The Grateful Dead
Seattle Center Coliseum - Seattle, WA

Set 1: Jack Straw, Deep Elem Blues > My Brother Esau, Brown Eyed Women, Little Red Rooster, Ramble On Rose, Looks Like Rain > Deal

Set 2: Touch of Grey > Playing In The Band > Uncle John's Band > Drums > Throwing Stones > Black Peter > One More Saturday Night, E: It's All Over Now Baby Blue

Review
Being ignorant, I was blissfully unaware of conventional Deadhead wisdom while I spun this show for a second time today. This hindered me from realizing how bad this show must be, for (as we all conventionally know) 1983 sucks, especially any show that doesn't have 'Help on the Way' & certainly not a show devoid of 'St Stephen' or even a 'Scarlet > Fire'. Ignorance is indeed bliss :-) 

Listening the second time, I found Jerry's attempts at higher notes in 'Ramble On' even MORE thrilling than the first time -- not quite falsetto-in-Comes-A-Time-during-11-7-71-type of thrilling, but almost. Then, in the set-closing 'Deal' solo, it sounds like the notes are just pouring out of his guitar by the bucketful -- much like Stevie Ray Vaughan used to do. Hey, I understand; SRV-type energy isn't for everyone, only those who like blazingly soulicious guitar solos -- and this is the mood Jerry throws on us with both hands. Any sane person would prefer long, uneventful excursions into 'Row Jimmy', so you can tell I must be crazy!! 

Fortunately, Jerry starts off set 2 with a primitive 'Touch' & botches a  couple lyrics, preventing the more sensitive audience members from potential cardiac arrest. Not truly a segue, but closely following, Bobby launches us into PITB (not surprisingly followed by UJB),  which soon slides into long & dreamy jamming. It's like they couldn't even stick to songs,  because they jammed for what seemed like forever to get to UJB, and then they jammed bunch more. If this sort of thing got widely known in trading circles, it would probably ruin their reputation for brief trips & to-the-point songs. 

After the drums and a scary Space, they finally turned to 'Throwing Stones', which you may know was quite different in these early phases: they really took off after the 'on our own' line -- nothing like that 'Samson' melody that later took hold. Since there's nothing to hum along with, it's understandable that most listener's would want to skip right over this; otherwise, this long & intense jam might distract them to the point of neglecting a bong rip.

Then there's 'Black Peter'. After grumbling his way through the verses, Jerry almost ruins it with fine solos, and Brent offers great support from the Hammond B-3. I'm sorry to hear it end, but I breathe a sigh of relief that Seattle's fire department didn't have to be called in. No doubt they were on red alert, just in case. 

Bobby closes the show in good form & the 'Baby Blue' encore is a good one, if you like that sort of thing; I know the REAL fans would rather hear another 'U.S. Blues', if not 'Day Job'. I guess the boys just didn't have it in them this night. And we didn't even get  'Me & My Uncle'!! If they hadn't included a 'Rooster', I'd probably have to shave my head in humility just for the privilege of hearing this show. A very fun show, and only two discs. 

Joe sez check it out.
Ramble On Joe ©