Out of all the various sources listed, this once sounds the best to me. The audience is present, but not overwhelming like it is in the Smith & Lui source (and it's much less tinny).

A remarkable comeback for the band. The crowd sends Jerry mad love throughout the show. Love Bobby's super bright tone.

We really do get picky over the years don't we. Remember this is stil 1986. I agree with so many here saying how this might be one of the most important shows EVER. I was at the airport when we all found out jerry had been sick. We were on our way to Ventura. Tough diecision not to take that flight. Some of us were saying he is fine others saying no he is really sick. I was lucky enough to get back out west few weeks later and even more lucky to see those Jerry shows at the stone in Oct Then we had to wait for these shows. The sound is the sound can anyone tell me how they should sound
?? Great job taping this night. It was shear insanity this day. People were so hyped up. No wonder it comes out at all.

This is an important show for those of us who walked the path, kept the faith, and loved Jerry when he couldn't love himself.

I took a few to listen to every tape - aud or sbd - posted here and as suspected - the tapers, ( God Bless them, every one ), can't take the hit for the obvious tech farts that blat out in the first few minutes or so.

OH MY GOD!! YOU MEAN - THE 'QUIPMENT WAS NOT JUST EXACTLY PERFECT!?!?! OH, ATLANTIS!

Raise your hands, kids, if you were at a show - ever - and there was not a single tech fart in the sound system during the first song and quite possibly up through the third or fourth.

Think for a second about the pristine quality of the auds for Boston 6-9-76 when the band pulled out Stephen? The band almost disappeared for all the gleeful whurfling. And this night Jerry, ( not the whole band - listen to the sbd's ), hauls off and open's with Touch Of Grey?! It's a sort of miracle the whole place didn't shake apart.

If it was Just Exactly Perfect it would be Journey and then no one would care, ( and quite rightly too ).

If one studies a mandela long enough, all the human imperfections can distract the soul from the beauty of the moment. Blow the sand away and wrap yourself in the splendoured moment of a rebirth.

We had tix. for Ventura and we're headed out the door when we heard about Jer. OMG, the shock.
Wow! just listened to this for the first time since the show, the Goosebumps! they came back just like being there again.. Absolutely Thrilling! Thank You

This is amazing for jer's first show back! I just love the crowd's reaction to the lyric in touch of grey. "I will survive" What a statement to be made. 5 stars just for the crowd energy in this one, you know they were waiting for this one for awhile!

You're right Tony, I only listened to the first few minutes of the show. And while the sound on a Touch of Gray is uglier than a mud fence on a rainy day, the rest of the show only gets better and better.
So I offer my apologies to Mr. Suraci.

Peace. Jesus heals from the inside out.

I may not of been around for the grateful dead I was just born in the wrong time period but that’s doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate them with all my heart. I’ve been reading Garcia an American life by Blair Jackson and when I got to the part about this show and how this was jerry’s great come back I found it as soon as possible and when I heard “Touch of Grey” it brought tears to my eyes. I want to quote a paragraph from that book.

“And when the first chords of “Touch of Gray” rose reassuringly out of the darkness on the stage, the roar from the crowd shook the building. There were tears of joy streaming down the faces of many in the crowd by the time Garcia got to the end of the first chorus and practically shouted “I WILL SURVIVE” that was all the 14,000 deliriously dancing people needed to hear. The doubts and fears dissolved. Smiles and hugs all around, Garcia was back.”

When Garcia Sang “Candyman” he saluted the crowd while singing “Wont you tell everyone you meet that the Candyman’s in town?” That show also saw the debut of “When Push Comes to Shove” and “black Muddy River.” What more can I say this show was a historic event and I feel privileged just to hear it.

Average Joe these are bootlegs! I listen to stuff with far less quality. This DL is a definite upgrade from my cassette. You should be thankful the band was cool enough to let folks like Tony do their thing and that these folks have taken the time to clean up and load these shows. It is one thing to be critical as this is what the forum is for, but to come off rude without even bothering to state what you didn't like. I long ago tired of overly critical, negative, know it all "deadheads". You can tell by Tony's reply that he is a kind and forgiving bro.
Now onto the show
Yes there is a tinny quality and Phil lacks a little definition and Bob's guitar is way out in front of the mix and the audience is LOUD! And I wouldn't want it any other way. No boards needed for this show. Of my 150 shows, I never experienced the love and happiness as I did at this one. It was a continuous hug fest with strangers all night.
The Touch and Candyman are as reviewd elsewhere. Spine tingling energy.
Push come to Shove and Black Muddy debut. Bob blows the beginning of Truckin, big surprise.
The last time Wharf Rat into Playing was performed. And a fun Good Lovin with Bobby screaming real high pitched at the end. I'll never forget the wave Jerry gave us. Peace

average Joe probably only listened to the first few minutes of Touch of Grey. I thought the same thing myself when listening to the recording for the first time. I was like WTF! Remember average Joe, the crowd was going completely bonkers, combined with the fact that Mr. Healy was still dialing things in, rough sound for the first few minutes was almost a given. Things smooth out nicely by C.C. Rider. Why don't you give it another listen, average Joe.

You ungrateful bastard, average joe! Tony Suraci seems to be the only tape source available for many of these shows. I'll bet you've downloaded the next show from him without complaining! This tape captures the crowd mood perfectly at what was arguably the most important dead show ever.
It amazes me how some deadheads can do nothing but criticise. On 1993-09-22, one wanker suggests that guest David Murray can't play jazz!!! (Download now before it's pulled.) Try being a British deadhead. I only ever saw 2 shows, and it was a bloody long way to Miami for them! Thanks to guys like Tony Suraci I can hear all the superb music I've missed. The whingers should be campaigning to get the withdrawn shows back. (Do you really think parts of the vault went "missing" when the capitalists took over?)
Keep up the good work, Tony!