the expression time fly's sure applies here. Not often do I look up a show on any given date like today.
This show was fun fun fun along with the entire tour. 1st set had us wondering what's up 2nd set is ok song selection wise. Bertha mid set.... Wang dang mid set... Revolutionary ? What was that we wondered.
As far as recording it is top notch. so if your checking it out for first time it is well worth your time. I don't give to many 5 star ratings and this one is not one anyway. That said it's a strong 4 star for sound and 1st set.
2nd set Spanish jam is very good. My favorite is from Park West 9 4 83.

What a night 30 years ago today! Wouldn't trade the experience or memory for anything! That 2nd Set has been commonly referred to as 'The Dosed Set'......

night before Portland Maine , grateful dead show , left max creek up to Maine seen the dead all in the back of a ford f10 full with a 4 foot tank of laughing gas,, an a gallon of whiskey !!

Otherwise cool show. Too bad the speed is off here.

Hauled up to Portland for this show in a VW bug. The more shows I saw the luckier I felt for being at the CCCC this night, magical first set. Jerry levitated during this show--really I saw it through the windowpane-great energy first set jack straw>peggy O, bertha, wang dang, supplication, and the promised land smokes at the end. Don't listen to the second set much but this first set sent me on my way for many more shows but this will always be special (along with the brendan byrne dark star resurrection (those four notes were heaven sent)

This might well be the most electrifying first sets ever. During 85-86 the band would occasionally bust out an "Orb" static electricity plasma ball during space and other moments deep in the second set. For this show they had it lit up during part of the first set. Supplication was, therefore, the peak of the show. I don't think they turned the orb back on until the next night.

How could Bobby do that to Estimated Prophet! This is by far the worst version of Estimated where Bob played to the crowd with over dramatic singing and screaming. I enjoy most the the '83-'85 "heh-ah-haaay" and "cause I-no I-no" versions but this one is way too over the top. Hoarse screaming is not a way to make this song better! The crowd shouldn't have encouraged him with their applause! I think Bob was trying to assume a character role as the "Prophet" and "call down thunder and speak the same" but he just sounded like a random guy, geeking on acid, screaming into a mic. I love Bob Weir, but this ruined one of my favorite Dead tunes!

As for the show it is one of the best of '86. It was all down hill from here with the occational peak and valley, but after '85 the Dead lost their ability to play killer sounding shows night after night. I love how I can pick any show from '68-'85 and listen to it the whole way through! I just can't do that after '86, but that dosen't mean they didn't play a lot of kick ass shows in their latter days. I would take the Dead on their worst day over any other bands best performace! Miss you Jerry!

As another participant in this show, I can attest that it was smoking there in CCCCC. Terrific place to see a show, great sound, happy people. Incredible first set. Supplication>Promised was amazing, except for the disappointment when Bobby stepped up to the mike looking like he'd sing Lazy Lightning, looked around, then seemed to change his mind. My friend Arthur has a theory that any show with Wang Dang Doodle promises to be hot (eg Boise, MSG 83), while I have a theory that any show with Big Railroad is a winner. This show has both, and I personally thought it kicked butt. Superb Jack Straw, Bertha, Big Railroad, Supplication/Promised. Bobby's weird guitar noises make it a 4, though.

This was my first show. It was also my fist time in public under the influence of mind-altering substances. So, the fact that this show blew me away and made me a fan forever may be a factor of drug-induced euphoria rather than the quality of the music. But, after 50+ shows, I still love this one. I listen to it in my car all the time. The Jack Straw remains one of the best I ever saw and the Promised Land closer rocks. Everything about this first set is just great. The second set...yes, it's a bit fast...but it still gets me pounding on my steering wheel with the drum sticks I keep in my car (NOT recommended for safe driving, by the way). This recording captures the great crowd that was there, especially during Peggy-O with the clapping at the end. A sound board wouldn't do it justice. Would I suggest this show for a Dick's Picks or From the Vault? Never. But would I suggest it as a Paul's Picks for just a fun, energetic show that has some great get-up-on-your-feet-and-rock moments? You bet!

no mystery to me why they never played it again.

this was a great show. had a great time and this tape is great sound quality. sometimes i love the way these aud recordings capture the hall. cc civic had great warm sound, and yes you could feel between the cracks on the floor and touch the ice. novel for someone who was high (not me, of course). at the time bobby's out of tune guitar was as painful as it is here on eyes (why i rate it 3 instead of four).

i agree that spring 86 definitely had its moments. but you could also feel a weirdness in the air that i mention in my other reviews (along with how jboyaguar needs to keep his dayjob. his nightjob won't ever pay).

does anyone remember if this was the show that bob was climbing the rafters during the solo in sugar mag? what a ham!

