An unusually placed Throwing Stones fires up the crowd to open the second half. At the end, a funky jam transitions seamlessly into Aiko, turning up the dancing and spirit a notch further. Say what you will about Bruce’s accordion, it adds a punchy funkiness setting off Jerry’s runs. Afterwards, the boys turn to Watchtower, and Jerry really lights off in it, shredding throughout the tune. Switching gears, the band stumbles a bit through the transition into what becomes a majestic Standing on the Moon. Bruce puts the accordion aside and takes up the grand piano, adding some gorgeous runs, complimenting Jerry’s own efforts. The Dead then turn to He’s Gone, and the audience, who had been roaring throughout the evening, serves as the backup singers throughout, adding to the already strong effort of the band. At the end, the boys ease it into Drums, which is followed by an extra trippy Space. The exploration eventually arcs into a heavenly atmosphere, out of which The Wheel materializes, as lovely as the descending summer night. A perfectly dropped Miracle comes next before a haunting Wharf Rat. And that unfortunate tale of August West eventually leads to a nifty Throwing reprise. All of that is capped by a ripping, audience-infused NFA, sending the main action out on a high note. But the boys come back out for a gorgeous, emotional Brokedown encore, providing a stunning end to evening at Pine Knob.

This show was released as Download Series: Vol. 11, and the sound upgrade from any of the available audience tapes is notable. But the official release misses some of the audience’s joy and fervor that adds something special to the night.