favorite favorite favorite



Though Ventura on the beach probably sounded great, I would imagine the move just struck to mail for tix for any shows that came after Laguna Seca. I had a commitment to finish and we hadn't been to shows in months, so it was due, and I probably wanted to hook up with some SoCal Heads that I knew. Sometimes it was time to just round the edges, shake off the detritus and tour for a few months. It turned out to be the start of a hot period for the band, though Sept. '87. I had heard about the great time at the previous Ventura shows "on the beach". This wasn't exactly true. Nobody told me this was a dirt rodeo ground and [at the time anyway] NOT directly accessible to the beach (which was fenced off).



Some have pointed to this as a great show, but what they are remembering is the middle of the 2nd set. A three-day run, the opener was average overall, with the fireworks happening the following two shows. But I recall how amped people were after this show in the campground and out on Shakedown Street (you could eventually get to the beach). There were hundreds of people dancing, singing, and forming drum circles, prepped for what became a golden-era summer. This run is hard to accurately assess, however, w/middling AUDs and poor SBDs (Healy at the height of his mic-matrix experiment & wild EQ choices).



First Set. The mix was poor (front of house too) for the first few songs but the band tightens up for Mama Tried. Too bad the highs are washed in a bath of crisps because this is a very strong Candyman. Use your EQ to reveal. The rest of the set is above average but there are no great sources. A strong Dough Knees leaves 'em happy.



Second Set. This set essentially has an extra song before Drums>Space and one after. The sound is finally half-decent, though China Cat is still missing the upper mids and the highs are crispy-washed. The best part of Rider is how Phil scoops under the key and shovels the notes over his shoulder. Jer misses the headlight verse and then tries to add it to the end, making everybody catch him. An Itsy Bitsy Spider tuning is faint. Far from Me has great individual playing but not from the whole. Jer is sorta on fire yet sorta the weak link. Dewiminna then comes along to tighten the slop. He's Gone is choice - unusually so, though again with crap sound. Brent and Phil steer. Drums start from a (near) stop and are fantastic, leading to an intense Space. In the evening, outside, truly weird; a true in-space Space. This sequence into Miracle and Peter is great. Too bad the sound is atrocious again (the SBD is mostly mic'd AUD here). After a brick-solid Black Peter there's less to remark, save GOGD.



1st Set : B-

2nd Set : C+

Overall = 3¼ stars



Highlights:

Candyman - EQ that shit

Drums - not usually a highlight for most of us

Space - in-space Space, touching down for Wheel

I Need a Miracle - the whole way

Black Peter - potent bookend of fine sequence



SOURCES: Not great ones. The bertha-ashley_4854 is a little wavery. The clugston_11884 is probably the least EQd but the walker-scotton_miller_83751 is the most dynamic. These are the Healy mic-matrix SBD. Most of these AUDs run fast and the taping section was not favored.

- September 24, 2018Beach bash beginnings