I drove my rickety Datsun 310 that I could only start by shorting out the starter solenoid with a screwdriver (and it liked to stall) down from upstate New York to visit some of my best friends and catch this run.

I'd caught the Spectrum shows for a few years at this point, and yes, the place was sort of a dump and a dinosaur, yet the Dead seemed to shine in this venue for whatever reason, cranking out some really hot and memorable shows. And by the 2nd set, the sound was always dialed in nicely. Right in sync with my medicine.

The first night something was off, to be sure. Of course, everyone there had Brent on their minds and the thought was, the band is disjointed, or just still in a state of shock. This was what, like the 4th, 5th and 6th shows after his loss, or right there abouts?

Or it could just be an off night like they have - Jerry has indigestion or Phil has a headache, whatever it might be. Which was a shame because I'm a huge Scarlet->Fire fan and I've witnessed a smoking' hot version in that very building in the past. Whatever the reason, the band just didn't connect, and you can feel it when that happens. It was a decent first night, but nothing special.

Staying at my friend's place was sweet because we could hop on the train and be there in about twenty minutes. Back in the good old days, we'd take over the park across the street and within minutes, Headville would spring to life. Tent on the grass, with the midway running down the paved park walkway where you could procure any manner of goods and services.

At these shows, however, the cops kept us out of the park, so festivities were confined to the hardscrabble parking lot. Plus, by this time we were used to seeing a huge contingent of the young kids, the fresh-faced youth who had heard Touch of Gray on the radio and discovered the party underneath. Just not the same vibe. I've always said that having a top 40 hit was the worst thing to happen to the Dead, and I hate that fucking song.

But it didn't matter. We slipped in via the Underground and went straight through the doors. I read another review where someone said on the second night there was electricity in the air, and he knew which tunes were coming out or some such nonsense. If there was something different about the second night, it was a feeling of comfort. The Heads had found their friends and gotten a nights rest, we were once again used to the Spectrum and knew where we wanted to be. I think this was the same for the band. I think that they had to stick to some pretty standard sets as Vince was still learning the music, and by now, their 5th or 6th show together, they seemed to loosen up. Whatever the reason, everyone seemed pretty relaxed.

I'm a sucker for a Jack Straw opener. It really kicks the night into gear. The whole first set was on point and finished with a sweaty Hell in a Bucket that really got the crowd warmed up, and lent a bit of expectation for trips to come. The band clicked but didn't over do it. Who is it, Megafaun I think? Those lyrics, "If it starts too fast, it's gonna end real slow". You know they've seen some shows. I know that everyone has their own preferences. Some people like a real spacey show, some like a slow, relaxed pace. I'm the third type. I like a red-hot freight train rolling down hill with no brakes.

So when the 2nd set opened with a loose and sloppy China Cat, everyone was feeling it, and the magnetic connection between Dead and Heads was well and truly established. Sure, Jerry's voice was croakin' and crackin', but man did he have an iron grip on that guitar. I'm not an old timer. I never saw a 70's show, and some OG's don't like this later stuff, but I'm like, "Dude, are you listening to this?" By halfway through China Cat, the band and the crowd were in perfect synchronization. Which was amazing, because everyone in the room was in complete shock about this thing that had just happened. Even in the first set, Brent was on my mind. Now, during Rider, the lyrics of "gonna miss me when I'm gone..." were really hitting home. Then, after a fairly average LLR, Jerry hits us right in the chest with a killer He's Gone, and we were in mourning. It was like, everyone knew what everyone else was thinking about, and the band said, we're going to acknowledge this shit and we're going to face it head on. And we're going to do it together. In reality, they did it for us. Maybe it was cathartic for them also, but what seemed certain was they were letting us know that it was okay to grieve, but it was going to be okay.

