JPotts and Jon Pasternak I was also there with you (along with Dana, Fernando and my buddy Al). Loved this first night. I'll never forget the girl in front of me saying "nothing but space" when the show was done - she was so right - freakin' Playin > Terrapin.... As previous reviewer noted, perhaps not the best recording, but I will always hang with JPotts and Pasternak - original buds. BUT, the next night, holy shit!

No promoter had been able to synch the Dead with Red Rocks since '79 (which was a single show), with the 7 previous Colo shows being in Denver & Boulder. This starts the third Red Rocks run of seven ('78 had 4 shows in a row, with a 7-week gap between 2nd/3rd shows). This also starts 4 annual 3-day runs (would have been 6 but '86 had a "small issue"). This first set is well-regarded (particularly the China>Rider) and the second set has a fine sequence; altogether much better than the previous show in Boulder (with the drunken Bob). It's sometimes cited as one of the 5 or so best of their 20 shows here (but the 29th is arguably better). In the first set you can feel the energy of 9000 dancin' fools. It rained all night - though not as bad as the next night.

First Set. Consistent set, with a nice tempo rolling through solid versions. On the Road Again is one of 8 electric versions in '82 and Musta Been Roses is just about perfect. Jer does a few different licks from the norm for the next couple songs. The only average song is Peggy-O. China>Rider is almost a Motorik version and speedy. The go-to '82 China>Rider.

Second Set. Playin' isn't the normal start and this one has varied, interesting playing that's one of the year's best (along with maybe 4/6, 8/7). It's Brent that's the key[s] for Terrapin, a straight read-through, which then goes back to Playin' (fun!). Sounds like all come out for Space except Billy. The set mostly flags from here, the exception being The Other One, which is punchy, with nice Phil bombs; and dig how they take advantage of a space to refocus @2:42. The end jam of Stella Blue almost saves it; the encore is a sloppy finish to a short set - just over an hour.

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¾ stars

Highlights:
It Must Have Been the Roses - A filler-ballad for some, but don't skip
China Cat>Know You Rider - Awesome, Motorik-adjacent
Playing in the Band - The flow of whole sandwich is great, too
The Other One - Jumping into deep water, especially Phil; must hear once

SOURCES: There's really something to the hypothesis that Red Rocks AUDs (wise_4705) are atmospherically more fun than SBDs (particularly if you were there). In this case the SBD (clemens_78746) is kinda screwy, with levels jumping and Brent too loud. The sirmick_109780 matrix, however, is brilliant, and much preferred for all except the Drums>Space tranny. This show finally has this long-deserved matrix! It runs slightly fast, needing -0.5% pitch correction until about Peggy-O, then needs -0.75% for the rest. The dalton_miller_clugston SBD update patches the first secs of Peggy-O and corrects the channels, but is otherwise the same as clemens_78746. Both run very fast and need -3% pitch (and neither surpass the matrix).

The beauty of the venue has lead some to call it acoustically blessed. In truth, the acoustics at Red Rocks are notoriously BAD - most working in the industry either have to shrug about their sound or dislike playing here. The PA sound does tricky and difficult-to-control things, bouncing around in funny places from the sandstone (echo overlay in the upper rows) or affected by weird/sudden weather blasting off the seven-thousand-foot high foothill. Try to adjust for this during soundcheck and it will all be different that night when 9000 bodies fill the concrete platforms and the weather changes. The Dead were just about the only band that met this challenge and re-engineered the thinking with special-built 55-foot vert-arrays. I was never impressed with other bands at Red Rocks (bad sound, terrible traffic, 5 people per seat in the first 20 rows), but the Dead at Red Rocks was a cathedral; truly a cosmic event.

jpotts3 > My ranking for this second set [B-] is above average; there are low points and high points to the set, which falls off after Space (except a B+ TOO). I am keeping my rankings honest. To be A+ straight through, as you say, it would have to be the best set of their career [out of thousands!]. It's not. Nor would I rank it the best 2nd set of '82, or even this run (I prefer the 29th). If it's YOUR best, then that's a great find. Even average GD is amazing, and was more so in person - that's why we love this music.

Oh I remember, John- I was standing next to you!!

[added 2019] Mind Wanderin, above, how do you give a C+ to this second set, i have no idea- one of my all time favorites. The second Set, all within a mighty mighty Playing in The Band. The Terrapin!! The Other One! The Stella Blue! The Wheel! A MONSTER. Graded on a curve vz other shows of the era, a straight A+

Wow, what a run that was!!
And next night, in the 2nd row...
i was a true believer after these shows, fur sure

btw, how about Further? Seen 'em yet?
It has been a reawakening for us old timers= and a chance for the young 'uns to taste what we once knew!

Was just wondering, in my fantasy, if I could make it to the shows there this month. I might try next year, if they do it again..

unless you're into listening to the tapers chat during the show.

I enjoy reading various descriptions of how the environment at Red Rocks helped or sometimes hindered the sound. The only other place I know of where that was also a factor was at Alpine Valley. There the stage is nestled deep in a pine tree valley. Surrounded by groves of heavy, dense woods, the band's sound was often very full, thick, dense, and rich. I heard them outdoors at several other places (Pine Knob, Poplar Creek, Deer Creek, Soldier Field, World Amphitheater) They never sounded anything at all like what they did at Alpine.

