07-06-1984
Alpine Valley Music Theater
East Troy, Wisconsin
The Dead open a splendid night of music at a classic Dead venue with a rocking Iko to get everyone up and shaking their bones. That energy continues with a bright Jack Straw. The band then lights off on Big Railroad, Jerry slaying it while Brent adds some luscious fills. A mean old Rooster comes next before a sweet Candyman, eerie, yet lovable in every way. A nice Me & My Uncle> Mexicali follows. Jerry takes over afterwords for an alluring Bird Song. The slightly faster pace blunts some of the song’s somberness, but steals none of its splendor. A classic set-ending – and utterly magical – Let It Grow takes us into a short break, but only after nearly fifteen minutes of dazzling jams.
Iko Iko, Jack Straw-> Big Railroad Blues, Little Red Rooster, Candyman, Me & My Uncle-> Mexicali Blues, Bird Song, Let It Grow
Set 2
China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Ship of Fools, Women Are Smarter, Drums-> Dear Mr. Fantasy-> The Other One-> Black Peter-> Why Don’t We Do It In The Road-> Around & Around & Around Jam, Sugar Magnolia, E: Touch Of Grey
China Cat charges out of the intermission, sweeping up the audience who continues lustily rocking along through a lengthy transition into Rider. And the Rider becomes a raucous romp as the boys’ playing stokes the crowd even more. Things slow down a bit with Ship of Fools, but the audience still hoots through it, surely stirred on by Jerry’s ripe vocals and rich guitar work. And then the band – perhaps goaded on by the insatiable crowd – turns to another dance heavy tune in Man Smart, Woman Smarter. Billy and Mickey bring in some of the calypso rhythms while the rest of the boys pour on a heavy helping of funk. Once the rest of the band leaves the stage, the drummers keep playing with the basic percussive pattern, riffing on the Trini beat before they finally head off into a rainforest landscape. And it is there that the rhythm devils rendezvous with the boys. Space eventually leads into a brilliant, perhaps best-ever, Dear Mr. Fantasy. Jerry and Brent’s interplay on both their instruments and vocals takes the song to another level here on just its third time out. The faithful erupt at the end while the band gathers for the Other One, which builds into a raging, menacing flood before spilling forth into a dark Black Peter. From the ashes of Peter, the band builds into a ripe Why Don’t We Do It in the Road with Brent’s keys and the ensemble – notably including Phil’s – vocals just off the hook. Afterwards, the band – minus Bobby – launch into Around and Around before they drop it stillborn and give Sugar Mags a try. The tune does, in fact, take the set out before a fantastic Touch encore caps off the night.
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