Wasn't at this show, but my buddy was & told me the playing in the band was epic!! After many listens I have to agree! Arguably the Best playing in the band post Brent. They had a few more like Cal expo in 93 if memory serves that was also long 18+min BUT this playing goes many places and phil is just all over it as well as Jerry. Sadly one of the last good years imo post brents death.

I sang a little while and then flew on.

The Stranger is the best I ever saw hands down and the second best Playin' (5/26/93 is tops). Terrapin out of Space is beautifully executed. Still, was my 4th favorite night of the run but
that's stiff competition there.

Almost at the end of a majestic yet tragic year and they didn't falter...too much. A few flubs...nonetheless...

Great sound, adequate, measured performances -- pleasant all around. No complaints.

Last Valley Road ~ which was too bad, because it seemed that song was written for the players on stage.

Really good show! I had not heard any of the West Coast 1990 shows with Bruce so this is a real treat.

Although Jerry's voice is in decline from all the touring, his fingers are nimble and the rest of the band is fiesty including the drummers.

The only bummer for me is the trouble with lyrics during Crazy Fingers, I cried a lot post Hornsby at later shows, but thankfully this is just a speed bump during an otherwise powerful show. (Check out the jam after Playin!)

This is the Dead at the Zenith of a very powerful year for their music but a challenging year with the loss of Brent. but never mind all that please turn up the Valley Road and just dance!

Judge shows on their own merit!? In your review below you claim to have only have listened to 2 songs from different ends of only the 2nd set that night!! Then you compare this show w/ only 1 isolated show from 3 months prior and a Vegas show you can't seem to place?? I find the criteria for your "review" ANEMIC @ best. Just the 2 factors alone of the sound of Phil's bass and Bruce Hornsby's piano (along w/ the other 5 GUYS) nullify any title of "anemic" in the Miss. Half Step. And then your upset with a persons review who ACTUALLY was @ the show!!! Kinda pushin it, Dude!
As for the show, I thought it was not so bad. Great juxtaposition of some standard tunes in set 2. Hornsby brought so much to the table in that too short of a stretch in the early 90's. Valley Road was nice while she lasted.

Bruce's piano and accordion brought this show to a pretty good level. Jerry was pretty game trying to sing through his failing voice, but as I've heard before, when the voice ain't there, he often makes up with some nice pickin', which held true until the end of the show. Generally a sweet show in the Arena, marred by Phil or Bobby not going with flow at the end of Terrapin, sounding anxious to get to Sugar Mag and take it home. Fine sounding recording, and I enjoy most of what Healey did, particularly in the Drums/Space.

Re: "I was there", I wasn't there for this show but for Archive recordings where I was there and get to hear it again in a less brain-damaged condition, it's often great to hear that it was actually a hot show. I do agree that a lot of the '90's shows were spotty, but a few moments of "whoa!...." make up for a lot of missed notes, lyrics, and early entrances (which the band immediately realigned themselves on during Jerry's jump on one of the Terrapin verses.) And this show sounded pretty clean, bandwise, though it did seem to Peter out towards the end.

I find the miss half step anemic and the sugar magnolia standard at best. Didn't listen to the rest as I got a good idea of how it would sound: disappointing. I wish people would keep their "i was there" prejudices out of reviews and judge the shows on their merits, which at this point for the dead were spotty at best. That said I do tremendously enjoy 9-20-1990 at the garden and a show from around this time in Las Wegas, though I have no idea what the date was. Too much wine at this point chyba...

I was there. Jack Straw>Sugaree, Scarlet Fire, Comes a Time and Hamza El Din on the First night. The most amazing, healing performance of He's Gone on the second. And now the 30th. A day off did well for the band, and they were firing on all cylinders. Healy was having a little trouble with feedback, dropped out the drums during Memphis Blues for a second, and other minor matters.

Nonetheless, what a powerful show. Stranger grooved to a peak. Whole first set was enjoyable and exciting. And in the second set, the door to the cosmos got opened a few more bits. Half Step was well drawn out, second set style. Looks Like Rain and Crazy Fingers were good. Playin' jammed and jammed, with hornsby providing tons of groove.

Drums/Space were on (I was into it). And Terrapin out of Space kicked everyone's ass. It was one of those night wherre everyone was saying all night "it's a terrapin night." I'd written it off, so I kept juessing what song it was all the way to the first verse. Blinded by the light! The transition into Sugar mags is a true segue, and is perhaps my favorite moment of the night, if not the run. Sugar mags was a blast, the hottest I'd experienced to that time.

jer's voice starts to go (something that comes into play the next night) so they opt for a 20 minute PITB. Just great. top notch first and the post space surprises make this a great gig. get all 4 nights. Also, Vince's ad lib on maggies when he forgets the words is priceless

This show is nothing short of awsome! Besides nassau, IMO this is the best from '90. The first set is incredible with the best version of "feel like a stranger" and "stuck inside of mobile" ive heard, "Candyman" is great too. Second set is also awsome. Bruce tears it up. Definatley worth a download.

This was a hot show! 12-30 shows are usually very good. Bertha opener and Mississippi second set opener were both fantasic. The jamming on Playing is very nice. Hornsby added another dimension during these shows. This is well worth the download.

The Boys roll in to Oakland triumphant from what can only be described as the strongest year since ÃÂ77. The entire new years run was hot. The highlight is the amazing Playing in the Band. Almost 20 minutes of strong, aggressive jamming. Like any epic Playing, the band shifts from moods and themes then meanders into drums, but not before an attempted Terrapin which instead, creeps out of spaceÃÂWhewÃÂYou canÃÂt forget the rare Mississippi second set opener, and a beautiful LL Rain>Crazy Fingers. Another gem in a year of gems! I find that the quality of this recording is better then the other SBD copyÃÂmore high-end crispness. Thanks DeadÃÂThanks archive