I was at this show. I live near the venue, amd I, like a prior poster, was as high as I have ever been on this particular night. But sadly, not a good high.
At the time, I felt as though I was witnessing the beginning of the decline. I spent the first set on the floor trying not to stare at what appeared to be hostile, sweaty purple faces. By the second set I was up near the rafters seated next to several patrons lying prone and apparently unconcious. Garcia changed his effects so many times during his solo on Peggy-O that it sounded like a soundcheck, and, as mentioned previously, Wier's guitar sounded like absolute crap on eyes...to the point where it made you feel kind of uncomortable.
In the years that followed, I came to understand that sloppy, controlled chaos was sort of normal for the period. In the context of the era, this is an exellent show. Full of tremendous hyperactive energy (china-rider), and the sound is simply amazing. Just like it sounded in the civic center that night. Lots of natural echo, bottom end and above average clarity.
I give it 4 stars for sounding so joyously energetic almost 20 years after it sounded so horrible in person.

I did the whole East Coast run this year, and the entire spring tour is underrated, in my opinion. Some prefer '87, but I actually believe that Jerry was never the same after the coma, which is not to say he wasn't still great in some of the later years.

Someone mentioned Jerry jamming into drums at this one. This was an interesting tour, in that some of the musicians took turns playing solo into the drums segment (which is not to imply that drummers are not musicians!). I haven't listened to them all lately, but I recall Jerry and Brent each having a turn doing so in Hampton on this tour. Both were unusual and impressive.

Don't buy the negative hype about '86 until you've listened to the spring tour for yourself!

These Portland shows were particularly good. The venue was practically cozy, for this period. Something like 8000 people. They used to cover the ice (it's a hockey arena) with plywood, but the ice kept the venue cool, even when the band heated things up!

I also wonder why Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues didn't live on. A great song, and this performance is worth a listen for the novelty of that one alone.

And why do people dis audience recordings? SBDs are great in their own way, but after all, we used to travel hundreds of miles to hear ... yep, the audience sound! I like SBDs too, but audience recording sound more like the real thing to me, speaking as someone who saw many, many shows.

What a great time. Good vibe, general admission. The first set is very solid. Jack Straw is great, then Peggy-O. They take it to the next level with Minglewood. It had been raining during the day so people were digging the Bertha. Fat Supplication! Check out the end of Eyes. I was the second person from the rail in front of Jerry, and he was kind of acting like he was easing out of the end of it, getting ready to leave. Drums were kicking in a bit more, then Bob finally left. 12:45 into the Eyes file Jerry goes directly into a nice jam (Heaven Help the Fool?). Check it out!

my first tape (still got it!)and it still sounds great.never saw the dead but saw jgb plus phish at this venue,must speculat that the grateful dead took a liken to this place for the great sound it produced.oh yeah.'think bobby must've broken a string before 'eyes'causing all the problems but battled back with a great improv ps sugar mag ups the anty wouldn't u agree?

awesome recording, the U87's really shine on this tape. A full, rich and sweet low end, and a surprising amount of dynamic range for a cassette master AUD tape. I love listening to this just for how good it sounds. And yes, I am a taper (but started a little late and never got to tape the Grateful Dead). I can just imagine how stoked the tapers were who pulled this gem.
:-)

Another ripping show at a nice small venue,this show really has some movement to it.Also a pretty good aud recording,I'd give this one five stars for both aspects,but the Day Job encore could have been done without......

never noticed that before! good god are you right about Weir's guitar on Eyes...unreal

I was at this show too....but of course it was the highest ive ever been in my life, which may account for why i didnt notice...

(had this tape, tho)

Interesting show for the only appearence of the Mydland/Lesh duet of "Hamstrung Blues". Not a bad song, I wonder why it was dropped? Also notable for Weir's spectacularly out of tune guitar at the beginning of "Eyes". I can only imagine the dirty looks the band was giving him.

Great sounding audience recording, so I'll give this one four stars for that.