Wow years, decades . . later this show is still clear in my memory. After 400+ Grateful Dead shows from 1982>1994, aprox 60 JGb shows, 101 Furthur shows. a bunch of other Dead related shows the 2nd night of Augusta Maine, fall 1984 is, and gas been a top 5 Dead show for this Deadhead. The irony was I didn't actually have a great show. I was dead tired (no pun intended) after having overdid it the night before with a long ago lost riend Alex. The partyables combined with my dear old friend Bob Frank (rest in peace) whose snoring was legendary made sleep an impossible proposition the night before. Fall 84 was my 2nd tour, I was still pretty new and though I was barely able to keep my eyes open I was VERY MUCH aware as The Dead were laying down their work that night that what I was seeing, hearing, experiencing was BY FAR the best thing I'd heard from them up till then. I gotta add I remember being interested hearing Deadheads say to one another "Did u have a good show ?" Normal vernacular for us but not the way most folks talk about concerts to one another. That night in Augusta that simple age old question among heads became crystal clear. See there is a difference between having a "great show" & the VA d playing a great show. Im a snob in many things; The Grateful Dead I'm a TOP TIER SNOB. Meaning even then I knew enough to be able to differentiate between the two. Like you could be at a show with tons of your best buds, your with your gal and this GS are just so on. Maybe the band is a bit off that night, or just ok but YOU had a great show. Of course best of best is when all lines up perfect personally AND The Band has ahold of that magic too. Now that was best it gets. Augusta that night, unfortunately, was a night where personally I did NOT have a good show but MAN THE GOOD OME GRATEFUL DEAD were JAMMING. It was the last "On The Road Again" that The Dead ever played. I remember some woman belittling my mentioning how nice it was to hear it that it was kind of rare. She said condescendingky that "On The Road Again" was "actually" played 2, 3 times EVERY east coast tour. I said nothing but thought of her occaisobsly as the years rolled by and it wasn't ever played again. What a show though. So distinctive. I know it's this one 2 notes into CRS. Outta space they "finish" the PITB from the 1st night. That was the FIRST time they ever did that up to that time. I mean outta space it's just Playing Repriae, an UJB reprise and MORNING DEW. That's it. But man oh man. We all know that closing shows with The Dew became common place at some point in the late 80s or 90s for sure but when they closed the show in Augusta 84 with "Morning Dew" it was RARE. IMO my humble opinion that DEW was the best Dew of the 89s the best post 1970 Dews. There r two instances when I can confidently call a song they played "The best of an era my era btw was from 8/7/82 Alpine Valley > 1994 Giants Stadium). So the "Morning Dew" from this show and "The Music Never Stopped" from Hershey Park 6/28/85, TO ME are best of the 80s, well best Post 1970s. Augusta 1984 night two was a sublime, musically magical night. The outta space music the boys laid down is as good as it gets. Phil blowing speakers . . .

This may be only the second time I've dumped a previous upload for a newer one. The dynamics of both the Rice AUD and SBD Matrix recordings are far superior to the Oade or the Beyer 160s. Mike's reverb is a little more prominent, being a true AUD. Overall, it's a matter or personal taste. They are both excellent. As far as the show is concerned, it's a bit short but, a good one. My (trademarked & patent pending) Garcia Cringe-O-Meter was registering moderate levels of whensing and head-shaking, listening to ol' Jer sing his slow slide into '85 and beyond.

I might have considered five stars for this one if the meter hadn't bounced around so much. And having Don't Need Love in the 2nd set? Well thanks but, "I don't need you." The transition into Dew is particularly nice - reminds me of Rochester's wicked 9.2.80 Iko-Dew transition. It's good to see an interesting and fun end to the show. I can't even count how many lame endings litter the '80s and '90s. This ending does not disappoint...though Bob gets a little wacky during Good Lovin'. Great Sound. Good Show. 4 1/2 Stars

i was front row for this one. Augusta is so small, more like an (old school) college gym. something special was going on those 2 nights. things changed the next year with the 20th anniversary..much bigger shows and younger crowds..but these 2 nights were from the heart.

"." Nonintuitive

show smoked even dont need love, but dew the dew

Truly a magical show. All of it is good but the real fun starts with Uncle John's...The pre-drums jam is downright primal. Post-drums features a well developed Playing Reprise in answer to the Playing In The Band from the previous night (which isn't a bad show either) then > Uncle John's Reprise > a Dew to die for.

One of the best shows I attended along with 10-17-83 and 8-7-82. Beautiful venue (intimate size) and grounds.

Excellent recording sound quality. 4 1/2 stars for any year. All the stars in the universe for an 84 show.

THE Most intense show I caught over the course of 12 years listening to the band play live. That's 188 shows boys and girls - 188.

A quick comment:

If you weren't there, physically there, like John8495, than it seems to me you're just talking out of your ass when you say 'this' was better or that' was better.

You think because you listen to shows 20 years after they were played on archive that you know something about what went down that night?

John: You list Marin '84, Richmond '85, Cornell, MSG '87? Those are mainstream, bro, don't you think? I mean, is that all you got? I think I saw those listed in some book as the best Dews ever?? Weak, bro, very weak...

