Download Series Vol. 5: 3/27/88 (Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA)

It was one of my first and I vivdly remember the real tour Heads telling me that I'd seen a milestone show. I was immediately caught by the Iko rhythm (I'd never heard them do it), not thrilled by the played out Little Red Rooster (I was a Weir fan particularly too, but there were better songs in their catalog) and totally stoked by the inclusion of Ballad of a Thin Man (they acquit themeselves creditably here). Circumstances on the ground made me dozy through 'To Lay Me Down," but Let it Grow roused me considerably and with a brief doziness through Space and, particularly, Drums it was all go for the rest of the show. They were leaning heavily on Dear Mr Fantasy in those days and this one cooked. The eeling around the Holiday Inn that night was that the only thing missing from this show was 'The Wheel'- the fans always wanted 'the Wheel' and to a slightly lesser extent 'They Love Each Other'. But apparently they'd just done it in New York- Syracuse or Ithaca, maybe? This show was also notable for this insane police activity - chasing gatecrashers in patrol cars racing up around these circular ramps outside the venue, hippies juping off the ramps from absurd heights to avoid getting hit... But this girl I knew from my hometown was there and I'll never forget her walking up to us, milling around my best friends staion wagon, and folding me into a heaven sent, patchoui wrought embrace, saying "Welcome Home!" We like Hampton in those days. After this show I spent the night at an almost abandoned bed and breadkfast in nearby Virginia Beach with almost nno recollection of how I'd gotten there. I woke up the following orngin and walked out onto the beach itself- still cold in the late March damp...

I went to the previous night. As it turned out , not the greatest decision. Possibly the best GD show from '88

This was the second year of the boys hitting the spring tour on my brithday. The crowd was electric and when Jerry broke into Iko, we knew it was going to be an awesome show. Crisp guitar by Jerry and the band was tight. This period was my favorite for shows, if we only knew we had so few years left. Get this one, you will not be disappointed.

This was one of the hot shows from the late 80s. This is probably the best of the Hampton Coliseum shows. The second set is outstanding.