Labor Day Jams: Revisiting Grateful Dead's 1988 Capitol Center Show

Labor Day Vibes: Grateful Dead, George Thorogood, and More

A special Labor Day edition featuring a recap of significant events in the music world, particularly focusing on the Grateful Dead's September 2, 1988, concert at the Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland. Larry Mishkin reminisces about the band's history, including the song "Hell in a Bucket," its significance, and its evolution in the Grateful Dead's lineup. There's a detailed discussion about the song "Dire Wolf," including its origins, inspirations, and its role in the band's performances.

The episode also features a tribute to Steve Silverman, a renowned science writer and Grateful Dead enthusiast who recently passed away. Silverman was celebrated for his contributions to the understanding of autism and his deep connection to the Grateful Dead community. The tribute highlights his life, his work, and his impact on both the music and science communities.

Larry shares reviews of the recent George Thorogood and Journeyman Tribute the Eric Clapton 

https://www.georgethorogood.com/

https://vilarpac.org/

https://journeymantribute.com/

Grateful Dead

September 2, 1988 (36 years ago)

Capital Center

Landover, MD

Grateful Dead Live at Capital Centre on 1988-09-02 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive

I hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend.

Night one of a four night run at the Cap Center to kick off 1988 East Coast Fall Tour (played Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 and Monday and Tuesday 5 and 6). Took a night off for my wedding on Sunday 4th. Saturday night show was my rehearsal dinner and they played second encore, final electric Ripple and final Grateful Dead Ripple. Memorable weekend for all (except for my east coast deadhead buddies at the wedding who were bummed to have missed the Ripple.

INTRO: Hell in a Bucket

Track #2

0:00 – 1:34

David Dodd: The Bob Weir / John Barlow / Brent Mydland song “Hell in a Bucket” directly references the biker scene, and I’m sure that somehow Barlow just wanted to put that element into the band’s repertoire somehow. After all, there are plenty of outlaw elements sprinkled through the band’s songs.

In the case of this song, though, the singer/narrator seems to be wishing a sorry fate on his erstwhile main squeeze, with the argument being that once she has a biker charging up and down her halls on his chopper, she’ll realize that the narrator was really pretty good, at least by contrast.

“Hell in a Bucket” appeared on In the Dark, released in July 1987. The song frequently featured as the show opener over the course of the next two-plus decades, although it wasn’t used in that role until about a year after its first performance. 

Played: 217 times

First: May 13, 1983 at William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, USA

Last: June 30, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

SHOW No. 1: Dire Wolf

Track #5

2:00 – 3:24

"Dire Wolf" is a ballad by the Grateful Dead, released as the third track on their 1970 album Workingman's Dead. The lyrics were written by