These are very, very good audience recordings and smoking jams. I wish I could have gotten across "Big Muddy" to see the band out west. Thanks to all for making these recordings available.

This was my first rip to the Rocks (check out my 87 masters - they smoke). This run is truly magical, but no one ever seems to recall the wild out of control Other One from this first nite of the run. Phil, having started playing a new 4 string in May 1982, was using this slapping technique that sounded like the PA was cracking. This can also be heard at the Ventura 82 shows and Portland 82 to recall a few I attended that summer. But the one Phil really loses it on is this Red Rocks show during the Other One's in between verses instrumental. Phil seems to be "testing out" the Rocks and starts a volley of crushing chords with the slap technique that blows the crowd's mind! The band seemed to notice the moment as well as the whole bad rips through this most unique version. No other one quite like it. Brent on organ (as opposed to Piano on the 3rd nite version) also adds to the intensity of the moment. Phil also cracks a few during Terrapin, which I recall was played under a crescent moon! And it started raining during I Know You Rider in the 1st set! Did I dream all this up??? And of course the scat vocals during Playing was one of only 2 times ever done. This show and this place - Red Rocks- is truly magical. I will never forget these shows.
Only problem is there are no great audience tapes of any of the 3 nites and the boards all have a bad mix in them. Wish I was taping back then....

is the only way to get HQ aud's out of Red Rocks. Thanks for this one.

Thanks Cap'n for providing the bobby scat descrption in your review. Never heard anything like that before and was drawn to this gig by your insight. Thanks for actually providing some quality info about the show.

4 Big daddy's for this gig

bobby does do this another time...12/27/81...not as much screamage, but much smoother...

After reading many reviews from these three shows . I realize how lucky i am to have been at every red rocks show. all but the 78 shows. I love the early 80's they just smoked. I think the fact that it rained all three days and nights and the did not move these shows to boulder says alot about the boys. They really liked playing here i believe as much as we enjoyed being here.. 24 years later and i still think back to the good old days. what a lucky guy i am for having been to soooooooo many and coming out of it with most of my brain cells. any show that opens the second set with playin is a treat. it left things so open for anything they wanted to go into. just look at the ventura shows a few weeks earlier . playin china/rider that was fun but have said that playin terrapin drums. WOW holy smokes trippy show.

I don't know, this is a decent enough AUD, nothing smashing. Jerry is the loudest thing on here, so there's not much to complain about in that sense. I mean, it was raining and they probably had plastic over the top of the mics, confounding your sound theory, at least on this tape......
This show has some nice jams, I love Bobby doing a scat thing over the beginning of the Playin jam. Never heard that before. Worth checking out. The drum break is so thrilling that Bob urges the crowd to give it up for the Rhythm Devils. This one is probably the weakest of 3 strong RR shows, which isn't saying much really.

This is solid - 16 minute Sugaree, rare electric On the road again which is ruined because taper is fooling around with the mikes.... but Me & my uncle on is hot especially Big river and LRR.

SET II is why you want to hear this the China>Rider is ripping and how many times have you ever heard Bob scat(sing along note for note with Jerry)on Playin? This is the one and only time I am aware of. Great stuff but short.

It sounds like the MICs were directly in front of Garcia, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I've been listening to several recordings from the summer of 82. What a great period of time for the band. They seem to be enjoying themselves a lot on this tour - lots of energy and very daring jams. This show is no different.

Does anyone else notice how good Red Rocks audience tapes are far superior to Sbds? I think it's due to the fact that the natural features form such a perfect accoustic environment. To me the rocks seem to fill out the sound without losing any of the fidelity. Jerry's sound is much brighter, and Phils's sound is much fuller, and the rest of the band just sounds more upfront, and Sbds just cannot capture that sound.To hear for yourself, just listen to the Sept '83 shows. The soundboard from the first show sounds weak compared with the other nights, I guess thats why most Rock shows aren't available in SBD. This is the only venue I have heard that actually affects the sound of the band, and makes it more prevalent and better. I think this is why the boys seemed to play a higher percentage of great shows there, the boys could just hear the sound and feel the natural energy that eminated from the rocks as they bounced the sound throughout the venue. Red Rocks is the only place I have been that does not have one seat that has inferior sound quality.

you built a deadshow time machine out of a delorean?

Is so smoking at the end of China before the transition nice tight intense 82 jammin. I really like this Peggy-o- its been one of my favorites for a long time along with Frost 89 version.
As I say alot, I couldn't imagine being at this show, Red Rocks summer 1982 what a blast that would of been. Man If I had a time machine its sole purpose would be to re-vist Hot Dead shows in cool years at the best venues. It would be "Back To The Dead" instead of Back to the Future. Ha Ha
Man, Jackstraw opener Sugaree, On The Road Again a sweet solo on Roses aa pretty Peggy O and a blow out 2nd set-unbelievable.

sweet china/ryder with a run Terrapin

I am so honored to be writing the first review for this amazing show. I was there all 3 days in the rain. Heard it rained at the shows just before, too. The 28th was when the rain really came. A Tropical Monsoon had rolled in. This night was misty and drizzly. Legendary journalist John Coit worked at the Rocky Mountain News, and he always gave the Dead scene really good press. He wrote that from what he fuzzily remembered of the night before, (27th), that this was one great show.

This is one of those great forgotten masterpieces that would be great to give to a friend unmarked, just to torment them.