NYS Music 202​0

Tag: JERRY GARCIA

  • The Grateful Dead Take A Step Back To Rochester: November 21, 1978

    Western New York has always provided safe haven for the Grateful Dead and among their more popular stops in the region is Rochester, specifically the War Memorial. The band would play 15 known gigs in the Flower City during their historic touring career. Ten of them would be in this building. Unfortunately, the later part of this 1978 tour had to be cut short due to an ailing Jerry Garcia. But there were certainly heaters to be had before then, this show among them.

    After an opening roar of electric guitars, the show begins in earnest with “Promised Land,” a popular Chuck Berry cover. Keith Godchaux plays some inspired keys on this one behind the guitar play and makes his presence felt early. Afterwards comes the first of three “Take A Step Back” announcements from Bob Weir, looking out for the “bug-eyed” folks in the front row. Once that’s accomplished, the instrumental into of “They Love Each Other” kicks in with Jerry Garcia manning the vocals. Unfortunately, some feedback issues mar this one a little bit early on. It’s salvaged though with a delightful Garcia solo and the continued strong play of Godchaux on keys.

    Following an extended tuning break, the band bursts into “Cassidy,” with Donna Jean Godchaux now added to the vocal mix. It’s is a tidy yet superb version with the whole band in full synchronicity. This lays the foundation that’s topped with another poignant Garcia solo.

    Grateful Dead Rochester

    Choosing not to run with this momentum, another tuning break follows which seems to fuel the rabid audience even further. Out of this, “Dire Wolf” rears its head. Garcia’s vocals seem to improve a little on this one from earlier in the show before he infuses it with his traditional guitar licks.

    Then comes round two of “Take A Step Back.” This time Weir’s pleas for the people on the floor to move back as much as they can is accompanied by a spattering of “Finiculi Finicula” from the band. Afterwards, Weir stays on the mic for lead vocals and leads the band through their Western classic, “Me And My Uncle.” They waste literally no time at its conclusion before launching into a raging “Big River,” thanks to an ultra-seamless transition they’ve perfected for these songs.

    Things then slow down a bit with the relaxed pace of the “Row Jimmy” that follows. Jerry and Donna Jean’s vocals eventually merge nicely in this delicate yet fairly straight forward version. Afterwards, it’s Weir’s turn once again as he leads the Dead through “New Minglewood Blues.” Believe it or not, the five-show gap between its last performance was actually a fairly large one for this first set standard. Another opening set regular, “Loser,” follows before one last notable segue closes things out. A raucous “Jack Straw” that’s fueled by some blistering Garcia-supplied guitar licks towards the end. Before the last “wine” is even finished being sung, “Deal” starts up instantly. This concludes a first set that’s fairly standard in terms of song selection, but executed to near perfection.

    Grateful Dead Rochester

    The second set begins with one last plea from Weir to everyone on the floor to move back as much as possible. Then the Dead are off and running with “Bertha.” This longtime first set staple had now shifted to a regular spot in the second one in 1978. Starting with this tour and well into 1979, it was featured in the second set each time. And it was followed every time by a cover of The Rascals’ “Good Lovin’.” Tonight would be no different. While it may not have the same cachet as other traditional song pairings, “Bertha” > “Good Lovin’” was a verified couple from the middle of 1977 until late 1979, appearing next to each other every time played.

    Jerry Garcia then leads the group through “Stagger Lee,” a cover of a traditional folk song about the murder of Billy Lyons by “Stag” Lee Shelton in 1985. Lloyd Price would later find fame with it thanks to his 1959 recording that topped the charts. After this rather atypical beginning to the second set, things begin to take a more familiar turn. “Estimated Prophet” sees Weir’s wailing vocals paired with Donna Jean’s harmonies that give it a nice touch. But the highlight is the tail end that sees Garcia gradually escalate a mesmerizing sequence through his guitar’s signature tone for this song. Bassist Phil Lesh is also heavily involved as the jam progresses.

    Then, somewhat suddenly, Garcia pivots and begins strumming the opening rhythms to “Eyes Of The World.” This version is vintage 1978, with Garcia again taking lead and navigating the rest of the band through this beautifully crisp and funky rendition.

    Grateful Dead Rochester

    As the “Eyes” jam slowly peters out, The Rhythm Devils then take things over. Drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart get their moment in the sun with an all out 10-minute percussive assault in the traditional “Drums” section. The ecstatic War Memorial crowd and their approval can be heard loudly throughout.

