I Had A Job In The Great North Woods

HERE, HERE, and HERE you can download the first of many three set Jerry Garcia shows from 1987. The first set being acoustic sets by JGAB and the next two electric sets with his regular band.

The origin of these acoustic/electric shows started on Thanksgiving day in 1986. Jerry was reconnected with his musical side and some of the members of this band were over at MG's house for dinner. The instruments came out and they were singing and playing in the living room. Bill Graham remarked in between numbers that it was great fun and they should take it to the stage sometime. Jerry said back, "Yeah you should put this on Broadway," and that is exactly what Bill Graham did. Jerry played 18 shows between October 15 and Halloween at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway. But before opening on Broadway, the show must debut somewhere else, which they did at this show in the woods of Northern California.

Jerry very smartly engages the crowd immediately with this new band by playing three straight songs that the audience would know from the Dead's acoustic sets from 1980. Well the first two were done in those set "Friend of the Devil," wasn't played acoustic from 1970 to 1982. But we all know it acoustically from "American Beauty," justlike the joyous set closer of "Ripple."

The electric set is slightly more energetic than your normal JGB show. "Get Out Of My Life," "Evangeline," and "Think" provide some extra emphasis to the slower beauts like "Forever Young" and one of my personal favorites "And It Stoned Me." The show ends with a delightful "Tangled Up In Blue," which Garcia spreads the final solo on, just like old times.

Acoustic: Deep Elem, Around This World, Friend, Trouble in Mind, Little Sadie, Diamond Joe, Spike Driver, Oh Babe, I'm Troubled, Ripple

Electric I: How Sweet, Forever Young, Get Out Of My Life, Run for the Roses, Stoned Me, Sis & Brothers, Deal

Electric II: Harder They Come, Shall Be Released, Think, Evangeline, Gomorrah, Let It Rock, Lucky Old Sun, Tangled Up