Box of Rain - Grateful Dead
3.20.86 - Hampton Coliseum, Hampton VA

Three years before the memorable Fall ‘89 bust-out run at Hampton, the Grateful Dead delivered one of their biggest bust-outs of all-time. “Box of Rain” had been shelved for 777 shows. Last time played was July 28, 1973 at Watkins Glen. Hampton was the site of it’s glorious return.

Here is a fan review by John Whitehead from Deadbase X of 3-20-86:

After a few minutes, Bob stepped up and said, “Now we’re goona prove that practice makes perfect,” and we relaxed, thinking his statement was an apology for a repeat of last night’s Visions of Johanna. They started something different though - it sounded like Box of Rain, and I looked at my friend Bill. He was looking at me with the same look of wonder/expectation that I had, and we knew it had to be it and smiled BIG smiles. Sure enough, the crowd was feeling the same way, a buzz arose, and when Phil stepped to the microphone, the spotlight went on, and when he sand, “Look out of any window” the crowd erupted in screams, drowning out his first line. Healy cranked Phil’s vocals way up, and the crowd surprisingly limited its cheering to only the end of every line so everyone could hear him sing it well. After more than a dozen years on the shelf, it proved to be as sparkling as ever