    After a brief “Space” section, the beginning of “Not Fade Away” starts in almost comical fashion with Garcia coming in extremely late on the beginning vocal section. It gets cleaned up nicely though and eventually stretches out into a full-fledged jam that melodiously stretches well past the ten-minute mark. Weir’s frenetic rhythm guitar play back Garcia wonderfully before the jam devolves into a slower pace and “Black Peter” appears. This, too, extends nicely with a patient and deliberate pace that’s peppered with more brilliant Garcia guitar fills.

    The show maintains its vague theme of some odd song placements with a “Truckin’” that closes out the second set. The Rochester crowd once again noticeably voices their approval after the “New York’s got the ways and means” line as well as the nod to Buffalo.

    In true Chuck Berry “bookending” fashion, the show ends with another cover of his, a quick romp through “Johnny B. Goode.” This puts the finishing touches on the fourth of ten overall shows the Grateful Dead played at the Rochester War Memorial.

    Grateful Dead – War Memorial, Rochester, NY 11/21/78

    I: Promised Land, They Love Each Other, Cassidy, Dire Wolf, Me & My Uncle> Big River, Row Jimmy, Minglewood Blues, Loser, Jack Straw, Deal
    II: Bertha> Good Lovin’, Stagger Lee, Estimated Prophet> Eyes Of The World> Drums> Space> Not Fade Away> Black Peter> Truckin’
    E: Johnny B. Goode

    Grateful Dead Rochester

  • All the Years Combine: Grateful Dead at The Garden, September 13, 1991

    Today, we celebrate the anniversary of a Grateful Dead show at the most iconic of all New York music venues: Madison Square Garden. The Dead were certainly no strangers to this room by 1991. They had been playing the Midtown Mecca since 1979 and loved taking extended stays there. Fittingly, this show would be number five of a nine-show run at The Garden.

    1991 was still very much a transitional time in the band’s history. Vince Welnick had only joined the band a year earlier and Bruce Hornsby was still making regular appearances. This show would be no different. And while this one may not be designated with a “legendary” status in the record books, there are certainly moments that shine.

    To put it nicely, whether its the recording or the performance itself, the “Touch of Grey” opener is fairly mangled. Guitarist Jerry Garcia doesn’t seem to realize his part until a full verse passes first and the rest goes downhill from there. Fellow guitarist Bob Weir then takes over and directs “Wang Dang Doodle” afterwards that has a couple of inspired Garcia licks towards the end that seem to wake him up a little. With the band seemingly picking up on this, it carries right through the ensuing “Peggy-O” where Garcia continues to shine and brushes off some of the earlier mishaps.

    The first set doesn’t seem to really take off until “Althea” which features more delicate guitar licks from Garcia that’s finally accompanied by a vocal performance to match. “When I Paint My Masterpiece” follows nicely with the always lovely accordion fills supplied by Hornsby. The first set closes with a triumphant “Bird Song” that soars for more than 14 minutes with both Welnick and Hornsby, along with the rest of the band, on top of their respective game.

    After a rather nondescript Weir-led “Victim Or The Crime” to open the second set, things escalate quickly with a rousing “Scarlet Begonias” where the intensity of an MSG show is very much audible. The seamless segue into its traditional pairing with “Fire On The Mountain’ is vintage Dead and one of the definitive bright spots of this show.

    Another valid complaint for this show may be the extended “Drums” > “Space” sequence that follows. While it does feature a few moments of fun, psychedelic mayhem, it also drifts off completely at parts and takes up almost 28 minutes of the second set.

    Grateful Dead 9/13/91 Madison Square Garden

    Garcia brings a little of the “Space” along with him in the beginning sections of “The Other One” that follow before falling into its signature pattern. This brings about another inspired jam with all seven legs of the band acting as one cohesive unit while Weir belts out the lyrics he penned for this song years ago.

    The second set ends with a joyous “Throwing Stones” that features both Weir and Garcia with some passionate singing. A somewhat abrupt cut to “Not Fade Away” follows that gives the band one last chance to stretch out and jam.

