Grateful Dead

10/25, it was a Wednesday, a beautiful fall day in south Florida, we drove down from Orlando and arrived at the Arena about 5:00 in the afternoon. By this time, the weather had turned to partly cloudy to cloudy with a bit of a breeze, still a beautiful day in the mid eighties. As we navigated about and felt around to find out way inside, the security was tight, they were searching everyone and taking away any and all party favors that they found and just threw them into a large grey trash can, which was getting quite full by the time we got to the pat down area. We had brought some shrooms with us from out favorite field that we had picked the weekend before the show, which was rare as usually in Florida about this time the shrooms fields kinda dried up by end of September. It was a rainy season and we were still picking by mid October. The picking was sparse, but very potent yields as was usually the case from this particular field.
Back at the pat down area, we saw as we approached that there was no way we were going to get the shrooms into the arena, so we consumed them right there in line, to the delight of some deadhead onlookers, who wished they had some, but alas, we only had just enough.
Entering the arena, it was our first time visiting the house of the Miami Heat, and found it very well laid out, with short lines for the numerous concession stands and long lines for the less than enough restrooms. We get to our seats, which this night was just to the right of Jerry and up about 25 rows. A great seat for sure.
Then the shrooms started to take hold, the sets starts with Hell in a Bucket, not one of my favorites but it gets us going into Sugaree, a good version from my notes altho by this time, the shrooms had me sitting way back in my seat. I don't recall much from the rest of the set, although I so remember a trippy Picasso moon right before an awesome Deal to close out the set.
The lights come up for the set break and according to my notes from that day, I was off as it looks like a series of scratching's and doodles until the lights finally go out, a big smiley face on the note page. Then, the second set starts off with Playin in the band, which runs into Uncle John's band back into playing. Wow, then a beautiful reading of Standing on the Moon from Jerry and I could relate, looking down from our 25th or so row seat, we were literally above the band and looking down from space, awesome. Trucking takes us into drums>space, more doodles on the note pad then Gimme some loving which had us all up dancing. This slid into a beautiful Wharf Rat which is one on my favorites. No more notes on the pad as the end of the show was a dance fest, with sugar mag and US blues ending the show. Back thru the maze of faces and bodies to the car and off to our hotel room, where we partied until dawn. If it wasn't for the notes I took, I would not have remembered any of the nights festivities due to the shrooms.
10/26, got a late start as laid in bed until the maid came and asked us if the room needed cleaning, we said "no" and decided to get up and head out for some breakfast, in the mid afternoon. Feeling a bit spacey from the night before and with no party favors to take us into the night we just hung out until about 6 pm a deadhead in a long trench coat approaches our little group and opens his coat to reveal t shirts and stickers and other paraphernalia, we weren't buying until I asked about doses and he said "Blue Unicorns" Score. Finally they open the doors and we get past pat down area with no problems and into the arena we sail again for the final night of the tour. It's Thursday and not as warm as the night before, a breeze blows from the ocean and it feels a bit like fall.
We are all hoping for a blow out show due to it being the last show of the tour and we were not denied, a truly remarkable experience was about to unfold before our very eyes. Again, we had great seats, mid floor, about half way back.
The night starts out with Foolish Heart, again, a favorite of mine and Jerry stretches' it out a bit at the end to everyone's delight, oh boy, Jerry's on. Notebook is blank so can't remember the next song but I do remember Stagger Lee with Jerry's voice starting to crumble, a couple Bobby cowboy songs and then Jerry again slurring his words thru Brown Eyed Women, a great version even with Jerry's voice starting to sound like as Blair Jackson put it "he had gargled with razor blades". Here's were it starts to get a bit dark, Victim or the Crime is next with Bobby singing like it's the end or the world, some real spacey sounds coming from Brent and Jerry into a mean Don't ease me in with Brent again taking it to the max as he slams the keyboards over and over again during the song. My notebook has Don't ease in big letters and it was a great version.
The lights come up again blinding us all as the unicorns had started to take hold by this time and I just wanted the lights to go out, as they were very bright it seemed.
We're off by now and the second set starts with a trippy Estimated Prophet into a Blow away that again has Brent taking it to the max, a great night for him. Then the first notes of Dark Star, the crown goes nuts, it was my first and only dark star and the notebook is now empty of any notes. It was dark, a very dark dark star, unbelievable sounds coming from everyone, Mickey and Billy banging on the stage to make a sound like stars exploding or comets coming apart at the seams, very cool, Mickey using the Beam throughout the entire suite, not as the main instrument, but as a side note, hitting and plucking and stroking the strings like some kind of devilish harp from beyond the grave. Truly amazing. The wheel comes out of space and it is the light at the end of the tunnel, a slow teasing by Jerry until it finally erupts into it's magnificent colorful spinning prism. Then another dark turn with All along the Watchtower, into a beautifully dark Stella. Jerry leaves nothing behind with this performance and I/we are spellbound. NFA finishes us off and tries to bring us all back from the dark reaches of space but it is a little late for that. Then the encore as they all stand on the end of the stage and sign us a beautiful we bid you goodnight.
Again, wow, spent the rest of the night talking about the masterpiece of psychedelia we had just witnessed, wishing we had a tape of the evenings performance right then. The drive home the next day was surreal almost dream like as I could not get the previous evenings magic out of my head, where it stayed for several days, mind truly blown.
Starting in 85, I had started to take notes of song selections and other occurrences and performance notes from the evenings festivities at Dead shows, so glad I took notes this weekend, or I would not remember as much as this, but I wrote it all down, not knowing that one day I would again read about a legendary night in Dead history.
Happy Halloween everyone!!!

