08-17-1991
Shoreline Amphitheater
Mountain View, California
A hot night at Shoreline kicks off with an always welcome Help> Slip> Frank. They really finding their footing in the Slipknot! and head out of that tune on the back of Phil’s heavy bombs. The bright Franklin’s that follows has Bruce and Jerry lighting off, spurring on a fecund series of jams. A decent Wang Dang Doodle follows with a rough Brown-Eyed Women. But then a righteous little Queen Jane comes out with Hornsby on squeeze box, Vince mixing it up on the organ, and Bobby and Jerry dealing. Hornsby returns to the piano – adding something, but also occupying a lot of the sonic space – for the Jed and Music Never Stopped that closes out the set.
Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower, Wang Dang Doodle, Brown Eyed Women, Queen Jane Approximately, Tennessee Jed, The Music Never Stopped
Set 2
Women Are Smarter, Ship of Fools, Smokestack Lightning-> He’s Gone-> Drums-> Dark Star Jam-> Morning Dew, One More Saturday Night, E: It’s All Over Now Baby Blue
An energetic Man Smart, Woman Smarter brings us back into the swing of things with Bobby adding the perfect level of scream to his vocal delivery. The boys then parade out a shorter, but still elegant Ship of Fools before a neat little noodling start to Smokestack Lightnin’, teasing and building before some meaty runs. And it is from that Smokestack that the show really lifts off as a heady He’s Gone follows on its heels with Bruce’s keys adding some extra luster. And it is Bruce who really leads the band into a lengthy jam at the end of He’s Gone. And as it goes on, Phil takes a more prominent role alongside Billy and Mickey with everyone slipping away before, finally, only the rhythm devils are left. The Space that comes out the other side starts off in the furthest ether, coalescing into primordial ooze, and then opening into the Dark Star theme. The Dark Star is just a tease, quickly opening into a spacious Morning Dew, easily one of the best of the later years. Jerry’s vocals are so resonant and his guitar is just stunning. But it is Bruce’s sublime keys in the last minutes of the song that really set this version apart. Without even giving us time to pick our jaw up off the floor, a rocking Saturday Night takes the set out and a lovely Baby Blue encore caps it all.
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