20 years later, the Grateful Dead rock, and thank god they played the day I was born. good show, good times, good life. it's a good day to be 20 years old.

Streamin this now and Drums are out of this world!!!

Lovin it!!!!

The way the music is expressed here doesnt do justice to how it behaved outside the ampetheater at 10:00 behind Phil 100 yards plus away. The quality of 1987 is really hurtin. I remember Jer's guitar tone was very bright and clear which isnt evident at all in any recording ive heard for 87 Rocks. Great acustics there but oddly it cant be captured with microphones either.I have yet to hear an excellent audience recording from Red Rocks. Seems the particular rocks configuration and rock itself work against the microphones ability to attain sonic perfection.Perhaps the key at Rocks is to find the hot spots. The quality playing has yet to be realized for the year of 1987.Excellent show poor recording.

Ended up getting into this show w/ what ultimately was a bogus ticket that I'd purchased from a scalper. (tics were hard to come by this day) I owe a THANKS to all of the other heads who also bought the bogus tix from that a-hole in the parking lot and were denied access...we all tried to "storm" the side gate and myself and a buddy slipped thru during the confusion just as Cold Rain (and the doses) kicked in...good show...2nd show of the three rocked the hardest

That was key. For me it was Alpine 87 but didnt see the show. I went with friends listening to Metallica on the 45 min ride up from ILL. to dose with the "freaks" in the parking lot. I remember seeing the people dancing around top perimeter of Alpine lawn from the lot buy the opening gate that lets you in and thought wow what are they doing up there? I was trippin with H.S. friends and I did not get what was going on in there. So I started to pick up on the Dead Ahead cd (wasn't called that then) can't think of it now but the radio city show, The Feel like A Stranger got me hooked my friends and I were having a blast dosing to that with Brent doing those errie little solos and getting into Jerry on the Fire out of Rythum Devils WoW. Then going back to Europe 72, Working Mans and by then Alpine 88 came around . We camped for 4-nights and seen each show from 6-19 to 23rd. To say the least I was sooo BlOWN AWAY and finally seen and understood what was going down. I was in the pavalion for most of the run but I had to go on a venture up to the top of the lawn almost like hiking to the summit a "right of passage" if you will. The place I had so many questions the year before. I boogied with my new friendS with tye dye's braclets etc rather banging my head in a sea of black concert shirts to Slayer only a year ago what a conversion and never looked back.
Your Red Rocks was my Alpine. Shakedown st, hot hippie chics, kind bud and fresh gooney's. Watching Jerry do High Time at Red Rocks with the scenery of the venue on some real clean would of been something else. like I said your a lucky mo fo.

ps. for me out of all the Red Rocks and not so much musically or maybe, I would of loved to be at the June 84 Summer shows coming from the Cal Expo run. That Iam sure was some sick shit.

dOsEs..DoSEs...doSEs..

Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison was and is the greatest venue and this was the last run the Dead were able to make there. Camping out in Deadland:Tie dyes, buttons, & other shiny things on Shakedown St. Lovely free spirited hippie girls. It was my first show and seeing it there was key. I camped nearby & got drunk the night before and lost my friends. I had to hitch a ride to the show. But I found everyone soon as I got inside & watched the show from the first 8 rows. Dosed and baked I watched this guy climb the face of Ship Rock barehanded without any gear or was it just a vision? My favorite moments were Cold, Rain & Snow opener, Little Red Rooster & High Time & Black Muddy. I was in no position to discriminate as to the quality of the performance. I only know it was a high that lasted weeks after the last note. I had a great time with good friends in a cosmically strategic space in time.

1st Set: Undenibaly it's always a pleasure to be stuck admidst the "Cold Rain." Not a barnburner, though. Gentleman, hold on tight to your ladies as 'Roosting' Bobby is on the prowl. Oooohh..things get cooking around from 4:20-5:43. "Tons" is standard. Alright, it's been awhile since we've gotten "High." Not gorgeous, but decent enough. Let's put the spotlight on Mr. Weir as he does a lovely job creating this "Masterpiece." Musically, it's only decent as is the following "Push." Brent's especially pouncy whereas Jerry's especially clangy on the set-closing "Let."

2nd Set: The mellow vibes emerging from this gig continue with a pretty "C"razy." The segue into "Samson" is smoother than the norm but this woman's Not bewitching. A full effort is given to "Ship" that draws approval from the sold-out Red Rocks crowd. "Playin" is the next obvious choice, and the band musically responds with focused effort. It slips into a standard, but always welcome "China." Immediately after the song finishes, Mickey starts the world percussive music. The end of "Space" stands out as a single note of "Watchtower" immediately cues the band to enter Dylan territory. Both that and the "GDTRFB" reasonably rock out. We've been burdened by laid-back tunes most of the evening, so it's a welcome relief that we're skipping the ballad slot for an "Around->Sugar" fest. The former is standard, but the latter is well-played and a good time.
The encore, "Black," is well sung and harmonized. Awww, Jerry says 'goodbye everybody.'

An OK if Not exciting opener. 2 3/4 rounded up for its rock n roll ending.

Great show, Sound is very good. Worth the DL!

Just out of high school and leaving a somewhat restrictive homelife to be able to attend my first concert ever. I wasn't really into the band, but my friend's brother offered a free ticket for waiting over night in line at the Sound Warehouse next to Aurora Hills mall. That night was my first clue into the next life that was awaiting for me in August. Just before getting ready to leave home for college in Golden, I am taken to another world that I couldn't have even imagined in dreams. I can't really remember too much of the show, except for the slide of lil red rooster. I remember learning a thousand new things that night. I remember feeling the world tilt on its axis in a way the made me fall into the band. It was a moment in which my 'past and my future were precisely divided'. The band did that one more time for me in Vegas'92 during Saint of Circumstance.

Thank you so much to the the entire achive team for bringing me back for the first time since then. Obviously, I'm going to give this one top ratings. Sound quality is not five, but I don't care.

Always loved hearing Jerry step up to the mike and he signed off for the band that night after Black Muddy. The Rocks were glowing. What a spot, what a show!

the first couple of seconds of the cold rain and snow are the pure audience of this Matrix recording.

Well, the quality of audience tape is really poor.

but it turns much better when the sbd is introduced.

peace

check out 4-11-87

was in attendence for this final run at the Rocks. Bringing back good memories, and forgot how good this show was. Crushing Ship of Fools and China Doll... the matrix mix is sweet, allowing you to hear the crowd get off too!
Grab this one!

CB

Wow, have I been waiting for this show! My first show at one of this planet's great "power spots" to see a musical performance, and a crackling fun one to boot. Also my first versions of both Masterpiece and Watchtower, and I preferred the faster-tempo renditions of both tunes played in '87. The post-drums sequence of Watchtower->GDTRFB->Round n Round->Sugar Mag was about the closest thing to a pure rock 'n roll sock hop that I ever heard the Dead play. Incredibly fun - thanks for the memories!