To anyone who was seeing the Grateful Dead frequently in the early 1990s, the Knickerbocker Arena was always one of the most anticipated tour stops. Starting in 1990, and right up to the final tour in 1995, the Grateful Dead performed 13 concerts at the Knick (of which I saw 11, missing the two final shows there in 1995). Each show was special partially due to the welcoming nature of the city and venue. The Knick opened for business just a month before the Dead appeared there in March, 1990, with a concert by Frank Sinatra. As regal as that opening with the Chairman of the Board was, by all local accounts, it was the Grateful Dead’s first three-night run that really established the venue. Located in downtown Albany, Dead Heads literally took over the entire downtown core for three three-night runs (1990, 1991 and 1993), and two two-night runs (1992 and 1995). Walking in there for the first time on 3/24/90, it all seemed so, well, clean. The band had played nearby in previous years (Troy, Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs, etc), but these 13 Albany shows at the Knick were the band’s only concerts in the city limits. It’s nice to be back.
Musically, highlights at the Knickerbocker shows were many. The highlights of the 1990 run were enshrined in the CD release Dozin’ at the Knick. The 1991 shows featured only Vince on keyboards, as Bruce left the tour for a week to fulfill other commitments. In 1992 the band played its first Summer shows at the Knick, and in 1993 they returned for the classic three-night Spring run. This 1993 run was where I saw the only live performances I would see of Casey Jones (played only four times 1984-1995), Comes A Time (a song I kept missing live) and Here Comes Sunshine, a song that they only played in 1973-1974 and 1992-1995, as well as a really out-there Eternity. If you’re seeking out very good early 1990s Dead, check out 3/28/93 in Albany. Finally, in 1995, the band played two fine shows, including the final live Grateful Dead performance of Morning Dew.
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.
Albany Pre-show
After a nice, long drive from Charlottesville to Albany, it was great to pull up the venue at which so many great Grateful Dead shows took place, and we even stayed at the same hotel I used to stay at 16-19 years ago. Pretty cool. The city hasn’t changed much, and we had a great night hanging out on Lark Street. For an east coast burrito joint, Bombers should be proud. It’s a hip little neighborhood, and just a short walk from the venue. The load in was during a crisp but sunny morning, and everything is running smoothly. Spirits keep getting higher as the shows keep getting better. Now a Friday night in a classic Grateful Dead venue bodes well for a fun night of music. Preparations are going well for tomorrow’s live broadcast from Worcester. People are beginning to fill the streets of Albany as the weather keeps getting warmer.
Although the Knickerbocker, er, Times Union Center is quite a bit bigger than the Charlottesville arena, it feels so small. Maybe it’s due to familiarity of having been here so often in the past. Walking around the venue earlier today I forget that I’d seen Robert Hunter here at the Palace Theatre in 1997, just down the street from the Knickerbocker.
Set 1
Another blast of pre-1970, with Casey Jones and Cold Rain and Snow opening the show. Cold Rain has always been one of my favourites and this one was played beautifully and had everyone up and dancing. Jeff’s swirling organ filled the room, and everyone played their hearts out on top of that. Terrific stuff. Following that with another old one, New Minglewood Blues, had everyone smiling, plus a tasty Into The Mystic sung by Warren was a nice surprise. And then came the 1980s, with a bluesy, raunchy West LA Fadeaway. Crazy stuff. Following that came another dose of 1970-1971, Brown Eyed Women (with a great intro!) followed by Cumberland Blues, with Phil laying down that wonderful Cumberland bass line. All in all a very, very good and solid first set that everyone loved.
Set 2
Everyone was thrilled with the second set opener, Viola Lee Blues! And it went on and on with some crazy way-out-there jams! Excuse the exclamation points, but it was smoking!! That fell into a beautiful Sugaree with Warren providing some soulful vocals. Out of the ashes of Sugaree came a deep and powerful The Other One, complete with roaring Phil bass intro. Bobby has been playing really great this tour, and tonight is the clearest and loudest I’ve yet heard him, and his playing is high on the wow-factor. Derek on the recording crew thought this Other One was really a cooker, and he was right. Another excellent Rhythm Devils came next, with Billy and Mickey playing some inspired sounds, as we journeyed through space with them. Out of Space came Comes A Time, and a friend pointed out that it was on 3/27/93 at this very same venue that both Casey Jones and Comes A Time were played, just as they both were tonight. Thanks DG for the historical reminder. That show in 1993 was the only time I saw either of those tunes live. After Comes A Time came a long, very jammed out Unbroken Chain, a song I’ll never tire of. Everyone kept pushing that instrumental groove harder under it all fell back into the final verse. Well done! A Throwing Stones emerged from that, one of Bobby’s finest compositions. What a freaking show! Throwing Stones was a nice way to end the second set, and as a continuation of that usual sequence, the nice encore of Not Fade Away.