And then, just to accentuate the point, the band slides from He's Gone into a slick jam that melts effortlessly into Spoonful. From Jerry's moaning cries of loss into the pure evils of sister heroin. This is what it's about. This is that terrible thing that, once it gets a hold of you, it doesn't let go, and there's always a toll to pay. At this show we were mourning Brent, and the band took us to church. A mere five years later it would be Jerry's turn, and we still mourn their loss today as their voices and jams haunt these tapes.

And as all of these twisted thoughts spiraled around my brain, I was dancing next to my best friend like I had no bones. Or more accurately, it was like I had new joints in between my regular joints and they all were articulated in both directions. I was well and truly posessed. Spoonful came to an end, but Jerry kept going. The rest of the band kind of backed off waiting to get a feel for where Jerry was going, and at one point they just let him play, supported by just a shimmer of sound. And Jerry set sail on his own. Phil, predictably, was the first to really jump in with him. And once Jerry settled on some more standard chords everyone got into sync. Jerry teases some Eyes at one point and then he's off again into uncharted territory. He even comes back to some hyper Spoonful licks until suddenly everyone is in a pure, improvised, flat out jam - pure ecstasy - that gives way to Mickey and Bill. Damn, Mickey was at his evil best. I've had Drums turn on me, but this was twisted bliss.

Wheel, for me, is always a treat, followed by as good a Miracle as any you'll hear from the late 80's, early 90's. Just a metric ton of energy. Then it was right back to church with Black Peter that truly highlights Jerry's singing talent. He sounds like an old, decrepit man on his deathbed, and our hearts cried for Brent. Jerry closes the song with an angry, cutting solo that laid his soul bare right there in front of us all, with no shame, and I melted inside. I realized that I could not imagine what he was going through, we could only radiate our love back at the stage. It sounds poetic, but I promise you that's exactly how it felt.

They clocked out with Around and Around, I think mainly just to get back to something light. But damn if Vince's chords didn't sound just like Brent was sitting at the keys, and he put up a nice solo to boot that had everyone cheering him on. And then of course, for the encore they came back with Knockin' and Heads' heads turned skyward. The girl behind me stood stock still, hands clasped in front of her and paid tribute to Brent. Something I will never forget.

I didn't start going to shows until the mid 80's. Even so, I've seen some rip-roaring shows that had me dancing my socks off. But the combination of everyone's mood, the tremendous weight of Brent's loss, combined with the material they selected, and the at times passionate, angry, ecstatic and tender flow of emotion between the band and us, each of us just trying to muddle our way through, this show, 9/11/90, long before 9/11 took on an entirely different meaning, this is the absolutely best and most rewarding concert experience I've ever had. Better than any other Dead show and of course, miles above any other of the hundreds of bands I've seen. The band was on fire, completely in sync with each other and with their fans. And at this point, Vince was fantastic. His playing was solid and he fit right in. And there was some heavy shit to deal with, and the band faced it head on and we all went through it together. The way a close family should.

So if you're wondering if you should get one of these shows, the answer is fuck yes. The second night is where it all happened, where we all mourned the loss of Brent but were assured that we would get through it and eventually we'd be okay. Jerry was on fire, pouring his heart out on the stage, mind-melding with the band as if they were a single organism. And we danced.

I was there again for the following night as well, but honestly at that point it was almost as if there was nothing left to say. We danced some more because what else could we do? He's gone, and nothing's going to bring him back...

I sang a little while and then flew on.

Dear listener, I was at this show on the floor. I submit to you that this is the tribute show for Brent (Jack Straw, All Over Now, Bucket, Rider, Gone, Spoonful, Peter Heaven's Door) I also submit that New Speedway was reborn at this show starting in He's Gone around 11:37 and again in Spoonful around 14:40. The theme for Brent's remembrance was not 'He's Gone' but Spoonful, and the sentiment contained therein as well as the insinuation made w/ Speedway. The emotion picks up here, and my notes from the show indicate they were evident on stage as well. This Darkness got to give.

Vince sounds good (a stretch for me) and this was a respectably played show. The front 3 really carry the show with strong playing. Nothing mind boggling, so I am giving it a 3.