Disc 1
The first disc contains the entire first set. After a bit of tuning, which becomes rather pretty (seriously), and the feeling that this could lead to so many different things, the band begins the show with "Touch Of Grey." We can hear the crowd respond enthusiastically. Yeah, it's the great joy of another show starting, and it starting with such a positive number, a song that brings folks together, especially when "I will get by" becomes "We will get by." The song has such good energy here. Listen to Jerry Garcia sing, "Oh, well, a touch of grey/Kinda suits you anyway." Wonderful! "We will get by/We will get by/We will get by/We will survive." What a great rendition. As it concludes, Bob Weir leads the band straight into "Walkin' Blues." Listen to that work on piano there near the beginning. This is the blues, blues to make us feel good, and with a great pulse. Bob cuts loose on vocals, and the band helps us shake those blues away. Bruce Hornsby again delivers on piano, pumping up the energy. This just gets better and better; it might be one of the best "Walkin' Blues" the band ever did.
During the tuning, certainly many of those in attendance were playing the game of trying to guess the next song. Whoever guessed "Candyman" was right, and the Dead deliver a sweet rendition. It features a fairly strong vocal performance from Jerry, and a particularly good guitar lead, with something of an unusual feel. This rendition has great peaks and valleys, and the crowd shows its appreciation. You can also feel the crowd anticipating the next song, responding to it even a fraction of a second before it begins. That song is "Box Of Rain." Phil Lesh sounds really good here, and this is another of those songs that are needed in these strange days we're experiencing, a song to help us through, to ease us through. "A box of rain will ease the pain/And love will see you through." We then hear a few "Mexicali Blues" teases before the band starts the song. There is some interesting stuff in this rendition during the jam in the middle. That section makes this version special. It leads straight into "Maggie's Farm." It might not be the smoothest transition, but no worries. Bob takes the first verse, delivering a biting performance that is perfect. Jerry then takes the next verse. This is a fun rendition, pipping and moving. Bruce, Vince and Phil take a verse as well. The jam could have gone on longer at the end.
The band then goes into "Althea," its Hamlet reference always grabbing me. This is a good rendition. There is something we can learn from this song, and sometimes that hits us harder than other times. The jam here has some energy to it. Then it gently lets us go. Bob then chooses one of my favorite songs, "Cassidy," another song with lyrics that stay with us, offering nuggets as our lives proceed. When I met lyricist John Perry Barlow, this is the main song we talked bout. It was a favorite of his too. This version might not get to those extraordinary places, but that's not for lack of trying. A certain energy builds up, rumbling beneath. "Tennessee Jed" follows. "Rich man step on my poor head," Jerry sings in this one, and it sounds about right. This is one of those songs everyone was always happy to hear. Is there a mediocre version? Not that I've heard. The band always seemed able to deliver on this one, and I love the way the jam moves, steps, dances. And you might think the set would end there, but instead the band introduces "Stander On The Mountain," a Bruce Hornsby song that was included on Bruce's 1990 album A Night On The Town. The Dead played it only two more times after this. "Let us sit and talk of old times." Ah, yes! And that's how the first set ends.
Disc 2
The second disc contains the first half of the second set, along with the end of the first set from the next show. The Dead opens the set with "Victim Or The Crime," and this is a deep, growling rendition, with an ominous opening. This song was never a favorite of mine. I thought there was a sort of ugliness to its sound. But from that opening, especially the percussion and Phil's work on bass, it is clear this is a rendition to pay attention to. It contains an interesting, strange and cool final section. I love when it's not quite clear where the band is going, when there are many possibilities, both dark and light, and everything in between. Eventually it is to the lighter side the band takes us, going into "Eyes Of The World." This one is always fun to dance to, a positive song to raise our spirits. Jerry delivers some really nice stuff on guitar. There is also good stuff on keys in that first jam. The "Sometimes we visit your country and live in your home" line gets a big reaction at this show, understandably. The jam at the end gets loose, and soon the band finds its way into "Estimated Prophet." I love the combination of "Eyes" and "Estimated." And "California" sounds so good, so promising the first time Bob sings it. It does sound like the promised land. And when Bob calls out "Glory," it is like he is summoning it, demanding it.The jam has a cool vibe to it. There is where the band starts to reach out, electric corkscrews piercing the sky, creating openings from which a special wine may flow. And then it becomes a river taking us along with ease and nary a care.
Those waters deposits us on a bank, and as the river continues to flow past us, the band goes into "Uncle John's Band." And who isn't smiling now? "Well, the first days are the hardest days/Don't you worry anymore." Bruce Hornsby is on accordion, delivering some nice stuff. They skip a verse, and when they realize it, the audience reacts. They quickly decide to go back and do that verse, but then repeat the final lines of the next verse instead of singing the last lines of that verse. "Come on along or go alone." At the time we were eager to go along; now it seems we go alone. But the music here shows us we're never quite alone. "Drums" emerges in a wonderfully natural way from "Uncle John's Band." Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart maintain a strong beat at first, before moving into other territory, where heavier, older voices speak through the elements, through wind and fire. And as our fists beat on the sky, demanding entrance, other doors open all around us, and various creatures poke their faces in, to learn, to introduce themselves, to tell jokes, and even to frighten us. They all seem to join in a ritual, a celebration. And yes, there is still some uncertainty, some fear, until a giant frog tells us it's okay. I always trust a frog. The frog then presides over the rest of the ceremony, and so we're all comfortable, even as pieces of reality are sliced off the main portion and distributed to hungry electric demons who arrive with empty plates in hand. And as the music is about to move into "Space," it fades out.
