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Seems odd that this was their only time at Big A - they usually played Irvine at the time, which was obviously better, but it took a 2 or 3-day run, and this was the Dylan tour, which were stadium gigs. The format was two Dead sets>Dylan set>Dead encore>Dylan encore. I toured this summer - but missed this show (darn it!), which was much talked-about and a common tape suggestion for several years. I remember getting a wobbly, hissy, fast-pitched low-gen, so even though you could tell it was a top-shelf show, I didn't listen to it again. Weir is funny - with his Madonna T and Brent is great. Dylan put the boys on their toes for these long shows and they spun out some ribbony tapestries, which makes it ironic that Dylan's tour-document album stunk. But then, for the Dylan sets you had to be there. Too bad the Dead's sets weren't released for so long (instead).



First Set. Starting with a bang on a tight, concise Iko Iko. This was the version pulled for the Record Store Day Side By Side 7" split with Dr. John and Dixie Cups (their original hit single). It was a black sleeve/mystery edition, and when you opened it the A-side turned out to be the Grateful Dead. It was a great version to pick, though truth is Rhino could only choose from this one, 10/7/80, 3/30/90, 7/7/89, or 9/16/78. Minglewood continues the hot energy - "dizzy minnies start lookin' good/T right here in Anaheim" (since Disneyland is right across the freeway, Bobby was probably referring to "Minnie Mouses" and not mini skirts). '87 was the biggest year for what was often labeled (until this month) "100,000 tons", and this is about where it peaked. But it's Phil that adds what it needs here. I traded with this cat that knew the songs by his own titles; so I would get shows labelled with "Snow & Rain", "Don't Stand to Lose" and "Born in a Desert". West L.A. Fadeaway is a very dynamic version. Masterpiece is a shorter example, going into Mexicali. Bird Song isn't mind-boggling like some, but it's played just about perfectly nonetheless.



Second Set. Intermission must have been somewhat less than replenishing because it takes awhile to tighten back up (the end jam of Shakedown). But the rest is consistent and all above-average. Bobby must love his performance on Throwing Stones, because he let them put it on Weir Here (albeit an edited version). Jer tries a few things a bit differently and it's an ace version for the drummers. Jer is a genius on Not Fade Away. No SBDs of the Touch of Grey encore exist because Dylan was on guitar. When he was onstage the tapers section was also supposed to be shut - he no allow.



1st Set : A-

2nd Set : B-

Overall = 4 stars (Dead show + Dead encore)



Highlights:

Iko Iko - a nice tight first-set-stylee, pulled for single release

Tons of Steel - common song for just a few years, this is a go-to version

West L.A. Fadeaway - very dynamic A+ version

When I Paint My Masterpiece - shorter version, nailed

Not Fade Away - Jer doing what he did

Touch of Grey - fired by Dylan



SOURCES: Because it was one of the Dylan gigs, SBDs never circulated until the Dead sets were released on View from the Vault IV. Altogether, this show has shown up on four releases! Throwing Stones is on Weir Here (with 50 seconds of the solo removed), Iko is on a 7" single, and 3 from Dylan's set are on the live Dylan album from the tour that was released on his label. You still need an AUD for the Dead's Touch of Grey encore. The yamaguchi sounds best but the source is wayyy too fast - it needs -5% , which is an unusual pitch error for an '87 (or any, actually).

- August 3, 2016Big A