Thanks to all you Deadheads posting here. I've learned a lot about the band and their music from you. There is always something new to learn or a new show to check out. I've been collecting their music for many years now and just love this band and their variety. There are a lot of good folks posting on here. It's generally a positive place to hang out and needed in these days.

.....i hear ya. Saturdays high here in Vegas was 88 degrees. Todays high? 58. 30 degree swing in 2 days.
Checked out Miami 10.25.89 yesterday. Never heard it before and it was pretty spectacular. 10.26.89 today.
I need some gloves!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uO5HJxHTm5M

Well, not quite forty below, but went from like 65 on Saturday to 6 last night and a foot of heavy snow, ugh...it’s too early for this! Luckily, I don’t need to go any where so I’m going for the hatrick today!
-10/22/89
- 10/23/89
- 10/26/89 hopefully...
Wish me luck, onward!
Stay warm! and safe!

When I was Nineteen
It was a very good year...

I couldn't resist, but I'll be Frank & spare ya any further reference to ole Blue Eyes. (I'll be Frank, get it?!? hahaha)
I've always enjoyed hearing what was happening in 1989 and dig it.

Nice recap OB, fun times!
I especially liked the line - "the dream is weakening".
LOL at that as I peaked at the post drums set list and saw the death of a dream there.

Good Stuff!

And I second VGuy that 10/25/89 show is killer, it's the Light before the Dark. Kinda cool that they were using that PITB > UJB > PITB as a vehicle during the Dark Star breakouts. And I mentioned this before but the Set List Heads must've been holding their breath after that sequence on 10/25.

5/26/72 deserves big praise and accolades. Top 10 show?
I'd go into it, but it's Monday and too much to do. The only Set 1 NFA > GDTRFB > NFA, and hearing the crowd get it started is a real treat. And... Is this the first PITB that goes outside of the 7/4 realm, based on what I was reading in the Taper's Compendium they're saying yes. That's Huge! This is quintessential Europe 72 literally.

And, '78 has been on my radar since the DaP V37 announcement.
Yesterday stumbled into 1/11/78, what a ripper.
Check out the Let It Grow on that puppy. Holy Shit!

Alright, time to get moving.

Catch ya later.

.....saw them 13 times that year.
It was a good year.
On board for Miami tomorrow.
The 10.25.89 show.
Hell In A Bucket->
Sugaree
Little Light
FOTD
Memphis Blues
Cold Rain and Snow->
Picasso Moon
Deal
.
PITB ->
UJB ->
PITB->
Standing On The Moon->
Truckin' ->
Drumz->
Gimme' Some Loving->
Wharf Rat ->
Sugar Mags
.
US Blues
Underrated
Better fire this up now. Its 8 o'clock currently. I've got time.

Game on...

