Set 1



Bertha

Greatest Story Ever Told

Althea

Mama Tried

Mexicali Blues

Never Trust A Woman

Built To Last

Queen Jane Approximately

Jack-A-Roe

Cassidy

Deal



Set 2



Truckin' ->

Wang Dang Doodle ->

Crazy Fingers ->

Cumberland Blues ->

Eyes Of The World ->

Drums ->

Space ->

The Wheel ->

I Need A Miracle ->

Stella Blue ->

Sugar Magnolia



Encore

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

Patch Info:



AUD Source from David Minches supplies:



Space (3:30 - 3:53)



Notes:



-- Discs 2 and 3 are seamless

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comment Reviews

Reviewer: prustygunn - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 12, 2020

Subject: My 59th Show So many things to say about this show and this weekend. Came from L.A. with a friend and a couple other folks I didn’t know. Had to stop in the middle of nowhere to replace a tire that was about to go...classic. It was a typically hot Sacramento weekend in August. Somehow, we were hipped to the fact that from the parking lot you could climb up to the freeway, walk along it for a few hundred yards as cars wiz by, and then descend to a quiet little spot at the edge of the American River. Ahhh, the cool water. And hardly anyone else there!

The song choices were fantastic, And Jerry and Brent were passing solos back and forth all weekend. The show started as hot as the day with Bertha> Greatest Story. Listening back, I wonder what guitar(s) Jerry was playing. At times it sounds like Wolf. Then later it seems like the black Strat comes out. Maybe someone smarter than me knows the answer. Love Althea - good version. There were lyric flubs here and there, but the energy was so good it just didn’t take away from the whole picture. Fun Cowboy songs, they’re usually strong. Being a keyboard player and big Brent fan, Never Trust A Woman was always a welcome rarity. Solid versions of Queen Jane, Jack-a-Roe (another fav) and Cassidy. But Deal is the real story of the set. Just a killer version. Jerry didn’t want to stop soloing at the end. It was more JGB than the Dead. Even his vocals were on.

Second set was full of more surprises. 30+ minutes of nonstop Grateful Dead is a beautiful thing. Crazy> Cumberland> Eyes! Then a pretty short drums before Jerry’s back out (with the black Strat?) getting down with MIDI and channeling his inner-Bach with a bit of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. It was beautiful. Then another string of solid playing by the boys. A pretty Stella, especially the outro with Jer hitting the horn sounds and Brent answering. And SSDD has a different flavor, with Jerry playing a lot of rhythm and (probably) letting Brent rip, Phil drop bombs, & Bob rock star out. The whole show and weekend was full of the guys digging on each other. Jerry and Brent especially had big ears. I love Cal Expo! - September 12, 2020My 59th Show

Reviewer: meechnewsome - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 3, 2020

Subject: Cal Expo Cal Expo had a great parking lot/Shakedown Street scene. This weekend was complete with Bill Graham riding around on a moped or something. 1st set was long and Jerry ended it with us all dancing to Deal. I danced right into the beer garden and was chatting with this really tall red headed guy for some time before I realized it was Walton. 2nd set started differently and finally came together for me during Eyes>Drumz>Wheel. The encore of Baby Blue left us weeping with joy at spending a beautiful day with the band and 15,000 Deadheads. - August 3, 2020Cal Expo

Reviewer: kbmill - - April 6, 2018

Subject: bread crumb I sang a little while and then flew on. - April 6, 2018bread crumb

Reviewer: PdxDeadhead - favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 28, 2017

Subject: Weird start to this show... The Foolish Heart opener was a trip. Jerry was obviously annoyed at the sound problems and seemed to be battling with Brent at the end of the song. Brent suddenly took over with a smoking piano solo that surprised Jerry. Check out Brent going' off at 8:30. I remember Jerry lookin' all grouchy...sounded great to me... - July 28, 2017Weird start to this show...

Reviewer: doug_the_dude - favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 4, 2013

Subject: -- Pretty much a workhorse-solid show, nothing more than that...but nothing less, either - certainly this is worth a few hours of your day - everything is played so damned *well* there needs to be credit given here, even though serious jams are few and far between (as they tended to be pre-fall '89).