    Grateful Dead 9/13/91 Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

    Set 1: Touch of Grey, Wang Dang Doodle, Peggy-O, Big River > Cumberland Blues, Althea, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Bird Song

    Set 2: Victim Or The Crime, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Throwing Stones > Not Fade Away

    Encore: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

  • On this day in Grateful Dead history, Jerry Garcia debuts ‘Wolf’ aboard a Hell’s Angels cruise with Merl Saunders

    Among the many guitars in the cache of Jerry Garcia, “Wolf” stands as the most legendary of them all. “Wolf” was customized by luthier Doug Irwin, and was delivered to Jerry ahead of his appearance at a private show for the Hell’s Angels on September 5, 1973 in NYC.

    jerry garcia wolf

    Late in 1972, Garcia came across the first guitar Doug Irwin made for Alembic, which he bought on the spot for $850. He then asked Irwin to customize a guitar for him, and “Wolf” was born. Made from amaranth/purpleheart and curly maple with an ebony fingerboard and twenty-four frets, which were inlaid with African ivory (the first fret is mother-of-pearl).

    The original version had a peacock inlay, later followed by Irwin’s eagle logo in its place. Later, a cartoon wolf licking his chops was placed by Jerry Garcia just below the tailpiece, which gave the name to the guitar. Irwin would later inlay the sticker into the guitar, which was labeled as “D. Irwin 001.” The guitar would cost Garcia $1,500, or around $8,700 in 2020 dollars.

    “Wolf” would be played for two decades, becoming his most well known guitar and played across countless recordings, concerts and even in “The Grateful Dead movie.” Here, Irwin discusses the intricate detail of “Wolf.”

    jerry garcia wolf

    A few years after I delivered Wolf to Jerry, the guitar took several tumbles during Grateful Dead’s European tour. The first, a fall of about fifteen feet off the stage onto cement, had no effect on the guitar at all, but the second incident caused a crack to appear in the peghead. When Jerry finally brought me the Wolf for repair, the crack was actually very minor, but a stitch in time, saves nine. Repairing the crack wasn’t much of a problem, but having the guitar again made me reassess my early inlay work, and prompted me to reface the peghead with ebony and replace what I determined to be a poor excuse for a peacock with my signature eagle inlay cut from mother-of-pearl.

    Doug Irwin, on “Wolf”

    “Wolf” was played throughout the ’70s and ’80s, alongside “Tiger” and “Rosebud,” also designed by Irwin. “Wolf” was brought out of retirement in 1989 when Jerry explored using a MIDI synthesizer, and was played for the last time with the Grateful Dead at Oakland Coliseum Arena on 2/23/93.

    Photos by Roberto Rabanne

    In 2002, “Wolf” was purchased by a Deadhead, who later auctioned the guitar off for a great cause. The anonymous fans said:

    I’ve been a fan of The Dead since I was a kid, and playing this iconic guitar over the past 15 years has been a privilege. But the time is right for Wolf to do some good. My wife and I have long supported the efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center, and if ever we needed the SPLC, we sure do need them now.

    Anonymous owner of “Wolf”

    “Wolf” would be auctioned off at a price of more than $1.6 million, a bid that was matched by an anonymous donor, raising a total of $3.2 million for the SPLC.

    jerry garcia wolf

    The first show that Jerry Garcia would play “Wolf” at was a private show dubbed “Pirates Ball” on September 5, 1973, a private Hell’s Angels party aboard the S.S. Bay Belle. Performing with Merl Saunders in New York Harbor, the ship was known as the “largest marine ballroom afloat,” and was renamed to the Sound Line later after the show. The show also featured Bo Diddley, Elephant’s Memory and Mission Mountain Wood Band.

    jerry garcia wolf
    The S.S. Bay Belle, later named Sound Line

    The guitar can be see in the movie/documentary Hell’s Angels Forever, directed by Richard Chase, Leon Gast, Kevin Keating, and Lee Maden.

    Setlist: It Ain’t No Use, Favela, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Mystery Train, Harder They Come, Think, Finders Keepers

    Wolf’s first appearance with the Grateful Dead was at the Nassau Coliseum on September 7th, two days later. The Dead were off the road for a month, and were refreshed getting back to business. Donna Godchaux was pregnant at the time, with her husband Keith having taken over keyboard duties from Pigpen a year prior.

    This show marks the debut of Weir/Barlow’s “Let It Grow,” and one of the last “Bird Song’s” of 1973 before the song was shelved for a few years. Highlights include “New Potato Cabooose,” the jam that arose from “Playin’ in the Band,” a hefty jam from “The Other One,” and the “Eyes of the World” that followed.

    Deadheads reported a heavy police presence that evening, with many fans arrested at or after the show. Cops reportedly drove on the sidewalks as the show ended and attempted to clear the crowd. They also seemed to use their batons to clear the area in front of the band between sets. This would influence the Dead’s decision not to return to Nassau for many years, until January, 1979.

