very cool dew... jerry very emotive... check it out w/ the sunshine daydream and move on :)

Initially I mistook these for the first set of shows at the Rosemont. Then I remembered, this was actually a return! After the Uptown Theater closed, they played one show here 12/6/81. So this was a return several years in the making. More recently they had just played the UIC Pavillion in sp87, which means they went from playing to 9,500 in sp87 to 18,500 in sp88. That pretty much sums up what In The Dark (Touch of Grey) did for them, popularity- and ticket-sales-wise.

At any rate, as noted by others, both sets of this show are very short. But it’s well-played, throughout, high energy and tight. Opening trifecta is first set highlight. Red Rooster is the first one in Chi with Brent rap. I love it. Getting dirty. Not sure why they waited so long to do this. Not where they’d be by 89-90, but it’s getting there and definitely is a fine version. Rest of set comes and goes without blinking an eye. Always dig push comes to shove, good fun rollicking grateful blues.

As for set two, interesting sugar mag opener and sunshine daydream closer. Bobby really screaming his way through that Bertha finale. Really good playing jam. Calm, tempered in the pocket. Rhythm section, especially Bobby and Brent sound great, Jerry playing chillingly around it all. Segue into UJB after about 8 minutes. Doesn't feel rushed, but also like there was room for the playing to stretch some more still. Holy smokes that is a hot dew. Check this show out for the dew, alone. Touch encore is fun sendoff for opening night.

No Highlights

This was my second Dead show ever. My first was at Poplar Creek in 83, when I was 16 (sober, too; still great).

So I have wonderful memories of this 3 day run in Chicago. It was just so powerful. They rocked that generic arena. Favorites were Deal, Jack Straw, and, holy shit! Morning Dew. I feel the excitement of this show, for the band and the fans. In my opinion, the Dead played some of their best shows in the Midwest: Alpine, Rosemont, even Milwaukee.

I love this recording of the show. Unlike most soundboard recordings you can hear the screaming crowd. Brings it all back. Thank you.

Nice Push comes to Shove, good to hear a smile on Jerry's face after his solo.Short show as been said, ok sound, Jerry sounds raunched, lame Dylan cover, sorry.

I was row 15 or better each night. What a fine 3 night run. Oh, also caught Cubs opening day game @Wrigley.

Spring of 1988 might be one of the most over looked tours of their careers, only 2900 streams on this ones kids. I am as guilty of that as anyone,as the summer shows are ones I am more familiar with.

I was pleasantly surprised after getting the tip on this one from the Phil Zone. @BataviaSparky really summed up this one nicely too.

I will simply add that Jerry is just unleashing the majority of this show. You get a sing-along trifecta, reminiscent of 5/9/81, for the opener.
The 1/2 Step is outstanding with the Franklin's being the weakest of the three. Jerry plays some wonderful loud solos but it is a very, very short version.

The Rooster is scorching, its better than Franklin's, and Jerry is cranked up even more and he just delivers. The rest of the set is extremely well played with Brent and Bobby very loud in the mix.
The bass Phil played during this year was not my favorite and his lack of presence in the mix is sadly missed.
This first set clock in at less than 46 minutes folks, but it is quality over quantity this night.

Set two, again is wicked short, but Jerry is totally dominating the set.
A fun and sharp Sugar Magnolia sets the mood and we are off.
The Bertha is stupendous, especially Jerry's second solo, as Billy and Mickey are in perfect sync with Jerry and it shines in the second set.

The PITB features some nice wah hah effects from Jerry and is tastefully done. Uncle John's Band is nice but again way too short, clocking in at less than seven minutes, it features the rich harmonies that were achieved during this late '80's era.

The D/S is nice and Jerry is loud and cranking during space with a rare PITB Reprise coming out of space into a massive double header by Jerry.
GDTRFB is sweet but the Morning Dew is excellent.

It is a powerful version with Jerry screaming and wailing through out it.Sadly not one Phil bomb can be found.

SSDD ends the set with Weir continuing his wild yelling, which he does the majority of the show. It gets painful at the end of Franklin's just to prepare you all.
The irony is this show was the first of the run so I wonder if the next two nights surpassed this one?
On to 4/14/88!
Happy trails.

