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
Were you folks that went to
Were you folks that went to the 5/4 show able to hang out in the parking lot? I keep hearing rumors that people are being rushed into the venue and cannot tailgate in the lot.
Monday Night
What a great show! I had so much fun, great times. The music was fantastic. I can't believe I was of the ones previously bitching about the price hike. If anyone deserves it, it's the boys. They played 3 hours and the music was so good I didn't mind there was no Scarlet. I did notice a little difference of opinion between Phil & Bobby after the last song before the donor talk. Phil wanted to do one more song before they walked off the stage. He whispered in Bobby's ear but Bobby shook his head no. Phil walked off the stage shrugging his shoulders like he was saying "what the hell". Bobby also seemed miffed after the encore (Imagine) when they did an obvious unscheduled second encore (Box of Rain) which Phil sang. Hope they are not getting on each other's nerves. Anyway, can't wait for tonight. I took off work today & tomorrow. My wife is even coming with tonight. Hope everyone has a great time tonight. Enjoy!
Parking Lot
The cops were cool last night in the parking lot. They were just asking beer drinkers to pour it in a cup. No hassels with the merchandise selling. I did see them making the rounds inside once trhe show was on. I think they were trying to get everyone standing in the back of the balcony to sit down by shinning their flashlights on them. Come early tonight. it's a good time in the parking lot.
A very nice way to start the
A very nice way to start the Chicago run for sure. Looking forward to a killer show tonight. The lot a big subdued but I guess at my age a slower pace makes sense. COPS out in force so everyone please be careful tonight and for the rest of the tour.
SEE YOU AT THE SHOW
HOLY MOLY!! THE CHICAGO SHOW
HOLY MOLY!! THE CHICAGO SHOW LAST NIGHT WAS FREAKIN AWESUM!! WE WERE SEC 208 RIGHT OVER WARREN BACK CORNER AND THE SOUND WAS AWESUM AND THE LIGHT SHOWEVEN BETTER!!!! LOT WAS COOL!!!
KEEP ON TRUCKIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DoDa Man ;^ )
Without love in the dream it'll never come true
=================================
Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia
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Apparently I'm in the minority
Wow...I thought I would come on here and see some less positive feedback but most seemed to LOVE last night in Chicago. I would say this about the show: mediocre set list, very well played...
The 1st set was very dirty and gritty, yet very controlled. Only on Miracle did they seem to let it all out. china Cat was a lot of fun but very awkwardly transitioned into Born Cross Eyed, which was a blast. But the next 5 of 6 songs seemed like filler. Aside from the energized miracle, the songs were, again, VERY tight and well played but just a lackluster set: built to last AND Liberty? Wang Dang Doodle was pretty juicy, while West LA just made for a longer Wang Dang Doodle for all intensive purposes (and West LA was pretty drawn out). Pride of Cucamunga was jovial yet amidst these other tunes just added to how lightweight the set felt. I LOVE how Warren emulates the Jimi riffs on Watchtower, but they stumbled to the finish line a bit.
I thought the second set would overcompensate for the controlled tempo and energy of the first, but then they come out wiht the acoustics. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy an acoustic set, but I think at that point I was just looking to dance more intensely after the first set. Fun choices, butmaybe there were a few TOO Many covers??? Watchtower is more their song now, but with Into the Mystic, Hard Rains A Gonna fall AND Imagine, it was a bit tribute-y to me - and the fact is I LOVE all those songs and they sounded great. Warren has great pipes and a gorgeous voice, that's for sure; he's so versitle...
Iko-Iko was a bit overpolished and gratuitous. Not sure what I thought of Bobby with the Tamborine and the 7th-8th reprise of the chorus, but Iko-Iko is still Iko-Iko and compels you to move regardless. GDTRFB: What happened to the transition ending???? Not a fan of the "ain't gonna be treated this a way" 3-times repeating and end of song thing...I want the groovy "I bid you goodnite"-esque twangy ending, even if they wanted to turn that into the set finish...
I am VERY thankful for the two song encore, and again, these guys are Really tight - I am impressed with how much they gelled - but I just left the show a bit unfufilled energy wise. It felt like a primarily acoustic show for some reason. After seeing the Philly sets, I knew they would have to dig deeper to find tunes, but I am hopeful Tuesday's show will be a bit more Rocking, punctuated with ballads but not overpopulated with them...
As far as I could tell
As far as I could tell nobody was being told to go right into the venue upon entering the main lots. We parked right on the other side of the Target lots near Mannheim Road. Had time to have a few beers and smoke, then took a stroll down Shakedown St.
Inside the arena we found our seats pretty easily, straight back sec 214, and it was not very long before the band was onstage. China Cat>Born Cross-Eyed was nice to open and Pride Of Cucamonga was fun, nice and bluesy middle section. Liberty and Watchtower to close were nice with the former having those of us in the nosebleeds singing along!
The acoustic set was very well played. Into The Mystic really did kinda take us there. Having played that It was no surprise that they got right into the meat of it with an ear-shattering Drums>Space!
Iko Iko is always great fun at a show and the crowd was feeling it hard, singin' and clappin' along without the band right into the final chorus. SOTM sung by Warren was something special and the rockin' GDTRFB to close was great.
Imagine and Box Of rain were short and sweet.
I don't anticipate an acoustic set tonight probably more of a standard 2nd set with lotsa ass-shakin'!
"... during what’s shaping
"... during what’s shaping up to be one of the finest tours any of these guys have done since 1995"
THREE WORDS "Thank you guys"
Denver here I come***
: )
Last Night was....F@cking
Last Night was....F@cking UN-Blieveable...!!!!!
Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine the treats that were in store for me. The parking lot was as I had hoped & dreamed, & definiteley did not disapoint...it had plenty of anything you could imagine & more...it was like.....just how things left off in 95 + more.
China Cat opener was a nice surprise..I waited in anticipation as it's counterpart was teased. Sadly they didn't bring the Rider home for me, but I have a hunch it may come out 2nite...? Built to Last was played & sang beautifullly by Warren....it damn near brought tears to my eyes to hear the similarities sometimes, between him & Brent.
The mini Acoustic set was a nice way to get the 2nd set started & Phil singing Peggy O....was one of the most beautiful post Jerry versions I have ever heard.
the drumZ segement seemed especially inspired & altered states or not that whoe Arena was shaking!!!!!!! Not to mention my body shaking to the CORE!!
Jamming GDTRDB to close of the set, that had the house rocking.
& how exactly would the boys bring the night to a close for us....?????
An out of the F'ing world, out of nowhere...IMAGINE!! Vocals shared by Bobby & Warren were handled beautifully, & turned into a whole arena sing along!!! If that wasn't enough, Phil brought it full circle for me, with an especially well timed Box of Rain!!!!!
Couldn't have asked for a better Night! Sadly I can't be there tonight, but to everyone that will be there or hear it....I expect you are in for one HELLUVA RIDE!!!
Peace
Dew Child
Great Show
Liberty to All Along the Watchtower to end the first set was top-notch. There was lots of energy and a great vibe from the crowd...I just wish I had tickets to the second show!