1990/07/16 Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY, USA [Grateful Dead]

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In the late 80s and early 90s, the Grateful Dead were playing more and more in those typical American stadiums, and Rich Stadium in Buffalo was a venue they played quite often. Their previous show there, almost exactly a year earlier, was released a few years ago as Truckin' Up to Buffalo, but this 1990 show would remain in the vault for a long time. At least, until David Lemieux decided to dust it off for Shakedown Stream.

However, it turned out to be a bit of a downer. The first set is perhaps one of the weakest I've ever seen/heard, and it all just seems rather sloppy. I don't think Jerry Garcia's voice is particularly strong, and while there are some nice moments (I'd never noticed how good a combination Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues is), the energy is sometimes lacking. You can feel them trying (Loose Lucy is a good move, for instance, with that wonderful chorus), but the strange thing is that the second set suddenly provides a serious boost. Garcia seems to have found a miracle cure for his voice backstage and delivers a delightful Ship of Fools, and the combination of Sugar Magnolia and Scarlet Begonias is and remains simply fantastic. It's also a bit sloppy here and there (Wharf Rat is cut off rather abruptly), and Gimme Some Lovin' (sung by Phil Lesh and Brent Mydland!) is also a bit messy, but it has significantly more energy than the first set.

At the time, no one knew what tragedy would unfold a week and a half later, but this is one of the last five concerts keyboardist Brent Mydland played with the band. On July 26, 1990, he would die of an overdose (a speedball, a mixture of morphine and cocaine), and it's a bit of a bitter sight to see him so cheerful. Of the entire band, he seems to have the most energy (when even Jerry Garcia is wearing shorts, you know it's really hot. He looks very sharp, by the way; he looks like he just came from the barbershop), and although he also occasionally lies down in his seat, he still gives the other band members a real kick in the nuts in terms of energy. Brokedown Palace does, however, provide a very nice encore, which brings the concert to a close in style. Also, be sure to keep an eye out (if I'm not mistaken) for David Crosby backstage. Crosby, Stills & Nash were the opening act, something Stills apparently wasn't too happy about. The stadium was only barely full at the time, and it took considerable convincing from the tour manager (including the threat of not being paid) before he actually went on stage.

The Dead would play Rich Stadium a total of five times, this being their third. I'll take the '89 show anyway as the better one, but it's strange that they released that show as Truckin' Up to Buffalo. The song Truckin' is played in this 1990 show, but not in the one from 1989. In any case, it was a somewhat disappointing concert from the band, mainly due to a somewhat lackluster first set where they never really seemed to find their groove.

Tracklist:
  1. Hell In A Bucket
  2. Mississippi Half Step
  3. Blow Away
  4. Mama Tried
  5. Mexicali Blues
  6. Loose Lucy
  7. It's All Over Now
  8. High Time
  9. Let It Grow
  10. Don't Ease Me In 
  11. Sugar Magnolia
  12. Scarlet Begonias
  13. Women Are Smarter
  14. Ship of Fools
  15. Truckin'
  16. Jam
  17. Drums
  18. Jam
  19. The Wheel
  20. Gimme Some Lovin'
  21. Wharf Rat
  22. Around & Around
  23. Sunshine Daydream
  24. Brokedown Palace




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