6844 S Water Rd
Rothbury, MI 49452
Without a doubt the band is having a blast, booking this single big show for the summer at the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan when a whole April-May tour just wasn’t enough. The lineup at this festival is filled with bands and musicians with whom the Grateful Dead have a connection in some way or another: Bob Dylan, the String Cheese Incident, Willie Nelson, the Black Crowes, Gov’t Mule, and Broken Social Scene (anyone who can detect the link between the Grateful Dead and the stunningly good and always exciting Canadian music collective Broken Social Scene gets a prize…), amongst many other great bands.
The Grateful Dead’s history at music festivals was hit or miss, generally with more hits than misses, and even the misses usually had some hidden gems. Woodstock, of course, is the granddaddy of all rock music festivals, and the performance by the band was famously off. However, the version of Lovelight at this show goes to some immensely entertaining places. Likewise Monterey ‘67, where the band members have often discussed their performance as being mediocre, but anyone who has seen the video of the version of Viola Lee Blues from Monterey can tell there was some magic in the air. A few hits that come to mind are the 5/23&24/69 Big Rock Pow Wow in Florida, at which the Grateful Dead performed twice, both exceptionally good concerts. The Bickershaw Festival on 5/7/72 saw the Grateful Dead play one of the longest, and best, shows of the Europe ’72 tour, and the only show on the tour at which both Dark Star and The Other One were performed (on that tour, one or the other was played each night). One of oddest nights of music I’ve ever been a part of was exactly six years previous to this year’s Rothbury Festival, when The Dead were on the bill at Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic. The setting was terrific, a sloping hillside just outside of Austin, Texas, with The Dead getting a massive 3 hour time slot. Amongst the other performers were Leon Russell, and in one of the most incongruous pairings I can think of, Toby Keith. But, the tens of thousands of people on hand, regardless of who they came to see, had a blast, with everyone getting along and enjoying a perfect evening with some great music. Willie was a great host, sitting in for a few songs with each performer, and The Dead rose the occasion and blew some Texas minds with a terrific version of Caution that night.
The Grateful Dead’s history in Michigan is a little light, with 32 shows being played in this state, the bulk of which were performed in and around Detroit. The band’s first trip to the state was in 1967, just after the week-long residency in Toronto and shows in Montreal, when they played in Detroit. Other Michigan shows of note included the two shows in October, 1971, during Keith’s first tour with the band; a show in October 1972 during that non-stop run of amazing shows in the Fall of 1972; Cobo Arena shows in the Fall of 1976 and 1977 (the 10/3/76 show is a personal favourite and features one of the most inspired second sets of the year, and a great Scarlet Begonias in the first set); several good shows in Auburn Hills in the early 1990s; and shows at Pine Knob in June 1991 (as well as shows there in 1980 and 1984).
The Michigan shows I’d like to especially point out are from the Pine Knob ’91 run. As anyone who has seen the DVD View From The Vault Vol. 2 , taped just five days before these concerts, knows, the band was looking and sounding great on this tour, with the members of the septet pushing one another to new music heights just about every night. Pine Knob was a nice little place on a tour that was a mix of smaller sheds and large stadiums. Both nights featured some very unique performances and song sequences, and some very cool sounds coming from the stage. The first show on 6/19/91 featured a very different Scarlet>Fire, with Phil’s bass exhibiting a clarity of tone I’d never heard before. The post drums sequence of that show, Stella Blue>Other One>Johnny B. Goode was so bizarre, with a very, very rare Other-One-after-Stella-Blue, and with the Other One going into a rocking Johnny B. Goode, it was a strange night indeed. As odd as that sequence was, the real fireworks were saved for the next show, when the band’s second set began: Throwing Stones>Iko Iko>All Along The Watchtower>Standing On The Moon>He’s Gone. A truly epic night of music. And to show that they were paying attention, the second set wraps up with a very smooth transition back into Throwing Stones, a reprise, before barreling into Not Fade Away. All of this is part of the terrific Download Series Vol. 11, so if you’re inclined to download music, check that show out. From a year with a lot to recommend, these Pine Knob shows were some of the most interesting. Honourable mention for Michigan Dead’s coolest shows are the two nights at the Easttown Theatre in Detroit in October, 1971, with a great, melodic Dark Star part of the second night’s big second set. Also worthy of mention are the Ann Arbor shows in 1979 and the 1989, the latter featuring two great nights on the might fine Spring Tour of 1989.
We'll update this page during the show with the setlist.
See the setlist below.
name to the list of people attending the show.
