Wow, That pre-drumz is extremely HOT!
(Read reviews especially the one by Terrapin31590)

Highlights: Lost Sailor, Saint Of Circumstance, He's Gone, Truckin'

Jerry sounded good in '81 straight through compared to afterwards.

Now Ive read everything...guys please don't write something if you have no idea what ti means. Sans is french for "without". I hate to sound like the grammar police, not my intent, it just gets annoying trying to make sense of a review and some youngster writes something silly like this, just because he saw someone else use it probably.

Solid show, i saw most of this tour, this was my first year at Alpine as well, which was a great place until '86, that year it started to get oversold a bit, then '87-forward it was a joke. This was the golden era, the last one I should say, up until feb '86. This is an aud source after other one. Great job all involved!

This is an excellent 2nd set. On par with the energy displayed in May, October & November.

One of those shows where they're having a great time. As previous reviews said Sailor>Saint has inspired Jerry playing and is quite on point with no mistakes.

He's Gone is beautiful and its transition into Truckin' is a TRUE transition, not a no huddle. You know its going to be a good Truckin' when Billy does his whistle introduction (sans 78'). Phil plays along with some heavy unusual fingering. Even tho Bobby messes up a few times lyrically, he saves it with true energy and spirit. Best Truckin' I have heard from 81', possibly the best of the early 80s.

Only setback is Stella Blue through end of show is an AUD. But a VERY GOOD sounding AUD. I would have thought it was a matrix, but the drums always give an AUD away. Dosn't really take away from show, as the highlights are the killer post Truckin' Jam>Drumz>Other 1. Still way worth your time

Thank you for this second set of the Dead at Alpine. Quite a gem!

This is a great recording. Awesome version of Lost>Sailor....flawless! How do you download it? I want this on my mp3

The soundboard is better, but includes only the second set (as of this writing). Don't miss the first set, though: Listen to the audience recording of it, then come back here for the second.

The really solid first set zooms by, starting with rocking versions of Alabama->Greatest Story show openers. The band produces a good jam on Bird Song, and Jerry and Brent give us hot solos on Big River.
Jerry is in good form throughout, though, with more slick Jerry licks on Tennessee Jed, and he tears it up on Minglewood. Chinacat has a nice jam in the second half going into Rider, and suddenly the set is over.

With the second set, you can switch to the soundboard. It starts out with a bang, but isn’t as perfect as the first set. He’s Gone is a little slow, and Bob stumbles on the lyrics of Truckin’ several times, though the extended jam into Drums is a show highlight. The jam coming out of Drums into the Other One isn’t bad, either. Bob’s treatment of the vocals mars the Other One, but Jerry really shows his chops here when Bob isn’t talking through the lyrics. The abrupt move into Stella Blue is jarring, but it’s a good Stella, with Jerry, once again, doing a fine job on guitar and a nice vocal as well (though at this point, the audio quality isn’t as good). A lovely Brokedown Palace with good vocal harmonies sends everyone back home.

I like this show, though, and it’s worth repeated listening.

Tears to My eyes... My 1st Dead show... And never missing an Alpine show from here on...
It was easy for us... Home being only 25 miles away just over the border into Illinois... Made easier for us through the years when we had many friends who worked security at the Valley... Always the best golf course spot for our Winnie, with Nubie our chemist, and Leo our Lawrer tucked away in a room down in the lodge... I danced with, and made love to, a beautiful brunette who had one brown eye, and one blue eye down by the creek after the show... She was like a 2 in one... A strange version of a 3some... And now I hear it... He's Gone, after all these years,,, I hear it... And thanking those who shared it... Now there's nothing left to do but Smile, Smile, Smile...

I am a lost sailor....

Delicate interplay between Brent and Jerry on Lost Sailor. This is one of the most complex shows of 1981. It has that Jazzy Long Beach vibe. When Alpine fans are looking for a source, we tend to notice every little imperfection. The Dynamic range is a little squashed but I like the high end. The cymbals sound natural. There is depth there.I'll mention that the Alpine mystical experience has been preserved. He's gone is psychedelic,slow and timeless, Jer is tucking some juicy notes in there. The banjo liquid guitar tone is here.It's all spectacular until The Other one is over then the aud patch takes over..but for Alpine dandys its a dream come true for just part of the 2nd set. Download this partial set immediatley. WOW! the last minute or so of the Other one cuts into the Aud.

Were this whole set SBD it would be a hands down keeper no questions asked. Unfortunately, the fine print intrudes and we learn that the whole back end is an AUD (sounds similar to the full AUD copy of this show on the Archive). Essentially, this is a two part download.

Part 1, A+, 5 stars, not only for the killer sound, but the outstanding quality of playing. Sailor>Saint sets a firm tone, with Weir's vocals particularly strong during Lost Sailor and Jerry leading well during Saint. A thoughtful reading of Ship of Fools blends nicely into the mix. He's Gone is positively hypnotic, just as mellow as can be, drawing the listener in before busting out a great outro jam that leads to a death defying, rip snorting Truckin, that clocks at almost 15 minutes.

The Drums/Space segment to me is generally take it or leave it from 1981, and space melts into a decent Other One. Stella is the real back side highlight with Jerry's voice lending real emotion to the song and the between verse jams well played and thoughtful. A short Miracle leads into a GDTRFB>OMSN pairing to end the set. The sound quality is what bums me out, where the filet mignon level of pre-drums is compared to (at best?) the "rib eye" level of the post-drums, it's hard not to feel a little let down. Hopefully, at some point the missing part of this SBD surfaces b/c it's a killer show.

Points off for the AUD filler, the front end is 5 star sweet, the back end, a mediocare 3 stars.

Enjoy