Really nice show, and this sweet AUD recording is so much better than a sterile SBD. Love feeling like I’m right there in front of the stage with all my friends, Bro behind me just nailed the China Cat shout out request to kick off a smoking second set!

I had this show on cassette around 1991, but the sound quality was built in handheld cassette. Cool to find it again with a way better sound. I went to college there beginning in '89, and by then they were playing arena and stadium shows of which I caught a few(~)};

Given that they played here two years in a row and then never again, I'm guessing the impresarios graduated. This isn't one of the tour's top shows but as usual for May '80 there are fine highlights.

First Set. Both this Alabama and the next night's were left off the official release, as was this worthy Greatest Story. But Peggy-O is where the set takes off. The next few are arrant X. The way Bobby and Jer play off each other - especially in Big River - is money. Loser is perfection. I love it when Jer gave this tone to Far From Me, backing Brent and adding all he could. The rest is average '80 with a sluggish and loose, but still dynamic, Althea; and a deceptive, well-played, but somehow still lifeless Sailor>Saint.

Second Set. There's a brief In My Life tuning, then Take a Step Back with an English Country Garden tuning. The start is average fare, with things gelling at the jam for He's Gone. Note: this is the only Stranger into a He's Gone. A fine, pre-Drums The Other One is the set peak. On the official release Drums has two edits: a 15sec cut @1:12 & a 26sec cut 3:06. The rest has few sparks though Phil is great in Wharf Rat. The double Berries are rough - and would be even without Bobby's Daltrey. The encore offers a truce.

1st Set:  B-
2nd Set: C
Overall = 3 stars

Highlights:
Me & My Uncle - guitar interplay is great here
Big River - and here
Loser - Jer perfecting Hunter's tale

SOURCES: The senn_kaplan_6691 is the best, clearly. It runs just a hair slow (needs +0.75%). Unfortunately it has the tunings at the beginning of each track, as well as a 37sec cut in Drums. Most AUDs run fast; the best for complete Drums is the morris-patch_111027. Road Trips v3n4 has all but four songs (though a partial Drums). However it was mastered at the wrong speed and runs very slow, needing +2.75% pitch adjustment. It also has the channels reversed. The SBD is not in circ - apparently the extra three songs plus a partial Brokedown are in the vault.

just realizing now how great this show and next at cornell were -- as someone said: bookends.

i was at cornell but missed this show at u-penn and second set of this show my fav of the four total sets, all of which are killer.

other one and wharf rat jst blew me away here.

also as someone commented: outstanding quality aud that 'puts you right there'

thx rob eaton for this gem

Such a good show. Indefinitely my favorite Lost/Saint. Bob is off the hook.

Recording is 5/5 in my opinion. Classic cassette sound you're lookin for.

This review is specific to the show, not this recording. I listened to the sbd.

This is the most exciting show of Brent's tenure to this point. Better even than the top Fall '79 outings. You really need to give this a spin.

It's not so much that there are spectacular highlights to draw you in. It's the whole package, and the vibe. Everyone in the band is listening to one another. No one's in a hurry. They are playing like it really matters and the results are magical.

Chronologically speaking, probably my favorite show since 1/22/78.

a quality audience recording...band is upbeat and pretty tight....download it

just when you think they cant go higher they hit another gear...amazing

This is a great recording of a seriously well executed show. All instruments well represented and everybody is contributing. Put on your Grados and enjoy this from start to finish.

Missed this by six years and it's too dang bad. First off, this is another jaw-dropping audience recording by Rob Eaton that will make even hardcore boardheads put their SBD recordings in the trash bin. This is the type of show, particularly the 2nd set, that if it were more widely available during the 80's and 90's would have surely been recognized as a classic of the era.

1st set highlights include an absolutely fiery Big River. There is a downright daring Loser with Garcia bending notes and taking chances on his solo. It's that wonderful thing where he seems trapped in a musical figure but miraculously escapes and just shines. Althea is typically great for the era. Lazy Lightning>Supplication is also impressive with a very strong ending jam in Supplication.

