Santana / CO, USA – June 28, 1991 – Complete Soundboard Edition

Here is the ultimate soundboard album capturing the live sound of Santana in 1991—a year that marked a fresh start following a label change and the celebration of their 25th anniversary. This release documents the concert held in Denver on June 28, 1991, featuring a high-quality stereo soundboard recording. While 1991 followed the release of the album *Spirits Dancing in the Flesh*, the touring schedule involved a slightly different set of circumstances. To better understand the context, let’s first take a broad look at their activities during that period. 1990: “Spirits Dancing in the Flesh Tour” – April 12–May 26: North America #1 (14 shows) [June: *Spirits Dancing in the Flesh* released]; May 29–June 30: Europe #1 (26 shows); July 13–November 21: North America #2 (68 shows) ← *Greek Theatre 1990*. 1991: “A 25-Year Celebration Tour” – January 19 & 24: Rock in Rio appearances; April 27–May 11: North America #3 (6 shows); May 15–22: ​​Japan (6 shows); May 25–June 28: North America #4 (9 shows) ← ★Here★; July 7–27: Europe #2 (17 shows) ← *Athens 1991*; August 30–November 3: North America #5 (19 shows) ← *Costa Mesa 1991*. The ideal soundboard recording by Don Pearson: As shown, in 1991, Santana was in the midst of the “A 25-Year Celebration Tour,” marking their quarter-century milestone. The Denver performance featured here was the final show of the “North American #4” leg of the tour. While the soundboard classic *Athens 1991* is already a staple among fans, this recording predates it by about a month. On this day, Santana took the stage at Mile High Stadium as the opening act for the Grateful Dead. Sharing the bill with the Grateful Dead had a decisive, positive impact on the sound of this recording. It was captured by Don Pearson, the president of UltraSound—the company responsible for the Grateful Dead’s sound production. Pearson was a man who possessed deep insight into the world of collector recordings and trading culture, leaving behind a vast archive of material; this release is a “definitive generation” gem, digitized directly from Pearson’s original master tape. What pours forth from this recording is, quite simply, the ideal example of a soundboard feed taken directly from the mixing console. The raw, unprocessed live performance roars out, with stereo panning that swings wildly from left to right. The instrumental sound is incredibly potent and raw—far more so than anything found on an official release. Yet, the real surprise comes here: even when played on a home audio system, the ensemble remains perfectly balanced, and the dynamic range stays completely intact. While this is merely speculation, it is likely due in large part to Pearson’s expertise; he understood the appeal of raw, direct-from-the-board sound but may well have kept in mind that collectors would be listening to the recording at home. It offers an otherworldly sensation—as if your skull had become part of the PA system—and a feeling of total synchronization where your entire body seems to align with the live performance. It is truly a release that embodies the ideal soundboard album. A 25th-anniversary performance that is similar to, yet distinct from, the masterpiece *Athens 1991*: this ultimate soundboard recording captures the full, rich experience of a 25th-anniversary tour show. Let us break down the details here by comparing it to the acclaimed soundboard recording *Athens 1991*. Spirits Dancing / It’s A Jungle Out There / Peace on Earth / Mother Earth / Third Stone from the Sun / Spirits Dancing In The Flesh; *Milagro* tracks: Life Is For Living (★) / Somewhere In Heaven / We Don’t Have To Wait (★); Others: Mandela / Angels All Around Us / Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile) / Jingo. (Note: “★” marks songs that were not included on the acclaimed soundboard recording *Athens 1991*.) The setlist features five songs from the then-latest album *Spirits Dancing in the Flesh* and three tracks from the upcoming *Milagro* (which had not yet been released). “Life Is For Living” and “We Don’t Have To Wait,” in particular, are choice tracks that were missing from the celebrated *Athens 1991* release. Including an encore of signature songs like “Europa” and “Jingo,” the performance is commanding—far beyond what one would expect from an opening act—and fully conveys the band’s peak form during their 25th-anniversary era. This release embodies the “ideal soundboard recording,” sourced directly from Don Pearson’s original master tapes. Experience Santana at their 25th-anniversary milestone through this ultimate sonic presentation: a stereo soundboard recording of the June 28, 1991, Denver concert. Digitized directly from the original master by Don Pearson of UltraSound (the team behind the Grateful Dead’s sound), this is a top-tier recording that achieves the perfect balance between the raw immediacy of a direct-from-the-board feed and precise sonic clarity. It is an essential release that allows you to fully enjoy the complete 25th-anniversary tour show. Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO, USA 28th June 1991 01 – Mandela 02 – Life Is For Living 03 – It’s A Jungle Out There 04 – Somewhere In Heaven 05 – We Don’t Have To Wait 06 – Bass Solo 07 – Peace On Earth 08 – Mother Earth 09 – Third Stone From The Sun 10 – Angels All Around Us 11 – Spirits Dancing In The Flesh Encore: 12 – Encore break 13 – Europa 14 – Jingo STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING Carlos Santana – Guitar, Percussion, Vocal Benny Rietveld – Bass Billy Johnson – Drums Raul Rekow – Percussion, Vocal Karl Perazzo – Percussion, Vocal Chester Thompson- Keyboards, Vocal Tony Lindsay – Vocal