• Roosevelt Stadium - August 4, 1976

setlist

  • Sugaree
    New Minglewood Blues
    Row Jimmy
    Big River
    Loser
    Looks Like Rain
    They Love Each Other
    Music Never Stopped
    Scarlet Begonias

    Help on the Way
    Slipknot!
    Franklin's Tower
    Dancin' in the Streets
    The Wheel
    Samson and Delilah
    It Must Have Been the Roses
    Not Fade Away
    drums
    The Other One
    Ship of Fools
    Sugar Magnolia

    Johnny B. Goode

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    1 year 3 months ago
    First Time On the Bus

    I went to my first Jerry Garcia concert on 10/24/75. The Dead weren't touring then and when I bought tickets to hear Jerry again on 4/1/76, rumors were circulating that perhaps this was to be a Grateful Dead show. It turned out that Keith and Donna played on that date, but the rest of the band was hanging at home.

    But in June, the Dead began to tour and I bought tickets for the July 2nd show at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ. I'd been to the stadium before. It was an old, broken down piece of concrete that held maybe 30,000 or so people. Being as the show was scheduled for just two days before the big Bi-Centennial celebration, I figured this would be one for the ages. It would also be my first Grateful Dead show.

    But as luck would have it, it rained on Friday, July 2nd and instead of taking place the following night, as the ticket promised the show was postponed until August 4th.

    All good things come to those who wait though.

    On August 4th, with the sun just starting to set behind the stage, the Dead came out and launched into Sugaree. There's a great video of this song that circulates and I can tell you that everyone was as happy to be at this long-awaited show, as the few folks on screen appear to be. I remember literally laughing out loud when the show started I was so excited to be there.

    Big River (which has never been a favorite of mine) was especially good, as was The Music Never Stopped. And I was really pumped to hear the band end the first set with Scarlet Begonias.

    At the Intermission, I hung out in the field area with a couple of heads I'd met, going over the first set. We had agreed that it had been much better than we'd expected when we were interrupted by a lot of noise coming from the stage. A magician/juggling act was up there, blowing folks away. Fireworks were to follow too, as this had originally been planned as the Bi-Centennial show.

    The second set opened with Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower > Dancing In The Street > The Wheel > Samson And Delilah. I was right down front for all of it and recall being completely overwhelmed at hearing The Wheel. It was the one song I'd wanted to hear the most when I arrived that night. The singing was particularly good and I had to admit that Donna more than held her own.

    I went back to where my group of friends was sitting in the stands for the rest of the show. The guy sitting next to me (an old childhood friend) tossed a couple joints to people in front of us as the band started playing Sugar Magnolia. That was his favorite tune and they wailed on it for over eleven minutes! We got a Johnny B. Goode encore and the show was over.

    What struck me the most about the whole night was that I'd tapped into a community of strangers who were as passionate about something as I'd ever seen. Yeah, the Dead were a great rock 'n roll band, but there was something else going on and I wanted to find out what it was. I was on the bus and it was heading out of town, with me on board.

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    anotherone
    2 years 11 months ago
    Was this show rescheduled from 7/2/1976.

    My ticket stub says July 02 1976. The show was at the old Roosevelt Stadium in Union City N.J.

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    zionist12
    7 years 1 month ago
    August 4 1976 Sugaree playing as walking in........
    First show. Had such a blast in parking lot, that we "TWIRLED" in during Sugaree!! It's a moment you NEVER FORGET. Last show, Opening Song: Box of Rain. In all the shows I've gone to, and it's been a few, or a few hundred, who can recall........somethings you'll NEVER FORGET. I had NEVER heard them open the show with Box of Rain before. Two teens with their dad, in front of us, hoping and praying that it would be the first song......we told them NOT TO GET THEIR HOPES UP........and lo and behold......Box of Rain. Those kids lost their minds. You could tell their father was Kvelling! If you ever read this, Dad of those boys.......you did GOOD! Those kids and their enthusiasm completely MADE the show for us......and sadly, that was the last show we saw with Jerry. He was gone the next year.
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17 years
setlist
Sugaree
New Minglewood Blues
Row Jimmy
Big River
Loser
Looks Like Rain
They Love Each Other
Music Never Stopped
Scarlet Begonias