If we could go back in time.. I would love it if they cleaned up the vocals on Dark Star for this one. Minor gripe, because its quite good.. anyway, game on.

I need to check these shows out Oroborous, I always love a good Shakedown. Sounds like a blast!

Which reminds me we should probably check out 10/26/89 tomorrow? The Multi Track 89 30 Trips show from Miami.

Right on Oroborous. Good vibes, great read.

So by now everyone’s fully settled into the Rectum run, and speculation and expectations are running high. So far only the Death Don’t, as far as the Big ticket tour items, so what would it be tonight, and would we go home slightly disappointed with Hampton as the “ones” and missed opportunity in Philly?
Certainly not out the gate. Nice 1-2 Touch O-GSET, with the usual era M.O.: loose but spirited. Then a nice Candyman, the second of only two on the tour. Another of those loose canon Weir rockers, Picasso Moon, which still seams a work in progress, but rocking. A decent Little Light, probably my favorite Bret tune, perhaps a bit smoother than some of the previous? A spirited Jed, Memphis, Stagger Lee, and set closing Promised Land....or wait??, WTF? Que other big top tour item from this show, the first ever of only 2 California EarthQuakes!
Though unfortunately I don’t have many specific memories from these shows, I do have a Kodak moment in my thick skull of this. So JG doesn’t stop, the crowd goes from end of set roar to you could hear a pin drop as I don’t think anyone knew this old tune. So everyone was tuned into try and hear what it was etc. By the time it builds up to that first chorus, the place goes GD nutz! Since those horrible quakes had just happened out there, everyone was well aware of the dire situation, and in true, magnificent GD style, they fucking killed it! What a tribute, made me proud to be a Californian and I’ve only been there visiting like a month total over the years. I’m literally getting choked up remembering this top shelf, all time personnel GD moment, a small elite, but powerful league to be sure.
So now the energy in the building is bursting. Will we get the DS, the Attics, a Dew, at least a Bid Thee Goodnight to close the run?
The second of only two Hey Pocky Ways to start the second, into the only Scarlet Fire of the tour, and a good showing. followed by a Truckin’ that morphs into a wild Other One Jam, 89 weirdness style, which devolves even more into the primordial ooze of drums/space midi electronic psychedelic joy, eventually morphing into I will Take You Home, which would normally be a good change up and it’s usual spot, but with each passing song the dream is weakening...
And though we get solid Other One>Rat>Maggy, with a usually appropriate run closing Brokedown, second of only two on the tour, I have to admit, there was a small let down. LOL, makes me think of DHBrewers awesome DaP 36 post! Ah gee shucks, lol. We’re so spoiled! ; )
Never the less, a great time was had by all, and a super run of shows that I was so fortunate to be at. So yeah I’m biased, but I think these three should land somewhere, someday officially. And though I’ve dreamed of a fall 89 comprehensive tour box, probably something smaller, say 5-7 shows depending on how you slice it would be more appropriate? In that case, which of these shows would get the ax? Tough call, some help reduce repetitiveness over several shows, some have tour rarities, some historical moments. I’d think at least 2 should be included, with the third day being a future Dave’s? Perhaps just a Spectrum 3 show box? Meh, think it needs a bit more bling?
So so far my ruff draft fantasy box list would something look like this:

- 9/29/89 for obvious reasons, but depending on space?
(* 10/8&9/89: already out. 2 from Hampton)
-10-14-89 my choice of the 4 not released yet. Would be 2 from Jersey
- 10/15/89 Jersey runner up
(*10/16/89 already out)
- 10/18,19,20/89: I can’t pick? Say 2 for the box, one for Dave’s?
So say four or five so far with 2 Charlottes and a Miami to go. If both Charlottes and the Miami are worthy, that puts us at
1- 9/29
2- 1 Jersey
3/4- 2 Philly
5/6- 2 Charlotte?
7- 10/25 Miami ?
Including previously released material, this would give us 2 from each venue, with the single 9/29 show as a bonus disc for a total of 7 shows? Maybe too early to decide yet...so,

Ok, on to Charlotte. Besides an unusually positioned H/S/F on 10/22, and 2 more biggins on 10/23, I’m stoked because I’ve never heard these before! So, when the Gods allow.....Onward!