    Setlist: September 7, 1973, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

    Set 1: Promised Land, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw, Looks Like Rain, Deal, El Paso, Bird Song, Playin’ In The Band

    Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine, Me & My Uncle, Loser, Let It Grow-> Stella Blue, Truckin’-> Drums-> The Other One-> Eyes Of The World-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Around & Around

  • Jerry Garcia: A Legacy Built to Last

    On the 25th anniversary of his death, the music of Jerry Garcia continues to have an enduring presence in the extended Grateful Dead scene that has thrived for more than a generation since his passing. His iconic guitar play and signature vocals have now been consumed and enjoyed by fans of all ages thanks to modern audio technology that’s fueled by a trove of Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band releases.

    Jerry Garcia truly was built to last. So it is fitting that we pay homage today to “Built to Last,” one of his last song writing credits. It appears on the Dead’s final studio album that shares the same name. With poetic lyrics supplied by longtime collaborator Robert Hunter, it’s a song of hope and resolve in trying times – items that are very relatable today.

    Its first performance in a live setting was on October 20, 1988, at The Summit in Houston, TX. “Built to Last” appeared in the second set, following “Playing in the Band” and right before the “Drums” section. It wasn’t played again until February of 1989 when it made its way into the first set at a show at The Forum in Inglewood, CA.

    In an odd twist, the song itself did not live up to its title as it was predominately played only in 1989, often appearing in the latter stages of the first set, before being shelved soon after. But it does share the distinction, along with “Blues for Allah,” “Terrapin Station,” and “Shakedown Street,” of being the title track for a Grateful Dead album.

    Were the band still playing today, there’s little doubt that this song would reemerge in the live setting as the lyrics about strength in times of adversity and self reliance more than play to the current climate. And the song truly does speak to the Grateful Dead’s legacy of establishing something firm and long lasting that will stand the test of time. Pair all of that with a passionate guitar solo from Jerry and you’ve got a winner.

    With that said, here’s the last ever live performance of “Built to Last,” played in Albany’s own Knickerbocker Arena. As today we celebrate the life and music of Jerry Garcia, whose legacy was undoubtedly built to last.

    “Built to Last” – words by Robert Hunter, music by Jerry Garcia

    There are times that you can beckon
    There are times when you must call
    You can shake a ton of reckoning
    But you can’t shake it all
    There are times when I can help you out
    And times that you must fall
    There are times when you must live in doubt
    And I can’t help at all

    Three blue stars / Rise on the hill
    Say no more, now / Just be still
    All these trials / Soon be past
    Look for something / Built to last

    One blue star / Sets on the hill
    Call it back / You never will
    One more star / Sinks in the past
    Show me something / Built to last.

    Built to last till time itself
    Falls tumbling from the wall
    Built to last till sunshine fails
    And darkness moves on all
    Built to last while years roll past
    Like cloudscapes in the sky
    Show me something built to last
    Or something built to try

    There are times when you get hit upon
    Try hard but you cannot give
    Other times you’d gladly part
    With what you need to live
    Don’t waste the breath to save your face
    When you have done your best
    And even more is asked of you
    Let fate decide the rest.

    All the stars / Are gone but one
    Morning breaks / Here comes the sun
    Cross the sky now / Sinking fast
    Show me something / Built to last

  • Cosmic throws a Birthday Party for Jerry Garcia

    Just as music fans the world over are clamoring to get their fix, so, too, are musicians longing to get out in front of actual crowds and ply their trade. No live stream can replicate the energy of a live concert, where musical notes serve as a conduit facilitating an infinite loop of energy travelling between the band and the audience. Live music requires presence —  you have to be there, to be sure — though not just in body, but in mind and spirit, too. Within that presence, as one finds alignment with the head, the heart, and the feet, is where the magic lives. As it has been said, “Seek and ye shall find.” 

    Bridging that thought, it’s been especially hard to find live music these days (no explanation necessary), especially that of the safe and socially distant variety with crowds respectful of both coronavirus and others’ personal space. Creativity has become the order of the day in terms of booking, and I’ve now been lucky enough to catch a few live shows in locales previously unthinkable: a field behind Woodbridge HS, the Asbury Park Elks Lodge, even a few backyards, not least of all my own.

