Grateful Dead

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Simply stated the best show I ever attended. What a night, what a Dew what a vibe. Someday I'll post my full story of this night but suffice to say it was the first show that I traveled to as a Freshman in college and suffice to say that it put me on the bus till this very day. A cherished memory. Ed

Jerry's crescendoing solo was absolutely mind blowing ending with a windmill and a slight jump. The next day people were walking around with signs offering $20 bucks for a picture of Garcia in the air... Oh yeah...the Box to end the 1st set was beautiful and there was not a dry eye in the Spectrum

Brent's playing was simply torrential as well.

What a show!!!!! During Ramble on rose a big long balloon slowly assened on to the stage and above Garica. Then it hit the top of his head and it popped landing on his hand......it was quit funny. then after the show we went to some hotel room of a friend of a friend of mine. He had the whole show video recorded. So we got to see the show again. I keep checking YouTube to see it any songs ever get posted.......LOL

There are several songs from this show, including the Dew posted on Youtube. It seems to be shot from a single camera and Brent is out of view but it's good enough to stir the memories. Enjoy.

Jerry was really hurting. He left the stage several times for God-knows-what....and although the playing was tremendous...it was a VERY short second set. MissHalfStep: fantabulous!!!

I ALWAYS WANTED TO HEAR THEM DO THIS SONG AND MY WISH CAME THROUGH THAT NIGHT.

The year before Garcia was in terrible shape. The Dew he played in '85 still brings sadness to my heart--he struggled so much. This Dew was simply the finest I ever saw that man play. Still the thought of this song on that night makes my heart soar and tears fill my eyes.

Just like a Swiss watch.

I remember right after the show how we all said how short the second set was. Then when we got to the parking lot, we heard that the U.S. had just bombed Libya. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_in_the_Gulf_of_Sidra_(1986) It was speculated that this may have been the cause for the short second set. I don't know if that was ever confirmed.

A smokin show, I lose myself when I listen to it now, all the memories flood back.

Yeah, I was on the ceiling throughout that concert.I drove down from Jersey with college pals all week. Didn't really need to go to class--absolutely no regrets. We figured we'd hear Box of Rain at one of those three Spectrum shows, as the boys had played it in Hampton just before. Last performance of Sailor was a bonus. Morning Dew fantastic, as well--slow and devastating, and when Jerry hit the last chord, he whipped off his guitar and bolted from the stage. (Of course feeling an intense mind-meld with Jerry that night, I could just tell that he wanted the set to end with profundity rather than farce, with no room for Bobby to play something frivolous and break the spell). btw, saw Phil Lesh and Family at "Deadhead Night" at my college reunion a month ago! Son Brian was graduating and older boy Grahame came from Cali--both played guitar and sang. Marco Benevento on keys and Joe Russo on drums. Special guest Stanley Jordan was mind-blowing on guitar. Phil incredibly gracious after the sound check earlier in the day. I had lovely convo and snapped a pic with PL, who really could not have been nicer. Sons super chill as well....

Yeah, I was on the ceiling throughout that concert.I drove down from Jersey with college pals all week. Didn't really need to go to class--absolutely no regrets. We figured we'd hear Box of Rain at one of those three Spectrum shows, as the boys had played it in Hampton just before. Last performance of Sailor was a bonus. Morning Dew fantastic, as well--slow and devastating, and when Jerry hit the last chord, he whipped off his guitar and bolted from the stage. (Of course feeling an intense mind-meld with Jerry that night, I could just tell that he wanted the set to end with profundity rather than farce, with no room for Bobby to play something frivolous and break the spell). btw, saw Phil Lesh and Family at "Deadhead Night" at my college reunion a month ago! Son Brian was graduating and older boy Grahame came from Cali--both played guitar and sang. Marco Benevento on keys and Joe Russo on drums. Special guest Stanley Jordan was mind-blowing on guitar. Phil incredibly gracious after the sound check earlier in the day. I had lovely convo and snapped a pic with PL, who really could not have been nicer. Sons super chill as well....

Comment on page before about bombing of Libya is correct. Hence the dew only out of space seeing as its a song about nuclear Holocaust. After hearing the news of the bombing we got back to hotel to see it on the news and wondered what was next. Next in the world that is. I know to alot of us this was our world but we still lived in the real world. Just under a spell.

I will never forget this second set. There were times when a set would start and you knew something special was happening onstage. I have never seen a better Half-Step or Sailor>Saint. The Dew was undeniably powerful and apparently deliberately placed due to the decision to bomb Libya in retaliation for the Lockerbie Pan Am bombing.Another reason this show has meaning for me. I was on the floor, separated from friends as usual with my habit for roaming. Although I was alone, I was surrounded by people that felt like family. We were all so happy...all guards were down. That's what the Grateful Dead did to you. When it was over, I don't think any of us felt shorted. We all left the Spectrum shaking our heads, overwhelmed by the intensity of the show. " I guess it doesn't matter....anyway "

John's comment had resonated within me for sometime so i wanted to write this. When we were on tour back then, every moment was magic. It was like we were in some kind of alternate reality/utopia. We would travel from town to town and look at people living their normal lives and realize we were in on this cosmic secret that no one else knew about. Whatever happened in the outside world, it seemed we were shielded from it. We lived in a beautiful dream world. Like Jerry sings in To Lay Me Down "Let the world go by, all lost in dreaming".

I have to comment on AZWeiback's statement re: mind meld w/ Jerry and wanting the set to end with that Killer Dew. As the Dew was nearing it's end, I turned to my friend and said "they need to leave the stage and not ruin it w/ Around & Around or Lovelight" (and usually I would love a good Around & Around or Lovelight). This was the only show (out of 100+) that I ever said/felt anything like that or did not want another song. Also the only show I attended where they played only one song after drums/space. What are the odds that would occur the one time I could just feel/sense it (even before the song had ended). There was truly a strange collective/cosmic conciousness that occurred at Dead shows. Especially that night.

Back to the good old Spectrum our Home venue so to speak !

One of my most memorable moments in my many of Dead shows was dancing on the floor at this show and having a remarkable cathartic release during High Time: "I was having a high time...living the good life!" That was definitely the good life. Turned my friend John onto live Dead shows at this one.

Doesn’t anyone remember the pro wrestling before the show?
I believe this was the show where they had wrestling booked in the afternoon, so the show started really late, and ended well after midnight, thus the Midnight hour encore…
That might have something to do with the short set.

Man what a trip it was: all the straight goofy wrestling dads with kids exiting the building into a hoard of anxious DH, talk about culture shock lol.
Not sure who got “the fear” worse! Good Times!
This show rocks! I think it’s one of the years best!
Oooo David?