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
OH Albany!!
Oh Albany
Jonesin like Casey for the Cold rain and snow mingled with the blues. Misticly we fadeaway west to L.A where brown eyed women lay cumbered with the blues. Viola Lee and Sugree drum to the open space. They sing there comes a time to unbreak the chains and throw the stones and say WE WILL NOT FADEAWAY.
By Quazi (QuaziFL)
Oh how I wish I was there sounds like a great show.
Whine with that cheese?
The fans on here complaining about prices and the quality of the music crack me up. Hey bozos! This is not the Fillmore 1969 nut jobs! This tour is about fun and about keeping the spirit alive through the music. My first show was in 1985 and I was high as a kite. Nothing is going to bring that back and I would not want to go back anyway. Noboby was more into the Dead while growing up in the eighties and I have supported them for 25 years, but we all have lives now. I listen to classical music most of the time now. To me, these remaining guys are legends and heros of a very cool era in American history. But to whine about the music without Jerry or cry about a ticket price is the most unGrateful thing I can imagine. "I don't know who went to school here. William Howard Taft, or William Jennings Bryant, but his spirit is dead, its gone, you killed it". There was a time when I would take a flame thrower to this place!" You know what, lame ducks, just go and try to have some fun at these shows, but as lame as some of you sound on here, it appears that some of you were either not around to know the real spirit of the band, or missed it along the way somehow.
The bus came by and I got in
The boys levitated the Times Union Center with a rippin second set. Viola Lee Blues set the stage for cosmic transformation. Enjoy Worcester!
Albany Show
For those without tickets a dude I met got one for Albany the night before at face value. There were empty seats in the upper levels. Not sure if that was because no one was sitting in theirs or the scalpers got stuck with tickets. I was seated behind the stage off Warrens shoulder. Supposed to be in section 220 but my friend and I went down instead of up and werent hassled. Preshow I was at non other then Bombers Burrito bar. btw free burritos on 04/20!!!
Thought the set list was awesome. Warren was a workhorse. Phils new bass sounded amazing and he let out some killer runs. A juicy drums and space with lots of looping and the thunder machine. I swear I heard horns.
I think the set II opener of Viola lee blues into Sugaree ran close to 35 minutes. long lead in to the other one without cryptical before they launched into the lyrics. Had a very jazzy Ratdog vibe. One of the best Throwin Stones Ive heard.
of course there were rough spots. Warren changed guitars during the middle of Sugaree I believe and there was some reverb on his opening vocals. Set I wasnt the continous jam of one song write into the other and yes bobby and warren both had sheet music up from which to refer too. (dudes you should use a laptop ala Max Creek's John rider)
I tweeted the setlist on twitter (irongirl01) and ill have a review up over on the music blog i contribute to www.phishcoventry.blogspot.com sometime this weekend.
I wanted to run over to Worcester but alas i most play some poker to fund my other concerts and festivals coming up
Peace all. stay safe and have great shows!!!
Lori aka IG
Family
The Boys play music for the DEAD family.
As in a family they try to reach all by a wide range of sound.
( some like drums some space others not.)
If you do not like one night with out your favorite tunes go to the next night.I am on the west coast and only get a few shows but will be there to see the BOYS & DEAD family.
So as in any family can not please all but remember that we are all one extended family. LOVE GA
Dalbert1969
Hey Dalbert,
What, everyone has to love all shows? This not about being ungrateful but to say that in all the shows I have seen (3/13/81, first show with over 200 to follow) I was disappointed. Another point not too overlook is that in scope of a tour, this show would be a time to rest your bones but who can afford all these shows. Hell, three shows would set my wife and I back $600. Not for nothing but I think this shameful. Lastly, being Un-Grateful is calling people names unless they agree with you.
Uh, I guess I left my keys in my other pants...
Average to poor in my opinion. Back before electricity, the Dead ROCKED...last night they seemed to want only to move endlessly in and out of songs--seemed lost most of the time...Afraid or unable to establish and drive the groove home--that's what they did best
Some pearls--Cold Rain & Snow, Brown Eyed Women, the Other One.
Jamming is good, I paid to be rocked--didn't happen
Overall, very disappointed
They're right Jlawless...
They're right Jlawless...
It's not 1968 or '77 or even '87 for that matter. Times have changed (fine), music has changed (no problem), band members have changed (great), and most importantly mortgages, college tuitions, and geriatric care need to be paid for.
Looking forward to Buffalo,
Looking forward to Buffalo, I can't wait to see the band and everyone who makes it. The sets and the playing sound amazing to me, brand new, fresh and different from any other era of Dead music so I'm stoked!
But I gotta say, after following the comments here I'm a little disappointed in the tone of some of them.
The price of a ticket is an invalid complaint to me. Most of us have never gone to every show, so not going every night this year means nothing to 99% of us. Either you want to spend 100 bucks to see the band or you don't, but please don't shit on the tour because of that.
Also, on occasions too numerous to count, I didn't see or hear the set list or the level of playing I had imagined in my head but on most of those nights I had my mind blown by what I did see and hear. A worthwhile proposition indeed, IMO.
For over 40 years us fans have given the band the space to be themselves, and for that we have been rewarded with experiences beyond anything we could ever have imagined. Me, I'm willing to keep letting the magic happen by meeting the boys halfway on this.
Peace to everyone, be safe and enjoy yourselves.
wow
What a killer show last nigh. That Into The Mystic
West LA Fadeaway was just what the doc ordered. Amazing show one of the best shows ive seen The Dead do. Huge energy in that arena last night