“There Is NOTHING like a Grateful Dead concert!”
Grateful Dead
Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA
February 5, 1989
SBD > Cassette Master (Sony TC-D5M/Maxell MX90/Dolby B)
All Transfers and Mastering By Charlie Miller
“Thanks to Joani Walker and Paul Scotton for the tapes”
“Thanks to Joe B. Jones for his help with the pitch correction”
Disc 1 – Set 1:
1. tuning
2. Touch Of Grey
3. Feel Like A Stranger >
4. Franklin’s Tower
5. Little Red Rooster
6. Althea
7. We Can Run
8. Desolation Row
9. Don’t Ease Me In
Set 2:
10. tuning
11. Cold Rain And Snow >
12. Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
Disc 2 – Set 2:
1. Standing On The Moon >
2. Playing In The Band >
3. Drums >
4. Space >
5. I Will Take You Home >
6. He’s Gone >
7. I Need A Miracle >
8. Morning Dew
Encore:
9. Johnny B. Goode
Considering there are fourteen versions(auds, soundboards and partials) residing in the archive, there are pitiful
few reviews, telling me again this is avery under-listened-to evening…
These reviews are of this particular soundboard:
REVIEW: 1989-02-05
Great sound quality on this one. Morning Dew IMO is outstanding . Jerry’s solo reminds me of older versions in
that it is slow but powerful and the intensity of it goes on a bit longer than usual before it tapers out.Brent plays
some dramatic organ parts on it.
REVIEW: Grate start to a grate year
I’m an absolute 89-90 fanatic. Love the midi. It can be argued that the post seventies peak was reached in the fall
89 – spring 90 shows, but I would expand that to this show until Deer Creek 90 (Tinley park run was sub-par IMO).
The sound quality of this recording is incredible. Phil is loud and everyone else is very well balanced. Highlights:
Stranger, Rooster (check out the rare jam within), and the entire second set.
REVIEW: We can run…
I actually just checking out 2 newer tunes here. We can Run- Nice, i like the harmonies.
Limitation:difficult play it anywhere but 1st set. Standing on the Moon-Good, not to overly dramatic like it got in
the final ballad spot. Honorable mention-He’s Gone post drums! Not entirely well executed but outside the box.
These reviews are gleaned from all the few of the other recordings:
REVIEW: HJK Show
This was a fantastic show. I was at this show as well as Saturday and Sunday. Just look at the set list. He’s Gone
alone makes this worth downloading. We could tell by Touch of Gray that we were in for an awesome show. They
hit it and hit it hard on this night. The 88-89 shows were all fantastic! This one rocks.
REVIEW: Boy do I remember being at this show
One of the best times I can Remember.
REVIEW: rough day at the office
sometimes you’re at work and you’re draggin your ass a bit. and then something happens that reminds you that you
like your job. seems to me like about eight minutes into desolation row, jerry garcia realizes where he is and what
he does for a living. things pick up from there. phil, bob and everyone else are trying to churn out some good vibes
for the fans, but the mood of the show always relies heavily on jerry’s temperament. and when your specialty is a
vocal timbre of vulnerability and an introspective style of lead guitar playing, you can’t help but wear your heart on
your sleeve. the lengthy noodling in playing in the band seems cathartic in that jerry’s able to get some shit off his
chest through some space-like discord.
REVIEW: I Will Take You Home – sweet as it gets
A beautiful, crisp memento of the show that kicked off the delightful Indian Summer of the Grateful Dead known
as 1989. No doubt that the post-coma delerium we experienced in 1987 flattened out in 1988. Nine shows in a row
in a sausage factory like Madison Square Garden kind of drove that point home. But the Dead broke free once
again in 1989 beginning with a three show run at the Kaiser which I was privileged to attend. This show captures
so much of what made 1989 the remarkably creative, energetic and satisfying year it came to be.
