Customer Reviews

Road Trips: Vol. 2, No. 4 - Cal Expo '93

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

 

 

When you are halfway between the Bay Area, and the Lake Tahoe, you will be right square in the middle of the northern central valley of California, in a place called Sacramento. Before you start yawning, or down that fifth beer, let's not forget that some great concerts have taken place in the Golden State's nest of political malfunctions.

In May of 1993, The Good Ol' Grateful Dead, arrived in Sacramento, and played some blistering 'hot' shows, that many feel are the last 'best' stand of concerts that this band ever performed. Three shows from May 25-27, indeed give our boys the homefield advantage in front of a: "abby-normal", crazy crowd of tye-dyed loonie-bears.

There are two Cd's featured here, that prove there was still life in this beast we call The Grateful Dead, in the ninties.

I have never heard tapes from this stand of shows, BUT, I have always heard good things about the 93 Cal Expo, shows. From: "Samson & Delilah" thro to: "When I Paint My Masterpiece" the folks from Grateful Dead Productions, have found the highlights of a classic nineties run. "Deal" smokes and snakes, just like it should. "Shakedown Street" is a funkfest of pounding fury....(like a weird night, in San Rafael~!) "High Time" will never sound so lovely ever again, and the second set from the second night, is here in all it's glory! With, stellar renditions of: "Crazy Fingers", "Playing in the Band" & "Corrina"...This is "Dead Nirvana", the right songs played in just the right fashion.

I have been quick to scoop up every show from: "The Road Trips" series, and so far it has been all good! The bonus discs, always contain the best stuff, and this one on: Vol. 2 No, 4, is another gem. Killer versions of: "Gloria" "Broken Arrow" & "Fire on the Mountain" are found right here, on this great bonus CD.

The folks in charge of the tapes, have been wise to release these shows for the public. The Grateful Dead, had a very long thirty year run of live concerts. This CD set, shows that the boys were still on track in the summer of year twenty eight. The train, was steaming down the tracks here. Jerry, Phil, Bobby, Vince, Billy & Mickey, sound very 'alive' here....The Good Ol' Grateful Dead, doing what they do best....PLAYING!
Four Stars!!!

I'm a big deadhead and although I know most people prefer full shows, I really dig the Road Trips series. I mostly listen to full shows but the Road Trips series are fun as they are high quality HDCD remasters and they have the best of a certain set of shows or month. I wouldn't have normally considered anything after MSG 1990 as that was the end of my touring days as I moved out west to seriously go to school after that. After Brent died and seeing the pure power of the spring tour 1990 shows, I was kind of let down by the addition of Welnick. Not to say I was a huge Brent fan but the chemistry had changed dramatically after his passing I felt. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Road Trips Volume 2 Number 4. I was very surprised to hear Here Comes Sunshine but they kinda gayed that up with the keyboard antics of Welnick but the rest of the songs on all 3 discs make up for it (3 discs if you got the bonus disc). The Playin' is absolutely fantastic and just may be one of the best late era Playin's I have heard. It's not all noodly like you might have expected form Jerry in his late years. There is a dark syncopated feeling to this jam that I really enjoyed. I was impressed with the energy of the Deal jam section. The Shakedown was solid and I somehow I was strangely into the Picasso Moon > Fire on the Mountain as well as some of the newer songs I never witnessed myself on tour (Corrina, Liberty, Broken Arrow etc). The fact that it was Cal Expo was just a bonus. I attended 3 shows at Cal Expo in my touring days and that place was easily one of the more memorable places I ever saw the Dead. The water slides were a good time as was the lot scene.

Overall I give it a 4 stars. Buy it, you'll like it.

I was at these shows. Some freaky hippie couple in front of us went crazy when Here Comes Sunshine started (first time played in a number of years if I remember correctly).

If you find yourself smiling at Vince Welnick's keyboards playing that counter melody in "Here Comes Sunshine" you are a fan of 1993 Grateful Dead. Even the opening track of this two disc set "Samson and Delilah" starts off as a group jam lead by Phil not with Jerry's guitar floating above it. This is 1993 where the band was all equals, where at times Phil's bass was the lead, and where Jerry's love of MIDI is strong and his vocals could falter, the weak point of "Sunshine" but then be as good as ever on "Deal" and "Liberty". Bobby's guitar work on top of the game, and Mickey and Billy were spot as they were though out the last years of the Grateful Dead. Phil still can't sing. Vince is Vince, and for some that is a negative but for me Vince is missed and hearing him is always sweet.

I like 1993. I like "Corrina" and "Liberty" which are unique to this time period. I like the dense feel of the music, each player jamming with intensity that can stand on it's own more so that any other era; that is a continuation of the sound evolving since 1991 and in certain part of 1993, such as these Cal Expo, shows, with very little signs of weakness. The first part of "Playing in the Band" is up there with any version post 1980. For fans of 1993 these tracks are a delight. No it's not as energetic as a 1977 show, but the wall of sound, the group sound, is missing in 1977. It takes a bit to move a train around a corner, with the dense sound the ability to take a corner quickly is gone but this train is chugging with more power than ever. I never got why more fans didn't embrace what the Dead had to offer in 1993, it's not the same as it once was but it is different not worse.

But the disc is split between mostly two second sets at Cal Expo, the first of which is split between the two discs. I would prefer if that just release a show. Sure 1993 shows are know for a weak spot or two, but they have "Box of Rain" in here so I can't image what was so bad they felt it couldn't see the light of day.

This is NOT the vibrant energetic Dead of the 1970's. But for the latest incarnation it is a fun show. The bonus disc probably has the best jams Cassidy> Uncle John's>Cassidy; Victim>Fire On The Mtn.; Broken Arrow. First 2 cds have Corrina>Playin'>China>Around; Victim>Crazy Fingers>Playin'>Drums; Shakedown and Here Comes Sunshine. EXC setlist, is one of better jams/show of final years.