber at the time being a bit dissapointed with this show. It's great to look back on it now and to be able to enjoy a lot more than I did then

All true, Summer, '88 brutally hot, the great drought with the Dead High pressure parked over Hebron. Drove south from Detroit with my girlfriend and waved with delight to all the passing Deadheads on Interstate 70 cruising east from Wittenberg University Janet's alma mater..small town Ohio more like Mellencamp days than Dead years, but the forests leading to the stage field were packed with sleeping burnouts and dosed up sultries with sweat smiles gleaning. I'll take it and wish we'd stayed for the whole show 'cause it was a long tired drive home and the apartment a/c sure felt nice at 4 in the morning when we returned and showered and fell asleep wondering what the heck was that??

88 Summer tour was brutally hot. This show was a bitch to get to from Winchester VA on that Saturday morning. But it was worth the trip.

A fun first set. New tunes to open second set. Strong Terrapin and fun close. Huge benefit from ambiance of venue. Big head. Much fun.

Nice recording from a difficult place. Who was the beautiul girl dancing in the soundboard tent?>

Check the wheather report it was hot.
Parking lot very large.
Vending and camping everywhere.
Epic time in the parking lot.Bruce Hornsby opens the show in the Heat.Feel like a stranger once the band starts to play.Feeling/shock doesnt last long.Franklins Tower was a fun sing along.Box of rain appears early to try a cool down.Memphis Blues with Bruce.Sugaree with Bruce.Band informs us that not just anyone plays accordian with them.West LA fadeaway was familar.Cassidy was enjoyed from the back of a hill.Deal was accepted by all for dancing.Set break.Feeling like the cosmic goat,seemed like a long time.Victim of the crime starts off sounding weird,new,unfamaliar,scary,the dark side of the force.Brent sings Blow away,a song with the same modis operandi.Jerry follows with Foolish Heart.A familiar Terrapin Station finally came with the Drumspace.The Other One was very slow with nice bass parts,and the purple lights.Wharfrat came like I knew it would.Throwin Stones was user friendly as was the Not Fade Away.Band leaves stage.NFA chant still going.Band back on stage.NFA chant>Knockin in Heavens Door.{...you sing it}
Perfect 1st show,14 years old,with family and friends.Priceless.
Audience sound is nice for memory.
A clean board is also needed.

One more Saturday nite was waived this evening,which was rare[Deadbase][Thanks for taping.
Huge reward for any pictures.
Its also nice to read others ideas from this freakfest.
Bruce Hornsby 1st time w/ accordian

This is one of my very first shows I collected, yet up til now only had the second set. Early versions of all the Built to Last stuff to start the second part of the show and its nice to hear them all here. Terrapin through the Other One is incredible. Very standard ending for this era with Wharf Rat Throwin Stones and NFA to close but all well played. A beautiful Knockin to close it out. Check it out; it will grow on you.

Man, I was at this show and it was an awesome time. Bruce Hornsby on stage in the 1st set, in '88! As for the music the boys were on. It may not be your fave song list but still... The Throwing Stones is one of the funkier versions I've heard and the Sugaree smokes! The Knockin' encore is also great! A great show! As for whether or not you should copy it... let's just say that I only discovered this site 4 days ago and I've already burned 60-70 cds. I'm gonna take EVERYTHING that's as good a quality as this show along with a few levels below this. I mean everything. Thank the Grateful Dead for playin' it and thank whoever is in charge of The Archive for posting it! Best web site in the world!
Sorry 'bout the length, my first review.

Not a bad way to see your first show than in a huge field in the middle of Ohio! Especially when you are from South Carolina! The band was helicoptered in after Hornsby opened due to what was an all day traffic jam on the interstate.
It was a hot, hot day. Finally, just before the show was to start, a huge wind began to blow and clouds came overhead cooling everyone off. That set the stage for a cool show in a cool locale.
Hornsby plays accordion on Sugaree and Queen Jane. Very cool.
Sound quality is good. The show overall is not all that special, save the nice Sugaree, Box of Rain and Terrapin. Overall probably a 3 star night.
All I know is that I head Sugaree in my head for days afterwards, and it remains my favorite Dead song to this day!