Help on the Way
Slipknot!
Franklin's Tower
Dancin' in the Streets
The Wheel
Samson and Delilah
It Must Have Been the Roses
Not Fade Away
drums
The Other One
Ship of Fools
Sugar Magnolia

Johnny B. Goode
show date

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14 years old ,not a care in the world ,older bro and friends initiated me just right,Long day, bit to stoned for the show to stand out,but Betty boards brought lots of memories back.For you DSO haters out there,Got to see them perform this over the summer at the Stone Pony.What a nite .What a show
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This show had to be rescheduled as there was a murder in the parking lot of the venue after a Yes concert earlier in the year. For awhile, it was up in the air as to whether it would be re-scheduled at all. The original show was to take place on July 2nd or 3rd, and my me and two friends planned to catch the show and head to the Shore for the weekend. The Bi-Centenial weekend. Big deal. Well, a month later it was on and I was at my first full time job, so we couldn't get their until just before show time, racing from Brooklyn through the tunnel and over to the venue. We sat in the back of the seats in this former minor league baseball stadium that, by this time was a hell hole, even by Jersey City standards. Beer bottles all over the place and those nasty old pee troughs. We mixed up some nice, nonelectric, Gin and Lemonade, and had a few bones. The kids behind us were way stoned and puking. The boys came on and opened with Sugaree, a rare opener and my first show. Great show all in all, with a nice ship of fools and an Other One with only one verse. A vivid memory is the half time show. They played some black and white movies, I believe Stooges and WC Fields, and a magician/juggler with a monkey on a bicycle. I think his name was Mr. Chips, the monkey, that is. Some of the freaks thought it would be fun to throw stuff at the primate and the monkey's handler, nearly in tears exited the stage with him. I have been employed by the same company since then and haven't stopped listening.
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Thanks Adrey2 (see coment above) I was sitting here looking at a ticket stub for Jul 02, 1976, and trying to find the show. Yea I remeber the film. In those days they tried to do cool stuff during intermission. (That was before wharf rat meetings!) Didn't they also have fire works at that show, that spelled out the band members names? It was one of those RS shows. Peace!
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this was my first dead experience and it blew me away. i was pretty straight in those days and was not ready for the full spectre of a dead concert. it was also my first experience standing in front of a stage for most of the night. i came away with some new ideas about the music scene and what was going on around me at that time and truly touched me in a way that i can never fully comprehend. some 150 shows later, i can truly say that the dead was one of the most truly memorable experiences of my life and would not trade in the memories nor the friends that i met for anything in this wolrd.
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16 years 8 months
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Jerry switched to stage left and was also a "clean shaven Jerry" During a very long break (standard back then) there was also a guy walking on hot coals or broken glass or something. Honestly, the show was not real terrific Best was Scarlet ending first set. Rate the show maybe a 6 out of 10.
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It was my first and worst show. I thought it was because I never saw the dead before so I didn't know what to expect. But years later I heard the tape and I didn't even want it. 77 was redeeming.
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Any negativity I attribute to Jersey City Vibes. A lifetime resident and witness to a prme example of what happens to an industrial area when Indusery abandons it. Ten years previous, RS was a romantic place to walk on a Friday or Saturday night. If anyone could bring a little joy to this type of situation, the Dead concert is one of the few cultural events (Jersey City had no culture) that can pull it off. On this night it did not happen.The Stanley Theater was the one venue that could have helped, but shortly after The Dead played there, it was sold to Jehovah;s Witnesses and from what I heard of the renovations, revealed its possibilies.
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Took busses, subways, Path Trains and Jersey City locals to get to show. We stopped by the new WTC on our way and snuck up to some very high, unfinished floors. Anywho, 1st show. I began to understand the magic rather quickly when the crowd vibed on "Looks Like Rain" with a collective whoop. I remember like it was yesterday. Never felt that before and was hooked. I recall the scene being a little tinged with danger. There was a group that insisted on blowing things up in the stands. Then there was that monkey getting pelted with stuff. Wierd vibe.
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Yes I remember Mr. Chips...his handler saying "he smokes cigarettes...smokes pot too!" at that people began throwing stuff at him. It was weird. I was so excited however at finally seeing The Dead...I also remember the fireworks. The large screens projected the band in black and white if memory serves. When I heard the tape years later, the playing was kinda sloooow...but it was a great time. Mike
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when I was posting today's shows over in the forum I was thinking about all the stuff i saw this week and flashed on that dang monkey on the motorcycle and a vivid memory of Parrish coming out to protect equipment up on the screens... came here to read comments and see if anybody else remembered that... Scher always had weird stuff during the breaks and preshow. i was one who was very happy this show was in August as i wanted to escape Philly on the over-hyped bicentennial weekend (and did, to a bluegrass festival in Vermont). this was the night that in the car headed south on the turnpike i realized i had no shoes on...and had all sorts of little shards of glass and wire in them. ewwwwww. but gee, didn't notice 'til long after the show ;)
