Dave's Picks Volume 27: BSU Pavilion, Boise State University; Boise, ID 9/2/83

Love the CD also I was there too

On September 2, 1983, the band pulled into BSU Pavillion at Boise State University for their only performance in the State of Idaho. There are about three caveats I feel I should point out here: 1. This is a whole show from 1983 and shows from 1983 always have a rough spot or two, performance wise. 2. It's a concert from 1983 so it's mastered from a soundboard cassette which was recorded off the PA feed and not a reel to reel recorded from a dedicated feed. 3. There are patches from an audience source to cover the flips and cuts in the board tape. If you are looking for a higher end two track recording with more consistency from beginning to end, then stick to shows from the '70's. By 1983, a lot of the band's vices were beginning to catch up with them. However, the guys were still able to deliver some fantastic playing as well which can be heard in this performance. It's 1983, warts and all.

get over it... 5 starz

Trippy!

For an '80's show (not my fave era) this baby cooks! The great opening sequence and a hot "Eyes Of The World" are but two highlights. Pleasantly surprised......From dead.net:"The Grateful Dead picked up their instruments and hit the first note with perfection. They never missed a note for the next three and one-half hours. People followed the flow of the tunes. Down on the floor in front of the stage was a sea of heads keeping time with the music. No one sat still. No one, except the youngsters behind us sat still. They were still and stunned." - The Power County Press"And what a stunner it was, that show at the Boise State University Pavilion in Boise, ID on September 2, 1983. Dave's Picks Volume 27 contains every stitch of music from this mid-80s show (our first in this series), one that's as good as any other in Grateful Dead history. When the Dead were on, they were ON! Straight out the gate with a definitive take on the old standard "Wang Dang Doodle," the band swiftly switches back to a setlist of yore, firing off 70s staples like "Jack Straw" and "Brown-Eyed Women" and wrapping things up with a terrific trio of "Big Railroad Blues"/"Looks Like Rain"/"Deal" (don't you let that epic guitar solo go down without you). Primed for the second set, they tackle the complexities of "Help>Slipknot!>Franklin's" with heart and ease. It's clear there will be no stopping their flow - Bobby and Brent hanging in for a fantastic pre-Drums "Jam" and Jerry and Bobby in the zone on a not-to-be-missed melodic "Space." Not a skipper in the whole lot!"Disc 11. Wang Dang Doodle>2. Jack Straw3. They Love Each Other4. Mama Tried5. Big River6. Brown-Eyed Women7. New Minglewood Blues8. Big Railroad Blues9. Looks Like Rain>10. DealDisc 21. Help On The Way>2. Slipknot!>3. Franklin's Tower4. Estimated Prophet>5. Eyes Of The World>6. Jam>7. DrumsDisc 31. Space>2. Throwing Stones>3. Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad>4. Black Peter>5. Sugar Magnolia6. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

This is the lone show by the Dead in Boise Idaho, from '83. This latest "Dave's Picks" sold out in less than an hour of general release. Not many shows exist in the Dead vault from the '80s--either the shows are incomplete and/or missing usable tapes or the show itself was not all that great. But this particular gig has some things going for it--good song selection, an evenly paced slightly laid back performance, and decent sound. But to my ears the drums are a bit too far back in the mix--there's no bottom end from the rhythm section that I'm used to hearing, and Weir's vocals sometimes sound like there's an echo and are a bit distant--hear "Mama Tried" and "Big River" as a couple of examples. Plus, Garcia botches a few lyrics. But if you're an '80s Dead fan this might be a show you'll like nonetheless. Some of these performances are worth more than three "stars", but I'm comparing this show to other shows from other years around this gig--so to each his own on overall worth.Beginning with a laid back "Wang Dang Doodle" into "Jack Straw" the pace of the show is pretty much established. Some sparkling instrumental playing by all concerned--Garcia gets off some tasty solos all through this show--and typical Dead vocals. Garcia's voice is now different from earlier days, with Weir and Mydland's vocals blending in that ragged sound we've come to know.And with songs like "Big River", "New Minglewood Blues", "Looks Like Rain", and "Deal" on Disc 1, there is some good '80s Dead music here. Disc 2 has "Slipknot!", "Franklin's Tower", "Estimated Prophet", "Eyes Of The World", and a short "Jam" that fans of this era will like. Disc 3 has a long "Space", and good tunes like "Black Peter", "Sugar Magnolia", and "It's All Over Now".Overall this show is a decent slice of '80s Dead, with nice renditions of many of the songs they liked to play live. Having heard the Dead live in the late 60s/early '70s as a college student I'm a bit biased toward that era. But I still find shows from later periods worth hearing (and adding to my bulging shelf of Dead music), and this show does have it's moments. Worth having for a good example of '80s Dead, but at the price's I now see for this set I wouldn't exactly be jumping at buying it.The packaging is the usual--tri-fold cardboard package with trays for the discs, and a pocket for the 10 page booklet which has a short essay by David Lemieux, repros of news articles about the show, photos, and a track list plus recording information.