Set One:
Sugar Magnolia
Eyes Of The World>
Estimated Prophet
Loose Lucy
Friend Of The Devil
Into The Mystic
Help On The Way>
Slipknot!>
Franklin's Tower
Set Two:
One More Saturday Night
Shakedown Street>
China Cat Sunflower>
I Know You Rider>
Drums / Space>
Viola Lee Blues
Morning Dew
Throwing Stones
Sunshine Daydream
Encore:
US Blues
Not Fade Away
Comments
complete song list all shows
first off............the Sunshine Daydream is the only time without a sugar mag leadin. as always if you see an error let me know. Enjoy the summer and PRAY to whatever you believein for a Fall tour.
SONG SHOW #
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (acoustic) 2,16
Alabama Getaway (Warren vocals) 2,9
All Along The Watchtower 1,11,16
Alligator 6,14
Althea 5,15,22
Bertha 3,11,19
Big Boss Man 3
Big Railroad Blues 2
Big River 7
Bird Song 5,12,20
Black Peter 11,19
Born Cross-Eyed 6,10,16,21
Box of Rain 8,14,16,22
Brokedown Palace 10,17
Brown Eyed Women 4,9,15
Built To Last 8,16
Candyman 8
Casey Jones 4,13,18
Cassidy 2,10,20
Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks) 1,8,14,19
China Cat Sunflower 5,10.16,21,23
China Doll 18
Cold Rain and Snow 4,14
Come Together 2,17
Comes A Time 4,14
Cosmic Charlie 1,10,19
Cumberland Blues 4,11,15,18
Crazy Fingers 3,13,18,22
Cream Puff War 6
Cryptical Envelopment 10,15
Dancin in the street 5,17
Dark Star 2,9,12,19,22
Days between 5,13,22
Deal 6,13,21
Dear Mr. Fantasy 12,21
Death Don't Have No Mercy 9
Deep Elem Blues 18
Dire Wolf 8,22
Doin' That Rag 3,13
Don't Ease Me In 9
Dupree's Diamond Blues 5,14
Easy Wind (Warren vocals) 2,9,18
Estimated Prophet 1,12,21,23
Eyes of the World 7,12,22,23
Feel Like A Stranger 5,12,18
Fire On The Mountain (Warren vocals) 6,19,21
Fire On The Mountain (w/ Branford Marsalis) 12
Foolish Heart 3
Franklin's Tower 1,12,15,20,23
Friend Of The Devil 14,21,23
Gimme Shelter 10,20
Good Lovin' 6,15,20
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl 6,15
Glory Road (acoustic) 2,11
G-L-O-R-I-A 3
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad 5,9,16
Greatest Story Ever Told 11
Hard To Handle 14
Hell In A Bucket 6,17,22
Help On The Way 1,15,20,23
Here Comes Sunshine 6
He's Gone 1,10,15
High Time 3,12
Iko Iko 8,16
I Need A Miracle 1,16
I Know You Rider 5,13,17,21,23
Imagine 16
Into The Mystic 4,16,22,23
It’s All Over Now 7
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue 9
Jack Straw 1,9,14,21
Johnny B Goode 5
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues 22
King Solomon's Marbles 2,11,18
Knockin' On Heaven's Door 9
Lady With A Fan 21
Lazy River Road 2
Let It Grow 6
Liberty 8,16
Little Red Rooster 11
Looks Like Rain 9
Loose Lucy 7,14,22,23
Loser 7,18
Lost Sailor 9,18
Maggie's Farm 7
Mason's Children 3,15,21
Me and Bobby McGee 7
Me and My Uncle 8,18
Mexicali Blues 16
Midnight Hour 8
Milestone 5,12
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo 3,14
Momma Tried 7
Morning Dew 15,21,23
Mountains of the Moon 5
Mr. Charlie 8,17
New Potato Caboose 1,12,21
New Minglewood Blues 4
New Speedway Boogie 3,14,19
Not Fade Away 4,18,23
One more Saturday night 5,10,15,19,22,23
Passenger 2,22
Peggy-O (acoustic) 2,9,16
Playing In The Band 3,7,14
Playing In The Band (Reprise) 14
Pride of Cucamonga 2,13.16
Promised land 7
Ramble On Rose 7,13,18
Revolution 8,15
Ripple 2,11,18
Row Jimmy 11
Saint of Circumstance 9,18
Samson And Delilah 1,6,11,15
Satisfaction 6,19
Scarlet Begonias 6,12,19,21
Shakedown Street 1,10,14,19,23
Ship Of Fools 10,21
Sittin' On Top Of The World 13
Slipknot! 1,6,15,20,23
Smokestack Lightning 7
So Many Roads 8
Stagger Lee 8
Standing On The Moon 3,16,21
Stella Blue 7
St. Stephen 3,10,15,20
Sugar Magnolia (with Tipper Gore on drums) 2
Sugar Magnolia 14,20,23
Sugaree 4,10,20
Sunshine Daydream 23
Tennessee Jed 8,17
Terrapin Station 5,13,21
The Eleven 3,10,20
The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) 8,17
The Other One 4,10,15,20
The Music Never Stopped 1,13,22
The Weight 11,18
The Wheel 6,13
They Love Each Other 7,17
Throwing Stones 4,17,23
Till The Morning Comes 11
Tomorrow Never Knows 11
Touch Of Grey 1,9,13,17,20
Truckin' 1,7,17
Turn On Your Love Light 6,12
Unbroken Chain 4,10,17,20
Uncle John's Band 2,6,10,15,20
US BLUES 12,21,23
Viola Lee Blues 4,11,19,23
Wang Dang Doodle 16
Weather Report Suite Part 1 8,17
West LA Fadeaway 4,11,16
Wharf Rat 19
When I Paint My Masterpiece 9
Whiskey in the Jar 18
Women Are Smarter 13,22
space/ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,910.11,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23
rhythm devils drums 1,2,3,45,6.7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23
The Dead's performance at
The Dead's performance at Rothbury was amazing! We feel so lucky to have seen them. The fireworks during U.S. Blues were the icing on the cake. There was actually nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile. I don't have a single complaint about the festival. Hope to see everyone again next year.
