Dead of the Day: 07-23-1990

World Music Theater

Tinley Park, Illinois

There were three shows on this day in Dead history, but there is no question that our Dead of the Day will take us to Brent’s last show in 1990 at the World Music Theater. The show gets off to a hot start with a rich Cold Rain and Snow. A stellar Picasso Moon comes out next, highlighted by the interplay between Jerry, Bobby, and Brent. Following that, Brent pulls out Never Trust A Woman. After a long tuning break allowing Jerry to fiddle with his MIDI, the boys come back with a Stagger Lee – including lovely, sparkling keys – followed up with Cassidy. Then we get an unusual, but completely welcome Truckin’> Nobody’s Fault But Mine Jam> Smokestack Lightning to see the set out.

Recording info
Use alternative player
Identifier:
gd1990-07-23.sbd.walker-scotton.miller.95898.sbeok.flac16
Source:
SBD -> Dat Master (48k)
Notes:
Notes: — Set 2 is seamless — Thanks to Joani Walker and Paul Scotton for the tapes
Description:
Set 1 Cold Rain And Snow Picasso Moon Never Trust A Woman Stagger Lee Cassidy Truckin’ -> Nobody’s Fault But Mine Jam -> Smokestack Lightning Set 2 Victim Or The Crime -> Foolish Heart -> Man Smart, Woman Smarter -> Terrapin Station -> Drums -> Space -> All Along The Watchtower -> Standing On The Moon -> Around And Around -> Good Lovin’ Encore The Weight
Lineage:
Dat Master (Sony R500) -> Sound Devices 744T -> Samplitude Professional v10.1 -> FLAC
Transferrer:
Charlie Miller
Play
Pause
Back
Forw.
Volume
00:00
1
Tuning
05:41
2
Cold Rain & Snow
07:01
3
Picasso Moon
07:41
4
Never Trust A Woman
10:31
5
Stagger Lee
06:44
6
Cassidy
07:20
7
Truckin’ ->
06:51
8
Nobody’s Fault But Mine Jam ->
01:15
9
Smokestack Lightning
04:49
10
Tuning
02:38
11
Victim Or The Crime ->
09:10
12
Foolish Heart ->
09:31
13
Man Smart, Woman Smarter ->
07:20
14
Terrapin Station ->
14:48
15
Drums ->
09:14
16
Space ->
11:56
17
All Along The Watchtower ->
06:52
18
Standing On The Moon ->
09:05
19
Around And Around ->
04:06
20
Good Lovin’
09:55
21
The Weight
07:10
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Victim Or The Crime opens up the second set with Bobby and Jerry tearing it up and Phil adding in some bombs throughout. Foolish Heart comes next with Brent again laying it in on the keys and Jerry delivering some lovely vocals and a nice, measured set of guitar riffs. The Man Smart, Woman Smarter that comes next provides a ton of energy and gets everyone shaking their bones before the Dead head into a Terrapin Station. After Drums and Space, the boys come out with Watchtower before transitioning into an epic Standing On The Moon. They then head out with two up tempo tunes in Around And Around and Good Lovin’ before coming back for a tremendous encore of The Weight.

Ten years to the day from Keith’s death in an automobile accident, this was also the date of Brent’s last show. He would die three days later of a speedball overdose back at his house in California, which Brent had returned to at the end of the tour. Brent’s death was obviously a huge blow to the Dead, and it marked the end of another era for the band. There would still be some great shows in the years to come, especially those with both Bruce and Vince, but Brent’s absence would be sorely felt and the Dead would never be the same. And, on a final note, it bears mentioning that not only was Brent all over this show, but, in a strange bit of serendipity that seemed to happen to the Dead quite often, Brent’s last words on stage, in the midst of The Weight, were, “I gotta go, but my friends can stick around.”

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Comments

9 responses to “07-23-1990”

  1. John Roefaro Avatar
    John Roefaro

    Great show and excellent summary but Never Trust a Woman was not “seldomy played” it was played over 40 times. I vividly remember a smoking version from Alpine Valley ’88 and is on Dozin at the Knick

  2. joeseddit Avatar
    joeseddit

    You saved me some “that can’t be right” research. I can’t say which specific shows/tapes, but I know I’ve heard more than a couple versions of “Never Trust a Woman”.

  3. joeseddit Avatar
    joeseddit

    Couldn’t stick around for this show, but I was there the night before (rained during the second set, if I remember right).Even though I’d say ’77 is when the Dead seemed to be at their peak, I think Brent coming in for the Godchaux’s was an upgrade. Better keyboard player than Keith and better singer than Donna.

  4. Jeffrey Eliot Avatar
    Jeffrey Eliot

    fyi “never trust a woman” was known as “good time blues” when it first appeared. it is still referred to as GTB by everyone i know who was around in the early 80’s.

  5. summit789 Avatar
    summit789

    I remember calling 1-900-RUN-DEAD the night of the show (or it may have been 1-900-USA-DEAD by then) and writing down the setlist. After writing down the encore, I looked back up at the venue name, and added “of the World.”

  6. Scotty-J Avatar
    Scotty-J

    RIP Brent-ski
    IWT

  7. Bud Avatar
    Bud

    Attended this show and summer tour. You could see and hear Brent was dealing with something personal. This was the end of an amazing period of the Grateful Dead! RIP Brent

  8. Flash Avatar
    Flash

    I was at this show. I believe I might’ve been on a half tab of acid. Brent was pretty much my sole focus and the star of the show that nite. Amazing show by him….like he knew the end was near and he was putting his all into this last show. Then I hear he dies. Sad day for any deadhead.

  9. Brian Michaelson Avatar
    Brian Michaelson

    Your quote from Brent during “The Weight” was interpreted wholly differently by us on the night of this show. About two thirds of the crowd did stick around, we were on our feet cheering for a full ten minutes after the encore. Finally the Dead came back out to the front of the stage. Spontaneously we broke out in the chorus of “Uncle John’s Band”, repeating it several times. Then it happened, Phil Lesh picked up his bass and bombed out the opening notes of “Dark Star”. The Dead played a ten minute instrumental complete version out of Space the next year at their first Soldier Field show. I was there, too…

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