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16 years 6 months
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Actually saw NRPS more times than the dead. NRPS at Newark State Teachers College (aka Kean) in 1974 was first concert ever.Only thing I remember about Roosevelt 1976 was walking over bodies passed out in the dirt to get near the stage. Wished I had seen more dead shows, but none of my friends were into it.
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16 years 4 months
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It seems like this was the first initiation to the Dead for many people. I was 14 and amazed at what was going on. I don't remember the quality of the music from being there but have it now and I think it sounds pretty good. Did the same public transportation thing as a lot of you did and got lost. I don't remember what time I got back to Queens NY but my parents were pretty worried. No cell phones then. They didn't know this was the first of many more to come.
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16 years 5 months
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In general and specifically about this show. I'm sure I was there we went to all the RS shows. The venue may have sucked donkey dinkies but the Dead ALWAYS played great there. The same can NOT be said for Eric Clapton & Pink Floyd. 2 of the worst shows I've ever been to. That must have been in 73? I think I was just out of HS
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Hey Wharf Rat Pete, i think the fireworks were at my first show also at Roosevelt on jerry's b'day on 1973. As i recall it was during the 1st set ending Casey Jones and they had a fog machine, and fireworks spelling out the names around the stadium...it was a long time ago but that is how i remember it. It was a crappy place, but man i saw some great shows there from 73-76!
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15 years 2 months
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The monkeys name was Mr Jiggs and the last I heard he was bartending at a bar in NYC
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Right on the heels of Colt Park. Even w/all the nasty shit that happened in CT, I was hooked. Yeah, the place was a dump but it was a great show. Jerry's birthday party w/chimps was crazy. Getting home we got screwed on NJ Transit going the wrong way, so bunch of deadheads decided to serenade the rest of the train w/tunes. Took 3 hours to get back to Manhattan and another 2 to get back to Queens. As we were to find out over the years, getting to and back from the shows is half the fun :) and brings back so many crazy memories. See everyone on the road in '09!
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14 years 5 months
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For the most part getting in and out of the place was a nightmare and even worse when trying to pick up a friend on 440 hitching a mile after you have seen him and tripping with cops all over the place. Stopped to pick him up and after a 10 minute walk back and another 10 minutes back to the car to only see 3 trooper cars surrounding my car with all friends inside freaking out. The cool thing was that they knew we were all high but just said get the hell out of here. I thought the opening with Sugaree was perfect for the crowd that was there but the rest is a blur.
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16 years 8 months
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I remember this show, it was the show where the Dead had to exit the parking lot at the same time as all of us. I also remember meeting up with a chick with a tee shirt that had a a big eye ball on it with the writting under it of: "I ball". Between sets we all met up with the warf Rat group, quite the scean. The place was a dump but we where able to hitch to and from Hauppauge LI to the show. My best shows where in '77 and '78 with Troy NY RPI fieldhouse being one of the best shows for me.
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Its amazing to see this! I grew up in JC, though I left as soon as I could drive, and really never returned. The dead show in 76 may have been the first big concert I ever attended. I was 16. My freaky brother-in-law took me for my birthday on the back of his chopper (and almost got into a fight with hell's angels when he wanted to race them). I remember Mr. Jiggs the monkey! What a racist name, in hindsight :) My brother-in-law was a bit of a scam artist, and had badges made up that said we were from "NJ Sound Systems", and amazingly that got us into a small "back stage" area - not with the band, but it was one section of stadium-style seats adjacent to the side of the stage. It was the first time I ever heard of (or tried) hash oil. I remember really enjoying the show. I also saw Yes and Kiss there that same year.Can you believe there are some videos of this show on youtube! http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=grateful+dead+roosevelt+sta… and also photos http://www.photog.com/gdead/70s/76/Roosevelt/index.html what a blast from the past! -- David -- David
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This was my first show. A friend's mother drove us there and back because of the death at the Yes concert. It was originally scheduled for July 2nd. I was 15 years old. Here is the ticket stubb: http://cl.ly/a75
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The monkeys name was mr. Jiggs, being from Kearny new Jersey we had the pleasure every year to see mr Jiggs little show at the high School, fourth of July Show. I was at the dead show at the stadium being five to seven minutes from the stadium we were at alot of shows this one was special. As I recall they let us in about five hours early being general addmission every one was scattered all over the infield drinking sacks of wine and doing mesque. All of a sudden a hellicopter appeared and dropped bags of frizbees and tennis balls people were tossing them around the rest of the afternoon I stuffed a couple of tennis balls in my geans. as I recall it was John Shear Presents a local promoter in the area his Idea was to have shows between bands changing, the first was a juggler believe it or not he went on and off without a hitch the second was Mr.Jiggs a large chimp who rode a unicycle my friends egged me on being that we were in the third row and i had a good arm, so I threw the ball at the monkey and beened him in the head he fell off the bike and went absolutely nuts running to the end of the stage and screaming all the time staring right at me I thought he was gonna do a mighty Joe young the trainer talked him down and then we all got yelled at by shear, twenty years later I was driving a truck in paramis and I had the funny feling someone or something was staring at me I looked to my right and there he was all stapped in and staring up at me he looked pissed on the side of the RV it said Mr. Jiggs I rolled down the window and said yea it was me buddy it was me.