Slept out in the parking lot for 3 days - a bit chilly with 747s buzzing overhead landing at O'Hare across the interstate. Good times and good memories of a great '88 spring tour.

Was at this one, do not have detailed memory, although I remember enjoying it.

Ya know, that feeling I have right now would not be possible without the archive- that is, I am about to listen to a show I attended-oh my God! OVER 22 YEARS ago! Besides felling old now the anticipation is so sweet, I will recall the times, who I was with, how I felt at trhe time, very cool.

FANTASTIC CHARLIE MILLER WORK OF SONIC ART!!

Let's skip around a little to get a feel for this night....

I'm in a "When Push Comes To Shove" mood here - 4:44, hmmm... let's see... Strong version! Cool heavyish distortion on the lead break. Tidy,nifty, solid. Let's just continue on- Queen Jane- What a riot! Bobby Weir is slurring the lyric to ridiculously slurry levels- I love it! The whole band sounds so loose and inspired - another hit. Sraight to "Don't Ease" - the pace is perfectly plodding - I mean it in a good way - wow the band sounds so dang good! I am very surprised.I'm forced to backtrack to the start!
Mississippi Half opener- the climax is flat out terrific

Feel Like a Stranger- IMO this tune in the 1 2 or 3 slot is always a sign of potntial for some hotness this evening-Bobby is just making me laugh out loud at the sheer all-out fun this guy is having!!! You gotta hear this one- great inflections, perfectly placed and toned whews! heys! Yeahs!! Stranger and stranger, stranger and STRANGER! Hey says at or near 4:00.As for the jam at the end - ya got me primed for some smokin' sheeite - No way disappointed- top notch, intermingled weaving musical tapestry - Jerry en fuego!!What a finish!

Franklins is standard greatness, would stand out if everything didn't already stand out.

Rooster is borderline, Brent cusses up a storm and we eat it up, but Mr. Weir massacres enough slide to nearly ground this one, thankfully it's over.

You already heard about the next 14 minutes, so let's jump to 2nd set.

Can the BOYS follow THEMSELVES? That first set ranks almost 9- I'll give it 8 stars out of ten on Batavia Sparky's scale. 4 stars by archive standards.

Off we go to set 2 -

Sugar Magnolia is a perfect start for BW in his current state of mind- it's a rollicking full-speed ahead juggarnaut. Listen to Brent at about 4:45 - YES!

Bertha - Throw me in thr jailhouse, indeed. Tight.

Playin' - Great jam ends way,way too soon, the last 2 minutes is the playin' jam at its awesomest

Uncle John's - Is the band losing steam? Starts out a little sluggish. Never really reaches any peaks

D/S drums okay yet mostly uninteresting, first space I listened all the way through in more than 2 years, so it was interesting because Jer-Bear GOES OFF HARD for the first half.

The seguue - sounding otherOneish for last two minutes but suddenly we get caught up in a Playin' reprise. Really trippy, deep groove that skirts around the playin' reprise and dips a toe in here and there, it's truly unlike any Playin' reprise I've heard - finally crashing into Playin' at about 3:40. very enjoyable.

With Goin' Down the Road and Morning Dew as well as SSDD,we log a nice 27 minutes post-space.

Morning Dew is breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and orgasmic. Just listen to Jerry sing starting right at about 6 minutes. I know it's hard to say "Best Ever" - but this one is real hard to top! WOWSIE!

SSDD- wraps it all nicely,as Bob gets another shot at wailing. Listed at 6:38, it gladly wraps up at about four. Just another quick boogie for the kiddies before the encore...

Touch of Gray gives the infusion of so-called "TouchHeads" one to dance to coming out of this one.

Oh yeah...

The sound is incredible, just incredible...

Thanks for sharing. This was my first show and I'll always have particularly fond memories of it. In retrospect this was maybe a little more high energy than I remember it.

Thank you Charlie for making this show come alive...always had great memories of it, but always had muddy, lame copies...this one shines