Grateful Dead
Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
April 5, 1988
UltraMatrix SBD > Cassette Master (TDK MA-R90)
All Transfers and Mastering By Charlie Miller
“Three sets of masters were used to make this show complete.”
Disc 1 – Set 1:
1. tuning
2. Hell In A Bucket >
3. Sugaree >
4. Walkin’ Blues
5. Dire Wolf
6. It’s All Over Now
7. Bird Song >
8. When I Paint My Masterpiece >
9. Might As Well
Disc 2 – Set 2:
1. Iko Iko
2. Louie Louie >
3. Samson and Delilah
4. Ship of Fools >
5. Smokestack Lightning >
6. Drums >
Disc 3 – Set 2 cont’d.:
1. Space >
2. I Need A Miracle >
3. Wharf Rat >
4. Throwing Stones >
5. Not Fade Away
Encore:
6. Not Fade Away
7. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
There are no reviews for this particular recording. Here is one from one of the others:
REVIEW: Hartford, a real trip
This show featured many great tunes Louie, Louie was Hot!!The ending jam of Might a s
well the band loses time at the chord change very interesting to hear this again I had a great
time at these shows!!
And then there are a couple of these:
REVIEW: Enough…
Folks can we please reserve 5 stars for the truly classic nights? Of which there were maybe 5
or 6 after 7/7/86. It gets annoying hitting on a night only to find out it got 5 stars because
some Touch Head thought Louie Louie was hot. Or Push Comes to Shove was “special” as I
read on another highly inaccurate review. Folks take it from an early/mid-’80’s Head – Push
Comes to Shove was never special. Maybe I am ruined on it because I saw it the first 7 times
they played it live (every night at the December ’86 comeback shows at the Coliseum and the
New Year’s run at the Kaiser.). This show was a dog, not even in my top 100 that I attended.
Too many Touch heads, too much nitrous, too many narcs, and not enough improvisation.
Louie Louie? Hot? I’ll take She Belongs to Me any day of the week over that silly frat-boy
cover tune. It was a complete bore at the show, and even more so to listen to now. Half the
people we went with were yawning during yet another weak Stones>NFA Knockin ending.
Of course the gay, obligatory NFA chant, which was so old by Spring ’87 let alone by this
time. Man how I miss the NFA’s out of space, like I saw at the Cap Centre in ’82 and the great
’79-’81 versions. For good Hartford shows check out ’82-’84, both nights all three years.
REVIEW: Teabag has a point
Gotta agree with teabag on lots of points. I thoroughly enjoyed all the late 80’s shows I went
to just because it was good to see Jerry in good spirits and looking comparatively healthy
most of the time. It was also great to see Brent really come out of his shell onstage. However
looking and listening back they did throw in a lot more goofy songs and didn’t fly off the cliff
as much as they did in the early Brent years. In a way I’m happy to say I never saw a
post-Brent show (79-NYE 89). It would have been too heartbreaking. From what I hear I
didn’t miss much.
REVIEW: If you think you had a bad day fishing, you’re wrong
Personally, I can’t conceptualize what a two out of five star Dead show would be. It’s like
saying that a sunset was mediocre. Some stand out, some fade away, but none are mediocre.
Sure, 1988 was overall flat compared to the resurgence of 1987 and the new creative peaks of
1989. Try thinking of it as a plateau, not a valley. I enjoyed the audience tape – decent sound
quality and minimal crowd noise. I, too, was at this show (all three in the run) but how much
nitrous was in the parking lot or how bad the traffic was isn’t too relevant to the show, IMHO.
That’s just the space debris that you have to dodge as you travel across the galaxy. The key is
to keep looking for the light in the strangest of places. I heard one of the band say once that
whether or not they got better over time, they did get more consistent. This show reflects that
– not stellar – not even Stella herself – but really, did you ever go to a Greatful Dead concert
and later wish that you hadn’t because of something the BAND did?
And then we’re back to the “regulars”:
REVIEW: Don’t Get To Excited
Highlights: Louie Louie
REVIEW: Best Birdsong Electric
Not to pick a fight but give this show a listen the boys really speak to each other. The
Birdsong is outrageous. The All Over Now is awesome as well. The Louie is probably the
worst thing played
REVIEW: finish strong
jerry’s voice is better and it shows. Standard, but well played first set. second set is pretty
good as well. Nothing to go crazy over, but you can tell jer is getting back some steam which
carries over into Worcester.. rare louie louie for those looking for it. Unfortunately, it was as
bad as I remembered it.
REVIEW: 22 years ago yesterday
This was the show Jerry lost his voice but made up for it very big time with the Louie Louie.
Jerry was always a musician first, and a showman second, but he took the latter almost as
seriously as the former, so if he didn’t give the fans their money’s worth in his own mind, then
LOOK OUT very soon. Always had a blast in Hartford, literally! The hotel was attached to
the venue, making for a chance to explore previously unknown dimensions. Another fabulous
Charlie Miller show. Thank you, Charlie: if you can’t do it, nobody can!
REVIEW: Smokestack!
This is probably the best Weir Smokestack ever, all due to Jerry playing his ass off, some
serious stuff. Not your usual throw away version to be sure! edit Teabag69-Really? ok, 300
plus GD shows, first Nassau 81 at 14, full time since summer 92 (every damn show but 1). I
think that qualifies me an opinion. I stand my statement, Jerry just rips amazing. Louie is also
ripping! Try listening again!
And then, like Louie, “…me gotta go…”
“Today’s Dead Tomorrow”, Upcoming Gig Events
As always, verify with the venue…
Remember, folks, to call the venue to see if they are indeed open in the first place,
and the event is going on as scheduled, and what protocols are in place.
Kettle Of Fish:
Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Wed., Apr. 7th, 7:00 p.m.
5238 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, 346-5443
Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub & Grill, Fri., Apr. 9th, 6:00 p.m.
6218 Cortez Rd., Bradenton, 794-2489
Stottlemyer’s Smokehouse, Sun., Apr. 11th, 4:00 p.m.
19 East Rd., Sarasota, 312-5969
Schmitz Brothers Band:
3 Keys Brewing, Sat., Apr. 10th, 7:00 p.m.
2505 Manatee Avenue E., Bradenton, 218-0396
Ship Of Fools:
Le Barge “Jam Cruise”, Sat., Apr. 10th, 10:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Bay Front Park, Sarasota, 366-6116
The Blue Rooster:
Tues., Apr. 6th, Suitcase Full Of Blues, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 7th, Al Fuller Blues Jam, 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., Apr. 8th, Take Three, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 9th, Ariella Music(Ari and the Alibis), 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 10th Kid Royal Band, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 11th, Mark Dortch & Company, 11:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
1525 Fourth St., Sarasota, 388-7539
J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Cafe:
Mon., Mar. 16th Open Mic with Rick Alvis, 600 – 9:00 p.m.
Tues., Apr. 6th, Steve Paradis, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 7th, Bill Hartman, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Thurs., Apr. 8th, His Country, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 9th, Gracie Maple and the White Crow Band, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 10th, Mumbo Jumbo, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Sun., Mar. Apr. 11th, Al Owen, call for time.
Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center:
Al Donadi and Friends, Sat., Apr. 10th, 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota, 894-6469