Before the review, some background.
First, I felt like I was
celebrating a meaningful anniverary in March of 1990. Guntis
and I had started dating (and seeing the Grateful Dead) when we
were 17 years old in March of 1973. This was 17 years later -
so we were marking a time in our lives when we had been together
for exactly half of our lives.
Secondly, the Grateful Dead had kind of been banned in
Hartford - Deadheads had set up campgrounds in Bushnell Park
whenever the Dead came through town in the recent past tours
and had made an unwelcome "nuisance" of themselves. So, the
city decided the Dead themselves could not return. This was
happening more and more, in more and more
cities, as more and more people followed the band around.
To get around a similar ban in Virginia, the Dead had had a
few "stealth" shows in Hampton VA, billing themselves as
"Formerly the Warlocks". And the rumors were flying that they
would do the same thing in Hartford.
It was amazing how the rumors spread so quickly too. I would
hear that tickets would be going on sale on a particular
upcoming Saturday, and I would call my brother-in-law
(who still lived there) and
ask if he would go get us tickets then. So he would go to the
Civic Center and stand in line with a couple hundred other
Deadheads who had heard the same rumor - but it wasn't true.
(He said he had a good time there anyways!)
Then one day I was working from home and started hearing that
this was the day -
tickets were definately going on sale at the box office at
noon. In a frenzy, I tried
calling everyone I could think of in Hartford to go get me
tickets (even Mom!) - but either I couldn't get through, or
they couldn't get there for me.
But, later on that afternoon, I got a call from my brother.
He works in Hartford and had been driving around downtown
when he heard about the
tickets going on sale NOW! and he was able to go and get us
tickets!
A special show - celebrating our anniversary of being together,
doing the same thing that we had done on our first date, in
the city where we first met.
The show:
"don't tell me this town ain't got no HART" and the crowd roared
back. In my mind this opener was a clear message (I said, in MY
mind ;-) ) that the band was glad to be in hartfordtown and they
were sending out a hello to us all - and we were surely sending it
back. I had a good feeling right from the start with the energy
that was being passed back and forth...
Little Red Rooster - well, I know a lot of youse hate this song
but by now y'all must know that the blues speak to my soul and
that was no exception last night with the second song being a
nice raunchy rendition of Rooster. I was in a particularly
"romantic" mood last night and Guntis and I danced a real-nice-slow-
suggestive (oh, should I go on ;-) ) number while this was played...
The next four songs - Stagger Lee, Me and My Uncle, Mexicali Blues
and Friend of the Devil - I'll dub the outlaw medley!
Bobby missed a verse of
Me and My Uncle - he stepped up to the mike, couldn't remember
the line, shook his head, smiled widely, stepped back and just
played it instrumentally. Made me smile, too. The Mexicali jam
featured Jerry doing some Midi work which made me feel like I was
actually walking around a Mexican market during a festival or something.
Horns and a lot of random movement-noise gave me this feeling -
the sound was coming from different speakers set up around the
arena. Friend of the Devil was done with Jerry-intenseness that
had me crinkling my brow along with him!
Just a Little Light - this is a good dance tune. I enjoyed it.
At one point there was a "dueling-banjos" kind of thing between
Jerry and Brent - one would jam and then cut off and the other would
come in and jam back to the other and so on. The lights were
beautiful to go along with this song. I remember (maybe incorrectly)
aqua-and-green and then white spots. Some of the neat light effects
were being done manually. Before the show we noticed four people
WAY the hell up above the second string of lights. I would say
they were about 75 feet up in the air sitting in what seemed like regular
seats attached to a boom. It looked pretty scary to me - I hope
they had seatbelts! Anyways, whenever the spots were randomly
flying around the stadium in different directions (creating a
very nice effect) - THAT was what these people were doing. I have
to wonder why that had to be done manually - I felt bad for them
sitting up there for the whole show (they couldn't dance at all!)
When I Paint My Masterpiece - well, I love Dylan and I love Bobby
and I love the Dead doing Dylan - so I guess you can say I loved
this song. I did. "The hours I've spent inside the Coliseum"
brought an expected roar from the crowd...
Ramble on Rose - nice harmonies. Their voices seem to be in
real good shape.
The Music Never Stopped - it seemed like it wouldn't either.
At times I had to remind myself that it was still the first set.
The jam at the end was a combination funky - spacey. I'd find
myself at times dancing to a real funky rhythm to all of a sudden
notice myself swirling dervishly to some good ol' space music.
A band beyond description!
The second set opened with Iko Iko!!! I LOVE that song. Dance
your feet off. Hey Now...HEY NOW!!...Iko iko all day...CLAP CLAP!!!
I love it when the audience responds like that to a song. The
band can't help but respond back! Jerry did some more Midi work
on this one which put me into a parade in the French Quarter of
New Orleans - jazzy horns. Guntis and I don't agree on the
Midi debate - he says he wishes Jerry would just stick to his
regular guitar sounds, I like to hear Jerry experimenting with
new sounds...
There was a group in the back with a banner for Looks Like Rain-
they musta been happy! I was too! (I like to hear Bobby sing
love songs ;-) The lighting was beautiful for this too. It
LOOKED rainy - purple and blue.
He's Gone - nice harmonies again. oh-oo-oo and nothing's gonna
bring him back - it ended with the lights going out completely...
Truckin - What a Long Strange Trip it's Been - yeah, that sums it up for
me alright...
Spoonful - I watched Bobby with the binoculars for a while and
then turned to have another nice slow dance with Guntis. ;-)...
Drums took me into a south american jungle. And I was walking
through it. I had my eyes closed to transport myself to another
place but when I opened them and looked at the stage, it was
real neat what they were doing with that big round hanging drum
that Mickey was beating on - somehow they were making a light
show on it - staticy kind of lights that vibrated with the drum,
but the lights only seemed to be coming FROM the drum. And the BOOMs
coming out of the back speaker across from where I was sitting
entered my body and I opened my arms to let it in easier. Space was
hard to dance to - most of the crowd sat down (not ME though!)...
The Wheel - beautiful.
All Along the Watchtower - I already described my feelings about
Dylan songs. I liked this one even better!! Now that's an
understatement. Let me rephrase that - this was the HIGHLIGHT of the
night for me. OWWWW!!!!!!!!!! My feet still hurt! It was OUT THERE!
Morning Dew - bring us back to earth. Thanks Jerry - a beautiful
way to end the set. One of my favorites. Intense.
The encore was fast and fun. I'm glad cause I still had quite a
ride ahead of me and it was good to leave on a real upbeat note.
They announced before the show started that they wanted the park
empty by 2...GOOD LUCK - the park was PACKED! I rolled home at
4 this morning. But I feel great today! Have fun tonight all who
are goi2lvkR/Qk5HaUNyL41i9w5Wrt412dvwtjEox2NGlEy
siXr1YcYRUaUrtroz0ZzMSOVHURO7vIzMQRmqUWSltqFt3d+hZErvYxn02OjPKrPZ1OzOVxMY7Ro
pcoBwEQEFsKYdp4uY8RUqR4fkAgj3VIrZ8uriuLWnKei7jeyUM1xy1ThjICJuzIwODNtWnBiTdWH
XLyjppKBskFiZGCSQSYgq
Bummer.
YEHAAA!