A phenomenal experience for
A phenomenal experience for sure!!! Everything about it was so amazing; I heard many people say the whole experience felt like a dream. The fans were primed, the scene was oh so kind and the band was scorching hot!!!! I canNOT get over Estimated, Mystic or Viola!!! BEST DEAD SHOW EVER (and I was at both Philly shows in May)!!!!! To the band, Rothbury and the fans in attendance: I want to thank you for a REAL good time!
Re- My experience....
shiny-happy-person made a good point about moving during the show, I am not sure how close you were? and it was my choice to be where I was and if I didn't like it I should have moved, but I should not have to, I act out of respect for everyone around me and that includes everyday life as well, that was far from what I experienced from the thousands of people around me, talking, yelling, smoking, drinking, cell phoning, text messaging and on and on and doing everything but listen to the music and if you have the nerve to tell me that "I think we all have to learn that people are different in how they enjoy their moments. " that's BS. I appreciate that each and every individual has the right to express themselves, but at what expense? I may be overly sensitive, being from Canada will do that to you..LOL
When I am rich enough I will have a private box hovering above the stage away from all the chaos . To end, I agree that this was one amazing concert, I saw the Dead over 150 times and now reaching 400+ of GD related stuff, this was one for the books.
One more....
fluffhead420 your comment "but how dare you chastise concertgoers at a Dead show for being "stoned"? you are in the minority if you're *not* baked...all of the people around you probably thought you were a cop...cop" just confirms that your reasoning is one of the reasons this world is so messed up. It's my choice to attend or not attend and I may be leaning towards the latter, it will leave you to your own devices.
Take a closer look at summer tour 95, where did that get us?
A peaceful place or so it looks from space,
A closer look reveals the human race.
Full of hope, full of grace
Is the human face,
But afraid we may lay our home to waste.
the show
to all i have been sober 21 years but still enjoy partyn with all it is the vibes flowwing that make each and every show so amazzzzzing the fans the band it takes all to make the experience possible baked or not if you did not enjoy every part of rothbury you should not have spent your money if the partyn bothers you just smile and walk away. i love this band and the fans. been going to shows since 65 very little has changed that what is so beautiful freedom and music hot damn nothn bettter for the head but the good ol dead.
thanks for a great 2009 to the boys and the heads
loaves and fishes,dont give up dont ever give up!
wow, Wow, WOW!
What a show it was . . . the whole thing was incredible, but highlights for me were Friend of the Devil followed by Into the Mystic in the first set, Saturday Night thru Rider in the second set, and of course U.S. Blues and NFA accompanied by fireworks for the encore. Big, big fun!
"Come with me or go alone, he's come to take his children home"
Rothbury Download?
When is the Rothbury download going to be available. Must hear it.
Bliss
Rothbury - what an amazing four days. Dead were incredible ... SCI blew open the doors ... and Dylan was short but sweet... am looking forward to 2010.
Hope they release the Dead set soon.
Rothbury
Lots of folks came for The Dead....and String Cheese, which also put on a fantastic show the night before. Dont have any comments on how people were behaving, but I thought Rothbury generally was a very safe, non threatening and clean environment. My only issue was the music, literally, never stops, ever. Too much house music going all the time in the distance, but a great event, and The Dead were superb, alot better than when I saw them earlier at Rosemont in Chicago, which was a good to great show anyway. Fireworks during US Blues were a great treat, and Bobby did a great job singing and playing along while the skys were exploding overhead - anybody at Red Rocks years ago when an electrical storm broke out during the encore of Werewolves???? It was kind of like that.