Go To Nassau [Original recording remastered, Live]

Grateful Dead | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 22, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered, Live
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00006LFGA
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,594 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Jack Straw

2. Franklin's Tower

3. New Minglewood Blues

4. High Time

5. Lasy Lightnin'

6. Supplication

7. Peggy-O

8. Far From Me

9. Looks Like Rain

10. China Cat Sunflower

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Feel Like a Stranger

2. Althea

3. Lost Sailor

4. Saint of Circumstance

5. Alabama Getaway

6. Playing in the Band

7. Uncle John's Band

8. Drums

9. Space

10. Not Fade Away

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tight Run From A Tight Band, October 23, 2002

By 

"wharfrattx" (Bridgeport, West Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go To Nassau (Audio CD)

1980...The dawn of the third decade for the Dead saw them breaking in their third full-time keyboard player. Brent Mydland had been with the band for a little over a year when this was recorded, and by May of '80 the Dead were playing with a refreshed vibe that had been sorely missed by the late seventies. The "Go To Heaven" album had just been released and this set features many tunes from that album. Unlike the Dick's Picks series which is predominately made up of 2 channel PA mixes, this is a HQ multi-track mix that sounds simply stunning, especially since the masters were recorded onto cassette.
The playing is tight and focused, even on the longer numbers, with each player easily heard and separated in the mix. Opening with a warm-up Jack Straw, the band wastes no time diving into a 12 minute Franklin's Tower, sans the Help-Slipknot, as was often the case during this period. Everyone's tone is sparkling clean, resulting in a very sharp soundscape. Though culled from 2 nights, the running order is laid out very much like a first set, second set on each disc respectively. Tape archivist David Lemeaux chose the best of both nights highlighting many exciting performances. There is a beautiful High Time with all the band members actually singing on key, an energetic Lazy Lightning/Supplication, a near-perfect Peggy-O, and a fun China/Rider to round out the first set, and that's just disc 1!
Disc 2 starts off with a version of Feel Like A Stranger that is interesting to hear since it is still in it's infancy. Though it's nowhere near the caliber of what it would become later on (listen to the version from "Without A Net" 1990), it bubbles with energy, especially towards the end when Brent and Bobby get going with the "long, long crazy night" call and response. Next is a simmering Althea, though very laid back and methodical, Jerry manages some excellent vocals and tasty guitar licks. The Playing In The Band/Uncle John's Band is typical from this time period and never really launches into the pandemonium that characterizes the early 70's or 90's versions. They are both given a decent workout, however, and the band drifts into a short drums/space segment before closing out with some high-powered rock-n-roll to end the set.
Overall this is a welcome release of a time period that is very much under-represented amongst all the other vault releases and Dick's Picks. Yes, it's a bit more tame than other releases, but it does show what the Dead were capable of on a good night when everyone was "on". If you like this, try "Nightfall Of Diamonds" which features the same lineup, only nine years later. Highly recommended.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Recording, January 1, 2003

By 

Smar "smarcoresch1" (Durham, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go To Nassau (Audio CD)

I don't know where people get off proclaiming that 1980 was some sort of bad year for the Dead. Personally, and I know others feel the same way, I think the early Eighties were great years for the Dead, as they broke new ground musically, and brought in a young Brent Mydland - whom out of all the keyboardists the Dead had, was BY FAR the most talented. I don't know, maybe I'm biased - my favorite Dead recordings have always been 9/1/79 (Rochester, NY), 1/13/80 (Oakland,CA), Dead Reckoning, and anything from the Summer Tour '85. More recent additions to that list are Dick's Picks volume 6 (Hartford '83) and Dick's Picks volume 13 (Nassau '81).

Technically speaking, this two-disc set blows any Dick's Pick recording out of the water. The depth, clarity and sound separation is unbelievable. And who says, as far as the songs go, there is nothing new here? Try to find another Minglewood Blues played anywhere close to the way they do it here.

If you know how to appreciate clean, crisp mixes, and crystal clear Phil bass lines that rumble the neighbor's china, Go to Nassau is a must.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply a delight., October 30, 2002

By 

Evan Tanner "dc_musichead" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Go To Nassau (Audio CD)

A common complaint among Deadheads is that, during the early 1980s the band was too restrained ("not enough jamming"), perhaps reflecting a desire for more commercial success.

I say hogwash. Yes, in 1980 and '81, the Dead were more disciplined and commercially oriented than they had been in the late 70s. But, these tight performances -- jams and all -- are oozing with nuance, counterpoint, drama, and color. Unlike previous years, there are no slouches in the band, either instrumentally or vocally.

While Garcia's guitar leads sparkle, Brent Mydland's work also deserves special note. On keyboards, these are his most forceful most inventive contributions ever. What's more, he gave vocal harmonies a new sweetness rarely heard afterwards.

My only criticism is the set list: some filler is present. But, in contrast to many other sloppy and redundant Dead releases, I can recommend this one to both hardcore and the uninitiated alike.