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Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks 17
(Grateful Dead)
First Appeared in The Music Box
July 2000, Volume 7, #7
Written by John Metzger
It’s a simple fact that throughout the ’90s, the Grateful Dead did not perform at a consistent
level. That’s not to say, however, that the group didn’t ever hit its mark. Even some of
its sloppiest
concerts often contained sparks of pure brilliance — for proof, look no further
than the glorious rendition of Visions of Johanna that was unleashed on July 8, 1995. Though some jaded, longtime fans may suggest otherwise, the band also
delivered quite a few outstanding performances during this time.
Such is the case with the latest installment of the Dick’s Picks series, which captures
the Grateful Dead at the Boston Garden on September 25, 1991. By this point, Vince Welnick and Bruce
Hornsby, both of whom had joined the band a year earlier, had eased quite nicely into the group’s
sound. Welnick’s wispy, psychedelic flourishes perfectly complemented the grander promenades of
Hornsby, and their unspoken communication — both with each other and with the rest of the
ensemble — clearly had begun to gel. On Tennessee Jed, Welnick created a shimmering, fiddle-like
accompaniment that gracefully slithered around the melody, while on Terrapin Station, it was
Hornsby whose majestic, fluid leads lifted the song to heavenly heights.
Of course, this concert was not a perfect one by any stretch of the imagination. Jerry Garcia
struggled to make it through the lyrics of Help on the Way, and his craggy voice seemed ready
to give out at any moment. However, as the song seamlessly slid into Slipknot!, he seemed to
find his place as if drawing strength from the music. As the Grateful Dead delved deeper into the jam, his
Pied Piper style of guitar playing led the ensemble through a cosmic doorway and straight into the jubilant strains
of Franklin’s Tower. Likewise, Victim or the Crime didn’t live up to its potential,
but its dark, spiraling climaxes and turbulent finale paved the way for the comforting glow of
Crazy Fingers.
There was also a playful mood that pervaded this show, making it all the more engaging. An
impromptu Dire Wolf flew out of the conclusion of It Must’ve Been the Roses, and Bob
Weir’s impassioned articulations on Queen Jane Approximately spurred the
members of the Grateful Dead to inject more
emotion into their individual contributions. In addition, the transition out of the Space
segment was a true play on a musical theme. Starting with what is typically referred to as a Mind
Left Body Jam, Hornsby quickly introduced a few strains of The Beatles’ Dear Prudence —
a close musical cousin — before Garcia broke into Paul McCartney’s That Would Be Something
— a song the Grateful Dead would expand upon at future concerts. It was only fitting then that the
group capped off the evening with a solid rendition of the prankster-ish Bob Dylan composition The
Mighty Quinn — no doubt sending the crowd home with smiles on their faces, eagerly anticipating
the next pilgrimage with their favorite band. 
½
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2000
The Music Box
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