I know it was shocking to hear and see Jerry as he struggled to perform under mounting health problems during the last year or so of his time in the Grateful Dead. For many people who listened to various bootleg recordings and possibly also went to the shows from that period, those perfomances became fundamentally "linked" with those rather negative images, sounds, and feelings they have from seeing and hearing Jerry during some of his notorious performance lapses.
However, the actual truth is that the percentage of time where Jerry was unable to perform up to his usual standard was FAR LESS than what most (or many) dead fans seem to think it was. Its obvious to me that many fans purposely hype up their negative assumptions about how the shows were, how well the band played, and how well Jerry performed because of a variety of reasons... most of which are not based on going back and actually listening to the shows from specifically, 1995 but also 94 (i honestly think 95 was a better sounding year than 94 but there are still some 5 star shows in that year).
Also, it must be said that the point if reviewing the recording and the star system isnt to reflect whether you liked or hated the new songs, if you had a great time, or if you had a bad time, or if you think there are other shows from other tours that you prefer the sound of better. I swear that last one seems to be the worst... just cuz you think Cornell 77 is the best show or that any shows played during MIDI or with Vince autimatically suck because you have a negative hang up or knee jerk reaction over something in the sound, that doesnt mean the band cant come out and play at the top or nearly at the top of their game.
I figure MOST true dead fans get this.

not good. Charlie Miller to the rescue...?

So second set starts off to be pretty good. Then the Drums/Space part of the show comes and goes. So does the rest of the concert. As mentioned earlier post space is SHORT!!! Not worth a DL. I gave it 3 entirely on the recording itself.

Not that bad for 95 but the aud recording brings back the memories of how the Dead sounded in those monstrous echo chamber arenas they played in since at least 87 and how much I disliked that sound. All subtlety is lost in a giant swirl of mush. Give me a theatre or club any day.

This show is overshadowed by the following night (Buce, Scarlet>Fire, etc). However, the second set of this night offers some high quality later era Dead. Things drag a bit in Set One - not really clicking in until MNS. However, things really pick up with a short (as others have mentioned) but special Set Two. Garcia is here to play and delivers an amazing version of Foolish Heart. The I Want to Tell You is my favorite version of this tune that the Dead played and spills into a touching rendition of Attics of My Life. Even the encore is special. Saw a lot of smiles and heard many positive comments on the way out of the old Charlotte Coliseum (which was recently demolished). This show may not deserve 5 stars in relation to other shows from the Dead's career but it has stuck with me over the years and was the first show I reached for on August 9, 1995.

Yeah... the recording is no Healy matrix... but who cares? Sometimes it's nice to approximate what it would sound like from the concourse standing in line for a beer and some broccoli and cheese... oh, wait, I forgot, it was Charlotte, a beer and some fried okra! But seriously, the jamming at the tail of Foolish is amazing and has been a favorite of mine for a long time... check it out... this copy is a little warmer than the other on the archive, but I gave it the same review... 4 stars, because of the Foolish...

this is an old bob dylan song that the dead covered and many other bands covered such as manfred mans earth band.

I've never heard about the Eskimo, can anyone shed some light?

those of you wondering if you should download based on the great reviews here is an obvious fact...Post-space is around 15 mins. That should tell you something

This show was almost as solid as the following night with the Unbroken Chain>Scarlet>Fire jams.

On this night, they cooked with a strong Jack Straw opener and nice Music to close the set. The Foolish Heart was nice, as well as I Want To Tell You, and Attics. Quinn rocked!!! No complaints on this show at all!

