A classic July 4th concert is brought to life in HDCD Sound on the first of three historic live releases celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Drawn from arguably the band's strongest tour of their last 15... more » years on the road, the two-disc Truckin' Up To Buffalo features the entire concert at Rich Stadium on July 4, 1989. Favorites include "Bertha," "Touch Of Grey," "Man Smart, Woman Smarter," "Morning Dew," and "U.S. Blues."« less
A classic July 4th concert is brought to life in HDCD Sound on the first of three historic live releases celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Drawn from arguably the band's strongest tour of their last 15 years on the road, the two-disc Truckin' Up To Buffalo features the entire concert at Rich Stadium on July 4, 1989. Favorites include "Bertha," "Touch Of Grey," "Man Smart, Woman Smarter," "Morning Dew," and "U.S. Blues."
"While I am neither a Deadhead nor a Dead Detractor, I do appreciate good music done by great musicians. With so much exterior baloney and cultural hoo-ha surrounding the Dead, a lot of people forget how hard they worked at becoming world class musicians. They succeeded. What comes across more than anything on this wonderfully mastered recording is the amount of energy that they had this night. When complimenting the Dead, everyone singles out Jerry's Guitar, Bob W.'s vocals and rhythms, or the two drummers working as one. Myself, I tip my hat to Phil Lesh. He anchors it all while retaining a great sense of melody on an instrument that many take for granted. Listen to the way he walks up and down during Row Jimmy. At some points he is going the opposite direction of Garcia and they still blend perfectly. Other times he takes the lead. He propels the song forward until it assumes its own direction. It is beautiful and expressive bass playing. Rhino is to be commended for the work they have put into preserving the live legacy of the Dead. The packaging is a crack-up."
Awesome and enlightening
Mark Twain | West Chester, PA United States | 07/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This show is taken from the Dead's last great run. Everything came together after the resurrection of Jerry and everything comes together in this show. The mix and mastering are great. It seems like every instrument and voice are at the right level and the effect is pleasing. Personally, I do not like Brent's "I will take you home" (maybe it's too gentle for me to handle), but these CDs are filled with so many great renditions of Dead songs that I'll take it!"
The Dead's last truly all around great year
smarkarrow | 07/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"1989 for the Grateful Dead was the top of the mountain. They had never been more popular and their playing was top notch. Jerry was in great shape and playing like he never had a coma and the magic was all there. Sadly, the fourth keyboardist Brent Mydland would die more than a year later (July 26, 1990) giving the nickname to the keyboard chair the "Hot Seat" by the other bandmembers especially since this was not the final departure for the keyboardist after Bruce Hornsby left in 1992.
But look on the bright side folks. This is prime Grateful Dead. The songlist may not be perfect (not as good as Nightfall of Diamonds from that same year) but the playing is superb
Being a Deadhead myself (or just a Deadhead wannabe) I can safely say that this is a wonderful release from the "Greatest rock and roll band that ever was."-Bill Graham (not the preacher, the 60's and 70's rock promoter who died of helicoptor crash in 1991). Grateful Dead newcomers. I say welcome to the happy land of the Grateful Dead and buy this one if you wish. It will convince you of the greatness of these gods and make you light a candle on August 9.
(...)"
Dead Right
James P. Gallant | Boston, MA | 09/16/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A decade after the passing of Jerry Garcia, the Dead finally has released a document of the band's live experience that does the band a solid.
The video quality is crisp, the camera angles and shot selections are in harmony with the action on stage, and the sound is nearly perfect. On top of these technical and artistic decisions, the show itself, in terms of song selection and musicianship, is a gem.
Garcia, often slighted for his indifferent appearance live, is at his animated best, and what he lacks in vocal range, he more than compensates for in soulful delivery, much like the late Ray Charles.
On this night, Garcia's playful mastery of the six string is on full display. His solos might be too economic for those devoted to his 60s-era psychedelic odysseys, but his playing speaks volumes within a few bars. "Bertha" is a fluid, chicken pickin' delight, and his fat, funky, behind-the-beat riff on "Cold Rain and Snow" inspires him to kick up his heels while admiring the rhythmic alchemy of his cohorts.
The rest of the band fires on all cylinders throughout. Phil Lesh is amazing, providing aggressive bottom at just the right times while traversing the fretboard with elastic ease. Weir's chordal coloring is just right in the mix, and his vocals are consistently strong, while Kreutzmann and Hart are locked in with precision, power, and taste.
Brent Mydland shows why he was a favorite foil for Garcia, in constant communication with the band leader, ripping tasty riffs, especially on his Hammond B-3 organ. Mydland would die within a year of this performance, making his lullaby, "I Will Take You Home," that much more poignant.
If you love the Dead, this DVD is a must have. If you have always been curious why this band was hailed as iconic, like Zeppelin and the Who, this is an excellent window into the "why."