Really interesting show, Dickey's final Beacon Run in 2000. The first 3 tunes are the same that open Peakin' at the Beacon and are infinitely better than what they chose to put on that album. This show isn't flawless, but it is definitely a better representation of this lineup than that album is. 

I always thought the band was in a compromised position with Peakin' at the Beacon. Legions of fans hadn't heard Dickey's rocky Spring 2000 shows or this lineup at all since it was just a little over a year old going into the Summer tour. So fans reading the bickering in the papers wanted to "listen to the tapes" for themselves.

But the band also wanted out of its Epic contract, and at the same time wanted to put out something they are proud of. But if they released a stellar album with sharp playing from Dickey, they look like jerks who kicked out an original member using manufactured cause. But if they release an album full of warts and clams, it won't sell as well and will be an embarrassment in the catalogue. Butch repeatedly went on record stating it wasn't something the band was proud of, which isn't how you promote and sell albums.

Peakin' at the Beacon has never been as bad as its reputation, but it definitely has rough patches. Dickey goes off the rails on "Ain't Wasting Time". "Leave My Blues at Home" is a bit of a train wreck. "Stand Back" is stuck in the mud, despite some nice playing from Derek. Even the Grammy-nominated "High Falls", Dickey and Derek lose each other on those trademark harmony lines. "Seven Turns" is probably the gem of the album.

But this show is solid, there's a much better live album they could have culled from these shows if they wanted to.