Nobody mentions how funky it was to walk through the mall a bit dosed to get into the show. Or how the City Park was so cool across the street.

But yes, my one and only St. Stephen. And yes, I was dosed pretty good.

The thing that really got me was the China Doll and Throwing Stones.

Just wanted to clarify that this is not Trey's first show and it was the night before.

Anyway, great show definitely give a listen. 83' doesn't get enough love. Might not be as refreshed as late 80s but hot none the less.

I was somewhat disappointed with the Dick's pick from '83 as I remembered much better shows from this year. For some reason I decided to check out this show, and I'm glad I did. Dick picked the wrong day. Sometimes his choices mystify me.

Nice recording, needs a little bass but that's easily fixed. Garcia and the lads are on point, Playin' is remarkable!

I would go with this source for your download. Oh, and 3/14/81 has a good first set. Second set, not so much(Last show of tour). 10-14-84 and 3/27/87 are also very good Hartford's. I compared this Ficca recording with the Silberman(which sounds good), but this sounds more open and spacious. The PCM digital recordings tend to be a bit compressed sounding, especially in the high end.

I was at this show, along with the 10-11-83 MSG show when they broke out St Stephen. I started to listen to my AUD cassette of this show in my car, and the quality was not so great so I decided to dial it up on the internet! We are all so friggin lucky to have this website here so we can zoom back in time to the show(s) of our choice, either for a full helping, or just a song or 2 nibble. This show has a nice first set, the RR Blues was always a rare treat, when Jerry sets the tone of the first set with faster songs , Dire Wolf, BE Women, (played well), that was a good indication of what kind of show it would be. I am among the few but I even liked Day Job, because it was brisk, and a good set closer. Second set is really well played, the space before St Stephen is sweet. The sheer crowd explosion when they started the 10/11 MSG St Stephen was enormous (and well worth a listen as well), but this version was much better, as the MSG version melted down towards the end. Throwin Stones which followed sounded quite unique to me, with nice vocals, and the OMSN to end the set, and the sweet Brokedown encore made this another great New England show. I'd venture to say that Hartford Civic Center might have had the highest GD 'batting average' (very good to excellent shows played in one venue, divided by the total # played at that venue. As I lived in CT at that time, I saw them play Hartford CC on 5/28/77, 5/10/80, 3/14/81, 4/17/82, and this one in 83. All of these shows were excellent!! I just checked out the 3/14/81 show, had not heard it since that day - mighty sweet. The band definitely did many great shows in the Northeast, as well as New England. Of the 70 I saw, this one was right up there.

who cares if it was lyndon b johnsons first show.......... like that matters

in the interview on connecticut forum trey and bob talk about trey's first show from hartford in 83...bob remembers the show and says that they released it as dicks pick 6...which was recorded on the 14th, right? either way, 2 nights of good old grateful dead...would you trust trey to remember the exact date?

This was Trey (Phish's Frontman) Anastasio's first Dead show.

My original post from another posting of same show:
Reviewer: zzzboxofrainzzz - - May 2, 2009
Subject: The last great show I saw.
First show 7/31/74... Last show JFK 1995.... but this was the last great one... '85 had some highs, but also some lows... '86 a major disappointment capped with almost losing Jerry... Some great moments in '87, but didn't make any shows where they strung 2 great sets together.... from there, it was more about being with my buddies than the music... always fun... even down the home stretch for Jerry... but never like this night... Even though the night before had that monstrously wonderful Scarlet/Fire, this night ripped that one from limb to limb... Even if they hadn't dropped St. Stephen, this was THE NIGHT to be in Hartford... BRRB, TMNS, amazing China Doll... great PITB... post drumz space laced with energy.... even Day Job and Throwning Stones were pumped up versions... And to send us home to the sweet strains of Brokedown Palace... .Yes, this was a night you could honestly and proudly say, "There's NOTHING like a Grateful Dead concert" God bless Jerry. I know he's resting in peace :)

Listening again today, I still believe this was my last great show. Even with a second Day job in 2 days and a Throwing Stones.....

I disagree with some of the previous posts. I saw this St. Stephen in '83 and I think both this and MSG was much better than the '76->'77 St. Stephens. That is just my opinion. I think the '83 ones (all 3 of them) all had lots of power and energy behind them, while the '76->'77 Stephen's seem like the band is on quaaludes. However, they ('76->'77) do have a cool spacey quality to them, but I like the more aggressively played St. Stephen's.

I'm getting so I love late '83 shows. The sound quality is nice too. Yes there was a set break. It was after day job.

where was the seat brake? or was it one set?

You can almost pick any song for top version during 1983, in my opinion. I seldom recommend shows because everyone has their favorite era or coast or what have you. Get this one.

