Grateful Dead

Who are you people, and why do you keep following me around?

Easily one of the best shows I've ever seen. Check out the interplay between Jerry and Brent on "Shakedown". Awesome! A hometown show for me and my first dosage (My 5th show). Great memories.

This was both my first show and my first trip. It was an unusually chilly day with a snowy mix blowing across the Spectrum parking lot. Filled with that soon to be familiar glow of good vibes emanating from the crowd... folks wandering around singing "Going where the climate suits my clothes"... The white spotlights sparkling off of Jerry's guitar (Rosebud, I believe) as he belted out "Inspiration, move me brightly" during one of the many crests in Terrapin... Driving home through the University City underpass on the Surekill Expressway feeling like I was inside a video game. Incredible, unforgettable night all around. I was hooked, and saw them every chance I got until the end. If you get confused, listen to the music play! ChinaRider

Great show. Great trype. Couldn't find my car afterwards. Luckily ran into a hometown buddy ealier while wandering the halls who helped me find it. Followed the white road lines and multi colored swirling light show all the way home to NJ. Whew!

for whatever reason the dead have always played great shows in phila. and this show proves my point. highly dosed by the time the second set started . shakedown blew me away i can still see the notes comming out of the speakers. the bit of space from truckin to the other one. killer. another one of my many favorite shows

I was a high-school senior, and this was my first Dead show. The only music I knew at the time were the handful of popular studio recordings that still serve as FM radio fodder today. I had seen perhaps half a dozen bands at the Spectrum by this point, and I remember thinking that this was the first real MUSIC I had heard there. I recall this evening's "Shakedown Street" as the single most memorable live performance I've ever attended (with the possible exception of an Elvis Costello concert in which some jerk swiped my brother's pipe and chucked it at Elvis, although it missed him and hit his guitarist...he had been angry that Elvis wasn't playing any of his more popular tunes). I can still remember the feeling of almost being lifted off my seat in the half-step progression back to the verse riff at the end of the long Jerry/Brent jamming...similar to a feeling I got once at a Vienna performance of Fidelio during a spectacular rendition of the 3rd Leonore Overture. Not many bands have been able to achieve such a Beethovenian effect. I hope that Jerry and Ludwig have had a chance to chat together in the afterlife...I'm sure they'd have a lot to talk about. Jonesbaron

Recently listened to this show again and I might be biased cause it was my first show but this show was really good.The band was on fire and the crowd was crackling with energy. Snowed the whole ride there from the Jersey shore and Cold Rain and Snow opener was very appropriate.Great rockin first set,long spacy second set sealed the deal. Bit the hook that night and was reeled onto the bus which keeps coming around so to speak. Download this one fo sure !

....of over 60...i know...i know...not a lot..SO...what's the deal? Any word on The Dead getting back for a tour? Any word? I need them!!!!!! thank you!!!! I had this tape...but an ex girlfriend ended up with it...SO...now i need to download it!!!!

....of over 60...i know...i know...not a lot..SO...what's the deal? Any word on The Dead getting back for a tour? