Dead of the Day: 02-20-1982
Golden Hall
San Diego, California
There is another good show from the 1971 Capitol Theatre run on this day, but the February 20, 1982 show in San Diego is a standout as well. On this night at the Golden Hall, the boys move from one well-played tune to the next with more than a few that enter some incredible territory. The Franklin’s and Samson that open the second set are both tasty, and the Playin’ is downright otherworldly. But, still, the best of the night may very well be the Let It Grow. In it, Jerry’s jamming reaches stratospheric levels and then cascades back to earth in a thunderous, headlong rush before pulling up and soaring once again, taking the listener along on a stupendous flight. Garcia drives the intensity of the tune, but Weir’s vocals rise to the occasion, completing the song with John Perry Barlow’s powerful words. It is great to hear the crowd roar its approval throughout on this sharp audience tape.
They Love Each Other >
C.C. Rider
Tennessee Jed
Mama Tried >
Mexicali Blues
To Lay Me Down >
Let It Grow
Samson & Delilah
Big Railroad Blues
Playing In The Band >
Drums >
Space >
Truckin’ >
Black Peter >
Around & Around >
One More Saturday Night
Encore:
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue
Bob Weir – Guitar
Brent Mydland – Keyboards
Phil Lesh – Bass
Bill Kreutzmann – Drums
Mickey Hart – Drums
Garcia’s guitar riffs are, as usual, the most prominent and beautiful playing that you hear during the show. But noticeably absent for most of the night is Brent’s keys. On Archive, “Folkhippy” explains that it was the mix on this particular night but instead the fact that “Brent had just switched from his very cool Dynoed Rhodes piano to one of the early Yamaha electric pianos, similar to what Keith played in late ’77 and exclusively in ’78. Keith got a much better tone out of his, and Brent’s playing typically falls flat during ’82 as a result even when his levels are right.” It is an interesting explanation for the absence of that inimitable sound.
The Golden Hall is a multi-use facility built in 1964. Because it was meant to house everything from sporting events to conventions, the Golden Hall was not the best of venues for a concert, but that did not stop the Dead from putting in eleven fairly memorable shows there over the years with this 1982 performance being the final one of them. It was at the Golden Hall on January 7th and 8th, 1978 that Jerry came down with laryngitis, forcing Bobby to take the vocals on all the tunes, save a Donna-led Sunrise. Today’s 1982 show at the Golden Hall would mark the final time the Dead played San Diego for eleven years until a pair of December 1993 dates at the San Diego Sports Arena.
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