Road Trips Volume 2 Number 1
Shows
Madison Square Garden - September 14, 1990
Madison Square Garden - September 15, 1990
Madison Square Garden - September 16, 1990
Madison Square Garden - September 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden - September 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden - September 20, 1990
More Road Trips
Madison Square Garden: September '90
2 Disc Set + Bonus Disc
To kick off Volume 2 of our Road Trips series, we're making our first foray into the '90s-specifically, the extraordinary Madison Square Garden run from September of 1990!
You'll recall the unusual historical circumstances surrounding this famous series of shows: In July, Brent Mydland had died tragically after a glorious 11-year stint as the Dead's keyboardist. With both the band and Dead Heads in shock, a few planned summer shows were cancelled, and it looked as though the group's long-scheduled tour of Europe might be in jeopardy, as well. But then, two things happened: friend and fellow traveler Bruce Hornsby, already well-versed in the band's music, volunteered to venture into the breach temporarily once his summer tour was over; next, the group settled on former Tubes keys man Vince Welnick to step into Brent's big shoes on a permanent basis. Fortunately, he was a quick study! By early September, Vince had played his first shows with the Dead (in Cleveland and Philadelphia), and then the band moved on to Madison Square Garden -- always one of the most magical places the group played-- for a series of six shows spanning September 14-20, before jetting off for the big European tour.
Bruce joined the band beginning with the second concert in that series, and immediately the chemistry of this new septet was apparent. Bruce was a bold and assertive player who really pushed the band--and particularly Garcia--in some fascinating new directions, and the combination of his grand piano and Vince's electronic keyboard textures made for a big and dynamic sound. There were smiles all around as the new unit found its footing and with surprising confidence ushered in a new era of Grateful Dead music before roaring New York crowds!
Back in 1997, our late, great vaultmaster Dick Latvala pegged the September 16, 1990 Garden show to be Dick's Picks Vol. 9, but many fans of the run have long believed that the hottest shows from MSG that year were actually the two concluding concerts, September 19 and 20. So, for this Road Trips we offer some two-and-a-half hours of high energy rock 'n' roll and intense jamming from the second sets of 9/19-20 (as well as the moving "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" encore from 9/18). Included are spacey and beautifully developed journeys through "Dark Star" and "Playing in the Band"; a rare second set "Let It Grow" that rolls into a fantastic improvisation that really shows off the chops of the "new" band; a rousing "Uncle John's Band"; rockin' tunes like "Truckin'" and "Turn on Your Lovelight," and more. The spirit and life on these tracks is amazing! You can find the entire track listing below. As always, the discs have been expertly mastered to HDCD by our own Jeffrey Norman, and the package includes a 16-page booklet with lots o' groovy pix and an essay about the shows by Dan Levy.
OK, by now you probably know the drill: Order your copy today by going here!
Track List
Disc One - 9/20/90 and 9/19/90
Truckin'>
China Cat Sunflower>
I Know You Rider
Playing In The Band>
Ship of Fools>
Playing In The Band>
Uncle John's Band>
Let It Grow>
Jam>
Disc Two - 9/20/90
…Jam>
Dark Star>
Playing In The Band>
Dark Star>
Throwing Stones>
Touch Of Grey
Turn On Your Lovelight
Knockin' On Heaven's Door (encore 9/18/90)
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Comments
Brent & RT Vol 2 #1
Yes, Brent was the man. I remember how I felt upon hearing the news about his passing just a couple days after seeing the Dead at The World Amphitheatre in Tinley Park and it completely caught me by surprise. At that point, the shows I attended that year (Tinley Park and the Omni) were all about Brent. His virtuoso side as a keyboard player was phenominal. He was by far the single most talented musician to ever play in the Grateful Dead (with maybe the exception of Phil). Jerry's death in contrast was less than a surprise to me as the shows I attended in '95 (Auburn Hills, Deer Creek and Soldier Field) left me under the impression that Jerry was already dead. He was merely a shell of his former self compared to where he was at during the '87-'91 era. That being said, the band was still riding the Brent momentum well into the Fall of '91 where shortly thereafter, for the first time, I found myself disappointed frequently with the lack of inspiration at shows, especially after Bruce left. Granted, I saw some great moments from '92-'93 but by then, it was pretty much already finished. '94 and '95 were horrid years for the band IMHO. I won't slight Pigpen, Constantin or Keith & Donna as the band was at it's creative peak during those era's.