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I went to my first Jerry Garcia concert on 10/24/75. The Dead weren’t touring then and when I bought tickets to hear Jerry again on 4/1/76, rumors were circulating that perhaps this was to be a Grateful Dead show. It turned out that Keith and Donna played on that date, but the rest of the band was hanging at home. But in June, the Dead began to tour and I bought tickets for the July 2nd show at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ. I’d been to the stadium before. It was an old, broken down piece of concrete that held maybe 30,000 or so people. Being as the show was scheduled for just two days before the big Bi-Centennial celebration, I figured this would be one for the ages. It would also be my first Grateful Dead show. But as luck would have it, it rained on Friday, July 2nd – and instead of taking place the following night, as the ticket promised – the show was postponed until August 4th. All good things come to those who wait though. On August 4th, with the sun just starting to set behind the stage, the Dead came out and launched into Sugaree. There’s a great video of this song that circulates and I can tell you that everyone was as happy to be at this long-awaited show, as the few folks on screen appear to be. I remember literally laughing out loud when the show started – I was so excited to be there. Big River (which has never been a favorite of mine) was especially good, as was The Music Never Stopped. And I was really pumped to hear the band end the first set with Scarlet Begonias. At the Intermission, I hung out in the field area with a couple of heads I’d met, going over the first set. We had agreed that it had been much better than we’d expected when we were interrupted by a lot of noise coming from the stage. A magician/juggling act was up there, blowing folks away. Fireworks were to follow too, as this had originally been planned as the Bi-Centennial show. The second set opened with Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower > Dancing In The Street > The Wheel > Samson And Delilah. I was right down front for all of it and recall being completely overwhelmed at hearing The Wheel. It was the one song I’d wanted to hear the most when I arrived that night. The singing was particularly good and I had to admit that Donna more than held her own. I went back to where my group of friends was sitting in the stands for the rest of the show. The guy sitting next to me (an old childhood friend) tossed a couple joints to people in front of us as the band started playing Sugar Magnolia. That was his favorite tune and they wailed on it for over eleven minutes! We got a Johnny B. Goode encore and the show was over. What struck me the most about the whole night was that I’d tapped into a community of strangers who were as passionate about something as I’d ever seen. Yeah, the Dead were a great rock ‘n roll band, but there was something else going on and I wanted to find out what it was. I was on the bus and it was heading out of town, with me on board. "When it comes to humility, I'm the greatest!" - Bullwinkle Moose
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This show was supposed to happen earlier. around the bicentennial. About a month earlier Yes was 2 hours late taking the stage and someone did die. The dead show was canceled. The dead got some suits to sue and the show was back on. So of course the vibe was affected, the show is on, the show is off, the show is on. It was an electric evening for me. I thought Jerry was doing ship of fools just for me. Totally hooked form that point. This was the last concert of any kind at this venue.
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So the dimbulb that threw the ball at Mr. Jiggs finally comes clean! I was wondering who that was. Show some respect, for godsake; Mr. Jiggs is the only simian to have shared a stage with Jerry and the boys.
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Thanks for the memories Audrey, I had pretty much forgotten about the half time show. We were pretty far from the stage and didn't really get all the details, better off I guess. The thing I remember most were the clouds of dust, I don't think there was much of anything growing in the infield by this time. Found out a few days later that a good friend of mine was working backstage that night and could have gotten me in. Oh well. Again, in hindsight, I was probly better off right where I was.
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First show. Had such a blast in parking lot, that we "TWIRLED" in during Sugaree!! It's a moment you NEVER FORGET. Last show, Opening Song: Box of Rain. In all the shows I've gone to, and it's been a few, or a few hundred, who can recall........somethings you'll NEVER FORGET. I had NEVER heard them open the show with Box of Rain before. Two teens with their dad, in front of us, hoping and praying that it would be the first song......we told them NOT TO GET THEIR HOPES UP........and lo and behold......Box of Rain. Those kids lost their minds. You could tell their father was Kvelling! If you ever read this, Dad of those boys.......you did GOOD! Those kids and their enthusiasm completely MADE the show for us......and sadly, that was the last show we saw with Jerry. He was gone the next year.
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I went to my first Jerry Garcia concert on 10/24/75. The Dead weren't touring then and when I bought tickets to hear Jerry again on 4/1/76, rumors were circulating that perhaps this was to be a Grateful Dead show. It turned out that Keith and Donna played on that date, but the rest of the band was hanging at home.

