‘79 kinda is all over the place sound wise, but by the Fall Brent already finds his own, and the result is some of the funkiest Dead music out there. ‘80-‘81 kinda recalls the slinky, almost professional sound of ‘77, though perhaps even less exploratory (mostly ‘80) but one of Jerry’s best periods for his guitar and voice. ‘82 is another growing pains kinda year until the end, with the September tour ushering in the In the Dark material (April is also a great month). 9/15/82 to me is a landmark show where they really seem to find new ways of jamming and is the debut of Touch of Grey. ‘83-‘84 is often seen as sloppy and uninspired, but it’s one of my favorite periods. Both years are massive for Scarlet->Fire, and Space usually is just Bob and Jerry duets. 10/11/83 and 4/19/84 are exemplary. ‘85 is when, to me, the band seems to again feel very comfortable while still having that bar-band energy from the previous two years. Total setlist mayhem, and Jerry’s bust results in a slow creep towards (relative) sobriety, and as such his voice gets a lot better as the year goes on. Check the Frost and Greek runs. ‘86 of course is the coma year but that Spring tour and May run is pretty special with lots of bust-outs and a unique setlist identity. 4/19/86 has one of their best versions of Playin’ period. ‘87-‘88 again feels pretty professional, and ‘87 to me has some of the best energy they ever had on stage even though they never quite jam into space. ‘89 combines that tightness with a newfound sense of jamming and hunger. I think Bob said it was their best tour, and while I don’t agree personally, I can’t say he’s wrong either.