It is great to see the band returning to the Rosemont Horizon, now known as All State Arena, and the Chicago area, a place filled with loads and loads of wonderful Grateful Dead concerts from 1968 to the very final Grateful Dead show, on 7/9/95 at Soldier Field.
The first time the Grateful Dead visited Illinois was in November, 1968, when they’d played the Kinetic Playground for two nights (with Procol Harum), a venue to which they’d return two months late for two more shows. From November 1970 to October 1971, the band performed six shows in Chicago on four separate visits, two each to The Syndrome and the Auditorium Theatre. A couple of these concerts, 8/23&24/71 have been released on CD as Dick’s Picks Vol. 35 (aka The Houseboat Tapes) and Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 3, both releases worth checking out if you like that stripped down one drummer Grateful Dead. With Pigpen beginning to feel a little under the weather, those concerts featured really more of a quartet, with occasional organ, vocal and harmonica contributions by Pigpen. The concert on 8/24/71 featured the first of two live versions of Pigpen’s Empty Pages, included on DP 35. The Dead would return to the Auditorium Theatre in 1976 during the comeback tour, and 1977 for two shows on the magnificent April-May 1977 tour.
In 1978, the Grateful Dead moved on from the Auditorium Theatre, performing at the Uptown Theatre on the three separate occasions in 1978 for a total of eight shows. They’d also play six more shows there in 1980 and 1981, three per year. Other venues in Chicago worth noting in regards to the Grateful Dead’s history there include UIC Pavillion, where they played three great shows in 1987, the International Amphitheatre (site of shows in 1973 and 1974) and Solider Field, site of nine Grateful Dead shows from 1991-1995. The title track from the So Many Roads boxed set was recorded at Soldier field at the very last Grateful Dead show. The site of these shows on The Dead’s current tour was also the home of 13 Grateful Dead shows from 1981 to 1994, and was pretty much the band’s indoor home in Chicago starting in 1981. Brent Mydland’s final concerts too place in the town of Tinley Park just outside of Chicago, at the World Music Theatre in July 1990. Just days later, Bret was gone. Also worthy of honourable mention is a venue not in Chicago, but also not too far, and that’s Assembly Hall in Champaign-Urbana Illinois. I only mention it because two outstanding Grateful Dead shows took place there in February 1973 (and a pretty good show in December 1981).
Musically, there was plenty of great material played by the Grateful Dead in Chicago. The second show at the Electric Theatre in 1969, on 4/26/69, was included on Dick’s Picks Vol. 26 (coupled with the excellent show the next night in Minneapolis). The show on 7/25/74 featured a distinct Slipknot! jam coming out of Dark Star, the second such stand-alone attempt at Slipknot, and the last time it would be played on its own before being joined with Help On The Way and Franklin’s Tower in 1975. The three show in January-February, 1978 were incredibly tight and were closer in their energy and format to the 1977 sound than they were to the 1978 sound that was more distinctly formed in April, 1978. The Soldier Field show on 6/22/91 was one of the finest shows from a very, very good year of Grateful Dead performances, and features a terrific opening sequence of Hell In A Bucket, Shakedown Street, Wang Dang Doodle. That’s some music certainly worth seeking out.
The late-add of the second night in Chicago on the current tour by The Dead is definitely a welcome addition. It just didn’t seem one night would be enough to pack in what we expect will be so much great music in such a great city.
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.
Chicago - Set 1
Back to Chicago, site of many great shows, as well as the last ever Grateful Dead show and Brent Mydland’s last show. Regardless of those sad events, it’s still a great place for these guys to be for a couple of days, and looking at the first set’s list, it looks like it’s going to be one of those shows. As promised, here’s a recap of the show as it relates to the Grateful Dead’s history. A mix of old and not-quite-as-old, with a lot of cool stuff mixed in. A China Cat opener, always a nice way to ease into the show, then doesn’t go into Rider, similar to what happened a week ago on the tour (when they finished the combination at a later show…), which was followed by an even older song, Born Cross-Eyed. Then came the first “new” song of the night, Built To Last. Then comes the tour’s third Pride of Cucamonga, always great to hear Phil sing this quirky tune from Mars Hotel. His vocal delivery hasn’t changed in the 35 years since he recorded it in March, 1974. An always-rocking I Need A is followed by my favourite of Weir’s bluesy numbers, Wang Dang Doodle (although I also love Minglewood, Rooster, CC Rider and Walkin’ Blues…), and then a ladies’ choice, West LA Fadeaway. And then along comes a REALLY new song, Liberty. I just heard that great version from 1994 on the So Many Roads boxed and remember how much I love this great Garcia-Hunter song. And then another Watchtower, which has been played extremely well this tour! A great looking set indeed.