The second set is terrific. China-Rider is in no hurry and the Rider is particularly strong. Stranger has an unusual instrumental part that has the ending jam coming first and then gradually dissolves into a great transition into He's Gone. The wonderful ending jam of He's Gone with Phil leading the way leads into a happy and energetic Other One. There is an audience clap-a-long part and a trippy Hammond B-3 solo in TOO before Jerry comes roaring in before Drums.

The post-drums section is short but blazing. The jam out of the "I'll get up and fly away" part of Wharf Rat is searing. Brokedown warmly concludes the show and has a dripping mercury-like solo from Garcia that has great tone and sonic clarity. Brent's insrtumental and vocal contribution overall is fantastic, Phil is ON, Bobby is not showing off and the drummers are in the pocket all night. And Garcia? Well, I'll let y'all decide, but I say "Oh Lawdy!". All of this is brought to life by the exquisite recording by Mr. Eaton. I urge all readers to seek out his audience recordings which are uniformly excellent and capture the room, the audience and the band in their individual best light.

While the new tunes (at that time)like Althea, Lost Saint, Stranger and others were good. It got real boring to see these almost everynight from '79-80. Although these were some of my first years seeing The Dead I was bored on the third night of a three night run to see these tunes for the second, or in Lost saint's case the third, time! Not that I am complaining...I wish I could go back to those shows now!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

partying at my friends mobile home before. standing on folding chairs the whole evening. I know you rider was the best I ever heard. what a cosmic evening. looked for a tape for years. thought I would never hear it again. you still alive Zuk?

Wow, this is some recording. Fantastic upfront sound and presence. Strong highs and mids.

Why would you want an SBD with this out there?

If he wasn't then he missed a 1980 gem (top 5-10 perhaps?). Reviewers below have hit on the 2nd set gems. I will simply add that an explosive Big River, as well as great versions Althea and--dare I say it?--Sailor > Saint, among others, are 1st set highlights. Can't rave enough about the excellent sound quality of the recording!!

I was there. Even better party at a farmhouse out in the woods afterwards, back when everybody knew everyone else on the road.

Check out the crescendo during the last minute of The Other One, it sounds like they almost are ready to go back into Cryptical, but that is still a few years away. Minus 1 star for no SBD.

Great show.. Phil drops bombs all over this one. Like everyone is saying He's Gone > Other one, are highlights, but Stranger is really is nice too...
Thanks to all that brought this...

I caught some of this on the Sirius/XM Dead station last night. One of the more intense post-hiatus versions... totally nuts. Gonna have to download this one.

My Dad is a Deadhead, having seen the band live many, MANY times from his first show in '79 to his last in '95. This here is his 2nd Dead show ever, and, man, what a doozy!

I thank anyone who helped record this show, and get it on archive. I thank archive especially for allowing me to relive my Dad's Dead experience as closely as I can!

- delaney
* You might be dead Jerry, but you're spirit lives in us all!

Luvverly stuff. He's Gone is so often a snoozer
for me, but this one sparkles and glints, moving
along at a far brisker pace than normal with
atypical bright tones.
Phil uses an unusually gruff, fat tone throughout
and Bob revels in his fine voicings (note how he repeats several lines over and over again in Rider, obviously pleased at his rendering)

A bit nostalgic about this one. I was a sophomore at Penn State and the school year was winding down. Finals were upon us and the Dead provided the perfect break. The crowd was definitely into it and it sure seemed like the band was too.

It was a solid show overall. The China/Rider is great albeit relatively short. Loved Peggy-O too.

KUDOS to the taper! It is an outstanding quality AUD. Rec Hall was an old college gym even then, 27+ years ago, but the sound on this recording is terrific.

- Ron from Desolation Row -

It sounded like the band wanted to drift from He's Gone into the Drums but the crowd kept them going. The band stuck 'round for anOther one before the drums. This was a great week thru to and including Nassau.

the quality of this AUD is awesome and the front end of the second set is totally fantastic!! stranger > he's gone > other one is an ass whoopin 35 minute block of the new and old. snap this one up now!

Good first set pretty typical of the arista years pretty tight but not as good as the shows a week or so later at nassau or hartford but good quality audience and sounded fun..... Good he's gone>other one overall '80 was not a year of superlatives however this does rate...

This source rocks...barbella is a god!!