Yes, his writing style is solid, but as is so often the case with him, his opinions are totally off base. Like I said in the Gefell pull review, This is one of the best 2nd sets of the year.

The start of the final run in Colorado. This show has the last Baba O'Riley and the last TNK (both unplayed since 09-20-93). Not part of a tour, it was a one-off run in between MSG Oct and Oakland Dec (to end a two-year absence from the region). This is a spotty SBD era, with just AUDS for this run; tapes from which just didn't show up in collections. Even traders I knew in Colo ignored the run. Because they had been playing the state in December (runs in '90 & '92), we would also have some early-season skiing. So when these shows posted I expected, after a decade of getting Colo tix for everyone else, that somebody would call, and the fact that no one did was like the turning of an era. I was partly miffed that no one had returned the favors, but partly indifferent. Maybe nobody went? However after the 1st show one cat did call, saying he had looked for me and was checking to see if I was home. He told me I was missing nothing, this show was a wash, that the sound was "bad", and that he might not complete the run (another tour rat called the next night after miracle-ing his third night and leaving). Of course, you always told your friends at home that they weren't missing anything, right? [Then over the phone you still tried, but failed, to transmit your excitement over the set peaks with mere words]. But I knew I was missing tour friends, and probably not a landmark run. Anyway, if you went to a Dead show to hear The Who & The Stones, this set's for you. If you like Dead songs fine-tuned, move along.

First Set. A short, 7-song set, launching with crowd-riler Jack Straw, Bobby & Vince leaving it all on stage. Hearing Jer try hard is exciting, though his guitar is turned down. Still, the show highpoint. Peggy-O is uptempo and jaunty, but Jer's guitar is too low. Healy's gone yet there still isn't a professional mix. Walkin' Blues is uptempo - and devoid of Jer fireworks. Somebody yells "turn up Jerry's guitar!!" at Cutler. After a middling So Many Roads Bobby plays acoustic on El Paso - maybe so Jer can be heard and Cutler will get a hint. Jer's vox are now completely missing too, and again people shout to turn on his guitar. For Tennessee Jed we finally have both from Jer, though his vox cut out at first. He muffs the lyrics and keeps getting ahead or falling behind. In this Easy Answers you can see that Bobby was trying to write Walk the Dinosaur. Partway, Jer sets his guitar on stage (without handing it to Steve), and leaves. Possibly he had a bathroom emergency or was protesting an anticlimactic set breaker. Which it is.

Second Set. Iko Iko is a fine enough start, but Jer's guitar is intermittent. It has the "Indian boy" lyric (not "idiot" boy). In Playin', Jer isn't heard until after 6mins, then faintly; and only sporadically in Uncle John's, until his guitar is turned on at 3mins. He holds up his arm to tell the band to hard stop @9:30. After the brief confusion this causes, Vince takes over, starting the final BO'R>TNK, their only appearance within a set [I knew a cat that insisted the lyric in Baba is "Out here in the fields, I fart from my meals"]. It's telling that a Who cover, with only a little guitar (from Bobby), is the most exciting thing so far this set. Vince and the drummers are expected to put TNK together by themselves, however they save most of it for Drums, the set peak. Last Time sounds like the drummers walloping randomly and everyone else independently taking a stab at a Stones cover. A few mins in, Jer's guitar comes on again, and then it is almost saved. I'm sure a lot of people were thinking this could indeed be the last time. Stella gives Jer something with which to rise above slumber; good for a '94. Sugar Mag is the standard stage trick - leave 'em happy because they remember the closer best. Jer's solo for Baby Blue is weirdly vague, but the vox delivery is fine.

1st Set:  D
2nd Set: C-
Overall = 1½ stars [1¼ + ¼ for Jack Straw, Drums]

Highlights:
nope

SOURCES: The 138022_mgUM70S_graves has better clarity [esp Drums>Space] but less dynamic range [no Phil]. The 141190_FOB_Schoeps is the better source overall, having enough on tape [Phil] that you can adjust EQ and levels. It does have some sector errors, clipping the beginning of a few songs. It took a long time for tapes of these shows to show up. The show is usually up on YouTube as an AUD cam [1st set plus most of 2nd].