Greensboro Coliseum

Venue History

Show Recap

Greensboro Coliseum

::venue info

::map and directions

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.

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…

Read more about the Dead in our local and national press section.

Registered Deadheads Attending This Show

(Set 1)

The Music Never Stopped
Jack Straw
Estimated Prophet
He's Gone
Touch of Grey

I Need A Miracle
Truckin'

(Set 2)

Shakedown Street
All Along the Watchtower
Caution
Rhythm Devils

Space
Cosmic Charlie
New Potato Caboose
Help On The Way
Slipknot!
Franklin's Tower
Donor Rap

(Encore)

Samson & Delilah

4/12

4/14

4/15

4/17

4/18

4/19

4/21

4/22

4/24

4/25

4/26

4/28

4/29

5/1

5/2

5/4

5/5

5/7

5/9

5/10

5/14

5/16

July

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Comments

Last Night

On April 13th, 2009 Crystal Journey said:

What can you say about a set list like that? One would have to ask how were they played? TMNS reminded me of why I love this music so much, during Jack Straw I felt and thought about my 42 years on this planet and felt the amazing power of music, Miracle just was rockin. During Watchtower I wondered if Jimi Hendrix fell into Warrens guitar and the Jam into Rhythm Devils was just beautiful. Jeff's playing on Samson blew my mind. The colour's from the lights were stunning and the band played with such heart felt connection that I am ecstatic to be seeing 7 more shows and sad when I have to drop off after Jersey. Many, many blessings to this amazing group of musicians who took another leap into the unknown. What a Long Strange Trip It Is********