I was just watching the Connecticut Forum on You tube with Trey Anastasio and Bob Weir and Trey tells Bob that was his first show, and he was converted to a whole new way of music. This show was profound for me when Saint Steve came out it was just an expolsion of feeling and emotion.I was clean and sober there and left high from the contact of the vibe the crowd put out 5 stars because that was a very happy part of my life and the Dead made it happen

1983 is a good year to skip over. This is one of their better performances from that year, but it's still pretty spotty overall.

The boys are all out of sync- the drum beats are too fast and Garcia is too slow.

Uneffin believable. I pick up a little LA Women rif in the beginning. Jerry and Brent rip through this one. St. Stepen. I remember the place just coming alive and going nuts. How they picked Hartford for this I'll never know. Lots of energy

nice Playin>China Doll>Drums>St Stephen
and always like to see a Dire Wolf in the mix.
good sound
4 star show.

Everything about this show works for me. Especially the first set. Vibe, Sound, SetList, Energy, and Performance. I keep coming back as it's my favorite from the era. Don't miss it.

it appears that the encore brokedown palace wedged between the 1st and 2nd sets.

The band really brought some great energy to the stage for this show.

no one mentions the missing Brokedown encore...you may want to attain elsewhere (i.e. nugs)...one of my fav 2nd set sets of the 80's!

ive heard better versions of all the songs on here the brr blues is on fire though but the st stephen unfortunately isnt the october 83 versions dont even touch some of the 76-77 the throwing stones was a nice was out though 2.5 stars

This Hartford show has always been in heavy rotation in my collection. The boys were so tight in this show, simply on from the start. This show is one (of the many) reason AUD tapes are my prefered choice.

My favorite China>Rider ever.

For as sweet as Jerry's guitar work is, and as powerfully intense as the tunes are, you must give Brent his due here. His fills are exceptionally tasty, and when you listen to the way he weaves and bobs around Jerry's guitar, you can't help but feel he is the backbone of this show. His vocals are spot on. Truly some of his best work.

The mix on this recording is crystal clear. I can't recommend this show more highly. Thank you to the folks at archive for doing what you do!

Iam surprised Lake Placid didn't get Dick's Pick over both Hartford's for that matter.

One of my favorite first sets of the 80s. Classic versions of Brown Eyed Women, Let It Grow and Big Railroad Blues highlight the set...the second set rocks throughout and features an outstanding China-Rider with deft Jerry playing...Playin' is hot and Stephen is solidly executed and exciting to hear in context...when they were on in 1983, the music kicked major ass...

this is the best show of a killer fall 83 run.

the recording is crispy and full, the boys are totally on, the whole time. there's not a weak moment.

the big railroad is absurd, the let it grow fully rocks, and dare i say it?? even the day job is sassy and joyful. and if they give day job its due, you know they are not sleepwalking thru the show.

the china>rider is absolutely classic... driving and tight. the jam out of space is delicious: beautiful and jazzy with real depth and focus. jerry and bobby are listening closely to each other, they are really on to something, and they know it!!

the stephen is great. they are really on this night.

a brilliant show. better than any of this east coast run. i have listened to 10.17 (placid) and 10.21 (worcester) and they are just not as sweet.

download!!!!

see the night before's review for both. Playing is amazing

heres an aud to start you out. NICE.

This highlights what we lost with Jerry's decline during the following years. Stranger is very funky. Phil follows the bass drums (or is it the other way around) perfectly. The harmonies are flawless on Wang Dang Doodle. Let It Grow is grow is amazing. China Rider is loaded with a furious barrage of notes. Maybe it's a four star when compaired to the nuanced playing of the mid late 70's, but as an 80's show it is 5 stars. Oh, and i think this was the first time i saw a mic set out for Phil.

Awesome show. Like the others, not sure why this wasn't the DP. The St. Stephen is way cool. Love the crowd reaction.
Stranger is deeply frickin good.
Great AUD.

Pardon my enthusiasm, but this is my favorite 80's show, period. I could write a novel about this show, but I'll try to be brief: KILLER FIRST SET (might be the definitive Big RxR Blues, and all-time versions of Brown Eyed Women and Let it Grow). EVEN BETTER SECOND SET -- the China -> Rider is substantial, and the Playing is a **journey** -- definitely not just spacey noodling, this Playing features multiple, complex themes that build towards some very interesting payoffs. My favorite moment is a minor one, but very telling of how much the band is in the Zone: there's a point in the Playing jam where Billy and Mickey do a drum fill that anticipates where the current measure is going to end and just wraps around it and punctuates it -- amazing! -- the group mind at work!! The rest of the second set ain't shappy, either, but for me, the pre-Drums is just about as good as it gets...

At first listen, from the sound quality i was not impressed but thirty seconds later the crackling jams trancended all else. One bad ass show. This one rocks.

This is the dicks picks show. Best China>Rider from '83 and a throwback playin that clocks in a over seventeen minutes. I think I heard that John Cutlers wife ran the board for the first time on the fourteenth and therefore pandered to get that show on DP. Its a real shame cause this show dwarfs that. Sick FOB as well....

The night before gets the DP treatment but this one does not. Mystifying......