As Jerry once famously said, it was fun the play at Madison Square Garden because the place was “juiced.” From the moment you walk in, you feel the jolt of energy that this legendary venue provides, and it’s easy to understand why it must be such a great place to play. Having only seen two shows at the Garden (9/15&16/87), I can only marginally attest to consistency of this energy, but from what I witnessed, there was indeed something special about the place.
Between 1979 and 1994, the Grateful Dead played at MSG 52 times, second to only the 53 shows at the Philadelphia Spectrum for the most Dead shows at any venue outside of California. If you add the four Felt Forum shows, a venue located in the basement of the Garden, from 1971 you have a new out-of-state champion. From 1979 onward, with a couple of exceptions and a four year gap in the mid-1980s, the Grateful Dead played the Garden almost yearly, with runs ranging from two nights (1979, 1981, 1982, 1983) up to nine nights (1988, 1991), along with other runs of three, five and six nights; clearly the Grateful Dead enjoyed settling in to New York for a residency at the Garden. With so many New York area shows on this tour by The Dead, evidently the band members still love a good stay in New York, and generally the music reflects the comfort with which they approach these stays in the Big Apple.
Musically, the Grateful Dead brought their A-game to the Garden. Some of the most classic shows of the 1980s and 1990s took place at MSG, including some very famous nights of Grateful Dead music. In 1981 and 1982, the band played two exceptional nights each year, and in 1983, the long-awaited break-out of St. Stephen on 10/11/83 (last played on 1/10/79, also in the New York area at Nassau Coliseum). The band returned to the Garden in 1987 with a five night run (with a Garcia-Weir appearance on Letterman on the night off that featured a classic parlour trick…) that included the magnificent Friday night show on 9/18/87, and the TV broadcast of a few songs live for Farm Aid on 9/19/87 (including the debut of the Grateful Dead’s version of Maggie’s Farm, which they’d played as Dylan’s backing band earlier in the year). In 1988, a nine night run was capped with the Rainforest Benefit, which featured loads of special guests. The 1990 shows were the debut of the two-keyboardist arrangement of the band featuring Vince and Bruce (Vince had joined a week before in Richfield, OH), and have been well-covered in official release-dom, with Dick’s Picks Vol. 9 featuring the entire show from 9/16/90, and Road Trips Vol. 2 No. 1, featuring the highlights of 9/19&20/90. The 1991 run featured another instant classic show with Branford Marsalis sitting in on 9/10/91, with 1993 seeing another horn player, David Murray, sitting in on 9/23/93, and 1994 had some mighty fine playing as well. As you can tell by this quick overview of the band’s history at MSG, there was really so much great music played here.
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.
Set 1
In and out of the Garden he goes… This place has always been such an important venue for the Grateful, where they played more than 50 concerts. I only saw two there, in 1987, but I do recall the energy in the building was unlike any other place I’d seen the Grateful Dead. As Jerry said, the place is juiced. And speaking of Jerry, the show tonight opened with five Garcia tunes in row, Cosmic Charlie, China Cat, Shakedown, Ship of Fools, He’s Gone. Pretty cool. The only non-repeat of the tour amongst this batch of songs is Ship of Fools. After these Jerry tunes comes a Weir-Barlow classic, Cassidy, always such a fine first set tune. Capping everything off with Sugaree seems like a nice launching point for the break, as this is one of those tunes the post-1995 bands have consistently nailed.
Set 2
Well, that’s quite a second set opening sequence, all music written in 1969 or earlier. That is the type of setlist we used to write down as a fantasy setlist. Very cool. Opening with Mickey and Bill doing Drums (aka Rhythm Devils, which can be used in lieu of Drums anytime Mickey and Bill are involved) is a great way to start the set. I recall seeing The Other Ones on 7/5/98 at Darien Lake, NY, a show at which Mickey and John Molo opened the show with Drums for about 5 minute before the band joined in for Samson and Delilah (it was Sunday, after all). At MSG on this night, though, they barreled into Cryptical>Other One>Born Cross-Eyed>St. Stephen (no surprise here, a reminder of 10/11/83)>The Eleven>Uncle John’s Band. And then comes the first foray of the set into the 1970s, Unbroken Chain. This is followed by not only another early 1970s song, but a perfectly appropriate song for the night: One More Saturday Night. And sending the masses out the door with Brokedown Palace is the perfect capper to what was evidently a fun night of music. On to Hartford!
Read more about the Dead in our local and national press section.
name to the list of people attending the show.
(Set 1)
-
Cosmic Charlie
-
China Cat Sunflower>
-
Shakedown Street
-
Ship Of Fools
-
He's Gone
-
Cassidy
-
Sugaree
-
Drums
-
Space
-
Cryptical Envelopment>
-
The Other One
-
Born Cross-Eyed>
-
St. Stephen
(Set 2)
-
Jam
-
The Eleven
-
Uncle John's Band
-
Unbroken Chain
-
Gimme Shelter>
-
One More Saturday Night
-
Donor Rap
-
Brokedown Palace
(Encore)
Comments
MSG - 4/25/09
The set list forgot - Gimme Shelter (2nd set) - an awesome version!
It's streaming on GD radio
It's streaming on GD radio right now - Insanely good
MSG - 4/25/09
BTW the MSG crowd was amazing...singing along the entire time - Phil spoke to the crowd before the encore - and thanked everyone for a 'transcendental" evening. It was just that!
What's up w/ the Rider in
What's up w/ the Rider in that review of set 1(they didn't play it). Does that mean the review was done before show even took place?
Bush leauge if so....
agree on questionable reviews
I agree uncleshawnsham. Who is posting these setlists? they miss the gimme shelter and the rider error. It's not that hard to figure it out if you have been there before. write it down and report as it actually goes down. Hey we all mistakes me included but with this crew, people who can't be there want to know the real deal.
that being said listening to
that being said listening to it after the fact and there are no complaints. ripping night in the garden. hope all are well out there and smiling as they should be.
yes gimme shelter after
yes gimme shelter after Unbroken chain
Awesome!
Awesome!
WOW
What a show, great energy!!!!!!!!!!
MSG - 4/25/09
What an amazing show! From beginning to end a flawless show! You cannot go wrong loading a show with "Jerry" songs! "Gimme Shelter" was just phenomenal!