11-11-1985
Brendan Byrne Arena
East Rutherford, New Jersey
The show kicks off with a rare version of Rufus Thomas’s Walkin’ the Dog before Jerry turns to an uncharacteristically early Deal. The excitement of the unusual tune and slotting carries through the rest of the set, beginning with a hot Minglewood and sweet little Althea. But it is after Me and My Uncle that the early going reaches its three-song apogee. First it is Big River, replete with some fiery picking and righteous keys. Then Bird Song makes an appearance, soaring and magnificent. And, after early stumbling, Looks Like Rain finds some lovely ground on the back of Jerry’s sensational licks and Bobby’s equally impressive cheese. Afterwards, a romping Don’t Ease Me In takes the set out.
Scarlet restarts the action out of the break, and the crowd roars its approval. The boys don’t disappoint, sending a tantalizing version that transitions into a capacious Fire with some inimitable Jerry magic and splendid interplay between the entire band. A solid Estimated keeps the vibe going, leading to a rich and varied Eyes. In the latter half, the entire band, seemingly driven on by Brent’s keys, creates a particularly bright and inventive jam into Drums. On the flip side, Jerry transitions Space into Dear Mr. Fantasy, opening the way for Brent’s passionate vocals. From there, the band takes it into a rollicking GDTRFB before slowing it down to segue into Throwing Stones. That tune starts out a little perfunctory, but gains momentum and verve in the latter half, before slipping into a set-closing Lovelight. On top of that, an always welcome Brokedown encore caps the evening.
We are fortunate to have a Hunter Seamons’ matrix cued up to the left. The soundboard itself is good, but the addition of the crowd – not to mention smoothing over a host of drop outs – really improves the listening experience, making Brendan Byrne, with its 20,000-plus capacity, sound positively intimate.
Leave a Reply