Something clicked, above average 88!

Highlights: Never Trust A Woman, Box Of Rain, Space, The Other One

The use you arrogant SOB is what the music was made for in the first place to listen to. Why do you need a physical copy? You can listen to it now just stream it. Hot Show BTW, nice matrix

Caught all four nights in Philly..Out of all the years I saw the band there this run was party central..Everyone was camped out in the park across the street and it was 5 days of pure heaven..The city put a stop to the use of the park after 88' I'm not a big fan of this year but I enjoyed the song placement and selection on this particular night. I liked how they had the speakers set up in the hallway this year along with others..You got the best sound right from the board..I would always find the Unlimited Devotion group and spin and dance the night away with them. I like the mix on this matrix..sometimes you get to much audience..so please GIVE IT A WHIRL

First tine for the boya doing a 4 night stand at the Spectrum. Sure was a party Fans spotted Phil sparking up a few times side stage over the course of the show. Solid show throughout. really like the 01 here.

My last show of 1988. Not a bad way for me to end off the year.
Not quite up there with Hampton that spring, or the best of Summer tour, but a pretty rippin' 88 show, nonetheless. I take a star off 'cause Jerry's voice is a little froggier than usual, and there's just a hair more sloppiness than a five-star show should have. That's not a big problem, though (this is the Dead, after all), so I recommend this show. Four stars.

one of the best from the modern day 80's versions

Overall: great recording. Very solid show - my favorite of the Philly run. Great song selections the whole way through, IMO.

The scene: ok, this was the night that people were slam dancing in the hallway!!! Does anyone else remember that?? During Women>Eyes, there was a friggin mosh pit in the hallway near one of the sets of speakers. It was mild by pit standards, but still, people were getting bumped into who did NOT appreciate it. It amused me more than bothered me, but some people were really freakin out about it. I couldn't blame them either - it's not like there's a whole lot of space around those speakers, so the pit forced the rest of us farther away from the speakers. Never saw that before or since, but it does make this show stand out in my memory!

The music: not sure why a couple of people have said the beginning is sluggish. I think the Jack and Althea are both good. Never Trust is sluggish by nature, but Jerry's solo is crisp and Brent is awesome as always. Also, Jerry's voice sounds better on this night than the previous few. Good Music to end the first set. Box, Cold Rain are a nice choice to start the second set and both are played well. Women R rocks well. Like someone else mentioned, Jerry makes a nice transition to Eyes, playing out some chords while everyone is still doing the "that's right" vocal part, and then allowing it to flow into Eyes. Phil perks up a little in Eyes, which sounds nice. The outro jam is really nice and has some great Phil moments as well. Post-space they jam on Other One for a good long time before going into the verses, with Phil again laying down some good chops. Healey gets dicey with Bobby's vocals in a fun way. This is a really good Other One. Nice Good Lovin too, complete with Bobby rap about sayin "how do you do?" to your neighbor.

I'm glad to find someone else who remembers Phil smoking that giant doobie at this Spectrum show. After nearly 20 years I aws beginning to wonder if that was just a hallucination or not. But I thought it was before the first set, not the second......o'well that doesn't matter. It happened and I am relieved of that ! I saw the Dead more times in 88' than any other year, seeing many of the spring (Hampton was my first show -the middle night with Scarlet/Fire !) and most all of the fall tour. I was only fifteen. The main thing I remember vividly from these shows was camping across the street in that park. What a scene. I know I will never see anything like that in my life again. The lot scene was a total blow-out after each show. There was some guy riding around on a go-kart with a beer keg drinking out of a tube that ran into his hat. It blew my mind. The main thing I remember in the shows was China/Rider, which at the time I thought was spiritual. Until now all I've had were old cassette copies of this run, so I'm damn glad to finally be able to download better quality and once again listen to these memories from a by-gone era. And a what fun it was ! I'd give almost anything to be able to go back there now ! I'm not sure about the quality of these as I'm yet to DL them, but I'm giving them 5 stars out of the sheer fondness of my memories there !

1st Set: "Jack" is melodic but as a previous reviewer stated, slightly sluggish and listless on the breakout chorus. "Althea" reaches beyond its almost standard labeling by swaying nicely during the bridge. "Never Trust" swaggers nicely...btw, is this the first time the song has been labeled, "Never Trust..." Would I be repeating myself to call "Dire" sunny and "Cassidy" peppy and involving? Just good ol' GD here folks...nothing too demanding or challenging which is why I'm surprised and disappointed in myself for not presenting anything novel to the table. "Dupree's" slides into the 'Stagger' slot with ease though Jerry's not exactly effortless with his singing...Not enough of a statement here. Fine, but... "Masterpiece" is smooth and mildly rousing. Nothing special about "Push" as this set is beginning to drag. Yes, at least "Music" is the fun and 'I can see this coming' call... Too bad the song doesn't crackle more despite some fine fine efforts during the last two minutes.

2nd Set: A fully pronounced, better than average "Box" opens to a roar of approval from the Philly faithful. Yea, let's rock it out withn "Cold Rain." Well, it's not terrible, but Jerry lacks the strength and willful force to make his point - those betraying bitches ;) Well, we should all agree that "Man Smart, women Smarter." Smooth, tasty flavors here...yea, the set's really cookin' now. During the harmonious outro Jerry's baskin in some warm "Eyes" lines... send us there?! they tease us out for twenty seconds. there's not much driving the version outside whereever Jerry decides to take it. "Drums" is pretty mild-mannered whereas "Space" gains in eerieness to set up a rambling yet thorough blast into hyperspace. Do the soundboardies wish to turn Bobby into a Klingon leader? Normal amounts of devestation during "Wharf." "Around" is skiffle happy and we're all dilling around searchin for some "Good Lovin." "Let's think about it now, who needs love?" asks Bobby. Frankly, I think he needs more lovin than love...

The encore "Knockin" is solid, though the show lacks as a whole that unidentifiable special entity that makes it stand out.

3 stars

I can't download it so what the f*** is the use?

To me....the first few tunes Jerry sounds very sluggish. Good sounds quality though. So far show is a 3 sound is a 4.

yes, that woman smarter>eyes was nice...ahh 88.

This show has lots going for it ... unusual song selection, great playing, and this is a very sharp recording. Phil was clearly visible before the 2nd set working on a big doobie before getting things rolling w/ Box of Rain. The only downer of the show for me was being on the floor during the second set, when the extremely drunk guy in front of me decided he didn't need to bother going to the restrooms to relieve himself ... ugh ..

i had a snippet of the 2nd set from the dead hour a hundred years ago and i remember driving my cheap analog copy to the ground. playing the woman smarter>eyes over and over again. one of the sweetest transfers i have heard from this time period. tons of energy, and the flow is monstrous. they were definitely on their game. sound is great as well. download this one just for the 2nd set. thanks again for having this one. go brent!!!!

mmmmm gooood

Sound is wonderful and this has alot of great energy...

Saw many great shows in my tour years 80-95...but this one I was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy fueled by the free vial of LSD I found in Roosevelt Park accross from the venue ...where DEADLAND has been errected...a teepee was errected to give out free food....WOWOW what a show...
ENJOY IN HIGH STATE>>>whatever that may be for you these dayz....

This is just an all around fun show.The second set is just great a killer Women right into Eyes,and a great Other One with alot of distortion on bobbys voice.Jerry sounds great on Wharf Rat.GET THIS SHOW