GRATEFUL DEAD Road Trips Vol.2 No.4 - Cal Expo '93 (2-CD)

The Cal Expo Amphitheater at the State Fairgrounds in Sacramento became a sort of second home (but not too far from home!) for the Grateful Dead in their later years, and they always played well there, perhaps inspired by the good old (and increasingly rare) policy of general admission with seats and a grassy infield for dancing. When the Dead performed there in 1993 for three nights from May 25-27, anticipation was high, but what came next exceeded even the wildest expectations of the most die-hard Dead fans.

Simply put, the second set of the May 26 show. May, captured here in its entirety, is considered by many to be the absolute highlight of the band's Vince Welnick output, as the always-welcome set opener 'Box of Rain' leads into a magical medley of 'Victim or the Crime'/'Crazy Fingers'/'Playing in the Band'/'Rhythm Devils'/'Corrina'/'Playing in the Band'/'China Doll'/'Around and Around' that evokes the hallowed spirit of the '70s.

In addition, this 2-CD set, which also includes selections from the first set on 5/26/93 and the next day's show, holds a few extra surprises: The encore "Liberty" from 5/26/93 appears for the first time on a live Dead release, as does the aforementioned "Corrina." With notes by Blair Jackson and color photos from the concert, this road trip is as good as the last miles of the long, strange journey, and it has been remastered in HDCD sound by Jeffrey Norman. Available in music stores for the first time!