Gutbucket w/amazing backup vox

Sweet Magnolia Daydream - flawless version

Wailin' B-3 Paradise

One of the marks of a great jack Straw is when jerry does those guitar fills around Bob's vocals. Jerry nails that here.

Blazin' hot smokeshow of syncopated bends, slides, and hammer ons that turns the intensity up to 11

And Brent was on fire for this whole set

I think this 10-20-84 Shakedown is better than the current #1 from Merriweather 6-30-85, which nevertheless is great indeed and deserving of the #2 or #3 spot along with another great 1985 Shakedown from 3-27 Nassau Coliseum. But Jerry plays better and Phil plays better on 10-20-84. Both versions are awesome but this Syracuse Shakedown has a little more power and a lot more Jerry. Now mind you, I'm a huge advocate for 1985 in general and, what's more, I was actually at the 6-30-85 show and Jerry melted my freakin' face in person that day, and I was not at the Syracuse 1984 show. But based on the listening, I have to vote this 10-20-84 version better than 6-30-85 and therefore best of all time. On a side note, the current #2 10-25-79 in New Haven is another very strong contender for the top spot indeed. I had never heard it before today and I must say that is one motherfucking incredible Shakedown that every Head should listen to. But at the end of the day, as amazing as 10-25-79 is, it's a mutant version -- completely unique. The bottom line is would you rather hear the best Jerry version of Shakedown or the best Brent version of Shakedown? I'm a Jerry man, personally, and I choose Jerry when all is said and done. But you definitely have to give Brent his props for 10-25-79. Wow! That is one funkalicious masterpiece! But, as I say, Phil and Jerry and Bob are better on this 10-20-84 version and that, my friends, is the HEART of this town. And, on another side note, this 10-20-84 Shakedown opens the 2nd set after they closed the first set with what happens to be the greatest Jack Straw of all time. That is some serious fire power. Wow.

Howdy folks, The Fool here, back after having left some comments I don't know how many years ago. I'm back to readdress the question of what is the best Dew of all time. A few points: 1) First, and most importantly, 11-2-85 Richmond is by far -- BY FAR -- a better version than 5-8-77. 2) Not only is 11-2-85 a MUCH BETTER version, so are a number of 1980's Morning Dews. Just head and shoulders above these 70's Dews. 3) It is not surprising that the most overrated Morning Dew of all time is taken from what is also the most overrated show of all time. I know it's the conventional wisdom and any lazy Deadhead who wants to sound in the know drops the '77 Barton Hall show as just the bestest ever. But it simply isn't. And the Barton Dew is downright sleepy compared to much harder rocking and better played and better sung best-of-the-80s versions. Some day I will listen to ALL the contenders and do a detailed written comparison but I just did a very detailed comparison of some of the most highly touted 80s Dews, ALL of which are better than this comparatively soporific '77 version. For example, 9-18-87 MSG is far better than 5-8-77. 10-12-84 Augusta is far better than this overrated version. And, while 7-18-90 Deer Creek isn't technically the 80's, it's close enough and it smokes Barton Hall. That said, 11-2-85 smokes ALL of the above. Now I'm not saying this Barton version isn't good music. It certainly is. And it may well have been among the better versions UP TO THAT POINT IN TIME. But it was surpassed. When I write my comprehensive piece I will make it available and you can all read the details of why. In the meantime just go listen to 11-2-85, and the scales will fall from your ears as Jerry melts your brain into a puddle.

Now mind you Jerry fucks up the lyrics a few times so if that really bothers you you might not think this is the best ever. But as far as the jamming goes this is without a doubt the hottest version I have ever heard. I used to think the bzlrbi source was best but now I think it is the 2nd soundboard version on Relisten.

Yeah, this is one bad ass Wharf Rat right when the Dead were peaking so hard it almost killed Jerry. The vocals are incredible, as is the playing.