Oh, and on a side note, the lights look amazing at these shows! Dan English, the lighting designer, has done a wonderful job lighting these concerts.
Thanks Albany, for another great of music. It was always my favourite tour stop in 1990-1993, and tonight was the best night yet, and that’s saying a lot considering how much fun it’s been so far. On to Worcester, for two nights at the Centrum (or whatever it’s called now).
Read more about the Dead in our local and national press section.
name to the list of people attending the show.
(Set 1)
Casey Jones
Cold Rain and Snow
New Minglewood Blues
Into The Mystic
West LA Fadeaway
Brown Eyed Women
Cumberland Blues
(Set 2)
Viola Lee Blues>
Sugaree>
The Other One>
Drums>
Space>
Comes A Time>
Unbroken Chain>
Throwing Stones
(Encore)
Not Fade Away
Comments
Morning Dew Close or Encore?
Morning Dew Close or Encore? ?
Well....
I was at the Greensboro show and I downloaded the shows from archive.org and bought the board version. I have to say the board sounds way better than the ones on archive.org. I would wait to hear the ones from the board before you make such harsh comments.
chicago
lookin for one good one (seat) in chicago!
pm me or at sgpchef@q.com
Spencer
I just listened to the clips of Greensboro...
Based on the content of the audio samples, it seems that the Dead are not concerned with trying to sell the audio to non-attendees but that's another story. I'm just curious how full the arenas have been. Have tickets been available at the box offices, day of show? $100 a ticket - I only know of 1 person in my GD circle, going to a show and I'm guessing the ones going, are younger and having their tickets paid for.
Great looking set list!!! I
Great looking set list!!! I was at Greensboro and it was great I will be in NYC and Chicago i wish i could just do the tour like back in the day but hey......
For those not getting it let me say this I have been going to shows since the mid-80's and while it is different it felt great. I have listen to the first show and i didnt get the lift i did while there live, but i never do or did from the recordings. I dont know if you take it for what it is and relax you will fins somthing for ya to groove on baby
Aslo sure there is 100 out there but i got 65, for GB and 55 for chicago!
Albany was Awesome!! First
Albany was Awesome!! First set was real nice then Warren really cranked it up on Sugaree.
Great show tonight! Had
Great show tonight! Had floor seats next to the soundboard. It was cool getting to meet David Lemieux before the show, too. Opening with Casey Jones was really hot and like David said in his review, Into The Mystic was a nice surprise. Really bluesy version of New Minglewood Blues by Bobby. Epic Sugaree (Warren really tore it up on guitar) followed by an equally epic The Other One. Drums left me speechless...Billy and Mickey are still the best! On a night of long jamming, even Unbroken Chain was stretched out...I've never heard the trademark blitzkrieg bridge repeated like it was tonight. Bobby's passion came through in his political rocker Throwing Stones and Not Fade Away was the perfect encore although I could feel the crowd would have loved even more...as for me, I'll be truckin' up to Buffalo!!!
albany
The show was fantastic. Takes some getting used to hearing bobby singing jerry tunes but fantastic
I'll be a voice of dissent
I'll be a voice of dissent here. The set list looks great and there were some highlights (Into the Mystic) but overall the show was disappointing. The jams were too choppy, looked like Bobby was having problems with his guitar, and the sound was a bit off. If I was seeing 6-7 shows I would have just shrugged the show off as a night to rest my bones but with the prices of tickets ($50 on the street) it is hard to see many shows. Again, some highlights but disappointing.
Wow
I can't wait to hear this one. I felt the scene (not the music) after Jerry die and have only seen Ratdog once since a number of years ago. Was really thrilled and psyched when they anounced this tour to the point that I began to fear that my enthusiasm/expectations may not be met. Having listened to the past three shows I'm more excited then I was before the tour started. I think they simply sound excellent, it's not the same as it was and there are moments where I really miss Jerry's sound (particularly the Help/Slip/Franklin's in Greensboro). In my opinion the Dark Star which people seem to be complaining about is terrific. It's not the same as a 77 Dark Star but neither was the 87 version, and don't you think that if every version sounded like 77 we would have stopped going a while ago? I listened to it while doing things around the house so I wasn't dissecting every note, but you know what, it filled my house with a fantastic chilled vibe. Maybe it didn't work for those attending the show because of how excited we all are to be back here again and our nervous system has been trained to expect the music to go in one direction and the boys took us in another one. Maybe it doesn't seem as fluid because, lets face it, this ensemble has really been together for what translates to months as opposed to the 10, 20, 30 years the Grateful Dead spent playing together. In the end, my hats off to the boys as they seem to be playing some really really great music. Love Warren on vocals, and his guitar simply soars at times, big ups to Jeff as well.
That's my two cents, keep up the good work boys.
P.S. my one month old little girl really likes it too.