The reason this rain and snow is so killer is because it was a beautiful sunny day ….. well we all waited for the band to come on the sky, suddenly filled with clouds, and it started raining out of nowhere ……. They played rain and snow. It was amazing super high energy like they were controlling the weather. As usual. After rain and snow, the sun came out it was a beautiful day again. 😊💕

There are some iffy shows in spring '86. Usually you look for a great set rather than a great show (or go to the stronger Dec comeback shows). However, this is a good show for this period.

First Set. The opening pair are boisterous and positioned for auspiciousness. Race is On is the obvious pick (day of Kentucky Derby), but it's the first in almost five years. Bobby starts to comment about the Derby [this show started in the afternoon, before the running] but is cut off when Jer immediately launches a They Love Each Other, that gets vaguely shaky, losing tempo. Bobby floats it back to the ionosphere with See, See Rider Blues. Played as an uptempo shuffle instead of slow blues, it really stands up. High Time is the first song to fall loose, but it doesn't completely bog and the vox are fine. Jer asks "how many?" and Billy suggests "40", but we get a Beat it on Down the Line-3, for the date. It holds together but Promised Land does not, with sloppy play and Bobby muffing lyrics. Jer leaves 'em happy for the break though, leaving it all on stage for a Deal that completely expands. Put a Band-Aid under yr jaw and enjoy the fleet tempo.

Second Set. The jam section makes up for the earlier flubs on Scarlet Begonias. Fire on the Mountain has some good parts, some a bit loose. Dewiminna starts good but goes flat along with shoes-in-the-dryer. All is restored on the uptempo, pre-Drums-slotted Goin' Down the Road, which has an excited feel. Don't skip Drums – there's more going on than the usual. The Other One is a great version that invites listening closely. Comes a Time is solid, if not as detailed as the best from the era. Sugar Mag rolls on a big, Bobby-centric jam. There's no encore – supposedly from Jer's blown backline amp [it sounded okay; obviously Jer had backup guitars, and you can unplug one amp speaker, so maybe an issue was discovered that made them want to turn his main amp off. Or maybe not]. Like many '85s & '86s, this show fit on 3 sides of 2 C90s. Though, since Healey fucked with Bobby, it was nice for Phil to come out to talk directly to the Heads.

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¾ stars

Highlights:
Cold Rain & Snow – boisterous, auspicious
The Race is On – topical pick w/careening character
See, See Rider Blues – juiced
Deal – fleet, expands
Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad – uptempo, excited
The Other One – fun version keeps you listening

SOURCES: The miller_81516 has the best qual, aside from 30 Trips. One AUD is too slow, another too fast (as is hinko_18375). Definitive Live has Comes a Time.

'86 has a spotty reputation, but the "x" factor can pop up anywhere. Just started listening, but its great. Jerry with lots of sweet harmonies and crisp leads on Race is On. Wish I could get Mr. Peabody to set the dials.....

Working backwards from 95 in the 30 trips series, we're approaching mid-80s Brent MVP territory. All in all, this is a surprisingly good pre-coma 86 show. Short, yes, like the reviewers note, but well played enough. Check out the Scarlet-Fire set two opener, it's worthwhile, as well as the post drums/space sequence through to the end. The real gem of the night, featured on the 30 trips definitive live story, is the Comes A Time. As Jesse Jarnow writes in the liner notes, "Its quietness at Cal Expo '86 is a typical measure of the contours of Garcia's voice, simultaneously scarred by years of smoke (tobacco and otherwise), but always carrying great emotion, power, and new surprises." Indeed, this show is worth the archival listen and visit just for this. No encore, something on account of Jerry's guitar being broken, his sneakers being frozen? and/or Phil's mind being blown. Who the hell knows. At any rate, dig on the rousing Sugar Magnolia finale. This show makes for the GD's first official release from 1986.

yeah it's 'short' but so what? for a 1986 gig this is an easy five star... excellent first set w/ excellent tune selection and playing w/ a superior high time.

nice scarlet/fire and goin down the road... and the comes a time>sugar mag are fantastic. comes a time in the ballad slot makes any show for me, and jerry sings a sweet one. i listened to this show 3 times back to back as it so surprised me. screw the naysayers -- fine effort, superior recording.

No Highlights

A few minutes ago I couldn't recall if I was there, but I wasn't. What I like or notice is how good this is as compared to the east coast tour they had completed a month earlier. I was only 18, but as one who'd been ahead for a few years it seemed to me and my friends that there was just something wrong with that whole eastie tour. A month later they're doing great comparably, or whatever they are doing, this show is excellent, almost thirty years ago. I can envision the place in my head now,....Not the best place on earth its dusty but saw some good stuff those years at Cal Expo.

jerry's vocals improved after the rough period in 84 when he began to scream a lot probably for numerous reasons but he had a hard time singing quietly with the dynamics that the dead always played with. listen to the fall 84 when Jerry was at the bottom as far as the dope/coke habit. Smoking both plus cigs( a virtual chimney). the famed Augusta 10/12/84 he's SCREAMING on that Cold Rain, plus the DEW. his vocalazation, phrasing changed to more screaming as opposed to the quiet singing,whispers on Dew from 72 thru 77 and when they brought it back in 80.(I know there is 1 version in 78 as well as 1 in 79). he does sound better as 85 progresses and thru 86 . he does pull off a nice comes a time here etc Just a shame after the coma he went back to cigs and in a big way

Amazingly, I reviewed this show for the old Sacramento Union:
http://www.stevemartarano.com/Martaranos_archives/Grateful_Dead2.html

women smarter w/ man smarts

thets troo

I am apprehensive (God, that sounds wimpy) about listening to shows from '83 through '86 because of the detrimental effect that Jerry's health had on his performance. I went to between 10 and 15 shows a year myself during this period, plus about a dozen JGB. We would never stop going and never stop loving being there, but it was obvious that Jerry was really struggling physically. It can be pretty painful listening to the raspy and thin vocals and though he never lost the ability to sparkle on the strings, the grace and eloquence were definitely at an ebb.

Have no apprehensions about this beautiful recording of an excellent show!!! Right from the Cold Rain and Snow Jerry's vocals are clear, crisp and vibrant. I cannot think of another show from anywhere near this time on which he sounds so good vocally. Comes A Time is another highlight and just about everything else sounds sweet. With a board like this, I really focus on just how much these guys loved playing together and how well they listened to each other. This is a really collaborative performance, not off the charts but everybody gets a piece of the mix. The Scarlet/Fire is tight rather than epic but it has plenty of energy and creativity.
Oh yeah - I'm listening to the whole thing over again - check out Jerry's backing vocals on The Race Is On - unbelievable!!!!
Love the good ol' Grateful Dead - the sweet part of the dream is that we learned to sing "We will survive, we will survive" during those days and it came true for a lot of us. I'll have to check out the other shows on this run - any other suggestions? Jerry had lots of bright and happy days ahead of him. This show fills a tremendous personal niche for me, just like finding a Fall '94 show were he sparkles with all the joy and imagination we loved him for. Still haven't found that show for '95 but I'm always looking!! Thanks Charlie Miller - Time Magazine Man of the Year, long overdue!!! Never forget - Love will see you through

yes this show was short, both days were...but check out the Hight Time and especially the Comes A Time, both very sweet...was a very fun weekend :)

I haven't listened to anything yet, but apparently the Scarlet>Fire is good. Doesn't this one look a little short?

This should at least have Joani Walker listed in the keywords.