Cold Rain & Snow-> Minglewood Blues, Friend Of The Devil-> Cassidy, To Lay Me Down-> Me & My Uncle-> Mexicali Blues-> Big Railroad Blues-> Little Red Rooster, Bird Song, Lost Sailor-> Saint Of Circumstance-> Don't Ease Me In Shakedown Street-> Samson & Delilah, High Time, Truckin'-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat-> Good Lovin', E: U.S. Blues

AUD>MC>DAT>CDR; via Paul B; Seeded to etree by Willy

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Reviewer: Mind Wondrin - favorite favorite favorite - May 21, 2019

Subject: Annexed

The final show of the July '81 tour - seven stops with Denver the only one with an extra show added. Overall the tour didn't match May, though this show has some of the most interesting playing. After a month off, a second leg then did the rest of heading west: SLC>Seattle>Portland>Eugene. They'd be back in Colo in less than 5mos for a single show. Though better than the previous show overall, that show has the better first set. For the trainspotters, this show is known for the only Bird Song into Sailor.



First Set. Just a bit rough on the opener. When Jer screws up "ain't gonna be treated this way", Bobby takes over, nudging hard until Jer warms up. It's mostly given to Brent, though they still get out t'gate with energy. It all takes off on Minglewood. Both Jer solos are money. It has "busted jail gone again/little girl sure wishes when" as well as Denver fillies/T for San Francisco. The next few are above average and To Lay Me Down is nicely paced, so there's no skidding to a halt after the energetic Cassidy. They gotta play Me & My Uncle, and Bobby has fun with the Denver man - so uptempo it crashes into Mexico in just 3min! Coruscating. Mexicali not as much, but after Bobby accidentally cuts Jer's 1st solo, he gives him a couple extra measures on the 2nd with great retort. The next few are average but the only Bird Song>Sailor is fun. It went into a bunch of different songs in '81 and was put all over the sets. But this is the only one they ever trannied into Sailor - though there's a near-stop. The energy carries nicely into Saint, but it's Dough Knees that leaves 'em happy for the break. Short, sweet and tight. Don't miss. No stinkers, just solid to above-average GOGD.



Second Set. Shakedown is a flat start, though Jer improves it with the solo. He gives room to Brent, who never really runs with it. Samson is better, but High Time is muffed several times. Truckin' is the highpoint, even with the times-have-changed sex change lyric. Uptempo, it has a few different things going on, from the marching cadence & circus start, to the soaring jam. One of '81's best, with everybody letting Jer take it alone into Eyes (which has a dropout @6:05). When the drummers are starting their thang Jer stays out, extending for several minutes to explore a unique jam. It's unknown how many minutes are missing at the cut in Drums; probably 5-6. There's a full stop before Space. The latter seems like it could've continued but that Phil was anxious to do the opening rumble for The Other One. Bobby was end-of-tour shouting the lyrics by this point, but despite myself I dig this one. The segue into Wharf Rat is great. After a Miracle tease Bobby immediately switches to Good Lovin', but throws everyone off for a false start (it's the height of absurdity making an 8sec track. This is the Grateful Dead, not Minutemen or 7 Seconds). Sorry, but 10 days is past the cutoff for wishing happy 4th of July when playing U.S. Blues. Jer immediately forgets all the verses.



1st Set : B-

2nd Set : C+

Overall = 3¼ stars



Highlights:

Me & My Uncle - the right time & place

Don't Ease Me In - sah-weet

Truckin' - several things going on add up to era's best



SOURCES: 1st set AUDs have trimmed tunings [to fit a C90]. There's only one source for the second set and it's an AUD, but the 1st set has a full upgrade with the .nak100_schley (it just needs balanced and EQd). - May 21, 2019Annexed

Reviewer: kbmill - - August 17, 2015

Subject: bread crumb You ran the chance of hearing Cold Rain and Snow one in ten shows over the course of all shows. the high water mark was in 1969 when it was played 38 times. In 1981 it was played 11 times, the third most of any year. It's one of those songs that gets played a little throughout. - August 17, 2015bread crumb

Reviewer: JamsOnly - favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 30, 2015

Subject: Good Tour Closer Highlights: Saint Of Circumstance - July 30, 2015Good Tour Closer

Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 7, 2014

Subject: - Some very good playing, and a particularly beautiful Wharf Rat, but overall not ultra-special. - August 7, 2014

Reviewer: Franklin's Towel - favorite favorite favorite - May 28, 2014

Subject: Shakedown Definitely not one for the ages, the jam is long but literally nothing happens. Tepid show, Truckin > end is not bad Franklin's Towel -- May 28, 2014Shakedown

Reviewer: ripple947 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 4, 2012

Subject: Great show, not perfect It's a shame that this is the only recording of this show on the LMA, as there are pitch problems, of the upward variety. Thankfully only a few songs are severely affected. But it's a pretty representative great 1981 show. A few rough transitions keep it from being just exactly perfect. - June 4, 2012Great show, not perfect

Reviewer: spacecowboy - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 14, 2008

Subject: Mystery Show Deadhead Taping Compendium does not have this show commented on. It goes 7/13/81 to 8/12/81. Pretty bizarre. I just listened to To Lay Me Down and the sound is very warm and intimate. Vocals have a unique quality on this recording. The taper should be proud. - September 14, 2008Mystery Show

Reviewer: mdarby - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 13, 2007

Subject: End Of The Tour after seeing all the shows

from KC to St Louis to St Paul

to Alpine then the trip to Denver

this show was a nice end of the tour - July 13, 2007End Of The Tour

Reviewer: L. Rosley - favorite favorite favorite - June 26, 2007

Subject: Pass on this one Not one of my favorites from this year. There are some good performances, Cassidy, Bird Song, and High Time. Jerry's having a decent night in his solos and vocals, but Bob isn't. He talks through a lot of the lyrics or gives off-keys screams. This is something he was doing this summer, but it just too much in this show, and it gets in the way. - June 26, 2007Pass on this one

Reviewer: brendanmcauley - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 31, 2006

Subject: Only Birdsong>Sailor -Ever! This is a very nice performance of an early 80's dead show. The transition of note here and the reason this show is a 'must have' is for the incredible "Birdsong>Lost Sailor>Saint>Don't ease' to close set one.



It is of paricular consideration that you give to the birdsong; for it is only the 14th electric birdsong since 9/15/73 and other than the accoustic shows where it was played consistantly in '80, it is rare in and of its' self; however, it is the 'sailor' tranition out of 'birdsong' that is only done once in the history of the dead's touring.



The sound is better than good to me but not quite 'very good'. It is of worthy download and thank you very much for the upload as well. 4 stars!



This site is fantatstic!!! - December 31, 2006Only Birdsong>Sailor -Ever!

Reviewer: stuffyhead - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 8, 2006

Subject: great but... The good parts are great but the show isn't 100% The High Time is a low time and the tape has a "severe" gash during Drumz - November 8, 2006great but...