But in June, the Dead began to tour and I bought tickets for the July 2nd show at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ. I'd been to the stadium before. It was an old, broken down piece of concrete that held maybe 30,000 or so people. Being as the show was scheduled for just two days before the big Bi-Centennial celebration, I figured this would be one for the ages. It would also be my first Grateful Dead show.

But as luck would have it, it rained on Friday, July 2nd and instead of taking place the following night, as the ticket promised the show was postponed until August 4th.

All good things come to those who wait though.

On August 4th, with the sun just starting to set behind the stage, the Dead came out and launched into Sugaree. There's a great video of this song that circulates and I can tell you that everyone was as happy to be at this long-awaited show, as the few folks on screen appear to be. I remember literally laughing out loud when the show started I was so excited to be there.

Big River (which has never been a favorite of mine) was especially good, as was The Music Never Stopped. And I was really pumped to hear the band end the first set with Scarlet Begonias.

At the Intermission, I hung out in the field area with a couple of heads I'd met, going over the first set. We had agreed that it had been much better than we'd expected when we were interrupted by a lot of noise coming from the stage. A magician/juggling act was up there, blowing folks away. Fireworks were to follow too, as this had originally been planned as the Bi-Centennial show.

The second set opened with Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower > Dancing In The Street > The Wheel > Samson And Delilah. I was right down front for all of it and recall being completely overwhelmed at hearing The Wheel. It was the one song I'd wanted to hear the most when I arrived that night. The singing was particularly good and I had to admit that Donna more than held her own.

I went back to where my group of friends was sitting in the stands for the rest of the show. The guy sitting next to me (an old childhood friend) tossed a couple joints to people in front of us as the band started playing Sugar Magnolia. That was his favorite tune and they wailed on it for over eleven minutes! We got a Johnny B. Goode encore and the show was over.

What struck me the most about the whole night was that I'd tapped into a community of strangers who were as passionate about something as I'd ever seen. Yeah, the Dead were a great rock 'n roll band, but there was something else going on and I wanted to find out what it was. I was on the bus and it was heading out of town, with me on board.