Welcome back to our first full November week of music here at the Tapers' Section, where this week we'll listen to music exclusively from 1984 and 1985.

Last week, we mentioned the Berkeley Community Theatre shows in the Fall of 1984, and from the six night run, we have the second set opening sequence from 11/2/84 featuring Help On The Way>Slipknot!>Franklin'sTower>Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance>Wharf Rat>Gimme Some Lovin'. This was the first ever live Grateful Dead version of Gimme Some Lovin', and although Phil had started singing a little bit earlier in the year, adding some vocals to Why Don't We Do It In The Road, this night featured what is widely considered Phil's return to active singing duties. Soon Tom Thumb Blues would be added to Phil's vocal repertoire, followed by Box of Rain 1986, and slowly but surely he would add songs, from covers such as Broken Arrow to originals such as Childhood's End and the return of Unbroken Chain, not to mention his very fine backup vocals on songs such as Built To Last.

From the very next show, the final night at BCT on 11/3/84, we have another remarkable second set sequence, featuring Feel Like A Stranger>Cumberland Blues, Gloria>Why Don't We Do It In The Road>Jam. The Fall of 1984 had some pretty darn good music at times.

Our next selection is from a year later on 11/7/85 at the Rochester War Memorial, where the Dead would continue a very good tour that included a few very good two night runs (Richmond, Worcester, Meadowlands, etc). For this first night in Rochester, we have the second set opening sequence of Touch of Grey>Samson and Delilah, High Time>Let It Grow, with this being a very rare second set Let It Grow.

Lastly this week, we have more music from Rochester, NY, on 11/8/85. This was very nearly my first show, as many of my friends' older brothers were going to these concerts and we almost tagged along, being huge Dead Heads already but a bit young for such a long road trip (or so the older brothers thought…). This night was my 15th birthday. Instead my friends and I got mugged this night. I think going to Rochester would have been the better choice. From the end of the show, we have The Other One>I Need A Miracle>She Belongs To Me>Sugar Magnolia, Satisfaction.

Just as this week featured music exclusively from the mid 1980s, next week we'll only be hearing material from 1971 and 1972. And it's reeeeeaaaallllly good. See you next week. And feel free to write the email address below with any questions or comments about the Tapers' Section

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net