Set 2
Back to acoustic Dead! If I remember correctly (THAT’s what IIRC means! I just got it…), this is the first acoustic segment since the second set opening of Nassau, the third overall on the tour after the one in DC on 4/14. This one had Mexicali Blues, Into The Mystic (played electrically in Albany) and Peggy-O, pretty darn cool. Bobby has made a habit of playing a little acoustic sets at RatDog shows, and it’s wonderful to hear him play the acoustic guitar. I used to love seeing Weir & Wasserman play those great acoustic sets 1989-1992, during which I saw them a lot in very cool places (Merriweather, Burlington, the super-cool spinning stage in Toronto, Scranton, etc). Then comes A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, the second of the tour after the DC acoustic version, and then somewhat surprisingly, the acoustic set slips into Drums, followed by the obligatory Space. But then comes the perfect out-of-Space song, Iko Iko, always a smooth jam out of Space. This and Not Fade Away were always such great way to get everybody back up and dancing. Then comes Standing On The Moon, always great in the Grateful Dead days in the post-Drums ballad slot. And just like the pacing of a Grateful Dead show, this Garcia-Hunter ballad rips into GDTRFB, which have been exceptional on this tour, really blow-the-roof-off-the-place kind of stuff. Then a double dose of an encore, with Imagine and Box of Rain (the last Grateful Dead song ever played, in this very city) wrap up night one in Chicago during what’s shaping up to be one of the finest tours any of these guys have done since 1995.name to the list of people attending the show.
(Set 1)
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China Cat Sunflower>
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Born Cross-Eyed
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Built To Last
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Pride Of Cucamonga
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I Need A Miracle>
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Wang Dang Doodle
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West L.A. Fadeaway
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Liberty
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All Along the Watchtower
(Set 2)
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Mexicali Blues
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Into The Mystic
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Peggy-O
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A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
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Space>
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Drums>
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Iko Iko>
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Standing On The Moon>
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Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
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Donor Rap
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Imagine
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Box Of Rain
(Encore)
Comments
Haray Carey's Rosemont
On the Bus at 1pm WOOHOOOOO!!!!!! Meeting here around 420 for beers and!! walking distance from Allstate!!
10233 West Higgins Rd.
Rosemont, IL 60018
(847) 699-1200
DoDa Man ;^ )
Without love in the dream it'll never come true
=================================
Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Harey Carey's Tavern!!! 7
Harey Carey's Tavern!!! 7 hours to go Bayb!!!
DoDa Man ;^ )
Without love in the dream it'll never come true
=================================
Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Have a "High-Time" folks,
Have a "High-Time" folks, I'll be there tomorrow!!! Wish I was in for both shows though...
2 tix Chicago 5/4/09 available
2 tix Chicago 5/4/09 available
section 210 Row E seats 1 and 2! face value obo
e-mail to jbdeadhead@aol.com if interested
630.495.4590
thanx a bunch !
song lists to 5-02
SONG SHOW #
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (acoustic) 2
Alabama Getaway (Warren vocals) 2,9
All Along The Watchtower 1,11
Alligator 6,14
Althea 5,15
Bertha 3,11
Big Boss Man 3
Big Railroad Blues 2
Big River 7
Bird Song 5,12
Black Peter 11
Born Cross-Eyed 6,10
Box of Rain 8,14
Brokedown Palace 10
Brown Eyed Women 4,9,15
Built To Last 8
Candyman 8
Casey Jones 4,13
Cassidy 2,10
Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks) 1,8,14
China Cat Sunflower 5,10
Cold Rain and Snow 4,14
Come Together 2
Comes A Time 4,14
