View from the Vault Soundtrack (2000) [Grateful Dead]

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Does anyone still remember those Shakedown Streams during covid? They were the perfect tool for immersing myself in shows of the Grateful Dead that didn't mean anything to me at first glance, and this review I wrote during those days. This time they're reprising a show from 1990, and as I mentioned before, that's not exactly my favorite Dead year. Chronologically, it's even the previous show from the previous Shakedown Stream. That's where the fun lies for me with the Grateful Dead, because there's simply no setlist overlap between the two shows. That's quite different with other bands, and I was curious if I'd like this one better than the other '90s shows.

At the July 10, 1990 show, I mentioned that it was a rather jam-driven show, and this show from two days earlier isn't much different. For some reason, I like it much better here, which is actually strange, since there are a few things in there that I don't normally appreciate. It might be the best version of Let It Grow I've ever heard, and Row Jimmy suddenly seems to click. It's a rather unusual setlist, with Touch of Grey as the opener (until now, I always thought they only played that in the second or third set, but you won't hear me complaining) and Wang Dang Doodle in the second set. Greatest Story Ever Told isn't usually my cup of tea either, but here it all flows together beautifully. There are also a few songs that haven't been featured much in recent Shakedown Streams, like Black Peter, Throwing Stones, and Jack-A-Roe. We've heard Knockin' on Heaven's Door as an encore several times in recent weeks, but there's just something about Brent Mydland's backing vocals that always captivates me, especially when it's preceded by Turn on Your Lovelight. That has to be one of my favorite Dead songs, although I still prefer Pigpen's vocals.

Another striking thing about this setlist: there's practically no room for a Mydland song! Normally, there's always one or two of his songs in a concert this time, but I suspect there was some miscommunication between the band members. During Let It Grow, Mydland angrily knocks his microphone away. In retrospect, this is perhaps understandable, as Bob Weir pulls the setlist so tightly towards him, leaving little room for Jerry Garcia. In set 1, Weir sings 5 songs compared to Jerry's 3, and in set 2, the ratio is even 6 for Weir and 3 for Garcia. We also get Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues by Phil Lesh, although I'd rather see him sing Box of Rain, but all in all, the ratio of songs has been better in other concerts. It's a short Space/Drums set, by the way, in my opinion, but I really liked that little drum solo as the opener for Samson & Delilah, and the entire set 2 is practically one big jam with Eyes of the World > Estimated Prophet > Terrapin Station, which then transition into Space and Drums. A bit more of the same as two days later at Carter-Finley Stadium. As always, the performance was solid, but the real standouts were a bit lacking. It's not often seen that Garcia walks around with a big smile on his face from the start of the show, a difference from Mydland, who seems a bit frustrated. Also striking is Lesh's velvet shorts (again). It's also funny that he swaps them for old-school sweatpants during the set break.

Tracklist:
  1. Touch of Grey
  2. Greatest Story Ever Told
  3. Jack-A-Roe
  4. New Minglewood Blues
  5. Row Jimmy
  6. Mama Tried
  7. Mexicali Blues
  8. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
  9. Let it Grow
  10. Samson and Delilah
  11. Eyes of the World
  12. Estimated Prophet
  13. Terrapin Station
  14. Jam
  15. Drums
  16. Space
  17. I Need a Miracle
  18. Wang Dang Doodle
  19. Black Peter
  20. Throwing Stones
  21. Turn on Your Lovelight
  22. Knockin' on Heaven's Door
  23. Standing on the Moon [July 6, 1990]
  24. He's Gone [July 6, 1990]
  25. KY Jam [July 6, 1990]


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