Customer Reviews

The Grateful Dead - Downhill from Here [VHS]

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is by far the best Grateful Dead I've ever seen - for many reasons: sound and video quality, performance, selections. . . But the most important aspect that puts this particular video above every other is the fact that it is pure performance video. Little or none of that dreamy, colorful overlay stuff that distorts the performances and, in IMHO, is overused on all other live GD recordings. This can be watched over and over. It's the Greatest!

Well, whats to say of an amazing concert--recorded on video for future prosperity... and then digitally re-mastered and released on DVD. Aside from being mastered on video tape, the visual aspect is captivating. The audio is of extremely high quality, and the caliber of the show is top notch for that time period. The band is having fun, the crowd is having fun... and with the right preparation, you too can "be there!". I highly recommend anyone interested in an amazing band displaying its playing prowess to order this DVD. Oh, the only difference I noticed from my VHS to my DVD is that in the first set when they splice in the footage from the follwing night, they fade it down and make it absolutely clear that it is a different show--whereas in the VHS version, it is seamless and aside from Bob Weir's shirt change, one may well have not even noticed. Whoa, oh oh it's Magic!

Any Deadhead can quibble over song selection, and present a wish list of what might have been, but the unmistakable fact is, unless somebody opens up the video vault, this is the best (almost complete) live Dead performance we have. As another viewer correctly states, there are three songs from the last show substituted at the end of the first set, but I happen to find their presence very valuable. "Desolation Row" is a nice understated version, with chilling harmony from Jerry near the end, and I found the "West L.A." to be a fiery performance to rank near the best. My only quibble (well, a Deadhead has to quibble!) is not enought Primal Dead. "The Other One" would have been nice! Great stuff, though, and beautiful sound and camera work.

First, let me get out of the way one reviewer's comment about how bad the video supposedly is. Rubbish. The reviewer needs a new DVD player. It looks just fine.

The music is about as good as any show from that period. You won't get golfballs from a walnut tree, and you won't get truly classic Dead from 1989. With some exceptions, the jams had gotten shorter, and the shows more formulaic. Everyone has his own preferred setlist, and mine happens not to include Let the Good Times Roll (ZZZZ) or Johnny B. Goode (many others do it better), but Garcia was fully capable of playing inspired music at that point and he does so here, in China Cat (goosebumps), for example, or The Wheel (lovely and ethereal). I loved seeing him beam beatifically at Brent, who gazes at him with the face of an adoring puppy, and launch into the kind of intricate, melodic run that only Garcia could do, with the most relaxed expression on his face. It's true that he looks twenty years older than he was -- that's what fifteen years of the Persian, Haagen-Dazs, and channeling the energy we all wanted from him will do, I suppose -- and it's sad, but he lived the life he wanted, and we were the beneficiaries.

It's a solid performance, with nuggets to amuse any fan, and a well-filmed production thankfully free of "trippy" gimmicks.

The music on here is, in a word, superb. Great jamming. This DVD doesn't have super-duper surround sound, doesn't have widescreen video, and isn't packed with extras. If you're looking for that, try something else. But...if you want great music from a great band, pick this one up. The sound is crisp and full and the interplay among band members draws you in.

Highly recommended!!!

This is certainly one of the top 10 "China>Rider"'s the band ever played. Holding its own against many from the holy era of `72-'74. The intro. by Bob, Jerry and Brent is excellent and intricate. The camera angle is perfect, though brief, in capturing Weir's intro. and is proof of how great a guitarist he is. He is often too underrated, sometimes venomously. He delivers his "sun gonna shine" line powerfully. But this is trounced by latter day Jerry nailing his "headlight" line and wailing away through out. There is plenty of JEF (Jerry emotional factor) on this one and the whole show in general. The jam between the two songs has Jerry shredding and making spiraling spaghetti notes on his Tiger guitar and wrapping them around any and all within earshot. Brent is sonically painting away. Lesh is thumping all along but finally begins to emerge out front with a pulsing "Rider" gallop and is in the Zone. The Rhythm Devils are clearly in sync. "It" is happening.

