Dead of the Day: 05-31-1992
Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, UNLV
Las Vegas, Nevada
There are not many shows on this date, but all of them are excellent, but we decided to go with a ’92 Vegas show for our Dead of the Day. The setlist alone makes this show a stellar pick, and the Dead delivered on it, offering up a very good show with some absolute standout sections. The Help> Slip> Franklin’s that opens the show is one of those premier highlights. The Help on the Way gets off to a somewhat shaky start as the sound, especially Jerry’s guitar and vocals, is not quite right out of the gate. But those early hiccups are quickly set aside as the boys jam a fantastic Slipknot!, provide a tasty transition into Franklin’s Tower, and then paint a beautiful sonic landscape through that tune with Jerry’s rich vocals and searing guitar leading the way. The Minglewood that comes next keeps the energy and verve going with Jerry and Bobby combining on a dark and smoking jam in the middle. Then, the band plays a vaguely orchestral sounding Must Have Been the Roses and an expansive Queen Jane, both of which are lovely. Vince dices up the Bird Song that follows before a solid Picasso Moon closes out the set in fine fashion.
The second set opens with a Scarlet> Fire, and though it might not be as stratospheric as versions from the late ‘70s, it has so much depth and nuance to it, making it a real treat. The rest of the pre-Space part of the set is all solid, though the fireworks really begin again in the latter half of the set. There, Vince and Phil combine to add a nice textured feel to what is always a great, underplayed tune, Attics of My Life. Steve Miller then joins the band – he was the opener – for a bluesy Spoonful that then gives way to a rocking Other One. Finally, Steve and the boys send off the set with a wonderful Morning Dew, which must be one of the best versions of the ‘90s. Then the Dead and Miller come back out for a double encore of Baba O’Reilly and Tomorrow Never Knows, which was just the third time they played both tunes; they are interesting to say the least.
Leave a Reply