My take on the new Road Trips release.
I'm not as familiar with the 9/19 show as I have a GD Hour recording of the 9/20 show and I can say that the entire show was/is top notch. Definitely worthy of a full show release. I think of this release as a nice sampler of these two (three w/ bonus disc) shows.
If any run('s) from '90 deserves the box set treatment, I'll go with Nassau from the Spring tour and the last run with Brent in Tinley Park over everything else. Well, actually the Autzen and Cal Expo shows would be sweet too. Come to think of it, 12/9 Compton Terrace might be my all time favorite Vince/Bruce show ever.
Brent
Yeah, Brent was great, but was he "by far the single most talented musician ever to play with the Grateful Dead"? I don't think so. That's a new one to me. Sorry, SPACEBROTHER, you are probably in the minority with that opinion. I did enjoy reading your post, however.
Dick's Picks Vol. 9
Not that it really answers the calls for the entire run to get a release, but DP Vol. 9 is a full show release from this run - 16th September - so get it if you want a full show from MSG in Sep 1990.
I was under the impression that it was one of the least popular DP releases. I recall reading reviews suggesting that it was the wrong show from the run to release. Perhaps the organisation considered the response to that release in creating this RT. I suspect they figured that if the 16th was worthy of release over other nights, and that it wasn't a popular release, why would it be worth releasing the entire run? Instead they've put together what they consider to be the best of the run that hasn't already come out.
Just a thought.
90, Brent, New York, Road Trips, etc.
The Earth will see you on through this time......
The Brent era was my era. I still saw a bunch of shows after 1990 (6-14-91 being the finest), but fewer each year and with fewer returns. I know I missed some great ones, but I just loved the Brent sextet. So tight and so locked in, whereas with the two keyboard players there often seemed to be some confusion as to who would solo next, disturbing the flow. (I witnessed the same difference in 2004 with Warren Haynes aboard vs. 2003, which was infinitely more flowing and therefore reached higher places.)
That said, this release looks intriguing.....Uncle John's -> Let It Grow, cool. If 9-19's first set really was as strong as some are saying, though, it's a shame there's not more of it because on a great night the first set was as satisfying as the second, and in later years that was rarer because those first sets (and even the solos within the songs) got shorter. There aren't enough live Crazy Fingers released, either, though that's always the dilemma. A friend who was at the Knick stand maintains that some of his favorite moments weren't chosen.
I'd love a volume just from Nassau '90; that one might even warrant a complete box. I was only at the third night, the least celebrated, and it was one of my favorites ever. Would love to see that second set released.
However, two things: 1990 & New York. We've already got a Dick's from this same stand, there are myriad releases from New York already, and several from '90. One would think the Dead didn't even exist from 1984 through 1987; why the revisionist history that '89-'90 is all there was from the 80's? How about a Road Trips from the '87 spring tour, with a renewed Jerry just tearing it up on every song and not a dry eye in the house? His voice wasn't its clearest, but that no longer seems to be a barrier to official releases. And as for '90, what about Copps Coliseum? The band obviously liked the performances, as one or two songs keep trickling onto compilations (So Many Roads, Weir Here, etc.) and there are no releases from Canada as far as I know.
Well, just a few cents. If this release is more great performances, by all means, put it out. It's all about great Grateful Dead music. But there are some serious mid-80's gems (Merriweather '84, Greek Theater '84, spring tour '85) just sleeping in the vault.
oh yeah, Road Trips
The Earth will see you on through this time......
Never got to Road Trips in my previous ramble. I still love the series, though I love complete shows, too. I think volumes 1-4 (or is that volume 1, #'s 1-4) are all essential. It's true that this new one isn't really a Road Trip, but at the rate these are being released, there's room to be flexible with the format......
Oh, yeah, and Landover, MD, Fall '87 ~ there's another great stand (the 2nd night is a classic).
what's the point
First, a whole-run box was not in the cards here because 9/16/90 was already released (DP#9).