    Cosmic Jerry Garcia

    Some days live music seems more poignant than others; Jerry Garcia’s birthday has always been one of those days. I’ll never forget seeing Jerry on his birthday at The Palace at Auburn Hills, August 1, 1994, one of just three performances by the Grateful Dead on this date. Well, in the summer of 2020, any live show is special, and just as I was one of the lucky ones to see Jerry’s birthday show in ‘94, so, too, was I lucky enough to see Cosmic open the Days Between (marked by the days between Jerry’s birth and death, 8/9/95) on August 1, 2020.

    After having spent the day on the beach in Asbury Park with my wife, we parted ways {one of the beautiful things about our marriage is that even though we have divergent interests, she unilaterally supports my passions} and I grabbed some primo socially distant real estate at the Asbury Elks Lodge, right up front near the band and in front of the PA. I’ve spoken of silver linings in other recent musings, but my favorite one bears repeating: encroaching on someone else’s personal space has become societally uncool, and that bodes really well for an abundance of dancing space. Punctuality has also become the order of the day and, since timeliness is next to godliness, mine was rewarded not just with the best 10×10 foot square in the house but also with soundcheck, a tasty version of “Beat It On Down the Line,” even if the band ultimately decided not to play a “seventy-eight beat intro for Jerry’s birthday” after briefly parrying the idea back and forth. 

    Just fifteen short minutes after the announced start time of 4:00, everybody was dancing in a ring around the sun as Cosmic took to the stage and opened this gorgeous afternoon with the Grateful Dead’s anthemic summer song, “The Golden Road To Unlimited Devotion.” This song has a short history with the Grateful Dead  and wasn’t to be played live at any time after 1967, wayyyy before my time, heck, even before the actual summer of love later that same year, but to me it’s always been a party tune and set a fiery tone for the day as the band implored, “Hey hey, hey, come right away. Come and join the party every day.” An impressive and energetic “Viola Lee Blues” followed (is there any other kind???), before the band played “Set Me Free”, the first of seven original tunes they would play on this sunny August afternoon. 

    Cosmic Jerry Garcia

    Shirtless guys and sun-kissed girls in long flowing dresses, spinning and twirling in a scene reminiscent of San Francisco’s Golden Gate park, the crowd was beauty personified. On this day, as we celebrated what would have been Jerome John Garcia’s 78th trip around the sun, none of us were thinking about the problems of the world, at least no more so than pertained to social distance and wearing masks. We were celebrating the life and music of Jerry Garcia, the outward expression of whose passion in turn shaped most of our lives. From the youngest among us who, forget about having seen Garcia live, probably shouldn’t have been drinking legally, to those with stories from the Avalon Ballroom and the last time they saw “Golden Road” live, our collective spirit embodied the principle of community. 

    Yet, in a whole world full of petty wars, “Throwing Stones” unfortunately seems to grow more relevant with each passing day. Political bullshit aside, it’s a fun song that set up one of the day’s highlights, “Cream Puff War”, driven by the insane timekeeping of drummer Dan Donovan, who would also provide an interesting bit of trivia during set break, “I wanted to make sure we worked this one into the setlist today since it’s the only tune (whose lyrics) were written by Garcia.” A short but combustible tune that the Grateful Dead only played in 1966 and 1967, Cosmic did it great justice on this most special day for Deadheads. That, I think, is the beauty of the Grateful Dead and the symbiosis they inspire between the musicians occupying their space and the deadheads taking it all in. Regardless of who’s holding the guitar, we’re all just fans (maybe fanatics would be more appropriate but let’s not parse words). 

    Another glorious original rocker followed, “Make Me Feel High,” as Wanda, Exalted Ruler of the Fraternal Order of Asbury Elks (I can’t shake the image of Fred Flinstone as Grand Poobah of the Royal Order of Water Buffaloes) made her way to the stage, seemingly intent on having a discussion with each band member during the middle of the song. Fully expecting a buzzkill announcement like “turn it down” or some shit like that, Wanda surprised me at the end of the song by taking the mic and welcoming us all while imploring us to “enjoy the music and the hospitality.” Poor timing aside, it was a nice message.

    Taking the break as a chance to confess their hunger and ask for provisions, a familiar drumbeat signalled the start of “Samson & Delilah,” with bassist John “Jelly Roll” Nemeth taking lead vocals. John was a noticeable force on the bass all afternoon and I’m sure glad I had a hand in getting his mix turned up during soundcheck. “Wine Women Rock”, another original, this one with keyboardist Billy Siegel on lead vocals, was so good that one fan felt inspired to drop a tip in the bucket on stage left in the middle of the song.

