favorite favorite favorite favorite

In 1985, There was No practical way for me to do West Coast shows so nice to have access to these recordings.Bertha is a serious dance tune. I know some of these shows are brief compared to the early years but they were still rockin'OMSN- Yeah, now that is good song selection. The Only issue I had with this tune was as a throw-away in encore slot.Those are two scorching tunes to open. If they did this opener combo on the East Coast people would be coming unglued.-- I kid you NOT.So you got West Coast mellow meeting hard driving slash and burn 85 GD.>>>Sugaree-Yeah, that is way more of the West Coast flavor. Jerry sounds real good here vocally, If I remember there were a few points in 85 that his voice was very road weary.Nice Jerry runs in Sugaree jam/ Brent as well.Used to Love Her- When they did this at Brendan Byrne, Healy messed with the reverb and it really freaked me out.This is a good tune for the boys. You almost got 10 minutes here unless there is some Dead Air at the end of this one.( NONE- SOLID and well played)It seems sometimes that 2 drummers kinda changes the dynamics of the Phil Zone. It could also be that Brent is super aggressive in the jam. He jumps in and takes leads and solo's all the time. I think that was good for Garcia it kinds spurs him on.A really nice jam inside the Used to Love Her.Row Jimmy- This recording is tough on this gentle song. Hard to pick up the all important bass lines hereIn the days of Cassette Tapes this show presents a dilemma. You could fit the 1st set on one side of 120 but the Second Set is a little more challenging to navigate.Let it Grow-Always a strong way to close out a set.Oh Healy is playing with Weir's vocals on LIG. Very hard when and if trippin!!!A WASTE IS A TERRIBLE THINGTO MIND...Good jam inside the Let IT Grow. If the sound was a little fuller this show would get much more recognition.I went to a Sacramento Show and to look at the list -no biggie but wow by late 2nd set I was dancing in perfect time with hundreds of folks, with not a knee or elbow out of place. It was like one giant single celled amoeba or paramecia. Yet it was so laid back, the perfect vibe. Too me this 3/9/85 is a rare Cali show that is more frantic then chill.And speaking of Second SetChina>Cumberland- Yeah 85 was also the year of the 1/2 Step>Rider @ Byrne-Fall tour.Always liked when they challenged the routine. But I did get what Garcia meant about even going outside the box too much could become routine.China Cat- trying to discern if this was something they had planned to go into Cumberland? I really liked the Dead's outro jams (out of songs) in 1985. They really were good at connecting up tunes (Conjunction Junction)Wow, interesting transition, absolutely had to blow some minds right there. The trick to stuff like that was to smile and just keep dancing because if you don't stay with the jam. It almost sounded like RIDER until the vocals.CUMBERLAND is a wicked HOT dance tune.Especially in the 2nd set."Take your shift at the mine" really really good jam here!(they never went back to that combo again)>MIRACLE- 85 a great year for this tune Weir put it up and down some very intense 2nd sets.Garcia's vocals inside Miracle always so cool.[I have this fascination with trying to put certain Dead tunes into Old Testament or New Testament context.Even though Jesus did much in the realm of the miraculous (Boy that is an understatement)----------Nice transition into EYES,,Point being in the Old Testament TORAH-We are 'Waiting for a Miracle' {Great Jerry tune}where as with JESUS the Miracle becomes common. Maybe so common that people take it for granted.Don't know what we got until He's Gone]Nice EYES, Pace of show is absolutely break neck speed. Nobody to sing with Garcia on the SES and then BHT,, Bob comes in , I miss DJG right there.A nice mellower jam after the lyrics.Wow, A little time space distortion- I assume this is Headed into drums right about now. (Very compact)Merle on with the drummers, We saw him on the BLUES FOR THE RAINFOREST tour. Somewhere up by Wrigley after one of the Chicago Soldier Field shows.Ever get the chance you tube 'Sunrise over Haleakala'NOTE: THE SPACE IS REALLY SPACED. LIKE THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO GET MY HEAD AROUND U.S. BLUES AT THE G. D.- 'MIDNIGHT' MOVIE DOWN IN THE VILLAGE.You know Merle could have easily stayed on and jammed some Dead tunes but I am assuming he didn't have any of his own gear this particular night.Other1>Wheel>Sugar Magnolia(It would be interesting to count but I think they have also done Wheel>Other One a few times as well.)They don't spend much time in either TOO or Wheel but they do get over ten minutes of Sugar Magnolia.Note on this Wheel: Excellent tune selection. The rhythm section was overheating probably from MERLE encounter. ( WHEEL almost a ballad for this night.)If you had any doubts that this is a dance your 'donkey' off night, here comes that Sugar Magnolia bringing this show full circle.e) Baby Blue (Not worth getting into the encore discussion)Good mostly tight show, probably a 4.(As long as you kept dancing!)If you told me you were at this show and it was a 5I would have no problem shaking your hand. p.s . I wouldn't be surprised if Merle was noodling keyboard on that encore.