09-12-1990
The Spectrum
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A spacious Mississippi Half Step lights up the Spectrum, heading into a shuffling Walkin’ Blues after a bounteous jam. Jerry goes off on TLEO next, dialing up a few meaty solos. And after a bouncy Me & My Uncle> Big River, the boys meander through a gorgeous High Time before turning to Dylan’s Masterpiece. Then the Dead turn things up a notch further on Althea as Phil and Bob underscore Jerry’s sweet, laconic phrasings. But the heady Althea is just a precursor to an even more stellar Let It Grow. Phil unleashes throughout, and Vince tosses in some delicious fills, both helping to conjure a series of roiling, fecund jams. From there, Jerry alternates between rocketing into sub-orbital space on his own powerful solos and merrily wrestling in the raucous murk and ferment with the rest of the boys. After the last notes, the crowd roars in appreciation and ecstasy, and Bobby briefly acknowledges them while the rest of the band leaves the stage for set break.
From the first funky notes, a light, fun Iko gets the crowd rocking again. But it’s the Playin’ that comes next that really opens the arc of the second set. The Playin’ has a broody feel to it and seems to be hinting at Uncle John’s. But, instead, the tune shifts course late and simmers into Crazy Fingers. And the Crazy Fingers does not disappoint, plaintively luscious with a rich, layered jam at the end, taking it into the portended UJB. The boys are truly superb on this tune: their voices blend together beautifully, though that does not stop the crowd from making its own vocal contributions. But it is sharp and capacious playing that is really delightful, especially Jerry’s melodic soloing before the lengthy spacey section into Drums. On the flip side of the percussive interlude, there is a trippy, house-of-horrors Space that suddenly shifts, about nine minutes in, as Jerry throws in a few riffs and the boys slowly coalesce around a Handsome Cabin Boy jam. The movement is filled with both hope and trepidation, and the jam proves to be the perfect segue into the searing melancholy of an apocalyptic Morning Dew. A sprightly Lovelight – with Vince and Jerry mixing it up, giving a MIDI-heavy carnivalesque turn – then provides a bit of joyous release before a beautiful Brokedown encore officially caps another solid night at the Spectrum.
Video of this show:
Today’s Dead of the Day:
Other September 12th Shows and Recordings:
- 1973 – William and Mary College – Williamsburg, Virginia
- 1981 – Greek Theater, University of California – Berkeley, California
- 1982 – Lakeland Civic Center – Lakeland, Florida
- 1985 – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, California
- 1987 – Capital Centre – Landover, Maryland
- 1988 – The Spectrum – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1991 – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
- 1993 – The Spectrum – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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