Set 1 - strong start with Bertha, although Jer sort of miffs Althea - you've heard it lyrically much stronger, yo...there are little "moments" sprinkled throughout the set that makes it worth hearing - Jerry so *sincerely* dialing in Built to Last (really, what a version!), Brent's delightful solo on Queen jane, it all just flows well. The Cassidy-Deal one-two closer is, for me, the best part of this show - the latter in particular is as hot as you imagine.



Set 2 coasts through the tunes, and, Cumberland aside, there aren't any real surprises here...everything, again, is good, but that's about it. I think Stella comes off best post-drums.



One note on this Space - it sounds like Jerry, at one point, is playing some kind of tune that eludes me....anyone know what it is he's teasing? If that is a spontaneous composition by Jer instead, well, hot damn! - August 4, 2013--

Reviewer: Jeff Knorek from Nova Scotia - - August 2, 2011

Subject: Best of the batch Of all the copies of this show that are available, this is the best one. As for the content itself, I'll let the listener be the judge. - August 2, 2011Best of the batch

Reviewer: Estimatedjohn - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 18, 2011

Subject: yes good show great sound thanks for letting us stream this one! - June 18, 2011yes

Reviewer: Pangolin22 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 27, 2011

Subject: Really about a 3 1/2 Alright show but nothing out of this world. The band was a bit hit and miss throughout the show. The set 2 pre-drums segment was my favoutrite part of the show. Great run of songs with a really nice Crazy Fingers>Cumberland (They actually got the transition between the two songs pretty well which they don't always manage). Very decent Eyes as well. - February 27, 2011Really about a 3 1/2

Reviewer: gratedude69 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 11, 2010

Subject: average nothing to stellar here like some of the standouts from 89, well played the way through, caught my eye cuz its got a great set list, overall a good show - August 11, 2010average

Reviewer: BIG_R - favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 14, 2010

Subject: 8-4-89 Nice show. Great sound thanks to Mr. Miller. I know this stuff is subjective but I can't believe someone gave this or any 1989 show two stars. - March 14, 20108-4-89

Reviewer: JustinJoy311 - favorite favorite - August 5, 2009

Subject: Vanilla Just to guard against being accused of having no frame of reference, I am a fan of Jerry and the Dead from all eras. For instance, on the exact dates during 2009 I have been listening to the 40th anniversary of 1969 shows, the 30th anniversary of JGB/Reconstruction 1979, and the 20th anniversary of 1989. In turn, I have listened so far to every show from 1989 up until this point (including many after) and am quite puzzled with everyone's adoration of 8/4/89.



I really do enjoy the next two nights of the run, but this one is simply not up to their standard for all time, or 1989. Jerry is absolutely not playing his best music throughout most of this show. He seems not so much lost, but uninspired – even tired. His poor dexterity is much more reminiscent of the last two carpel-tunnel afflicted years, to be quite honest. Phil & Brent alike are playing up to their standards. Unfortunately, the only tracks really worth coming back to in this show are the Space Jam -> The Wheel, Stella Blue, and Baby Blue … and I will quickly point out that each of these tracks are really outstanding. But notice how they are all pretty somber tunes. It just seems Jerry was not really in the mood to celebrate that night, for whatever reason, and his creativity and execution suffered because of it. Let us be honest – a Grateful Dead show cannot be a truly GREAT Grateful Dead show unless Jerry is adequately “present.” Two stars for being unimpressive, and just plain below the intensity average of 1989. - August 5, 2009Vanilla

Reviewer: Wake of the Flood1 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 27, 2009

Subject: 20 years almost.... This will always be the pinnacle

of the Bands existence...It was the summer of 89' ...

1989 - 90'....just owning these songs

and making some of the best music ever

played in the history of mankind.... - March 27, 200920 years almost....

Reviewer: Dead Surfer - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 4, 2008

Subject: Good as Alpine 89 This run is as good as Alpine in my opinion. The whole band sounds tight and this board sounds excellent.The second set of 8-6-89 is about as good as it gets in late 80's. It was my favorite venue.Very small outdoor and always had a good time there. - August 4, 2008Good as Alpine 89