    Cosmic Jerry Garcia

    Even when he’s not singing Dead tunes, Billy still has the Brent Mydland thing going on and I just love his vocals, this last being my favorite of the “Billy” tunes. Lead singer and guitarist Michael Jaskewicz went off script with the next one, a lovely version of Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” before an explosive “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” that closed the set 75 minutes and almost 10,000 steps later. 

    I love that this band, with a local and loyal following behind them, has the balls to play their own songs in key spots of the set. Opening the second set with “This Fire”, they continue to make the statement that they are so much more than a Dead cover band. I haven’t asked but I suppose that’s why they dropped “Jerry Band” from their moniker, as they seek to grow and develop their own material. I’ve now heard eleven original songs over two shows these past couple of weeks, and here’s to hoping there’s an album release on the horizon. 

    “Foolish Heart” is always a treat and Jaskewicz characteristically dazzled with both his guitar and his voice. “The Wheel” gave way to “Crooked Tree”, another rockabilly original that really slams as Siegel pounded the black and whites. Some fine setlist wizardry gave an emphatic Siegel the chance to continue stealing this segment of the show with the joyous “Hey Pocky Way” that followed. There would be no MVP, however, on this sun-soaked afternoon, as it was a total team effort. “Run For the Roses” was the first turn through the Jerry Garcia catalog before “We Are Divine,” an original dripping with proggy funk that was one of the best songs of the night, GD or otherwise.

    During “Terrapin Station,” I closed my eyes and transported to another time and place, enjoying the simultaneous delicacy and raw power of a song that, from the first time I heard it, literally shaped the rest of my life. The Rolling Stone’s “Loving Cup,” even if it felt more like Phish’s version, rocked like the set closer that it could have been (my notes here simply read, “Sweet Jesus!”), even though there was still a “Loose Lucy” and a “Might As Well” on tap. Singing thank you, for a real good time!

    I’d have gone home happy right then and there, fully spent having shared all of my love and energy with the band and the folks around me, but if the band was going to treat us to one (or three) more, I’d dig deep and continue to give all of myself right back. One more original was followed by a pair of JGB tunes, the powerful “Mission In the Rain” and the prayerful “Sisters and Brothers”. “Mission” has long been a personal favorite, a song by Robert Hunter that really paints a picture of the human condition.

    Of this song, Garcia, in an interview, once said “Mission in the Rain” was “… a song that might be about me. It’s my life; it’s like a little piece of my life. Hunter writes me once in a while.” I felt every bit of that with Nemeth’s foreboding bass notes and Jaskewicz’ stirring vocals. As for “Sisters and Brothers”, what better way to close the day than with the hopeful gospel of Charles Johnson song popularized by the Jerry Garcia Band, “My Sisters and Brothers.” I’ll leave you with the power of its words …

    I wanna say to my sisters and my brothers
    Keep the faithWhen the storm flies and the wind blows
    Go on at a steady pace
    When the battle is fought, and the victory’s won
    We can all shout together, we have overcome
    We’ll talk to the Father and the Son
    When we make it to the promised land
    If we walk together, little children
    We don’t ever have to worry
    Through this world of trouble
    We gotta love one another
    Let us take our fellow man by the hand
    Try to help him to understand
    We can all be together, forever and ever
    When we make it to the promised land

    18,651 steps on the lawn of the Asbury Elks. Who’d have thunk it???

    Setlist

    Soundcheck: Beat It On Down the Line

    Set One: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) > Viola Lee Blues, Set Me Free*, Throwing Stones > Cream Puff War > Make Me Feel High*, Samson & Delilah, Wine Women Rock*, When I Paint My Masterpiece, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider

    Set Two: This Fire*, Foolish Heart, The Wheel, Crooked Tree*, Hey Pocky Way, Run For the Roses, We Are Divine*, Terrapin Station, Loving Cup, Loose Lucy, Might As Well

    Encore: unknown original, Mission in the Rain, My Sisters & Brothers 

  • “Daze Between” Announced in Celebration of the Life and Music from Jerry Garcia

    “Daze Between” was announced by The Jerry Garcia Family and The Rex Foundation in celebration of the life and music created by Jerry Garcia. The event will include exclusive musical performance and storytelling for nine days of fun. The event’s live stream will be free but open for donations and run August 1-9.

