Ten years ago, I walked this street, my dreams riding tall. Ten years ago,
Garcia graced these diamond walls, raised the roof of the place, and spun it
like a veritable top. Oakland Coliseum, the House that Jer Built, is a
locale so dripping in history its very mention conjures up the most
enchanted entries in our epic narrative. New Years 2002 was no different, as
the band, en masse, rekindled tradition.

A delighted fan recalled, 'you knew it was all over when they opened with ST
STEPHEN'. No other song could have set such a buoyant mood, and the
blistering ELEVEN which followed had the band firing on all cylinders. JACK
STRAW let us take a collective breath, only to steal it away as the band
proved that on many numbers, they haven't missed a beat. In these golden
moments, its obvious this is no retro tribute, but a case of someone's got
to turn the page.

PLAYIN' IN THE BAND invited the true test, as the band paddled out beyond
the break, and sought the big waves on which to hang ten out on space and
time. Jimmy Herring was the perfect foil, displaying humble brilliance as he
let notes bounce and bend around the harmony in precise complement.

SCARLET BEGONIAS>FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN continues to be the watershed the
Other Ones are trying to attain. Bobby's spirited rendition of Scarlet, and
Mickey's arrangement of Fire are enjoyable, but is not the white hot,
transcendental journey as in days of old. "The more that you give, the more
it will take".

SETBREAK featured a documentary chronicling the new years saga from its
inception. Dead 101 if you will. With snapshots of Garcia that melted your
heart, each incarnation of Bill Graham was the focal point, as Father Time
would outdo himself year after year, riding in as an Hourglass, or a
Gargantuan Mushroom.

And just like that, 3-2-1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!! SUGAR MAGNOLIA blossomed,
the crowd bopping like so many colored balloons. A year riddled with
upheaval on the world's stage, with foreboding skies on the horizon, has
paradoxically allowed us to reunite and shake our bones.

Phil ripped into an incendiary SHAKEDOWN STREET, unleashing notes that
pounded with such a vengeance you felt them in the pit of your stomach. A
segue into DRUMS found the rhythm devils in rare form, Billy rolling thunder
into a driving backbeat, and Mickey literally a man possessed. Grinning from
ear-to-ear, Mister Hart had no time for shadowboxing with the apocalypse,
but reveled in impromptu creations that were a beacon of hope for the new
year.

THROWING STONES was the highlight of the evening, with Bobby waxing
political backed by the heart-of-gold band. "Money green, it's the only
way,selling guns, rape the earth today". The futures here, we ARE it, we are
on our own.

Encore: I Know You Rider. One of the band's oldest offerings and here it is
38 years later, washing over us like morning rain. The clock read 2:20, but
Bobby dug deep with BABY BLUE, cautioning, "Whatever you wish to keep, you
better grab it fast". The band finally slipped into STELLA BLUE, confirming
the thought in everyone's mind —

Where was Jerry? Smiling down like a crescent moon at the ol' rusty strings
being dusted off one more time. And Uncle Bill? Close by, his broom sweeping
the stars around the heavens with care. After all, you can't step into the
New Year without the Dead rattling the golden hinges on the door.