Product Review
In May of 1980, less than three weeks after the Dead released the much maligned Go to Heaven, the band pulled into Long Island for three nights at Nassau Coliseum. This set culls highlights from the last two of those three shows and includes six tunes from Heaven. The knock on Heaven has always been about the sound and the performances--many of the songs themselves were strong and would become live staples. In that sense, this release is sort of an upgrade on its studio counterpart, offering versions of "Feel Like a Stranger," "Althea," and "Sailor/Saint" that far outstrip the Heaven recordings. However, aside from a few other highlights scattered throughout, there's not much else compelling here. The outstanding sound quality (depth, separation, and clarity) and the fact that 1980 has been under-represented on CD are two points in its favor (although 1980 is no one's favorite year for Dead music). The performances are tight for the most part (but far from thrilling), and the band's mood seems high, but Go to Nassau won't blow anyone away. --Marc Greilsamer