    “Daze Between” will will feature performances by: Grateful Dead, Dead & Company, Bob Weir & The Campfire Band, The Jerry Garcia 75th Birthday Band, The Jerry Garcia 75th Birthday Acoustic Band,featuring Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Jeff Chimenti, Donna Jean Godchaux, Neal Casal, Joe Russo, Jon Graboff, Mike Gordon, Jim Lauderdale, Adam McDougall, Jason Roberts, Harper Simon, Josh Kaufman, Sam Cohen, Jonathan Wilson, Cass McCombs, Chris Tomson, Craig Finn, and Tad Kubler.  The event will also be screening the film Move Me Brightly. 

    The event will feature new and archival performances as well as storytelling from artists including: ALO, Andy Thorn, Amigo the Devil, Amos Lee, Circles Around The Sun, Dark Star Orchestra, David Grisman, Del McCoury Band, Della Mae, From Good Homes, Fruition, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Graham Nash, Greensky Bluegrass, Greg Errico, Hiss Golden Messenger, Hot Tuna, Jackie Greene, Jason Crosby, Katie Skene, Keller Williams, Kitchen Dwellers, Leslie Mendelson, Lettuce ft. Melvin Seals, Marco Benevento, Midnight North, Molly Tuttle, Nicki Bluhm, Peter Rowan, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Railroad Earth, Roots of Creation, Ross James, Sandy Rothman, Seth Walker, Scott Law, Tejon Street Corner Thieves, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Record Company, Travelin’ McCourys, Twiddle, Tyler Grant & Lindsay Lou, Yonder Mountain String Band with more to be announced.

    “Daze Between” is partnering with Live From Out There/11E1even Group, DayGlo Ventures, Relix, Jerry Garcia Estate, Activist Management, Nugs.net, level, KEEN and Teton Gravity Research to bring this community-wide celebration to life. 

    “Daze Between” will be streamed live across Nugs.net, Fans.com, Facebook, Youtube, and other channels, with a home base on www.dazebetween.com. Throughout the week, people will have the option to donate to the Rex Foundation using text-to-give or payment options embedded within each streaming platform. There will also be a signed guitar by Bob Weir, copies of Jay Blakesberg’s books of photography, a complete set of Jerry Garcia-inspired posters by Chuck Sperry and more up for auction. 

    The daily lineup has been announced. Check below to see who you can stream starting August 1!

    daze between

    For more information visit Daze Between’s website.

  • GarciaLive Volume 14 features Jerry Garcia & John Kahn at The Ritz in 1986

    The latest release from the GarciaLive series brings bassist John Kahn together with Jerry Garcia on the duo’s winter tour stop at The Ritz in New York City on January 27, 1986. The collection includes a liner note essay by bluegrass virtuoso Billy Strings.

    This performance at The Ritz was during the midpoint of their East Coast run, with Garcia and Kahn delighting the audience with a mix of Grateful Dead favorites, folk standards, and other staples from Garcia’s songbook. A laid-back yet passionate performance, Garcia’s mastery as a storyteller is on full display. As Billy Strings describes in the liner notes, Garcia “sings through the verses and picks through the melodies as if he is the man in the story. Delicate and deliberate.”

    Art by Suburban Avenger

    A sultry version of “Friend of the Devil” showcases Garcia’s soulful singing and his deep musical connection with Kahn. A pair of nods to Dylan are included in the show — “When I Paint My Masterpiece” and “Simple Twist of Fate.” Additional highlights include an upbeat “Bird Song” which Garcia & Kahn stretch out for the longest jam of the evening and a joyous “Ripple,” heard below.

    Pre-order Vol.14 of GarciaLive here, and while supplies last, every CD pre-order via Garcia Family Provisions will receive a bonus CD featuring the duo’s show the next night, January 28, 1986 at The Ritz.

    Set One: Deep Elem Blues, Little Sadie, Friend of the Devil, Oh Babe, It Ain’t No Lie, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Run for the Roses

    Set Two: Dire Wolf, Simple Twist of Fate, Spike Driver Blues, Bird Song, Ripple

    Encore: Goodnight Irene

  • Flashback: Grateful Dead perform their final NY shows at The Knick

    The writing was on the wall, and if 1994 didn’t confirm it, 1995 certainly did. And on June 21-22, the Grateful Dead performed their final shows in the state of New York at the Knickerbocker Arena (The Knick) in Albany.

