It s the last release of the 2013 Dave s Picks series and this one s a fox, literally. We re making our first foray into the 80s don t expect it to be the last with the complete show from 11/30/80, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA. Fans of The Fox often debate the merits of this highly-esteemed performance, as in they find it hard to narrow down their favorite bits since this night is replete with many. From a spirited opener with an era-defining rendition of Deal to a soaring and powerful second set featuring one of the best ever versions of Scarlet gt Fire, there s no doubt the band was on their game and sound man Dan Healy was too. As the liners put it, fast or slow, Jerry or Bob, routine or rare: they nail them all. Multiple listens have been said to yield un-ending revelations even auras , you ll just have to tune in to see where you land on the spectrum. Wherever this exceptional show takes you, it all adds up to over 3 hours of extremely fun listening. Hotlanta, indeed
Boasting multiple virtues over the course of its three hours playing time, this triple set features a jubilant abandon of the band s playing that is altogether remarkable, so much so that the quiet tunes like It Must ve Been the Roses and China Doll radiate as much glowing energy as upbeat tunes like this hell-bent for leather version of El Paso.
Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir sound equally inspired as they sing together and apart on The Wheel and Lost Sailor / Saint of Circumstance here in a particularly haunting rendition , while the former s lead guitar playing sparkles even more brightly than usual here in this 1980 show. Whether the result of a desire for redemption for a desultory show at the venue some months before or the need to cut loose after the Radio city Music Hall performances recorded for Dead Set and Reckoning as suggested in Nick s Paumgarten s engrossing essay matters less than this music is as vivid, colorful and imaginative as the cover graphics.