The song choice is excellent and well played. Even the obligatory show opening "Let The Good Times Roll" is nicely played. Other highlights include a rare, for the year, "All Over Now" and an ever increasingly rare "Cumberland". The "Deal", actually from two nights later, has a heaping scoop of cherry Garcia. A "Playing>UJB" is always nice no matter how many times you've heard it. This leads to another emotive performance by Jerry playing an excellent "SOTM". By placing his ballad in pre-drums this allows the band to rock out of drums with a "Wheel>Gimme Some Lovin'>GDTRFB>NFA" trainload of good ol' Grateful Dead. Then the band stuns everyone and brings them to their knees with the first breakout of "We Bid You Good Night" since 12/31/78. `Nuff said. If you never saw the Grateful Dead and wish you had buy this DVD. If you can find the entire legendary three night run on CD get them too.

Recently, I went to a concert of The Other Ones which was excellent, I might add. It had Bob, Mickey, Bill and Bruce Hornsby but alas no Jerry. Since Jerry is no longer with us, I highly recomend this video. The New Years Eve concert is good also but I like this one the best. It's also a good showcase for the late Brent Myland..He sings and plays on most of the songs..There also was alot of chemistry between Bob and Jerry and this DVD has it all. It's worth the money..

This 1989 show in the mountains of Wisconsin is a must see show. The entire band is at their peak and the video coverage is phenominal. Over 2 1/2 hours of concert performances!!

Although I agree with other reviewers that this is not the show (or group of songs from a series of shows) that I would choose to put out, this DVD made me feel closer to being back there than anything I've yet seen. The recording quality is excellent, the camera angles are great, it's a good show. I saw 200+ shows (including all of Alpine 89), and in my opinion this is an opportunity to re-visit what was basically the peak of the last era of the Dead - tour and the band really did begin to go downhill from there. Watching Jerry animated, dancing, laughing and having fun gave me goosebumps, and while West LA Fadeaway was never my very favorite song, watching Jerry bright-eyed and strong-voiced singing "...a lovely view of heaven - but I'd rather be with you..." had me in tears. If you were there (as so many were,) and you got it (as not quite so many did,) then believe me - you want this DVD and a quality system to play it on.

There are two aspects to discuss here, sound quality and video quality, both of which are just adequate, not great. Ignor all comments you will read below in the other reviews about this disc having great video and sound quality. Not true. The video is, in fact, blurry especially in the low light conditions of the second set. Pay close attention during China Cat/Rider, for example, and look at the full area of the picture frame, particularly to the sides and in the background. It is fuzzy and ill defined. This degraded resolution exists throughout the second set. The first set is better due to its being earlier in the afternoon with more daylight. The second set is at night and the resolution is blotchy. Do not worry too much about this poor video aspect of the disc, and do not avoid purchasing the DVD because of this one factor, just be aware that the video quality is merely adequate. It still picks up all of the great interaction between the players and you will soon adjust to it.

The second aspect is the sound quality which is good (for stereo) but not great. It does not compare well, for example, to the phenomenal sound quality of the 5.1 Dolby surround sound of the 2005 DVD Truckin to Buffalo featuring another 1989 concert. If you have a modern surround system capable of handling house shaking high volume output of the 5.1 digital track of the thunder sound effects during Looks Like Rain on the Buffalo DVD, you will at first be disappointed with this Alpine Valley disc. Again, do not be overly put off by this comment. This is a stereo recording remastered in 1999 and you still can get decent and enjoyable results from using the synthesized surround features of your system. This is not a "demonstration quality" sound track that you will use to impress your friends, but as with the video portion, you will be able to adjust yourself to the sound and you will be able to enjoy this excellent concert.

Monterey Video produced this DVD and it pales in comparision to the Farewell to Winterland DVD they put out in 2003. That one is arguably the finest Dead DVD produced to date, so do not assume that the quality of their other productions is the same as this Alpine one. They simply did not devote the same resources to the production of this particular concert DVD. More likely, they did not have the technology and equipment available in 1999 that they had in 2003.

The bottom line is that despite appearances to the contrary, I do think you should consider adding this DVD to your collection. Just realize that it will not be the marquee of your Dead portfolio. Do not be scared away by my candid comments about video and sound quality. I just want you to be aware of what you are getting. Note that I have not disparaged the performance of the Dead in this concert per se. Do pay attention to the comments in the reviews below in this respect, some of which eloquently describe the performance. Best regards from an older Dead Freak who was a student at Stanford and was there in Palo Alto listening to Jerry play banjo in 1968.