Now, if I may, about these comments. Every new release brings the same arguments: "true fans like me" only want complete showz!!1! A new complaint here: lambasting Rhino for releasing a show you already own. Yeah, jeez. Next time maybe they'll have the courtesy to call you up first!
Folks, Rhino will keep releasing these compilations as long as they keep selling. You're going to have to deal with that fact. They are not in the business of catering to your personal preferences for DVDs or Brent shows or warts -n-all complete shows or obscure stuff you've never heard or anything else. They are in the business of selling stuff. Period. Deal.
If I may be so bold, I advise a zen approach. You want it? For whatever reason? Buy it. You don't want it, for whatever reason? Don't buy it. But it's pointless to bitch about releases that don't exactly match your personal way-it-oughta-be. Your opinion may or not matter to the decision-makers here, but I guarantee that it doesn't matter nearly as much as the sales figures. That's the name of the game.
As for me, I like complete shows just fine; I own a moderate collection of 90 or so on CD and still have a trunkload of cassettes from back in the day. I know where I can get lots more if & when I want them. But I will never own all the shows and nor do I want to. I like these Roadtrip compilations as a supplement to my listening habits. Your mileage may of course vary. I am all for free speech and all that; no desire for anyone to shut up.
But what, exactly, is the point of complaining? You do not speak for all of us. (Me, of course, neither).
I guess it doesn't matter anyway.
quibble
I don't think that dp #9 should eliminate the thought of a MSG 90 box set.
I mean, let's face it, that's not the greatest sounding dp in the world, much remastering is needed on that jaw-dropping show. (Brent's funeral show, I've always thought...) Not that it will ever happen, but it's a nice thought.
I guess what irritates me even more than not having the complete show, is the fact that "Road Trips" morphs together two shows to create some fantasy show that never happened. For an anal-retentive, deadheaded audiophile such as my self, it's a buzz kill.
And there's no reason for it.
Ahh, well. There's nothing you can hold...for very long.
Yeah, that kinda bugs me about the Road trips...
...the jumping back and forth between shows and venues. If they're gonna cherrypick, that's fine, just keep it chronological. That "bonus disc" thing just adds to the irritation of jumping around. They do it to a greater or lesser extent on all of em'. I know some of the taper CDs going around will stick stuff in to fill up discs, but there is some evolution of the sound during a run of shows, I think, and I'd like to see it preserved in an "official" release.
That Winterland '78 run could've/should've been a box set instead of a Road Trip; I think they cranked V1N4 out at the last minute to glom onto the Egypt '78 hype (btw, has anybody actually bought a pyramid?). I'd expect to see some sort of box set of 80's era stuff in the next year or so, and/or a multitrack vault release.
MitD
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For me, how can you not put
For me, how can you not put on roadtrips and get lost in the first moments of the songs. As far as I understand the Roadtrips series was designed for this, not designed to be "virtual shows". Listen to Knockin on Heaven's Door, with the audience around you, or the poetically beautiful rendition of To Lay Me Down. This Roadtrips is a homage to their greatness,beautifully mastered with a sound that is unequaled by any live recording of the day. You are there,in the moment.
They obviously can't do this with every show in it's complete state, so this, to me, is a gift, a little treasure of a moment, with the sound and ambience of being there, that I just can't be anything but thrilled about.
the musical moment
I'm an "obsessive deadhead" and a "real fan" etc. I love complete shows and would welcome such releases. I love dvds and would welcome more of these too. But the thing I don't get about all the dissatisfaction is that for me it's the music in the moment, the music I'm listening to right then that gets me off. Believe me, there are shows that I just love to experience from start to finish and listening to each transition and jam and wart and hoot is wonderfully burned into my mind. To listen to it any other way really seems oddly incomplete. But, I enjoy Road Trips just as much.
When I listen to the musical moment of any Dead show, I can imagine infinite transitions and recall numerous excursions in mind. I've been to tons of shows and while every rendition is unique and stirs unique memories for each of us, I'm not listening to one tune thinking about it having to transition into THE ONE version that it once did. At least that's how I enjoy listening to Road Trips. Thanks Rhino.
By the way, aren't we all "real fans?"
Peace, Aaron