HEART OF GOLD BAND: The Mark Just As Plain As Day

Twenty-Five years ago today, the Grateful Dead closed out summer tour. This was the third night at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey and David Lindley opened the show, followed by Los Lobos. The final night Jerry sat in with Los Lobos for the first time since 1986, which was also Jerry's first public appearance since he recovered from his Diabetic Coma. On this day Jerry played "Georgia Slop" and "All Night Long" with Los Lobos.
David Hidalgo returned the favor by coming out and sitting in with the Dead on "Rooster" and "West LA." This is the only time anyone from Los Lobos sat in with the Dead. Yet the following summer Bob and Jerry recorded some songs with Los Lobos in the backstage parking lot of Foxboro. Download the soundboard HERE and HERE.

The show begins with "Half Step," and before Hidalgo could get turned on all the way, Healy gets him in the mix for the second bar of his solo during "Rooster." Like the previous show from 1988 that I featured, Jerry and the band gives there guest room to let their freak flag fly. The crowd eats up the Hidalgo solo's and like Hornsby, he is one of the next generation of musicians. Instead of establishing themselves durning the 60's, they were born durning the 60's, and for all the complaints about the crap on the radio, there were musicians there to carry that torch. The band quickly progresses into "West LA," which is played with some real vigor. And with that David Hidalgo is excused from stage. Twenty-Two years later, Hidalgo and Los Lobos would release their own version of "West LA Fadeaway" on their album "TIN CAN TRUST."
The first set is closed out with the final version of "Gentleman Start Your Engines," "Masterpiece," and a cosmic "Bird Song." The second set opens with a crushing version of "Bucket." Then there is a unique combo of "Woman/Terrapin/Take you Home." The band masterfully works through the key changes and does not seem to come off awkward. The cool "Take you Home" specifically features some great interplaying from Jerry and Brent. Then post-Space there is an intense combo of "Other One" into "Miracle." The segue is seamless and sets up a big walk off "Dew." This "Dew" differs from the blogged about Alpine 88 one, whereas there is a significant build to this end solo. It's like the pent up gratitude for Hidalgo comes spraying out in this beautiful guitar solo. The band then encores with the only "Midnight Hour" of 1988, something special indeed.