Audience recording from 1995. Sound is good considering, but this is from 95, so how is this getting 5 stars?? I'm bringing sanity to this place.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,THE GRATEFUL DEAD HAVE INSPIRED SO MANY WITH THERE MUSIC IT'S INCREDIBLE! TO SOME OF US THIS WAS AND IS HEAVEN AND PROBABLY THE CLOSEST I'LL EVER COME TO IT ATLEAST, SO WHEN YOU ASK HOW COULD ANYONE CRY BECAUSE OF THE BOY'S WELL IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ALL WE KNOW!!! WE LIVE,EAT,SLEEP,DREAM, AND BREATH THE DEAD, SO WHEN YOU HEAR THAT ONE SONG THAT GIVES YOU GOOSE BUMPS AND YOU REALIZE THAT ALL THIS LIFE WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT THIS ONE MOMENT YOUR FREE(TRUELY FREE) YOU HAVE TO BREAK DOWN AND SHED A TEAR!!!!!! THANK THE LORD FOR ARE BOYS PEOPLE, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THEM????(LOST)THERE'S SO MANY ROADS TO EASE ALL OUR SOULS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I LOVE YOU ALL AND THIS SITE!! WE ALL MISS YOU JERRY, CANT WAIT TILL WERE TOGETHER FOREVER AND EVER WHEN WE ALL MAKE IT TO THE PROMISED LAND!!!!! RON SMART, CLEVELAND, OHIO GRATEFULDEAD2777@SBCGLOBAL.NET

I had flown all day from LA to Charlotte to hook up with some old pals for Spring Tour, they picked me up at the airport in flesh-colored, '61, Cadillac Limosine that was just outta-site man. We had all kinds of fun partyin in that thing - you may have joined us! We got in to the Coliseum lot and for some reason were lead right up to the front row, which was a huge bonus because we were so late...finally hit our seats right at the end of a swell Jack Straw opener. A tasty Masterpiece, excellent T-Jed and a boppin MNS closed out a really fun 1st set - i was still flyin - the vibe was excellent. I had done a little homework before heading east and was looking forward to UNBROKEN CHAIN, but what really struck me was how tight the band was irrigardless of Jerry's various problems (he looked sick). The highlight of the 2nd set was an astonishing Foolish Heart jam that just went way out there, floated around for a while and came back for those reconciling power chords all members of the band hit at the same time - we all looked at each other with amazement, acknowledging the moment. And what a moment it was!... F*ck*ng chilling. Frozen in my memory and many thanks to this site for letting me re-visit that trip. whoooaaaahh

I was age 16 and a junior in highschool when I attended this show which was my first. This was not only my first Grateful Dead show but the first real "live" improvisational concert I had experienced. I stayed sober along with my best friend and at the time and my high-school girlfriend. I was mezmerized along them with the Grateful Dead, their entourage, and the fluditiy with which they performed. Jerry was "on" this nite and the rest of the band really locked in--which was rare for this time period. Highlights included Jerry belting out several extra choruses of an elongated Foolish heart, an interesting Jack Straw combo which segued into Bertha, and a setlist rarity when at the end of Space The Dead emerged with an acapella "Attics of My Life". They drove the place crazy with a brillant Mighty Quinn encore that night that sent everyone floating off into the open parking lot night air. I was shocked and intrigued by the unique counter-culture that surrounded this group of artists and drew so much from its "out of the box" synchronistic approach that accompanied everyone at the shows. This exprience proved to be the first of several I enjoyed involving the Grateful Dead, and ended up paving the road to multiple subsequent concert going sojourns with them as well as artists such as Phish, Bela Flec and the subsequent burgeoing jamband scene which has been constantly evolving since this point in time.
This one night "humdinger" of a Grateful Dead show changed me forever in the sense that it drove my life towards a career in music leading to my music minor, inspired me to play in a live band for 3 years, indirectly caused me to get a job as the marketing director and publicist for the Home Grown Music Network, started me into the hobby of recording multiple live shows which I did as a gig for the university, and led me to make several studio albums. Because of this band this ingenious group of unsavory and unruly artists, I now manage some of my own with the HGMN bands Nucleus (www.nucleusmusic.com) and Ceruelan City (www.ceruleancity.com) and have had my mind forever opened to the world of music in which I spend all of my free time. It is highly suggested you download this show and give it a spin to see if works for you as it did me...this show today seems like a surreal vision now locked away in the back of my memory and the music sounds better now than ever. I liked The Grateful Dead so much I bought the company-(or might as well have with the money I spent in collge in audio recordings and tickets fortheir live shows). I still miss Garcia to this day, but feel great having witnessed how his playing has rubbed off on other like minded artists and guided them towards finding themselves. If you like this band you might very well enjoy the following artists: Lotus, Perpetual Groove, Nucleus, Garaj Mahal and Umphreys McGee--they are all obtainable on this unique wonderful resource
"The Live Music Archive". -

DW