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Set 1:

Jack Straw
Sugaree
Little Red Rooster
Bird Song
It's All Over Now
It Must Have Been The Roses
Let It Grow

Set 2:
Help On The Way
Slipknot!
Franklin's Tower
Estimated Prophet
Eyes Of The World
Drums
I Need A Miracle
China Doll
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
Good Lovin'

Encore:
Day Job

Download/Listen to this Show at Archive.org

Comments:

this is a very hot show...but the show's "claim to fame" has got to be the most amazing kick ass, scorching version of Sugaree you will ever hear...the whole show is excellent but the Sugaree is truly "one for the ages"!
-

I
Sugaree-Here her Row Jimmy. Jerry does not want the solo to end, his fingers were on fire with dazzeling noodling.

II
Help>Slip>Franklins>Estimated>Eyes
5th of 6th time this sequence played. Last was 7.14.84, next and last 10.19.89.

Miracle>China Doll>GDTRFB-Only time played. China Doll has lovely slow pace w/perfect plucking.
E: Day Job(sigh)

-Perrinswolf

another shout for that amazing sugaree
-Dave (10/28/2008)

keep your day job....while I head for the exit
-steve (12/11/2008)

The Let It Grow from this show was spectacular--the walls felt like they were going to crack. Honest, I was thar.
-adamf (11/16/2010)

My God! I havn't touched acid for at least 30 years and I thought I was flashing during Slipknot - Estimated Prophet. Brings back lots of memories.
- (09/13/2012)

All good ones i hope
-Murphy (01/08/2014)

GD Spring '85 -- '84 had passed and being their 20th anniversary, performances were looking up. The previous evening at the Springfield CC was a good, but not great opener. 1st set bordered on being lame, but some fine moments like Bertha. I really enjoyed the 2nd set. But the 2nd night is a hidden jewel; high energy and commanding musicianship throughout. It enjoyed all, but 1 1985 GD show I attended (out of 18 shows in 1985), but this is clearly an above average GD performance. Take a listen....
- (07/10/2015)

^ Which show did you not enjoy, Mike?
-hedge (02/09/2024)

Hedge, I'm going to attempt to explain myself. Others on this site would probably offer a better explanation than I.

I subscribe with others here that a night with the GD is better than just about any other activity, if that person is into the GD. This includes "off performances or experiences". This covers a wide swath of negative factors: the band or a band member is having an off-night, difficult security, interpersonal drama, bad weather, poor sound or taping conditions, expectations unmet, etc.

Most deadheads, and likely people attending rock concerts in general, tolerate a certain amount of these negative aspects. It's a rock and roll show after all.

4-6-85 is the show I was alluding to Hedge. Jerry had significant vocal problems that evening. It was a Saturday night in Philly. Both the band and crowd were LOUD the first night of a 3 night run. Taping was more difficult that usual. That evenings recording has too much audience and at times, inopportune distortion. Despite the above, I realized at the time this is an energetic, soulful and instrumentally well-performed concert. Bob vocals are just fine.

My recording was shot and difficult to listen to. Fortunately, we have Internet Archive and there are a few copies of 4-6-85 that have undergone electrical surgery. I like Charlie Millers SBD the best. Positive energy by the GD marshalled through Jerry's bronchitis or whatever he had. There are several exquisite musical moments imho - Stranger, the nice ensemble jamming in MInglewood, a really good 80s Playing in the Band and essential a great 19-20 minute version of The Other One if you include space where they are playing - yes, The Other One.

When you have been to so many GD shows, some fans, like me, can be a little judgemental. So I am owning up to that. I'm trying to tone it down. GD concerts could be mercurial and changing; importantly, not all GD shows were great. That's one reason why we have Dick's and Dave's picks. Some nights they were just a working band on the road. Some nights Jerry voice was shot and the sound was suboptimal.

To close, I offer this to think about: what does it take for a fan, maybe yourself, attending a GD concert to end up with a less than fine experience? How many negative factors can accrue before it becomes a downer? Maybe it is just one thing like a loved ones illness or death. Or maybe you did not hear your favorite song and got puked on. Or maybe in the case off 4-6-85, multiple things mounted to make this less than stellar. It really does not matter in the scheme of things. Internet Archive saved the day. Thanks Mr. Miller!

Thanks Hedge for putting me on the spot.


-Mike (05/28/2024)

Damn, Mike, I had totally forgotten that I'd asked you this question but of course I had little hope or expectation that somebody would respond to a question about their comment from 9 years earlier. This show is playing on gdradio right now (at 3 in the morning) so of course I pulled it up on this website just to check out the setlist and read the comments and to my astonishment I saw my question and to my even greater astonishment your answer!

Thanks you for your thoughtful reply. My first show was 3 nights earlier at Hampton (I was a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, so Hampton was kind of the "local" venue, which proved fortunate), it took me several years before I was even competent or cared to rate shows in terms of how much I appreciated them on a musical level, I was just glad to be there and always had a blast with friends before, during and after the shows. Of course it was never that the music was secondary, I think it was just that I always so glad to be at a show and had such a good time that I wasn't lending a critical ear to the music, but I always appreciated those (like yourself) who did.

I'm glad to still be part of the Dead community, it's been an important part of my life and continues to be, along with all the rainbow spiral offshoots that it has led to. Coming across this exchange that started with your comment from 9 years ago (and how I stumbled upon it at 3 in the morning 9 years later) is a perfect example of how our Dead community still lives and thrives. Cheers, Mike..
-hedge (10/21/2024)

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