Cosmic Charlie 1,10
Cumberland Blues 4,11,15
Crazy Fingers 3,13
Cream Puff War 6
Cryptical Envelopment 10,15
Dancin in the street 5
Dark Star 2,9,12
Days between 5,13
Deal 6,13
Dear Mr. Fantasy 12
Death Don't Have No Mercy 9
Dire Wolf 8
Doin' That Rag 3,13
Don't Ease Me In 9
Dupree's Diamond Blues 5,14
Easy Wind (Warren vocals) 2,9
Estimated Prophet 1,12
Eyes of the World 7,12
Feel Like A Stranger 5,12
Fire On The Mountain (Warren vocals) 6
Fire On The Mountain (w/ Branford Marsalis) 12
Foolish Heart 3
Franklin's Tower 1,12,15
Friend Of The Devil 14
Gimme Shelter 10
Good Lovin' 6,15
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl 6,15
Glory Road (acoustic) 2,11
G-L-O-R-I-A 3
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad 5,9
Greatest Story Ever Told 11
Hard To Handle 14
Hell In A Bucket 6
Help On The Way 1,15
Here Comes Sunshine 6
He's Gone 1,10,15
High Time 3,12
Iko Iko 8
I Need A Miracle 1
I Know You Rider 5,13
Into The Mystic 4
It’s All Over Now 7
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue 9
Jack Straw 1,9,14
Johnny B Goode 5
King Solomon's Marbles 2,11
Knockin' On Heaven's Door 9
Lazy River Road 2
Let It Grow 6
Liberty 8
Little Red Rooster 11
Looks Like Rain 9
Loose Lucy 7,14
Loser 7
Lost Sailor 9
Lovelight 6
Maggie's Farm 7
Mason's Children 3,15
Me and Bobby McGee 7
Me and My Uncle 8
Midnight Hour 8
Milestone 5,12
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo 3,14
Momma Tried 7
Morning Dew 15
Mountains of the Moon 5
Mr. Charlie 8
New Potato Caboose 1,12
New Minglewood Blues 4
New Speedway Boogie 3,14
Not Fade Away 4
One more Saturday night 5,10,15
Passenger 2
Peggy-O (acoustic) 2,9
Playing In The Band 3,7,14
Playing In The Band (Reprise) 14
Pride of Cucamonga 2,13
Promised land 7
Ramble On Rose 7,13
Revolution 8,15
Ripple 2,11
Row Jimmy 11
Saint of Circumstance 9
Samson And Delilah 1,6,11,15
Satisfaction 6
Scarlet Begonias 6,12
Shakedown Street 1,10,14
Ship Of Fools 10
Sittin' On Top Of The World 13
Slipknot! 1,6,15
Smokestack Lightning 7
So Many Roads 8
Stagger Lee 8
Standing On The Moon 3
Stella Blue 7
St. Stephen 3,10,15
Sugar Magnolia (with Tipper Gore on drums) 2
Sugar Magnolia 14
Sugaree 4,10
Tennessee Jed 8
Terrapin Station 5,13
The Eleven 3,10
The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) 8
The Other One 4,10
The Music Never Stopped 1,13
The Weight 11
The Wheel 6,13
They Love Each Other 7
Throwing Stones 4
Till The Morning Comes 11
Tomorrow Never Knows 11
Touch Of Grey 1,9,13
Truckin' 1,7
Turn On Your Love Light 12
Unbroken Chain 4,10
Uncle John's Band 2,6,10,15
US BLUES 12
Viola Lee Blues 4,11
Weather Report Suite Part 1 8
West LA Fadeaway 4,11
When I Paint My Masterpiece 9
Women Are Smarter 13
space/ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,910.11,13,14,15
rhythm devils drums 1,2,3,45,6.7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15
4/28*With Branford Marsalis
Fire On The Mountain*
Birdsong*
Feel Like A Stranger*
Turn On Your Love Light*
(Set 2)
Estimated Prophet>*
Milestones>*
Drums>*
Space*
Dear Mr. Fantasy>*
Dark Star>*
Eyes Of The World*
(Encore)
Franklin's Tower*
SHOW NUMBERS
#1. 4/12 Greensbor , NC
#2. 4/14 Washington, DC
#3. 4/15 Charlottesville, VA
#4. 4/17 Albany, NY
#5. 4/18 Worcester, MA
#6. 4/19 Worcester, MA
#7. 4/21 Buffalo, NY
#8 . 4/22 Wilkes-Barre, PA
#9. 4/24 Uniondale NY
#10 . 4/25 New York, NY
#11. 4/26 Hartford, CT
#12. 4/28 E. Rutherford, NJ *With Branford Marsalis
#13. 4/29 E. Rutherford, NJ
#14. 5/1 Philadelphia, PA
#15. 5/2 Philadelphia, PA
#16. 5/4 Chicago, IL
#17. 5/5 Chicago, IL
#18. 5/7 Denver, CO
#19. 5/9 Los Angeles CA
#20. 5/10 Mountain View, CA
#21. 5/14 Mountain View, CA
#22. 5/16 Quincy, WA
#23. July Rothbury Fest. MI
get in the groove & let the good times roll!
looks like a great day for a show, shout out to all the Heads stayin' in the Aloft hotel!
Have A Good Time Everybody, I call EYES OF THE WORLD to open tonight or tomorrow!
NFA
37 minutes into the show and
37 minutes into the show and no word, we're dying here man!
All those bad comments about
All those bad comments about forgetting a song in Hartford, now we have to wait 90 minutes! :o(
Come back to us, give us the songs as they come, we weren't complaining, we are the happy ones!
another song I would like to see them play
New New Minglewood Blues would fit in fab...
I love how they played Cream Puff war true to the sound of the era and would love to hear more tunes as played off their first official album... fast Rider !!
Folks, remember that Chicago
Folks, remember that Chicago is on Central time. Show starts at 8:30 Eastern, right about.......
NOW!