The Grateful Dead
R.F.K. Stadium - Washington, DC
6/25/95

Set 1: Shakedown Street, Wang Dang Doodle, Jack A Roe, Mama Tried* > Mexicali Blues*, Loose Lucy, Picasso Moon

Set 2: Box Of Rain, The Rain Song, Samson & Delilah, Ship of Fools, Truckin' > Rollin' & Tumblin' > Samba In The Rain > Drums > Space > Wharf Rat > Not Fade Away, E: Brokedown Palace

Review
Y' know, this is a much better show than I thought it was. I'm relistening to the opening 'Shakedown' now, and while it suffered initially from a certain listlessness in Jerry's vocals, it just won't quit -- it's been going for 13 minutes already and shows little sign of ending .... no, wait; the vocals have just returned, so I guess it will be ending sometime today ;-) Meanwhile, it was a monstrously fun vamp. There are versions more serious or soulful, but there's a lot to be said by the extended romp of an opener.

Well, that's a relief, because I was starting to think it would be a shame to have a 'Shakedown' opener that wasn't a highlight. Although set two doesn't really get rolling until 'Samson', it's certainly non-stop after that -- right up to Jerry & Bruce trading off solos in the NFA jam. Is it one of the all-time NFAs? No, but it sure is plenty fun, and worth spinning more than once.

Taken as a whole, the best parts must be the first three songs (Shakedown, Doodle, Jack-a-roe) and Picasso Moon from set one, and everything after the first two songs in set two. Particularly outstanding would be the ferocious Samson, the solo tradeoffs between Jerry & Bruce in NFA, the Jerry-less jam after the Drums slot, and the simple pleasure of hearing Jerry sing 'Rollin & Tumblin'. Wharf Rat is very well-performed, but suffers a bit by seeming to run out by the end.

If there's a theme to this show, it must be the Blooze -- from Shakedown to Wang Dang Doodle, from Samson to Rollin & Tumblin (which Jerry sings with real gusto, a treat to hear), to the NFA finale. Wharf Rat is surely a blues in outlook, if not actual sound, and Jerry sings it beautifully. Vince grinds a mean organ as well, taking no back seat to the Hornsby presence.

I know we're not supposed to like anything from 1995, but most of this show feels like 1991 to me. You may or may not like 1991, but there's no doubting Bruce's influence on the proceedings, or Jerry's enthusiasm for most of the show. I say: if there's only a few good shows from 1995, then let's just hear those & appreciate what they've got to offer :-)

As a side note, 'Samba in the Rain' is a fine & enjoyable rendition, but doesn't really seem like a Grateful Dead song. I guess that's what fans said about the country songs in 1969, hmmm?
Ramble On Joe ©