Starting out in North Carolina seems like a nice, low-key way to start the tour, away from the craziness of the big metropolitan centers up north, but we expect The Dead will do what the Grateful Dead have always done when playing in places like this: they’ll knock your socks off! The Grateful Dead played 27 times in this great state from 1971 to 1995, with seven shows right here in Greensboro 1980-1991. Based on rehearsals and possible song lists, we expect some surprises for the show, and the tour. As excited as you are to see these guys, I think they’re more excited to see you.
A few notable shows that have taken place in North Carolina over the years include the back-to-back shows in December 1973 at Duke University and in Charlotte, the 1978 Duke show for which you may have the seen the video, the Duke show in 1982 at which Jerry and Phil switched sides (hey, this is big news in the Grateful Dead world!) the two great Charlotte shows in 1989, the Raleigh show in 1990 that featured a power outage during the first-set closing Promised Land, and the terrific shows right here in Greensboro in 1991 (including the magnificent 3/31/91 show that featured the ultra-good, extra-long Eyes of the World featured on Dick’s Picks Vol. 17). Oh, yes, the Chapel Hill concerts in 1993. Loads of great stuff.
We'll update this page shortly after the show with the setlist and to recap each performance by The Dead as it relates to the context of the Grateful Dead's history at this venue or city.
Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux will be out on the road with The Dead at selected shows, including this one. He'll be hanging out at the Grateful Dead Productions merchandise booth to answer questions, talk about the archives, or anything else. This booth will have available the brand-new Hartford '77 release, Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978, and loads of other great music, and is the only place aside from dead.net where you'll be able to pick up the 9-CD Winterland 1973 boxed set and all of the Road Trips releases including the recent Volume 2 Number 2 from 2/14/68. David will be around before each show, at the set break, and after the show, so feel free to come by and say hi.
A few notable shows that have taken place in North Carolina over the years include the back-to-back shows in December 1973 at Duke University and in Charlotte, the 1978 Duke show for which you may have the seen the video, the Duke show in 1982 at which Jerry and Phil switched sides (hey, this is big news in the Grateful Dead world!) the two great Charlotte shows in 1989, the Raleigh show in 1990 that featured a power outage during the first-set closing Promised Land, and the terrific shows right here in Greensboro in 1991 (including the magnificent 3/31/91 show that featured the ultra-good, extra-long Eyes of the World featured on Dick’s Picks Vol. 17). Oh, yes, the Chapel Hill concerts in 1993. Loads of great stuff.
We'll update this page shortly after the show with the setlist and to recap each performance by The Dead as it relates to the context of the Grateful Dead's history at this venue or city.
Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux will be out on the road with The Dead at selected shows, including this one. He'll be hanging out at the Grateful Dead Productions merchandise booth to answer questions, talk about the archives, or anything else. This booth will have available the brand-new Hartford '77 release, Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978, and loads of other great music, and is the only place aside from dead.net where you'll be able to pick up the 9-CD Winterland 1973 boxed set and all of the Road Trips releases including the recent Volume 2 Number 2 from 2/14/68. David will be around before each show, at the set break, and after the show, so feel free to come by and say hi.
Greensboro pre-show
It's a few hours before the show, and it’s a beautiful NC day to start the tour. After walking through the parking lot in the hours before the show, it’s been remarkable how similar things feel to the way I recall the scene in 1989-1990. The same amount of people, and the same age groups, looking exactly as we did 20 years ago. A couple of signs of this really resonated, specifically the sounds: every few cars you walk by in the parking lot is blasting a different Grateful Dead song, and they melt into one. Everyone is smiling, anticipating a great night of music. And based on the Saturday night soundcheck, the pre-show soundcheck that is going on as I write, and all rehearsal reports, the music should be mighty fine…Set 1
What an opening, a Bobby trio of songs, Music Never Stopped>Jack Straw, Estimated Prophet, a fine bunch of tunes. The best part of the show, aside from the great music, is the reaction of 18,000 fans when Bobby, Phil or Warren sing a key, familiar phrase, or when the drummers kick things into overdrive, or Phil nails that perfect bass bomb in Jack Straw. Very cool. The lights look spectacular, the sound is pristine, and everyone’s having fun. Ending with another big batch of old school Weir tunes was a fine ending the first night’s first set. On to the second set…Set 2
Second set opening with Shakedown Street seemed like an appropriate thing for a place like Greensboro. It’s a huge old building, very funky, and nothing like a funky Shakedown. Watchtower smoked, and Caution, as they say, beyond the pale. The crowd is going nuts, everyone, as you’d expect, dancing like it’s 1967. Two major things have been standing out, aside from the quality of the music: first, the huge number of children out here with their parents, who obviously saw the Grateful Dead and are bringing their children. There are babies, toddlers, ten year olds and teenagers who are being turned onto this music and the scene by their parents who had experienced it 15, 20 and 30 years ago. The other thing is the great number of people who have been coming by the booth to say hello, check out the archival recordings and just happy to be back. To all of those who have stopped by, thanks. A huge thanks.Oh, lest I forget, the Rhythm Devils portion of the show is spectacular! Not only are Billy and Mickey playing their butts off, but the sounds they’re conjuring are stunning, primitive and way out there. Jeff sat in during this portion of the show and added loads of texture and interplay with the drummers. It’s pretty darn cool. Don’t miss it. The ending of the show’s setlist was nothing short of spectacular: Cosmic Charlie>New Potato>Help>Slip>Franklin’s, and what would Sunday show be without Samson and Delilah, played as the encore. The show was lots of fun, and the people had a blast. See you out here…
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name to the list of people attending the show.
