you all think you have such tight ears or flaming memories, but how many of you hear that the R and L channels are switched, like SO many tapes....

I treat the stories like the shows; some are classics, and some are best skipped over.

That being said, this particular story was a veritable Boreal Ridge.

Another fairly decent recording from a giant indoor arena. Totally enjoyable show, especially if you were there. I personally fancy the CM board though.
As for the clowns with the bitterness...nobody made any official guide lines for Dead fans to use in regard to these shows. It seems a lot better to hear of the great times of the people who had a memorable time at the show than to have to put up with negative and put-down criticism by a couple of wanna-be cool-sters.

I agree with most of what folks posted in this. I think for the most part this show is scattered and enormously inconsistent. The tape needs adjustment, you can hear notes wax and wane because of the tape.

That said, I am most normally silent in writing reviews- b/c I just don't know enough and lots of folks write about things I am ignorant (not dumb- but un-knowledgeable about).

All that said, I am appalled by Cnick and Mcgee to even attempt to dictate what a writer should and should not write about here. I mean, what put them above anyone or anything. Didn't they ever figure out what it was to be a dead head- before getting down into the absurdity of figuring out ohms, notes, etc. I imagine both of the folks shaking their head when anyone fell off note- even if the VIBE was really hot.

Peace out.

Good recording of a decent show. Sort of slow and methodical thru the 1st set. Loser is good, but they missed the jump during the jam.

Agree w/ McGee, it's about the band. Stories are fer Deadnet and who needs wannabe rockstar guffaw anyhow.

Speak for yourself, Bobby McGee.....there is no hard and fast "rule" in regards to the review pages....the dopey stories are quite an funny and intimate window into what else was occuring for those meager few hours of magic that were Dead shows. Light one up and lighten up, my friend.

We dont care about your acid trips or your dopey memories.

How bout a review of the SHOW.

Thats why its called "Review Board"

Had a blast, the scene was over the top. I invisioned it to be a mellow cali scene coming fronm Chicago and I couldn't of been more
wrong. The place was busting at that seems. I I did some real clean liquid right before going in and I was so high on a psychedelic trip it was crazy. Before the band came out I was talking to a couple of pretty hot chics. We started talking guessing what the boys were gonna open with I guessed Hell in a bucket and they guessed like Truckin and Touch of Grey even with those guesses and there brand new dyes I didnt realize this was there first show. When Hey Pockey Way opened, one of the girls asked me if my guess was right?
We all had a blast grooving together and will never forget it.

1st Set: Droning wavering sound as if it's a record whose juices are running out of fuel, dominate my thoughts during an otherwise generically upbeat "Hey Pocky." "Jack" is pretty bare-bones with forgotten lyrics...they pick it up halfway through (percussion) but nothing better than standard as the jam leading the way doesn't tell any identifiable story, nor does it escalate all that cleanly. "Loser" is the right call but someone forgot to plug the electricity in the boys' performances. We're already feeling low because of the previous tune, allowing the beat of "Walkin" easily transfer to our hip and loins. Add Bobby's flirty bluesy growls and it's the first above-average tune of the night. Debut time...a song that grew to perhaps be Brent's most beloved GD creation, "Just a Little Light." Combining the menace of past songs like 'Gentleman' with a pointed haunted lyric. Obviously, they're learning how to play this tune...so it feels fetal. Hopefully the crowd can sense that greatness will be extracted from this tune someday. Jerry follows up with a longing, simply told "Standing." A mild-mannered, dull (straight-line) "Memphis" follows. The crowd approves of the "Bird" that takes flight. Unfortunately, its course is disorienting and ruminative instead of shining a spotlight on a particular feeling or idea.

2nd Set: Minor thumpings and kinda goofy butt-shakes epitomize the "Drums." Within a couple of minutes, Brent adds some nice hushed Hammond flourishes. The band one by one comes back in unorganized fashion not really creating a structure so that the first words of "Iko" are memorable. Instead it's a consistent laid back 11 1/2 calypso groove that finally gets firmer within its last thirty seconds. An odd amount of "Victim" tuning develops into a marching intro that sets the stage for a deliberate rendition. More new stuff, ehhh... it's not as if they're performing a noteworthy show though...so might as well play a lost little number like "We Can Run." Eh, "UJB" strings along but wisps away from memory like smoke. "Drums" is semi-ear-splitting but more importantly, it feels foreign. "Space" continues the trek through extraterrestrial locales. Nothing too frightening however as "The Wheel" is next. It doesn't rock or groove but it's a floating version as if Brent's synths are the controlling puppet strings from above. "Throwing" is soberly expressed but not dynamic music. Wow, "Foolish" felt perfectly comfortable after...it segued very nicely. In fact it may be the best song of this middling show... full of heart. And what could be more important than a declaration of "Good Lovin" after our choices lead to melancholy heartache. What we all need. Thankfully, it's not as ineffectual as some of the choices tonight.

A convincingly mournful "Knockin" closes. "Thank y'all...good night." (Bobby, in the distance)

2 3/4 stars

It's funny how things sound different. The sound coming through my Luxman and Polk Audio's sound almost perfect. I tend to gravitate towards recordings that sound thick,warm and punchy.Hey Pockey starts off laidback with each note and beat well defined. I have the treble increased to it's max.Tape speed needs to be adjusted I agree.The band sounds new-age and modern.an extention from a sound that dominated the Dec. Oakland 88 shows.There is a sadness from these shows, maybe it's the winter weather.Icy landscapes.If the speed is corrected it could be one of the finer sounding shows from 1989.Not a high energy show, I like that dark aura,it sounds like it's melting.Walkin blues howls at the moon.I didnt even recognize Just a little light, it's sounds so sci-fi.The paintbrushes are splashing all over the place during Bird Song jam, too bad it's not longer.Energy increases during Iko,it has an odd beat.This Victim is REAL different.Very short little jam in a minor key after Uncle John's.Mickey goes completly nuts for a short but Earth riviting space, then Jer and Bob hop on stage with Phil joining shortly after. Bobs guitar tone is really cool during the whole show.Weird crystal swirling bells like sound at the end of Wheel aka 4/11/87 Chicago/Space.Anybody know what rak mount unit that is or pedal?Could be a healey feed into Brent's keyboards.Bobby commands a chamber orchestra during Foolish but the rest of the boys struggle to keep up.If the speed is fixed this show has 4.5 sound quality at least.As for performance, there are many 4's, a few 3's and several 2's.It's hard to say. wait for speed to be fixed and download this one.

This show is excellent except this source is slow and needs some pitch work. Paging Charlie Miller, Paging Charlie Miller... Charlie, where the hell are you when we need you!!!!!! Can anyone remedy this? My rating is for the show and not quality on tape.
Thanks.
Craig in SF CA.

C'mon Bobby, you've been singing this song for how long and you forget the words? haha..I think Bob had a lil' too much before he went on stage...However, I think that must have been Jerry's amount because Jerry's lyrics are ON and he is into it...Just listen to his voice on Loser.good stuff there...Then the first A Little Light which, one can tell, holds a ton of future potential to go exploring into. It's rough, but magnificent to listen to it and hear how it evolves over the next couple years...I always really like "A Little Light."...very powerful words. It was one of Brent's many troubled, darker songs that exposed him for human. I printed up 100 shirts after he died in honor of him and sold them on tour...Does anyone have one? 5 stars for the sound, the first A little Light, and a first set SOTM. :)