And since I caught ALL of those you listed LIVE(sans Cornell), I can tell you unequivocally and without hesitation the following:

None of those you listed held a candle to 10/12/84's Morning Dew - Not LIVE they didn't. Maybe the other's sound better on archive but so what?

I'm sorry to burst your bubble as the "Morning Dew" afficianado, John, but hey, if I had a time capsule, I'd surely send you back to 1984 so, above all else, you would understand that really, in the end, there weren't any bests or worsts - IT WAS ALL GOOD!!! And your profound negativity and apparent arrogance, combined with your lack of musical knowledge, would not have been welcome in our community back in the day.

But for those of us who were there on this legendary night, in this shoebox of an auditorium, we know...and that's that!!

Best in '10 peeps...

Scotty Greene
www.scotty-greene.blogspot.com

I had the distinct pleasure to attend both the 10/11/84 and 10/12/84 shows with my deadhead roomate. I was a huge sceptic about the dead - i thought bloated self indulgent old hippies. Gotta say, second set on 10/12 was magical. Loads of fun, great playing....marred only by bobby rock star vocals on good lovin'. The dead were about fun and community and having a great time...and sometimes about great musicianship. My point, screw you "Mr. Dew was better at Cornell or other shows" - this was a great show and a whole load of fun... forced vocals my ass........

PS - Chris West if you ever read this thanks for dragging my ass out to see the fat man rock!

Several supposed Dew freaks have commented favorably on this Dew, and it is definitely not bad. But please, guys...this isn't close to even being the best Dew of that year. Check out Marin 4/1/84 for one to compare. As far as comparisons to all-time greats, there is no room for discussion. Cornell destroys it on every level. As does MSG 9-18-87, Richmond 85, and others. It's okay, but the emotion is a bit forced, there are several bad notes in both leads, and beyond the "trills" in the first solo, it ain't all that. Second solo is short, too. Decent vocal emotion from Jerry, but again, kind of forced. Also check out the best single song of any show in 84 from the same tour 8 days later: the Jackstraw to close the first set at Syracuse 10-20-84. Just my two cents.

This recording blows Oade's out of the water! Great 3D ambiance, high end, and punch. This is the best recording of the bunch for 10-12-84. Wonderful performance from the boys.

I have major hearing problems. It’s called tinnitus and for those of you who don’t know it is a constant ringing in your ears. Therefore, it is hard for me to find audience shows that are of good enough quality for me to listen to without doing further damage to my ears by having to turn up the volume. I am not saying anything about these shows except that as a person with major hearing lose, these are some of the shows that I have on my I-Pod. I am not giving any of these shows a review. I can always find something good in every show…...as long as I can hear it!!!!Here is my list, by date, for today 9/19/08;

7.6.84 10.15.84 6.19.91
7.18.89 6.21.84 9.6.85
10.12.84 10.12.83 11.1.85
8.24.85 7.31.82 6.25.92
8.5.89 10.31.83 6.26.92
10.8.84 12.5.81 8.30.85
11.5.85 6.26.84 8.3.82
6.8.80 4.3.84 8.10.82
3.14.81 12.26.80 4.15.83
4.18.82 10.31.91 9.2.85
10.14.83 4.2.90
10.14.84 4.3.90

Please let me know if you have any show suggestions that compare to these in quality of sound.
Peace,
Frosty

This was a fantastic show. Those who were at UVM in the day know the Paisleys, who trucked out to Augusta in the Pais mobile. Jerry was in remarkable form; the rifts during Morning Dew were superb; I agree that there is no way this is a matrix recording; too tinny and too much audience noise. Another show which had a long-lasting effect on my brain.

Nice recording with clarity and balance mostly. A great, great show. I like the Oade but I have to turn it way up and sit well back to enjoy. Tonight I'm not rocking the neighbors at 3:00am and I'm getting a lot more of the show at a lower volume.

Whatever the source, this is a keeper. Several of us in my fraternity had seen the 10/8 and 10/9 shows at the Centrum, but a friend of ours went to this, and on his way back to Connecticut, he dropped by to make some copies of this for us.

My tape sounds remarkably like this one, and this one has such a warm sound, unlike so many of the boomy arena aud's from that time. My friend said that Jerry was moving like he'd never seen him ever before, waving his headstock all over during the last part of Morning Dew. I also love that Dead fans are the only group of caucasians that have the hipness to clap on 2 and 4. ;-)

I give it a 4.4, which rounds to 4, only because I save 5's for those truly remarkable shows that only come along once or twice a year. This is as close as you can get to a 5 without quite making it, though.

This is definitely not a matrix recording. Find a definite matrix from before 1987, and then it might be reasonable to even consider the possibility that this could be a matrix.

What it is, is a great audience recording of a fantastic show. For better flow, consider putting the disc break after Cold Rain & Snow, instead of after Saint Of Circumstance.

im0 this is a better recording,jamming 84 classick this is for all you stranger fans

This sounds massive - check this new one out! This is a superb matrix. The instruments benefit more than the vocals perhaps, but it's got tuffness and presence.