Return to tape listUSAir Arena, Landover MD, 10/9/94 After a year and a half, the Grateful Dead and thousands of fans returned to Landover MD to find a renamed arena, smaller crowds, and the same propensity for hot shows at the site. Sunday was a beautiful day, perfect for going out, running around, and messing up your foot (like I did; had to minimize the dancing for a couple nights.) However, as we drove to the arena, dark clouds chased us from the northwest. As showtime approached, the cold front and the rain had arrived. We would get three weather songs during the course of the evening.
This was the Rex Benefit, and the band put on a solid show. Not much spectacular, just all tight and strong. Only a couple booboos, such as Jerry blowing a line of Ship of Fools, but he more than made up for that instrumentally. On the amusing side, there was a loud buzzing during Big River that Bob initially thought was feedback from his guitar. When he stepped away from the mike and it persisted, he figured it might be one of Mickey's drums. After the song ended he asked the audience which they thought was the culprit. Mickey, though, had no doubts. He buzzed the whole building later on during the Drums.
The setlist was certainly a treat as well, and not only for the first Comes a Time in a year and a half. By the way, while Jerry wasn't having a spectacular night (unlike Phil, who was strong all through this run), he sang and played Comes a Time with incredible strength and clarity, almost as if he were 35 again. I also enjoyed my first Saint of Circumstance in a dozen years (and worth the wait!) and my first live Rain, a natural encore given the weather on this, John Lennon's 54th birthday. Beautiful, even if some of the instruments were too low in the mix and it (like much of the last part of the show) was a bit sloppy. Throwing Stones was great too. About the only weak song of the night was Lovelight. Great show, especially for getting the bland taste of the summer's RFK run out of my mouth.
Fashion report: Jerry and Bob wore shorts. The next day only Bob would, and by the end of the run, everyone was in longs. Bob and Mickey had new hairdos - Bob's was frizzier and Mickey's was short. We were debating whether the Vulcan was impersonating a Starfleet Officer or if he'd been inspired by Forrest Gump.
Speaking of Mickey, Jerry stayed out for the drums. Mostly added a MIDIed third set of percussion.
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