05-04-1979

Hampton Coliseum

Hampton, Virginia

An expansive and relaxed Half Step> Franklin’s opens the show. And things stay a bit subdued in the early going. But in the middle of Mexicali, Bobby says, “polka time,” kicking off a sick little jam with a little Norteño flair. Brent is really keying the sound here and throughout the night, adding the carnivalesque organ that had been missing since Pig’s heyday. And nowhere is this more clear than on Good Lovin’ after the boys come out with similarly raucous and energy-filled versions of Miracle and Bertha. The crowd is into it throughout, roaring on the Good Lovin’ and hooting through the tuning that follows, as they were all evening. Jerry is magisterial on the Ship of Fools that follows, even as he flubs the lyrics at a critical juncture. Then Estimated comes out and Jerry and Brent combine on a delightfully spacey – without ever loosing the theme – interlude that eventually flows forth into a radiant Eyes. On the flip side of Drums and Space, the boys accelerate right into a crackly, spitfire Truckin’ that has the audience in a fervor, clapping and dancing along. Fired up, the band lights off a raucous, blazing hot jam. And, after a soaring and powerful Stella with the drummers and Jerry creating a rich tapestry, an absolutely blistering Around and Around ends the show with no encore. Some folks who were in attendance report that someone threw a shirt at Bobby at the end of Around and Around, pissing him off and putting the kibosh on the encore. The boys delivered a manic display of rock and roll greatness in that Around and Around, so the person who threw the shirt could be forgiven for losing their mind.

Recording info
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Identifier:
gd79-05-04.glassberg.vernon.18878.sbeok.shnf
Source:
Audience Recording
Notes:
NAK CM700, Sony 158SD Recorded by Barry Glassberg. A:D conversion by John Steinthal via Mark Cohen, encoded by Matt Vernon
Description:
Mississippi Half Step-> Franklin’s Tower, Mama Tried-> Mexicali Blues, Candyman, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication, Loser, Minglewood Blues, Don’t Ease Me In, Passenger I Need A Miracle-> Bertha-> Good Lovin’, Ship of Fools, Estimated Prophet-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> Truckin’-> Stella Blue-> Around & Around
Lineage:
Nak CM700 > Sony 158SD > DAT > CDR > SHN
Transferrer:
Play
Pause
Back
Forw.
Volume
00:00
1
Crowd and tuning
01:31
2
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
10:37
3
Franklin’s Tower
13:30
4
Mama Tried
02:37
5
Mexicali Blues
05:29
6
Candyman
08:43
7
Lazy Lightnin’
03:27
8
Supplication
07:56
9
Loser
08:56
10
New Minglewood Blues
05:29
11
Don’t Ease Me In
04:15
12
Passenger
05:44
13
Crowd and tuning
00:51
14
I Need A Miracle
04:15
15
Bertha
06:18
16
Good Lovin’
08:11
17
Ship Of Fools
08:13
18
Estimated Prophet
12:21
19
Eyes Of The World
14:30
20
Drums
09:40
21
Space
04:16
22
Truckin’
08:11
23
Stella Blue
10:34
24
Around And Around
07:36
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This was the first of 21 Dead shows at that legendary bastion of East Coast magic, Hampton Coliseum. It was also a beautiful spring day, and more than a few Heads rode the ferris wheel and grabbed a cotton candy and funnel cake from the carnival that shared the venue lot that day.

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Comments

5 responses to “05-04-1979”

  1. August West Avatar
    August West

    I attended a show in ’74, in Springfield as I recall. Some moron threw a cherry bomb or similar firecracker on stage and it exploded over Keith’s piano. He promptly left the stage and there was no encore.

  2. mike Avatar
    mike

    jerry came out in ponytails. the band was playing inspired smiles on the stage spread to the floor. everything was right in the world

  3. Bill F. Avatar
    Bill F.

    May the new Grateful Dead of the day prosper

  4. Robyn Avatar
    Robyn

    This was my first show and my first date with the mam who would become my husband and soul mate. The day that changed the rest of my life!

  5. James Wisner Avatar
    James Wisner

    grateful

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