Fall 84 is a strong tour but the strange thing about it is, every show is strong for different reasons. I decided to enjoy the burst of great new audience sources that have emerged in the past couple of years in the era of the early 80’s. (The Da Weeze, GEMS and Paulines are my favorites overall in this tour. Where was or how old was Brennecke in 84, I wonder?)

My standard of beauty for this tour is the sublme 10-9-84 Worcester show, which is the rockin’ psychedelic gem of its day and I always wondered, if provided the right sources, if the quadrophonic primal madness of that show was present in any of the others. The Syracuse show is like a brisker, condensed show in 10-9’s image but I was wondering if any shows with not-so-similar setlist had “it”.

However, listening to these new sources, it immediately became clear that there were other qualities that emerged at shows from this tour. The first night is a scorcher like almost no other but then there’s a slight drag at show 2. The second set on the 8th is very primal-Caution jam and all-and they hit a stride. I’m still finding it hard after all these years to put my finger on why the Augusta shows leave me so uneasy. Like everybody else, I loved that nutty first set with the kickin’ Jack-a-Roe when it first emerged but the first night and the second sets…I don’t know. I wish I went though. I only went to the Worcester shows that tour.

This recording and the Da Weez are my favorites. I actually started with the latter because I thought there was more space around the ears and there’s a major PA breach of some kind that many of the other recordings seem to pick up too well. I don’t know that they fixed the problem completely because the thinness seems to persist for the rest of the show and doesn’t support the shenanigans that Healy does to Bobby (and even Jerry in China Doll). Of course, Hartford was weird in that way too. It lacked middle, I guess? The floor was nice. It actually had tremendous bass response and I think Phil knew it.

They also seemed to play almost uniformly excellent shows there. Long setlist too and this one is a good example. First set is solid with no real highlights except the excellent Row Jimmy and the Miracle, kind of a rarity in this period anyway and definitely in set one. Why the fuck didn’t I go to Hartford?? Anyway, second set is where it’s at. The China Cat is nice and long and has several peaks. The energy and power of the 10/9 Slipknot comes to life in this China>Rider. Sampson is over the top. You know how sometimes poor Bobby would get unfairly blamed for “cutting Jerry off” as if b/c he went back to a verse, the Dead weren’t going to play all night long? Well, this time, the grumblers are correct and he cuts Jerry off who still wants to solo so her does as Bobby sings the last verse. Then he shoots off to the next one like it’s literally a race. Cocaine, I suppose.

It’s a drag that Jerry forgets the first line of High Time but after that it is a great version with a rare break. The one earlier in the year in Providence had no solo, which really threw me for a loop at the time. The Estimated>Eyes is one of the classics although the P.A. problems limit the sonic range of some of the scatting, unless that’s just the phase shifter that Healy decided to play with that evening making it sound like that. Honestly I wonder if they had to EQ the heck out of it to muffle the bad tearing sound that permeated the first set. Eyes is notable for the engaging introductory jam. Throwing Stones has more Healy shenanigans and it’s kind of annoying more than anything else. To heck with all Bobby haters, if that's what it was. This is a great recording of a great show.

But that Row Jimmy. Ouch.
Fantastic 2nd set

Best sounding recording of this show I've listened to. The Miller name ='s quality, and Rick did a tremendous job taping. First set starts a bit sluggish, but picks up with a sing along Dire Wolf. Nice attempt at a transition from Miracle to Might as Well by Jer, but the drummers seem to miss out a bit. Second set it gold. Great flowing China->Rider. Beautiful High Time. And an Estimated->Eyes full of jamming and strangeness. The jam into drums is wonderful. Post drums loses a bit of fire, but hey this show is full of great moments.

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 hearing by having to turn up the volume past 5 to even tell what song is being played!! 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. Of course some are better than others. However, 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 for today, 9/20/08:

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, 4.30.90,
10.14.84,

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

One of my favorite 80's for years.

Ever since a group of us were in the middle of the woods with a boom box and the Estimated made everything much more intense.

Always hoped the day would come when a better source or a remaster would come around. Would really dig hearing a board version of this show.

Plenty of goods throughout both sets. Dupree and the rare 1st set Miracle are both fun, then the Eyes in set 2 gets way out there. Thanks CM and preachy.