Several pieces of this show combine to make a five star experience. How about a Touch beginning, followed by
Stranger (a second opener) right into Franklin’s. Three songs into the night and it feels like they are still opening
the show!!! I wouldn’t say that the energy level of this show is off the chart, but the cohesiveness of the band sure
is. Four string players (keyboards are string instruments – just hidden) and vocalists totally at ease with themselves
and each other backed up by two rock solid drummers. You don’t need unlimited energy when you can hit the
sweet spot and put it on cruise control like this. The playing is smooth and the sound quality gives you every little
bit of it just like a bisquet picking up gravy!!!
I go for the fifth star here because of the break-outs: first ever We Can Run, SOTM and I Will Take You Home, if I
am correct. 1989 began with a some sweet new tunes and went out with some pretty sweet old ones brought back,
yes? We Can Run is still in its infancy here and Brent is feeling his way. SOTM comes across fine, but the real
winner (and real heartbreaker) is I Will Take You Home. Brent nails this from start to finish, it is beautifully
constructed and phrased and I just don’t think this songs was performed better than this. I have a daughter and I
cried listening to this – OK , so I cry a lot. Anyway, if you listen to one song from this entire show, make it this
one. Brent had a deep well of talent, may he rest in peace. On top of that, I’m an Althea freak, this one scores big
and that opening trio kept us on our feet, for sure.
Otherwise, it is just so great to listen to Jerry so healthy and expressive. Listen to him sing back-up on We Can
Run; Brent wasn’t all that sure where the song was going, but Jerry was right with him. Phil is solid in the mix all
night.
What can we say about Charlie Miller and his friends? I say throw all those bums in Washington, DC out and put
Charlie Miller in charge!! Love the Dead and love the Archive – thank you very, very much!
“Today’s Dead Tomorrow”, Upcoming Gig Events
As always, verify with the venue…
J Dubs 4th Anniversary Dub Fest:
Sarasota County Fairgrounds, Sat., Feb. 10th, 1:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 953-4359
Hosted by JDub’s Brewing Company & Tap Room and Ship of Fools
Music Lineup:
Bri Rivera Trio 1:00 – 1:45 Satellite Stage
BABYL 2:00 – 3:00 Satellite Stage
Ship of Fools 3:30 – 4:45 Satellite Stage
The Spazmatics Florida 5:00 – 6:30 Main Stage
SowFLo 6:45 – 8:15 Main Stage
Less Than Jake 8:30 – 10:00 Main Stage
https://www.facebook.com/events/530993363927391/
Kettle Of Fish:
Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Wed., Feb. 7th, 7:00 p.m.
5238 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, 346-5443
Marina Jack’s Patio Bar, Thurs., Feb. 8th, 5:00 p.m.
2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, 365-4232
Motorworks Brewing, Sat., Feb. 10th, 7:00 p.m.
1014 9th St. W., Bradenton, 896-9892
Ship Of Fools:
J Dubs 4th Anniversary Dub Fest:
Sarasota County Fairgrounds, Sat., Feb. 10th, 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 953-4359
Hosted by JDub’s Brewing Company & Tap Room and Ship of Fools
The Blue Rooster:
Mon., Feb. 5th, Lauren Mitchell, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 6th, Suitcase Full Of Blues, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 7th, Al Fuller Blues Jam, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 8th, Singing Divas Shantel Norman & Brenda Watty 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 9th, Shantel Norman, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 10th, Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 11th, Truality gospel brunch, 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
1525 Fourth St., Sarasota, 388-7539
J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Cafe: (all shows start at 7:00 p.m.)
Mon., Feb. 5th, Open Mic with Rick Alvis
Tues., Feb. 6th, George Worthmore
Wed., Feb. 7th, Frankie Lombardi
Thurs., Feb. 8th, Pete & Stretch
Fri., Feb. 9th, The Plaiders
Sat., Feb. 10th, The Divebombers
987 South Packinghouse Road, 371-9358
Sarasota Folk Club:
This month’s Sarasota Sailing Squadron concert is Mon., Feb. 26th, Greg O’Haver.
Open mic at 7:15 p.m., concert at 8:30
1717 Ken Thompson Pkwy. 388-2355
For all information regarding the Sarasota Folk Club, go to their website:
http://www.sarasotafolk.org/