Dumbek's Random Stuff

10/22/89 - The Grateful Dead @ Charlotte Coliseum - Charlotte, NC

Our last show of Fall Tour 1989. This one was a bit of a haul - Philly Friday/Charlotte Sunday. We drove down on Saturday and stayed in the nastiest motel I've ever been in. The windows were broken, it was dirty and it was about 25 feet from the airport runway. Ugh.

The Coliseum was brand new. Nice and shiny. I seem to remember sort of an inner concourse around the top. Kind of a walkway that went around the whole arena. That gave us the ability to go up to the concourse and have plenty of dancing room, all while staying inside the arena and getting to see the band at the same time. It was nice to be able to do both. We'd usually have to choose.

I always liked Sunday shows. They were always a bit mellower and had more of a family vibe to them. This was a really nice show. Nothing incredibly amazing, yet nothing less than very, very good. "Johnny B. Goode" was a nice way to end the first set. That never happens. It's always the encore. We got "Beat It On Down The Line" - my 2nd of only 4 times I'd ever get to see that one. Verrry nice "Bird Song." We got the expected "Samson and Delilah" - a standard Sunday sermon. Then it happened again. "chunk chunka-chunk chunka-chunk BAM!" "Help One The Way" again. After not playing it for years, we saw every comeback occurrence of it on the Fall Tour. Most people were lucky to get it once. We got it four times. Conversely, we missed every "Dark Star" and "Attics." This one came just before drums. How weird is that? I don't think they've ever done that before. Always a surprise with these guys. Typically great '89 show. We had no idea how spoiled we were at this time. The band was consistently fantastic.

We had to work on Monday, so we drove home right after the show. It took about 8 hours, I think. Lots of coffee stops. I remember getting stuck in rush hour traffic in Virginia on our way home. I thought for sure I was going to fall asleep while driving. We made it though. Home. Shower. Work by 10:00. Not bad.


1: Foolish Heart, Minglewood, 1/2 Step, Queen Jane, Ramble On Rose, BIODTL, Bird Song, JBG
2: Blow Away, Samson, Help>Slip>Franklin's, Drums/Space, Miracle, Stella Blue, Throwing Stones,Not Fade Away
e: Black Muddy River



10/22/2005 - Ambulance Ltd./We Are Scientists @ The Black Cat - Washington, DC

Original review here. This was my 3rd time seeing Ambulance, Ltd. They hadn't put out anything new in a long time. They were good, but I was starting to get bored with them. You can only tour for that one album for so long. We Are Scientists opened and completely blew them away. Fun, frantic, dance-rock. They had the whole place hopping. They instantly became one of my favorite new bands and they didn't even have an album out yet.

Oh - Ambulance still hasn't put out a new album yet. sheesh.




10/22/2008 - A Place To Bury Strangers @ 9:30 - Washington, DC

I'm not sure how they went from being an opening act at The Rock and Roll Hotel to headlining 9:30 in just a few months. Not that it matters, because I ended up bailing on this one. A late show with 2 opening acts? On a Wednesday? There was no way they would be coming on before midnight. I'm too old for that sh*t. I decided to just eat the $12 and get a decent night's sleep.

Turned out to be a good decision. They didn't come on until after midnight and played for less than an hour. I would have been tired and totally pissed off, had I gone. They're a great band though. I was looking forward to this one. If it wasn't for the logistics I definitely would have gone.