I always found it surprising that the greater Columbia District was such a Head stronghold. They played the Cap about a million times (well, 29 from '74 to '94) as well as DC shows at Cole Field House, up the road at the Merriweather Post and nearby Baltimore shows. This show is almost as good as the day before (on Terrapin Limited). It's known for the return of Black-Throated Wind.

First Set. Strong-enough start reconfirmed by a great Touch of Grey - check Phil staying low and rumbling the foundations. Minglewood is 100% ON and the rest of the set is average to above average. Black-Throated is the first since '74, and has the alt lyrics - both non sequitur and even some one-offs: "Unlocking the code/Like a siren it promises everything new/screaming blue bender we won't soon forget/A bird in the bush would be singing/Have your way with each day as its granted to you/Drew lines all around/Somehow mine went out to the rest of the sky/A coyote could care about birds in the air/A raven thinks coyotes should learn how to fly/Toss me to chance and watch me dance/Choreography certain as bats on the breeze." A curiosity but still the set low point. '90 was a top year for Bird Song. Blow Away has an odd slot [which only happened twice]. There were only 5 in '90 and this is one of the best - though maybe not the equal of Albany.

Second Set. The Fireless Scarlet is the tour's best. I wasn't keen in '90 when Bobby began scatting and sputtering his way through Estimated (especially as one of his only songs with a vocal melody) but the playing here is great. The next few are standard run-throughs until the jam out of Dewimmina. Rather than generate, it starts in situ and is Caribbean-scented. Jer tries for Eyes at one point. The stretch and pull is quintessential Dead, even if it doesn't reach the heights. Drums is one of the tour's white-hots and coming out of Space, Other One suffices but Stella is one of those giant stadium versions that sweeps the corners. Sugar Mags is an average, if stumbly, version. Last Time is just okay.

1st Set:  B-
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3½ Stars

Highlights:
New Minglewood Blues - Best of the 3 from the tour
Scarlet Begonias - best version of the tour
Drums - melty
Stella Blue - big stadium-freezing version

SOURCES: The miller is the best of the plethora. Officially part of the Spring 1990 box, but the hansokolow_fix matrix is the most entertaining. It uses the miller_85201 as the mix majority. The show is usually up on YouTube.