Few things are as gratifying, in my mind anyway, as having a tape of a concert I attended, a concert that I thought was absolutely smokin'. In the earliest days of my concert going and tape trading careers, there was the shear novelty of having the tape of a show I was at. Not long after my second Dead show, I was able to get a copy of the full show. At the time of the concert I didn't know, let's say half, of the songs played. I did, however, have good floor seats and was really blown away by the whole event. When I got the tapes, I spun them over and over again. I wallowed in every second of music, always with the thought, 'I was there!' It remains one of my favorite shows and it is a perennial occupant of the car's tape case. Years later, part of this show, including the hands down best ever Blow Away, a rare bust out of Dupree's, a silky smooth Little Light, and a nice Row Jimmy, would make onto the Vault release 'Dozin' at the Knick.' What isn't on that release is the second set from 3/26/90, which has the final Built to Last for an opener. The Victim that follows is a transitional one, in that it is pretty early in the age of truly monstrous and deeply frightening versions of that song. It's loud and swirls about, Jerry glistening throughout, before there is a long almost-vamp that sounds like an old World War II bomber crashing. The drop, and it is a straight drop out of feedback, into China > Rider is perfect. The Dew that closes the set is just plain huge. I wonder why they didn't just release the entire run of shows as a boxed set. That would've made for a spectacular snap shot of the end of an era of the Grateful Dead.

Anyway, as my tape collection grew and started to go to more and more concerts, tapes became a way of verifying my opinions. It was pretty obvious to me that concerts were a time out of place. They were events ripe with potential where anything could happen. Long nights of dancing and parties, or quiet, contemplative evenings, for a few hours the universe was laid out in front of me, a feast for the senses. I walked away from so many events, still coated in the aura of amazement, thinking, "That was the best concert I have ever seen!" Around this time I also became aware of streams of thought of which I had never conceived in my innocence: negativity. Every concert was such an euphoric experience. It was impossible to understand how someone could be disappointed. But being a social creature (despite what my friends may say), like all other humans, my opinions were colored by what others said. "Was that really a great Terrapin, or am I just too excited?" At this stage, a tape of a show I was at was a means of verifying my opinions. No one ever talks about Nassau 3/12/92, but trust me, the tapes show some really great song-oriented playing, especially in the second set. I thought so at the show, and was happy to be justified in my opinions.

By this time I was going to see Phish regularly and was happy to see much less negativity. Yeah there were a few, even then, who bemoaned the explosion in their popularity, but for the most part you could go to a show without a ticket and get one at the door. Phish shows were giant dance parties where I couldn't stop bobbing my head, a place to truly revel in the moment. There was a type of magic there that differed so greatly from the overwhelming religiosity of a Dead show. I reveled in this new found energy, and found true comfort in the scene. It was at a succession of these concerts that I began to truly hear the music. I developed a critical ear that was able to hone in on individual notes and players, to sense the progression of things and allow me to tap into the vibe in a new and very cerebral way. Throughout this period of development, which lasted many years, my tape collection took on a new role. It was not so much a means of justifying my ecstasy as it was a way to relive moments that were particularly spectacular. That's not saying it exactly right; It's not that I was reliving so much as I was re-immersing myself in a texture of sound that I knew had the potential to sweep me away entirely. This is still where I'm at now in my understanding of my obsession with tapes and tape trading, at least in regard to shows that I was at. I only search for shows that I really dug at the time, and usually by pass nights that were dull, or just not inspiring.

Just before NYE, however, I saw a B and P offer on the rmgd for Hot Tuna's recent show at the Beacon in NYC. Now Tuna tapes are very rare in my experience, I had only two at the time. I love the Big Fish and go to shows whenever possible, and was at the Beacon on 11/27/99. The only thing was, I had a horrible time. I'm not going to go into detail about it. If you're really interested check the review in December's Mid-Atlantic section. Since Tuna tapes are so hard to come by, though, I took advantage of the offer. And much to my chagrin, they rock! The early part of the set includes a tight Been So Long and a very hot I See the Light. The 99 Year Blues has a freaked out bass solo with the band playing along quietly as Jack plays a progression of notes, rather than his usual slap fest. The Derek Trucks Band opened the show and Derek joined in for a long AK-47 (despite Mike's mic problems (forgive my reflexive nature)) and a monster Big Boss Man. The second tape has a nice Hit Single and a great Funky #7 set closer with a GDTRFB encore. The second side contains the DTB's set, which is absolutely insane. There is no set list and I'm unfamiliar with their repertoire, but suffice it to say that it is an absolutely mind numbing performance with a powerhouse Afro Blue closer.

So I was wrong. It was a great show, and I can't think of a better way to be humbled. Admittedly it is a little frustrating when I'm rocking out to the tapes and I remember how frustrated I was during the performance, but in the end I'm happier to have good recordings than I am bothered by those memories. Because of the relative obscurity of these tapes, please feel free to contact me if you're interested in getting a copy.

Please send any and all tape reviews of your favorite sets, shows or bands, long or short. There is a B & P offer wherein one contributor will be chosen at random each month and offered one thing from my collection. For now the offer is analog, but hopefully CDRs will be included in the coming months.