    The Dead had performed over 300 shows in New York State alone since their first in 1967, but the last two in Albany would serve as a curtain call for a band that treated the state as a second home, musically speaking. After all the shows and runs at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Fillmore East, Paradise Garden, Capitol Theatre, Nassau Coliseum, Rich Stadium, the Carrier Dome and more, and these would be the finale, even if it was not announced as such.

    jerry sundays
    via JerryGarcia.com

    The June 21st show would offer up the final “Row Jimmy,” “Man Smart, Woman Smarter,” “Supplication Jam” and “Morning Dew,” and what a “Morning Dew” this was. Fans were in tears as the ballad played, one fan saying “all difficulties disappeared for a few precious moments and we were all treated to a beautiful, final rendtion from the boys.” Listen or watch the full show below and judge for yourself.

    Grateful Dead – The Knick, Albany, NY – June 21, 1995

    Set 1: Hell In A Bucket, Loser, Take Me To The River, Row Jimmy, Broken Arrow, Promised Land

    Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Women Are Smarter, It’s All Too Much, Playin’ In The Band-> Drums-> Space-> Easy Answers-> Morning Dew

    Encore: U.S. Blues

    The next night would be the final show in Albany, at The Knick, and in New York State for that matter. The tour would head to Washington, D.C., Auburn Hills, MI, a few more stops in the Midwest before the final show at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.

    via JerryGarcia.com

    This show features an incredible “Franklin’s Tower,” clocking in at 18 minutes, a near-record for its final version ever. The final “Help on the Way” and “Slipknot” preceded the set closing jam, as did an emotional “It Must Have Been the Roses.” Early in the second set, “Estimated Prophet” -> “Terrapin Station” combine for 30 minutes followed by 25 minutes of “Drums” and a “Silent Way” jam ahead in “Space.” Final versions of “All Along the Watchtower,” “Black Peter” show up later in the set, with an encore of “I Fought the Law” to close the run.

    The Grateful Dead made their mark on the Empire State through nearly 30 years of performances, one that lasts in every corner of the state to this day. Revisit those final shows, 25 years later.

    via gratefuldeadoftheday.com

    Setlist June 22, 1995

    Set 1: Touch Of Gray, Walkin’ Blues, It Must Have Been The Roses, When I Paint My Masterpiece, So Many Roads, The Music Never Stopped Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower

    Set 2: Samba In The Rain, Estimated Prophet-> Terrapin Station-> Drums-> Silent Way Jam-> Space-> All Along The Watchtower-> Black Peter-> Around & Around

    Encore: I Fought The Law

  • Revisit the Grateful Dead at the Carrier Dome – October 20, 1984

    The third and final time the Grateful Dead performed at the Carrier Dome was on October 20, 1984 and featured one of the most blistering “Jack Straw” versions ever.

    Grateful Dead Carrier Dome

    The October 20 show was smack dab in the middle of their 1984 fall tour, and the final show on the East Coast before heading to San Francisco for the remainder of the year.

    A first set opening with “Bertha” -> “Greatest Story Ever Told” found a great groove in “Ramble on Rose,” which was followed by the first of a few requests from Bob Weir for the audience to ‘take a step back,’ heard quite often during this era of the Dead. The “Bird Song” clocks in at just over 11 minutes, and is followed by the aforementioned powerful “Jack Straw.”

    The energetic show features resounding versions of “Shakedown Street” to open Set 2, which led to non-stop dancin’ in the rafters. During “Turn on Your Lovelight,” fencing on stage right fell, leading to fans spilling down onto the Carrier Dome field.

    Grateful Dead Carrier Dome

    Leaving the show on the mantra of “Revolution” (‘You know its gonna be, alright’) set the crowd out on a high note, for it would be the last Dead on the East Coast until March, 1985 in Hampton, VA. Of course, leaving the Carrier Dome (up until recent renovation began) meant the wind would push on the backs of fans as they egressed, which can be either cathartic or unsettling, depending on your mindset at the time.

    Check out photos of the Grateful Dead at the Carrier Dome pre and post-show from James R Anderson here and check out an extended breakdown of the show from Visions of Dylan.

    Set 1: Bertha-> Greatest Story Ever Told, West L.A. Fadeaway, CC Rider, Ramble On Rose, My Brother Esau, Bird Song, Jack Straw

    Set 2: Shakedown Street-> Samson & Delilah, He’s Gone-> Smokestack Lightning-> Drums-> The Wheel-> The Other One-> Black Peter-> Turn On Your Love Light

    Encore: Revolution