09-02-1988
Capitol Centre
Landover, Maryland
After a lengthy tuning that somehow seems to be hinting at Hell in a Bucket, the opener is a real crowd pleaser. But things start to really light off musically during the fiery jam midway through the They Love Each Other that follows. The Minglewood that comes out next keeps the magic going as Brent lays in some funky keys. Afterwards, the Dire Wolf and Queen Jane are both tasty. But the Althea is off the charts and that Let It Grow that closes out the set is just fabulous.
Scarlet Begonias opens the second half and it, combined with Fire On The Mountain, is top-notch and puts the crowd on notice. A solid Looks Like Rain, with Bobby bringing out everything in John Perry Barlow’s lyrics, keeps it going. Then Jerry takes us into a fairly short – a little over ten minutes – Terrapin. The song is always welcome, but this one could have been even better with some more exploration. Still, Terrapin sets up a heady Drums and Space. In the latter, the boys seem to work their way from the deep recesses of the galaxy into the earthly atmosphere, eventually landing in a beautiful alpine meadow. From that serene mountain terrain, they sidle into a bright and joyous Wheel. As the boys transition into Watchtower, the crowd roars their approval. And Watchtower does not disappoint with powerful runs from Jerry and Bobby’s fervent vocals. Then, with the band shifts gears, Stella follows. Magnificent and ruminative like all Stellas, this one goes out on a beautiful soaring jam. Then Sugar Mags gets the crowd shaking their bones again before a meditative Black Muddy River encore sees the night out.
Video of this show:
Today’s Dead of the Day:
Other September 2nd Shows and Recordings:
- 1968 – Betty Nelson's Organic Raspberry Farm – Sultan, Washington
- 1978 – Giants Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey
- 1979 – Augusta Civic Center – Augusta, Maine
- 1980 – War Memorial Auditorium – Rochester, New York
- 1983 – Boise Pavilion, Boise State University – Boise, Idaho
- 1985 – Zoo Amphitheater – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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