Then we get the final two songs of the first set from the show the Dead did on October 30, 1990, though here divided into three tracks. The first is a really good rendition of "Let It Grow," with its power and energy building. I love when Jerry's guitar essentially does the vocal line. As it builds, it feels it could tunnel right into the side of a mountain. There is a force here that won't give up, until light suddenly falls gently to the field, and life springs out from every spot upon which it lands. And we're back into the main section of the song. Then the moment the jam begins, I completely understand why it is presented as a separate track. It feels like the beginning of a new song, led by Bruce Hornsby on piano. It feels like it could be one of his songs. The piano work is pretty. This is really all about Bruce, the others seeming to disappear for a bit. And that leads straight into "The Valley Road," which comes on with a delicious rock and roll vibe. This song comes from the 1988 Bruce Hornsby And The Range album Scenes From The Southside. The Dead played it only a half-dozen times. It's a fun song, and the Dead seem to feel more at home here than during "Stander On The Mountain," but that might be because this was the second time the band played this one. And that's the end of the first set.
Disc 3
The third disc contains the rest of the second set and encore, along with the first segment of the second set from the October 30 show. The disc begins with "Space." A haunted "Space" it is too, a sort of dance of the damned mixed with the most pious of voices, and we hear that they're all the same. And then they're gone, as some toddling monster puts them away and pulls out another toy. Entire worlds are playthings, and the frog makes an appearance to agree before swallowing a world and its satellites. The music reveals we're in an old film, a film unfolding around us. The guitar creates a way out of that version of reality, and we pass through several newly constructed spheres. The final one is still being built, in fact. Yet there is still something beyond that, being typed up as we think it, perhaps even before we think. It bubbles up in an electric soup that desires that wings emerge from it. And then we are suddenly inside "The Other One." It was almost a gentle entry, none of that thunder that often ushers us in. But the power comes in other ways, sneaks in, slides in. What an interesting, unusual "Other One." Then, when we're not expecting it, Phil's bass grabs hold of our throats and tosses us through those final layers. Everything is fully alive now. This becomes an intense rendition, and we get the first verse, complete with vocal effects. This rendition leaves a trail of destruction in its path, pulling back only to return to the main theme and the song's second verse. It's not a very long "Other One," but it packs a punch.
The band then eases into "Wharf Rat." This is a good version with a dark edge, so that the next section has even more meaning. "I know that the life I'm living's no good." The vocals sound great. And on "I'll get up and fly away," it's like the entire stage, or perhaps entire building, has been lifted. The band segues into "Sugar Magnolia" to make us certain things are just fine. The energy is great, and it is that song that wraps up the second set. The encore is "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," soothing everyone with that wonderful opening vocal part before Jerry delivers the song's first line. This is a gentle rendition, a beautiful rendition.
The rest of the disc is the pre-"Drums" segment of the next show, from October 30, 1990 in London. As the second set of the October 28 show did, this one opens with a Bob song from Built To Last, this time "Picasso Moon." And a good rendition of it, too. That leads into "Foolish Heart," and I'm especially digging Phil's bass work here. It's a strong rendition. The end of the jam section is fantastic, and the jam that leads out of the song is wonderful, with a bright energy, particularly to the guitar work. It makes complete sense to go from there into "Looks Like Rain." This is an excellent rendition of "Looks Like Rain." "But I'll still sing you love songs/Written in the letters of your name/And brave the storm to come/For it surely looks like rain." We can't hold the storm back, can we? That song is followed by "Terrapin Station," ready to open its doors into a magical realm. And just like that, we're inside, the story of the song happening all around us. We lightly step on the smallest of stars, rising to "Inspiration!" "Terrapin" is always good, but this is particularly strong rendition. The jam takes us into interesting territory at the end. The music begins to transition into "Drums," and that's when the disc comes to a close.
CD Track List
Disc 1
- Touch Of Grey >
- Walkin' Blues
- Candyman
- Box Of Rain
- Mexicali Blues >
- Maggie's Farm
- Althea
- Cassidy
- Tennessee Jed
- Stander On The Mountain
Disc 2
- Victim Or The Crime >
- Eyes Of The World >
- Estimated Prophet >
- Uncle John's Band >
- Drums
- Let It Grow >
- Jam >
- Valley Road
Disc 3
- Space >
- The Other One >
- Wharf Rat >
- Sugar Magnolia
- Knockin' On Heaven's Door
- Picasso Moon >
- Foolish Heart >
- Looks Like Rain >
- Terrapin Station
Dave's Picks Volume 55 was released in late July. My copy arrived July 28, 2025. This release is limited to 22,000 (Is that right? That means 3,000 fewer copies than Volume 54). My copy is number 10667.