After hearing this Saint Stephen, along with the other two played in October '83, I can understand why they put it to bed once and for all. It's a tough one to perform. They dusted it off after four years, gave it another shot, but in the end they weren't happy with the delivery (more-so Jerry I suspect). Saint Stephen has always held a special place in Deadhead hearts regardless of era or performance. We'd happily take Saint Stephen anyway anyhow; the band understandably felt different.

Stephen prospered in his time
Well he may and he may decline
Did it matter? Does it now?
Stephen would answer if he only knew how

Both this and the previous night fly somewhat under the radar.
But both are worthwhile listens.
Just kicking back listening to Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks and
DESIRE on a sunny Florida Halloween.
Getting ready to listen to this show 10/31/83
after checking out the previous night yesterday.10/30/83
I know some of the other years were bigger events.
I was at the London show and that was a BIG EVENT.
Side stage of Jerry in the handicap section.
That was one of my best shows ever!
I will have to listen to more from 83 it is just before things got crazy and the MTV craze blew thru the scene.

Set One:
Wang Dang Doodle-A total party tune "snuff juice everywhere"
Weir does a good testimonial to this Coco Taylor joint
Dig Garcia's backing vocals
You know that was a Halloween special.
because we get another Weir tune-Esau
A great tune for free form dancing.
There was no reason to pull it from the rotation
but they yanked it just the same.
to me it had a nice distinct feel to it.
Healy gives it some reverb
Peggy O-a chance to catch some breaths
wicked feedback off of something.
God knew what he was doing when HE fashioned the Ladies.
Rooster-Halloween slide time
"Hounds began to Howl"
Brent jams it out.
In later years he would get into the henhouse.
B.E.W-the sweet spot
Sailor>Saint- A couple that should have stayed together
They sound somewhat laid back on the Sailor
which is why Sailor went so perfect with Saint
because it was so upbeat.
DEAL-Jerry's strongest 1st set closer in the 80's
The solo's start with Garcia almost at the 4 minute mark
ratchets up the intensity as the entire band gets going.
Pick up the vocals again at 6 minutes.
At a much more frantic pace.
Decent Set -kind of hits on a little of everything.
Set Two
Help>Slip>Franklin's- another Halloween nod
Slip is HOT
Estimated Prophet-> Eyes Of The World->
Got some solid years of this and then it flipped to Eyes>Estimated
prefer Englishtown 77 myself.
but hey Eyes>Estimated with Marsalis was seriously cool
d>s>Stephen-kinda cool and ultimately tragic
that no Stephen after 83.
Stones>N.F.A. for me Throwing Stones is as unique to the 80's as say Golden Road was to the 60's.
Honestly my listening night usually ends at Throwing Stones
although I did check out the encore
E) Revolution-perfect encore for the band.
I only remember the one I caught at Nassau
because I had an old friend with me that night.

It is funny born in the 60's so in my twenties during the 1980's
Thankful, I got to check out and be a small part of the circus in town.
Looking back now I can see that those years of being contrary to the direction the rest of our society was going has prepared me for the turning away.
And now somewhat ironically I find myself committed to the Righteousness in Jesus Christ.
At a time when so many people are choosing evil ways instead of love. JESUS is the same, yesterday, today and forever...
I wanted to be part of the flower power era but I see now why it faded because humans left to themselves are morally bankrupt (myself included.)
We are fallen creatures who if God did not condescend to save
--we would all perish.
Anyway, I hope someone sees this and decides to pick up a Bible and read with a repentant heart and a clear head.
You doubt me? Read Scripture. Once born we will live for eternity.
Created in the image of the ALMIGHTY.
Yet we collectively sold our birthright for a pot of stew.
Bitten by a serpent but all we need do is look to Christ.
So my brothers and sisters. I was there with you.
Dancing my butt off. Traveling from show to show.
Grinning from ear to ear and not always knowing why?
Now living in the land where winter shows up for a day or two
every couple of years. No longer on the road.
Nobody left to run with anymore.
Nowhere to go even if we wanted too. Covid Blues

flee to Christ
the only sin that God will NOT forgive is unbelief.
Everything the LORD created is right , good and just
cept the fallen wicked dying rat race
justly condemned for going against the holiness of our Maker.
Here is the test:
On the day of judgment
WHAT WILL BE THE ANSWER TO THE ANSWER MAN?
answer:
I have no righteousness but JESUS
anything else =eternity in the lake of fire.
A long time to be gone... a short time to be there.

Fall 83'- Halloween & the last St Stephen, What is not to like!? I would give this show a 4+ just for the Drums/Jam with Airto Moreira! It's unreal what Garcia played during this 15min Jam. Very unique segway before St Stephen, Jerry is going/getting off. I wish the later part of the 80s had this type of "space" Jerry really was invoking the spirits of the night.

