My Best Friend passed the day before Christmas1985, I will always remember this show as the last time I was able to enjoy a show with him. Long Live Darrrell Robinson!!!

I was at the show. It was one of my first Dead shows and a memorable one, and I want to set the record straight...

Love the crystal clear soundboard recording...
Lots of mention of Boston Celtics players sighted at this show, and to set the record straight. This was "Bill Walton's Birthday" show, and at the beginning of the 2nd set, the band came out. Bobby announced, "It's our buddy Bill Walton's birthday (with full echo effect), and we'd like to sing happy birthday to him, and you can all join in...". You can hear the end of happy birthday on this awesome soundboard version... the audience version of this show has the full announcement before Shakedown.

Anyways this show ripped, and my twin brother and I (not a head) dosed and were in the 1st 10 rows for the entire 2nd set. Memory is a whirlwind of sights and sounds, but I remember dancing my ass off to the Good Lovin'.

THE BEGINING OF THE ENCORE (capitalized because I went on to see more than a hundred shows after this and never saw the next thing happen ever again)... a woman jumped on to the stage with a thick wool-like sweater that buttoned down in the front. She DRAPED THE SWEATER OVER JERRY'S SHOULDERS... just as he started to sing the opening lines to Brokedown Palace... then she was ushered off the stage. The sweater remained on his shoulders the majority of the song, and by the end, it was hanging by one arm off of Jerry. I distinctly remember seeing the woman join her friends back a few rows in front of us during the encore. I'm getting goosebumps writing and recalling this... after the show, my brother and I, two sweaty 16-year-olds leaving the Centrum, and my twin brother turned to me and said: " We got closer to Jerry Garcia then some people do in their entire lifetime!".

The next morning, burnt out catching a ride with my Dad to school, the local Boston radio station announced, " the Celtics were off last night and Bird, Mchale and Ainge accompanied Bill Walton to a Grateful Dead show in Worcester"... goosebumps.

up tempo...

I hear Arknik was at this show, as usual.

Nice crisp 85 SBD..I'm partial to this year because the boys played some really nice shows and pulled out some crazy shit through out the entire year..I remember getting the SBD of this show about a week after and I played the hell out of it..Solid from start to finish..what stands out for me is the Supplication>Playing Reprise>Don't Need Love>Drumz>Space>Tom Thumb Blues..GIVE IT A WHIRL>Forever Grateful>Forever Dead

and it was pretty friggin good at that . I had tapes from the Centrum in 82 I believe it was and loved the intensity the place seemed to have. absolutely loved the T.L.E.O. here and even Kansas City wasn't bad .but The BirdSong is what makes the first set with the bird effects and Jerry's jamming. I remember thinking to how the Sportatorium seemed so long ago so I guess it's true time flies when your havin fun easy 4 star here well worth the listen. yeah never spoke of the Shakedown and 2nd don't need to just let the music play.

I went without a ticket, and was walking around out side looking for an hour or two. It seemed impossible, everyone was looking at that point. Then a non-head looking guy in a windbreaker that maybe worked there looked at me, smiled and handed me a comp ticket, no seat, no price, and walked away without asking or taking money! SWEET!!! Needless to say, had a great big smile on my face for the rest of the evening, and saw the Bird/McHale/Walton group walking the halls (I'm 6'5") above everyone else. I remember jumping up and down with a crew during the Good Lovin, happy as a 16 yr old could be.Looking back, though can hardly listen to 80's stuff now, sounds so weak next to 70's Dead. But being there was sure fun!

Late in the afternoon as I walked across UMass campus, a friend drove up with an extra ticket and asked if I want to jump in and roll to Worcester to see a show. I had tests the next day and had stayed on campus.

But an hour later, a head sold me two tabs for a five spot in the bathroom and the next day's tests were already behind me. Was it worth it? A Black Peter, Shakedown, Ship of Fools later, the boys thundered close the second set with a GREAT Lovin'.

You tell me.

The first one back to the old Pontiac that brought us, I sat on the thick ol' trunk and began to thump out the Good Lovin'. The sound off that solid beauty was true and as my friends made their way back, they joined in. Eventually, the keys showed up and the open truck let the beat bellow into the cement parking garage. Crammed to a standstill, heads began jumping out of drum on their own cars and soon the entire parking garage was loving good.

