just love the monster LLR>might as well 1st set closer. whole second set is spirited and inspired. jerry and bob really on this night...

an interesting russian lullaby jam before the other one. listen carefully.

First Dead show + first shrooms. The Big Daddy and I along with the rest of the gang bought our tix at face value walking from the car to the door. Place was about 2/3 full, no security to speak of, all which turned out to be good for my end since I didn't really so much "believe" in mushrooms per se or understand the quantities involved, so I just ate them all. Did anyone see the kid pass out in the middle of the crowd down at floor level? That was me--- and/or maybe a couple of my friends. Pretty much everyone but the Big Daddy in fact. Fortunately, I was surrounded by experienced professionals who's guidance assured me that I was going to be okay. And after a little time cooling off in the lobby corridor watching a freaking phenominal game of hacky-sack-- I mean just rivetting-- and a little time to sort some things out in mostly empty space of the seating up by the rafters of the Coliseum, I was. I'd hopped up and ran in just as they were launching into Alabama Getaway, way up front at stage right by Phil-- which was a lot more frenetic than I'd anticipated, so I eventually adjourned to the relative tranquility of the uppermost levels where there was plenty of room to spread out and generally reflect on whatever was necessary. Of course I wasn't alone up there on the high ground. About every 20 to 30 feet or so would be some other contemplative soul-- sorting through their own delimmas in the moment.

I'd figured pretty much everything out by the time "Might As Well" was coming along and in the spirit of the song I felt sort of prompted to descend back into the fray. I ran back into the Big Daddy at the end of the set break, and have honestly have been chasing the high of this China/Rider and the second set generally ever since.

I was 19 at the time and went back and told anyone who would listen how god almighty awesome the Grateful Dead live show was, --plus mushrooms to a lesser, more cautious degree-- and so opened the flood gates for the thronging hordes, instantly sold-out shows and armies of security that followed in my footsteps.

The Big Daddy and I were the beginning of the end for the old school Grateful Dead-- I know that now. I can remember the eyes and the faces looking back at me as I passed them by in the lobby corridor during the set break, and their expressions of what I know now to be bemused recognition of a kid was most definitely feeling the magic and no doubt, plus probably some of the more astute realizing that I harbingered the end of an era.

But I was there back when the shit was real and the living was easy one time---this time. And it was very, very good.

Drove from Tampa in a van with 5 friends listening to Reckoning the whole way... Wondering where they are now..USF radio had a GD radio hour back then and one of the guys ran the show. I think he owned the van. Anyway, drove to DC the day before and then back to Hampton. Picked up 2 Deadheads hitchiking on the Beltway who provided all of us with nice tiedye shirts. Arrived in the Hampton parking lot and the first people I saw were my friends from Connecticut..Couldnt miss the Chevy Citation with one wiper...Cooker and Fernald drinking wine....parking lot still had the old school feel before all the hype... As for the show..real nice opener..Alabama>Greatest..TLEO..great China>Rider and Wheel.. What a fun time we had ..Download this it's great...

hampton shows always kick ass. this is a great example. first set is very strong. funky TLEO, the Bottom is really killer. 85china riders&wharf rats are beyond reality. this whole tour is amazing. whole year. whole decade.

I was at this show and am a fan of China Rider. As for them doing it every opening night at Hampton, you are wrong. The very first year they ever appeared there they did not do it. That was '79. That year there was no encore. Does anybody think they know why?

I disagree with the previous reviewer and find this show to be a fine audience recording with Jerry's voice and first set song selection played with vigor. As good as you'll find for 1985. Drums are cut due to the tape flip and if I did it again, I'd put the encore on the end of disc 1 and have disc two in it's entirety.

Performance 2.5 recording 3, We left this show concerned over how Jerry performed as he was standing in a whole, listless and detatched,poor body language and just not into it,weakest show I had witnessed in awhile, we were never into the gossip although the deadhead network was noted for getting info (Tickets,shows,songs played etc...) from coast to cast within minutes (before the onslaught of e-mail, faxes and all) the word then was Jerry was not taking care of his self and the band was not too pleased over the deterioration in front of their eyes, we left concerned but loyal to the chord, they gave us a better show with the miraculous Richmond Run later that year.

Actually, Lesh69, you are the one who is "just flat wrong." They opened the second set of the first night with "China>Rider" in 1988 and closed the first set with it in '83. Both Deadbase and the taping compendium will verify this. Get your facts straight before getting accusatory with others. This is a marginal tape of a marginal show. I liked the next night a little better. Not as sloppy as some other shows during this period but nothing to get real excited about either.

I saw Hampton every year from '83-'89 and they oinly did China Cat twice, '85 and '86. Yoiur comment about them "always playing China - Rider on opening night in Hampton" is just flat wrong. Good show, great tour.

I called the first 4 songs of the set 2. But then again the opening show at Hampton seemed to always have the china cat> rider opening. This was a real good show. I always liked alabama to open and the first set had some spirit in the song selection as well as good execution. The second set was very well played and is very solid although not not that exciting song selection-wise. Again with the rain at Hampton and the enevitable tour ick that you would get but a very nice show.