1982-08-10 - U. of Iowa

Venue: University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA
Tape History: SBD (AUD by Kenny Mance, download here)
Release History: None








Set 1
*Feel Like A Stranger, *Friend Of The Devil, New Minglewood Blues, Tennessee Jed, *Cassidy, *It Must Have Been The Roses, On The Road Again -> BIODTL, Stagger Lee, I Need A Miracle -> *Bertha

Set 2
*China Cat Sunflower -> *I Know You Rider, Lost Sailor -> Saint Of Circumstance -> *Eyes Of The World -> Drums -> Space -> *Iko Iko -> *Truckin' -> *Stella Blue -> *Sugar Magnolia, E: It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, E2: Johnny B. Goode

Comments:
08-12-2011: This is the last show of the July/August summer tour, following a two-day stop at Alpine Valley. In its truest sense, this is a sleeper show. A lot of folks would have skipped this show after Alpine and the preceding shows across the Midwest. It is these kinds of shows where you know the band is likely going to rip and let loose. And that they certainly do with this barn-burning "Stranger" opener. Jerry's leads in the breaks hint that he's ready to go and is just waiting until they unleash him. That they do in the solo section, as he rides the envelope filter, listening sharply to Brent. Together they create a stirring duet plus accompaniment section. An excellent opener, leading us to "FOTD," where Jerry, taking his turn through the end of solo, creates, shining hairpin turns with each line, leading up to the lyric "Got two reasons I cry away each lonely night." The band seems to have a clear grasp on the pace they want for this set. We get notable versions of standalone first set tunes.

After "Stranger" and "FOTD," the most noteworthy are "Cassidy" and the caffeinated closing "Bertha." In "Cassidy," they leave the general structure behind and take off with no flight plan. This is when the Dead are at their most adventurous. Jerry's manning the ship and Bob is urging him ahead with his high register rhythmic strokes. You can feel the big shift coming for the "Flight of the seabirds" lyric, and the longer they keep from it, the more tension increases. In the end, the tension led to a smoothed-edge (not an explosive) transition back. Pairing it with "Roses" is a great touch, and a fine mid-set development. This set illustrates what is so great about 1982. There is plenty of intuitive, sensitive playing, with energy to spare. Phil is invigorated, taking chances and pushing the playing. Jerry and Brent are dialed-in, chasing each other throughout the solo sections. In videos of the band in the '80s, you can see them look at each other and smile when they know they are doing something great. I can imagine that happening here many times. Another note about this first set: this is the second "Stagger Lee" since 1979 (the first was six days earlier), and the last for three years (Greek 1985), before staying in regular rotation.

Here we go, a "China" -> "Rider" opener to get juices flowing and folks riled up. The Dead quickly dispense with the verses and get going with the main jam. Bob and Brent conspire on the lick signaling "Rider" with about a minute left. Bob continues to lead the way, as Jerry mounts up and lo and behold, we're in "Rider." No "Feelin' Groovy" or "UJB Jam" to unite both tunes. Just good, old fashioned Dead magic. Oh, and "Rider" is lively and driven. We get another juicy combo in "Sailor" -> "Saint," establishing a change of pace and allowing Bobby to get two consecutive tunes in after the Jerry-centric opening. Jerry's turn again and here we take off with one of the fastest "Eyes" I've ever heard. Man, they are flying by! I can't believe the kinds of phrases and inventive lines he makes going this fast. The Rhythm Devils are responsive to his phrasing and accent their playing to show that. Just in case anybody ever doubted, the Grateful Dead had the best ears in the business. I can't even remember what verse they were just singing, I just want them to continue playing. The ensemble sections here are superb.

A continuous burst of energy, interrupted only be a stellar "Stella Blue," ends the show. "Iko" and "Sugar Mag" bring the house down. My highest recommendation, and one of the best for 1982.

Cassidy

1982-10-17 - Santa Fe Downs

Venue: Santa Fe Downs - Santa Fe, NM
Tape History: AUD (Unknown, download here)
Release History: None

Set 1
*Half-Step -> *Franklin's Tower -> *New Minglewood Blues, Candyman, *Me & My Uncle -> Mexicali Blues, *Althea, Man Smart-Woman Smarter, Ramble On Rose, *Let It Grow -> *Deal

Set 2
*Shakedown Street -> *Samson And Delilah, Good Time Blues, *Estimated Prophet -> *He's Gone -> *Drums -> *Space -> *Throwin' Stones -> *GDTRFB -> *The Wheel -> *The Other One -> *Wharf Rat -> *Good Lovin', E: Don't Ease Me In

Comments:
01-12-2011: From the dawn of 1980 to the end of 1983, the Dead were on a serious roll. Each year had its own first-rate shows and and top-notch tours, but each of these four years were uniformly strong. 1982 is probably the most underrated of these years, and this particular show is the big time gem from the fall of 1982. The most obvious choices for '82 are 07-31 Austin, 08-10 Iowa, and the pair of shows at the Frost Amphitheater about a week before this one. Here at GD Notebook I give equal love to the gems and the stand-outs. Little by little, I'll be filling out the GD years with both types of gigs.

The first set is expertly crafted. "Half-Step" -> "Franklin's" openers are always a good omen, and here they do not disappoint. Jerry overcomes a few vocal flubs in "Half-Step" with sweet leads through the changes. "Franklin's" doesn't hit a peak until near the end of the tune, where Jerry brings it all home while playing off the Rhythm Devils. Following with "Minglewood" makes three it burners to begin the first set. Can't beat it! I love Bobby's comment after Candyman, "We're going to do some local color tunes" to introduce the C&W songs. Jerry takes three turns through "Uncle," using the chord progression to create melodic phrases that shift seamlessly through registers. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the early '80s was the best period for "Althea." This is another tremendous version (forgotten verse by Jerry and cut ending notwithstanding.) Phil, Bob, and Brent are locked into the main verse groove, it really bumps and struts. I always imagined that the Althea in the song had a sultry walk because of this groove. I get the feeling that whenever Jerry forgets a lyric he amps up his playing for the rest of the tune, which carries over to the rest of the set and perhaps show. The band ends the set with authority with "Let It Grow" -> "Deal," a warning to all comers that the second set was going to rip fire.

Opening with "Shakedown" -> "Samson" ought to do it. (As one audience member says after the opener's conclusion, "Wow! Samson!") I consistently come back to this second set. It's one of the best, most resolute sets of the '80s. I can't say enough about it. The only pause they take is with "Good Time Blues." After that, they apparently said to hell with regaining their collective breath. Everything else is superb Dead, rigorous jamming, focused movements through segues, and a completely unyielding post-"Drums" segment. We'd be lucky to get a "Throwin' Stones" and "GDTRFB" and then maybe a "Black Peter" and, for this era, an almost guaranteed "Sugar Magnolia." But instead, they bring a segment from about a month earlier (09-09 New Orleans), and close out with "The Wheel" -> "The Other One" -> "Wharf Rat" -> "Good Lovin'." Incidentally, 09-09 and this gig are the only two times in the Dead's history these four songs were played in the same show, and here we have them in the same sequence, both to end the second sets of their respective shows. I'm telling you, you just can't make things like this up. This is a necessary show in all Deadheads' '80s collections.

Me & My Uncle

Throwin' Stones

(Poster design by: D. Larkins and D. Sawyer)