Frank Lloyd Wright & The Grateful Dead, altough I was luck enough to attend A Tribute to Biil Graham in 84 ,I missed this Halloween show(being an east coaster) at The Marin County Veterans Auditorium. The whole complex is pretty cool & the Aud is small & intimate, would've been cool. Seen the 2 Stephens on the east,wish I could've made it a trio !

Add this to the list of Help on the Ways where Jer opens by saying the title and then immediately realizes it and flubs the next line, at a minimum. Great show overall.

A Halloween show I just decided to listen to today wow I'm speechless this show is really good not a five star but a solid 4 and the sound quality is really good. It only took a full 30 years to listen to it, oh well better late than never, right? A very good sounding better than average show. Give it a listen & your ears will say thanks, mate. 4*'s all the way around.

jerry,halloween,st. stephen, and to be in marin county too that would have been so awesome!

I saw hundreds of Dead shows and I like to read reviews that people post..BUT..it annoys when people bash good shows! (clashcity) I see it a lot and this is the first time I will speak up. You bashers bore the daylights out of me!! Don't over think or under appreciate music that no other band was doing!!! Any night that the band opens up the second set with Help>Slip>Franklins and comes out of space with St. Stephen is a good night in my book...fast,slow,etc,blah,blah,blah..always Grateful for any Dead!!!! Can't we all just get along>If you get confused (PLEASE) listen to the music play..Give it a whirl

Sweet show. Excellent soundboard. Other than the handful of shows I went to in '83 I didn't know what good year it was for these guys. The more I listen to '83 the more I like it.

Who knows what that means-lol, try it you'll LOVE IT.

I agree that a lot of this show isn't fully 'tight'
I've only skimmed 1st set so far but 2nd set?

It's not a Jerry show.

Help starts out furious, then he flubs, soon after it's clear that this is a Drummer's show.. At least that's what i thought, as this Slipknot was brought to my attention.
Upon research, there's a guest musician and world renowned percussionist named Airto Moreira - www.airto.com

He's played with everyone from Miles Davis to the original Weather Report, chick Corea, also Mickey with Planet Drum.. check him out

This Fall tour is full of stellar versions of Deal this one is no exception.

I thought the same thing when I got into bootlegs. Everything from '83-'84 sounded like the tape was too sped up. I began to learn that was the band's style in those days. It wasn't called the Cocaine-era Dead for nothing, right?

All in all, '83 is a forgettable year. Like every downer year, they had their flashes of brilliance, however. You never knew when they would pull out of their collective lethargy and whip out a great set or tour (a good example is the summer tour of '84). This show, the Dick's Picks from the Worcester Centrum, and perhaps the New Year's show are some of the few salvageable shows. Sweet jam into St. Stephen...

It is really hard to trust most of the ratings on most of the shows on here... How many shows are rated 4.5 > 5 stars just for the sheer fact the reviewer(s) had a great time partying at the show... So I see a decent set list, and its got a high rating, must be good eh? Only I listen to the show and hear the band half-assing through most of the songs...

C'mon folks.. people come here to listen to the music this band made. Let's review the music not rate the buzz you got or while infinitely interesting, recount every nuance of the day you had before, durning and after the show.

This show while having a real cool set list is just ok. There is some sloppy playing scattered throughout, and Jerry mumbles his way through Help on the Way. Sound quality is top-notch though.

Speed is fine. Comparing reported timings is not a good way to judge speed (pitch). Better to pick up a properly tuned guitar and play along in a song's normal key.

Great show. The FOB sounds fantastic also. I don't believe this version of the recording is sped up. The Wang Dang is spliced with an AUD source so that may have something to do with the time discrepency that TimePilot mentions. There is also a cut in the beginning of Deal.

This is a nice sounding SBD, but the time is way off & the recording has been sped up considerably (e.g. Wang Dang Doodle is 5:06 long and the actual time -see Dead Lists- is 7:06.) Whoops! The FOB sounds incredible and is worth the download, but skip this one. 4.5 star show, 0 star recording for the off time = 2 stars.

waaang dang my doodle this is a nice show, sound gets better as show progresses....The Wang is a lil off.

get it!

this one smokes. It has a great goove underlying the jams. I had never heard this show before the download and it is really hot.

The soundquality is Much above average. Check it out.

robert
ps
get 09-02-83sbd and
the bertha remaster of 10-21-83 sbd>>pcm!

1)This show SMOKES 2)I'ts in a small venue in the Grateful Deads backyard 3) Its the Final St.Stephen !! Laid Back , well Played to a very small crowd...Give a Listen and c 4 yourself !!

Frank