COUNTING STARS BY CANDLELIGHT

Words get thrown around with discussing favorite concerts and whenever I talk about this date 25 years  ago, the only word I use is; EPIC. This is my favorite show from the 80's. It has the best version of "Morning Dew" in the 80's and is packed full of other great version of great songs and unique versions of their classic "Good Lovin'."  So download the soundboard of the show HERE and HERE.

The show opens with the new Bobby single "Bucket," and this leads into a rambunctious "Sugaree." One of Jerry best love first set jam vehicles. Bobby elects to play "Masterpiece," for all the people that couldn't get tickets to Letterman the night beforehand. They close the set with another of Jerry's experimental jam tracks, "Bird Song." The band uses this to vary their variation on the song as the drift into a collage of Jackson Pollack sound. Before Garcia pulls them back to the break of the songs, beautiful.

The wah-wah petal indicates that this town's heart is about to grow like the Grinch on Christmas. What a present as the band gets down with "Shakedown," which features some great interplay between the two guitarist.

"Woman are Smarter" comes next and is honestly the most uneventful song of the whole night. Next Jerry plays "Terrapin" with all the valor and honor of the storyteller quest. As the band gives way to the "Drums/Space."

Listen to the brief pause, like the band in taking a collective inhale, so they can rip through two feet pounding, head bopping numbers. As they slowly descend into a perfectly played "Morning Dew." The band caresses the song. They are in unison as the engage the audience with its enchanting beauty. Watch Garcia's head nod as his voice cracks of pain, "I guess it doesn't matter, anyway." As the ascending solo builds to a point at the 10:18 mark of the video, lightning striking notes that electrifies your seat. (One night on the way back from Great Woods, Dan, who inspired me to start this blog, woke up and said, "Oh my God, there is nothing like waking up to a ripping Dew.)

Now, I'm not a fan of Bobby trying to cap off the night after a "Dew," but here it works because of the uniqueness of this "Good Lovin'/La Bamba/ Good Lovin'." Although Garcia is of Spanish descent, he never spoke Spanish, so it is quite humorous to hear him belt out these lyrics. This perfectly inserting "La Bamba" (The movie had come out earlier that summer) the band tops off the perfect set.

I: Bucket, Sugaree, Walkin' Blues, Candyman, Masterpiece, Bird Song

II: Shakedown, Woman, Terrapin, Drums, Space, GDTRFB, Watchtower, Dew, Good Lovin', La Bamba, Good Lovin' E: Knockin'

Next blog Thursday.