Formerly the Warlocks Box: October 8 & 9, 1989 (6 CD Set) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Dead's Fall 1989 Tour began with a couple of surprise shows at Hampton Coliseum in Virginia. The Dead hadrecently brought back We bid You Goodnight in July while Death Don't Have No Mercy followed in September. Jerry had done an interview with Relix around this time talking about reviving songs for the band's 25th Anniversary with both a new studio album and a live album in the works.
10-8-89:
The first show opens with a nice version of Foolish Heart before giving way to Walkin' Blues. Candyman is nice and was a bit rare at the time being played only every once in a while by this time. Me And My Uncle->Big River, Stagger Lee, Queen Jane, Bird Song->Promised Land are all great but had a lot wondering where the "surprise" was in these surprise shows. The second set opened with the first Help On The Way/Slipknot since 1985 and is quite well performed. Next up, a strong Victim Or The Crime gives way to a strong Eyes Of The World. The Drums->Space segment is really good as the following I Need A Miracle->The Wheel->Gimmie Some Lovin'->Morning Dew. And We Bid You Goodnight ends the show on a great note.
10-9-89:
The second night's show opens with a Feel Like A Stranger that most will know as being the one from Without a Net: Live. The new album title track Built To Last is played quite well as is the following Little Red Rooster. Ramble On Rose is a joy to behold. We Can Run is better than some while Jack A Roe is hot. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again is it's usual fun self. The set ending Row Jimmy->The Music Never Stopped is very well played. The second set opens with a hot Playing In The Band before giving way to Uncle John's Band which goes back into Playing In The Band. At this point, one would expect something like Terrapin Station but the first few notes make that a long gone memory. The first Dark Star in five years is quite amazing, to put it simply. This isn't a trivial Star but a monster with a nice full jam. The Drums->Space->Death Don't Have No Mercy is quite impressive. I actually find the rest of the second set to be good but unimpressive. The encore is a different matter as the first live Attics OF My Life since 9-27-72 Dick's Picks, Vol. 11: Stanley Theatre, Jersey City, NJ, 9/27/72.

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In October 1989, the folks who were lucky enough to score tickets for the "Warlocks" shows in Hampton were treated to two of the most exciting shows of the year. Every song was recorded with the state-of-the-art Le Mobile remote recording truck and recently mastered to HDCD specifications, so needless to say, it sounds like you're there, in the best seats in the house.
The Hampton "Warlocks" box collects every note of the band's two "stealth" shows spread over six CDs. This collector's set comes packaged in a wooden replica of a cigar box (Virginia being a tobacco state dating back to colonial times), and is filled with all sorts of goodies, from a photo-laden historical essay to various pieces of cool memorabilia from the time.
Track listing:
Disc 1
1. Foolish Heart
2. Walkin' Blues
3. Candyman
4. Me and My Uncle
5. Big River
6. Stagger Lee
7. Queen Jane Approximately
8. Bird Song
9. Promised Land
Disc 2
1. Help On The Way
2. Slipknot!
3. Franklin's Tower
4. Victim or the Crime
5. Eyes of the World
6. Rhythm Devils
Disc 3
1. Space>
2. I Need A Miracle
3. The Wheel
4. Gimme Some Lovin'
5. Morning Dew
6. We Bid You Goodnight
Disc 4
1. Feel Like A Stranger
2. Built To Last
3. Little Red Rooster
4. Ramble On Rose
5. We Can Run
6. Jack-A-Roe
7. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
8. Row Jimmy
9. The Music Never Stopped
Disc 5
1. Playing In The Band
2. Uncle John's Band
3. Playing In The Band
4. Dark Star
5. Rhythm Devils
Disc 6
1. Space
2. Death Don't Have No Mercy
3. Dear Mr. Fantasy
4. Hey Jude
5. Throwing Stones
6. Good Lovin'
7. Attics of My Life

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