6-12-87

There are a couple of tasty soundboard sources of this show but this MOB, as always, is where it’s at. With full bass and drums presence, you really experience this show from the MOB. Jack Straw is good if little unfocused and most of the first set is relatively uneventful though Birdsong allowed for a rare respite in 1987, a year of rocking shows. It’s an unusually mellow Birdsong for the era and has that outdoor summer show vibe. Another strong Desolation Row>Don’t Ease must have nevertheless, had tour heads grumbling at the repeat. Setlist-wise, this show is kind of a composite of the average mid-summer 1987 set but it does achieve its own identity, of course. Brent is eager to get Far From Me started, trying to prod Bobby into readiness by trying to prod Jerry into a Bunny Foo Foo, but unlike the previous weekend, Jerry doesn’t bite. The enigmatic Grateful Dead. Another superior Women Are Smarter doesn’t go into Drums this time but we get He’s Gone. Jerry seems a little tired. No jam our of He’s Gone, which kind of comes to a cold stop following a lovely, mellow vocal jam. Space is fantastic, ornery at first but very quickly into a multi-dimensional Wheel space and finally into the Wheel. Highlight of the post-drums may be Good Lovin’ which bops and a very nimble Bob takes to some new places.