name to the list of people attending the show.
(Set 1)
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The Music Never Stopped
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Jack Straw
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Estimated Prophet
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He's Gone
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Touch of Grey
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I Need A Miracle
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Truckin'
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Shakedown Street
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All Along the Watchtower
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Caution
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Rhythm Devils
(Set 2)
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Space
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Cosmic Charlie
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New Potato Caboose
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Help On The Way
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Slipknot!
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Franklin's Tower
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Donor Rap
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Samson & Delilah
(Encore)
Comments
A-freaking-mazing
The first set was hot. Spent and needed a long break to recover. Two more rippers to start the 2nd and then 30 mins of rhythm and space to chill out. That set 1 He's Gone was a religious experience. Someone tell me who was there that you weren't thinking about Jerry when the instruments slowly faded away and everyone sang in unison a cappella. Plus Caution AND a New Potato! Holy schnikes. Get yourself a ticket NOW to one of these shows before the word gets out. This is THE tour to catch this spring. Forget Springsteen. They are back and smokin'. Phil sounded Grate by the way and both Warren and Jeff have definitely found their places in this band.
Thanks for signing my Hartford liner David!
Lex
YES YES YES
YES YES YES
View from the back?
Sounds like a great show tonight. I'm ecstatic for the show in Denver in about a month's time... Out of curiosity for anyone at the show tonight - how is the stage set-up? Is there a good view from seats behind the stage?
Come on 4/18!!!!
Cant believe they played Cosmic Charlie!!! Awesome List!!! I called the Samson encore(Easter ya'know?) tick-tock,tick-tock......
Greensboro
He's Gone; Touch of Grey; I Need a Miracle - what an awesome trilogy! I agree with Cleodus Jerry was definitely on the mind especially with those three songs back to back to back - on Easter no less!
Mike
phenomenal show
Awesome show in Greensboro....The opening set blew me away. The Music into Jack Straw into Prophet set the tone for this show in the first 30 minutes. David's description of Rhythm Devils is spot-on. I felt like it should be subtitled "Creation." Bill and Mickey seemed to be re-creating the foundations of the earth. Does anything get better than the Franklin's we heard last night? Bob and Warren knocked it dead. Phenomenal show!
Was there an opening act???????
DC here I come. Was there an opening act in NC. Will there be one in DC?
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own
i am freakinn ready to go dead nutty
i am so dam excited,leaving wednesday to to hook up with tour bros. in new england then off to worcester,an old dead head stomping ground,holy shit!,so dam excited,my family far and near i can't wait to dance with you,i can't wait to see the beaty of a sister spinning with thoughts of jerry in her her head and so excited once again to be dead.then its back to new orleans for 2 weeks of jazz fest,kids if you need a place to go come on down to jazz fest and keep the flow.
I think the show was an
I think the show was an ‘A.’
Great energy. Tight. They were having fun. I was too (easily).
I like the Mythology in the song choices:
(We’re back!) The Music Never Stopped
(This Brotherhood) Jack Straw
(Listen Up) Estimated Prophet ->
He's Gone ->
(We Will Get By) Touch Of Grey ->
I Need A Miracle ->
Truckin'
Warren delivered BIG time. Soulful, he took leadership at times, he swept up, his playing is stellar! His tones are enough Jerry-like to satisfy me, and going to great new places. Phil was having a blast. He was so happy. Did you see him hugging and kissing his wife with great delight after the first set? Weir let the jams go on without cutting them off prematurely, his playing and singing was great (but do they still have those old tele-prompters). Chimenti on keys is excellent. Mickey and Kreutzman loving it.
Highlights for me I think He's Gone, Watchtower, Shakedown. The 1968-Interlude in the 2nd set! Beautiful 70-degree day in NC. Parking lot was swinging.
Lots of tickets available up to the evening. I wonder if all shows will be like that.
I’m very happy with that one.
Greensboro
amazing show.....awesome second set.....cosmic charlie>new potato>help>slip>franklin......totally ripped!! So glad I made the trip! Good times.......