favorite favorite favorite



The day before is the winner of the run - even the month. But the big surprise at this show is the Cryptical resurrection. It had not been played since 28Sep72; however the last Cryptical sandwiched with The Other One (complete That's it for the Other One suite) was 15Dec71. Also, Walkin' Blues appears after a 3 year hiatus. Of course, after this we waited for a Cryptical at shows like Red Rocks and Long Beach, but it just happened at 4 more shows and then poof! The SBD mix is sketchy for much of the 1st set (no Bobby guitar, for one) which is compensated by the AUD in the matrix mix. There was some promoting of "20th anniversary", but that didn't actually happen until December.

6/14 - Sgt Pepper's played over the PA before the 1st set

6/15 - the best playing and most consistent

6/16 - brisk tempo all show, and the Cryptical return



First Set. Wildly, In the Midnight Hour started a show 3 times in '85 and was also slotted for encore. An uninvolving warm up. Bertha is way uptempo but Bobby's guitar is still missing and Brent is barely there. Too bad cuz Jer matches the tempo with a bright solo. The mix is still bad for Walkin' Blues, both SBD & the FoH. But partway through Brent suddenly appears in the mix. That fixed, the band is still jangled and the rest of the set is mostly average. Jer can not find the verses for Tennessee (but he can find the pinch harmonics!). Bobby's guitar finally appears for Big RR, making a world of difference, letting Jer go off, for the first solid song of the set. Bobby then really leaves it all on stage for Looks Like Rain and the band tightens behind him. At Half-Step Miss they spin way uptempo but it settles in nicely. The Promised Land is solid enough to leave 'em happy for the break - but it's not a set you want to hear twice, today. Even though it's nine songs, it's played so briskly that comes in under an hour.



Second Set. Jer gives an interesting delivery for the verses part of a good Scarlet, followed by a fine jam. I like what Bobby plays a lot, even if doesn't reach the heights of, say, 9/5 or 9/15. Fire is nice too, but it's on Samson when Jer gets furious. Phil totally goes off too. This is spry and seat-of-pants. Then - BAM - they bust out Cryptical. Okay, it's a tentative version, but check the AUD for excitement. The solid, swirling section of The Other One is great and the Cryptical Reprise is extended as it should be, for the first That's it for Suite in over 13yrs. A good Space sets up for a dervish of a Goin' Down the Road. Phil: Heh hh heh! Healy had taken to whispering "Bobbyyy!" over his stage monitor, and even the PA, but after Wharf Rat an unusually vocal Phil gets back, shouting "Healy!". This end of the set is average '85, though Brokedown tightens nicely, and with a fine solo.



1st Set : C-

2nd Set : B-

Overall = 3 stars



Highlights:

Looks Like Rain - Bobby leaving it on stage, now that it's tight

Samson & Delilah - spry & Phil gets his

Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad - dervish of a GDtRFB. Heh heh heh



SOURCES: Use the miller_105876. It updates the miller_79021 - which has more complete tunings, but some iffy balance in places - except for the first three songs where the SBD is missing some guitar and vox. For those try the chappell_85833 matrix (though front of house was off at first too, with Bobby missing in places and other equip problems). The braveman_26080 runs too slow. The best AUD, the oade_sacks_9218, updates the oade_sacks_7087. The mccue_ford_33669 is pitched fast.

- September 29, 2018Perpetuating x retaining y