The sound was huge and took the group mind a whole step higher for me and as i write this, I'm listening to that Good Lovin' for the first time since.

Don't Tell Me This Town Ain't Got No Heart!! this was my first GD show and things were never the same since - going back to Worcester tonight to see Furthur, 25 years and a week later, that is sweeeeetnessss!!!! a classic mid-80s show and sound, remains the sound track of my youth - Long Live the Grateful Dead!!!

I remember this one because while I was tripping during the break I looked over and saw Larry Bird, Danny Ainge, and I think Kevin McHale. Of the three I distinctly remember Larry Bird standing just to the side of the stage. The next day he commented that now he knew why Walton was such a freak!

a buddy of mine transferred my tape to a CD this was a good show and reminds me of analog because i still have the tape great show!lots of fun

Good show. Good recording. You can hear a little tape hiss in the quiet parts for those of you that bothers.

Please...I need the soundboard version of this show!! Specifically, I need the "Happy Birthday" before Shakedown. Only the soundboard has this. Audience version does not.

Please help!!

Love / Peace

Joe

I was 14 and bought a ticket for me and my dad--we got caught in the crunch at the door and didn't get in till the beginning of tenn. jed--dad was passing me "old guy shwag doobies" when we got to our seats and one of the heads next to us got us lit on some hash--we were so close to the stage in the first elevation to the right of the stage right behind brent and over the corridor that led to and from the stage Thats when it all began , I have been hooked ever since ---If I had a time machine I would see this show once a week, if not more

Excellent show. Opens witha tight Hell and into a nice They love Each other.Kansas City is fun and Birdsong is no slouch.

Shakedown is my fav of he year. I do like it better than 6/30. From space on the show rocks with an excellent Black Peter.

Definetly worth the space for the DL

I managed to catch this whole fall tour and it was certainly a memorable one for all of us for the shows and the weather. I do remember these Centrum shows being very solid and the Shakedown was the highlight of the 2 nights. I remember the girl with the towel, we were cracking up because Jerry was looking rather "Free Willie-ish" these days and the towel looked like it just stayed on his hump. Parish or who ever it was that finally took it off him was cracking up as well. FUN TIME.

And the Dead sang Happy Birthday to you!!! (I share the day with Walton). Needless to say i was stoked beyond belief!!!

I never made my way close to the stage too much. Saratoga 6/27, I made it up front but quickly retreated after a good look ay my IDOL. Jerry was seriously bloated and gasping for each breath. I was in denial about his health just as much as he was. Anyway, I am front row at this show and there was this tiny little chick, I'm 6'4", so every one is tiny to me. She had a white towel in her hand the whole show. I was looking at her wondering what the towel was about, she finnaly looked at me during Brokedown and said,"Your tall, can you lift me on stage"? I did. She ran to Jerry, who was mid solo, wrapped the towel around him and kissed his face. Nobody fucked with her, no stagehands, no security. The crowd went nuts. Jerry never moved that towel. It was hanging on his neck and dangling against his guitar strings. He never moved it. You can hear it well on this recording. He smiled ear to ear and finished the song. I think about that girl alot and wonder how many girls would have the balls to do what she did. I hope she reads this and remembers me. I'll never forget her. Awesome Shakedown!!

Better than 6/30? Who can say? Anyway, it WAS a great show. Interesting note: The sudden wild applause during Brokedown is the result of a fan who ran onstage and hugged Jerry.

This show burned from first to last note. Get it.

Black Peter. Why doesn't anybody ever talk about this song?

Don't answer that... just listen to this version, which IMHO is one of the best out there.

I was at both shows and this is in the same order of magnitude but ntg can overtake the greatest shakedown that was ever played musically or vibewise.... A great show to be sure but the Merriweather shakedown was knocking loose fillings in your teeth it was so raw and rockin.....

Shakedown, Ship of Fools>Supplication, Tom Thumb's (!!!!!), GDTRFB (!!!!!), Brokedown....
truly sublime '85 goodness....
SBD sounds great too

This was the first '85 tape I got and the reason why I fell in love with '85 boards. The second set will not disappoint. The Tom Thumbs is my fav version of all time. I love it when Phil yells "Garciaaa" right before Jerry takes his solo on TT's.

The Shakedown is great too; I like it better then the 6/30/85 ver

Get it!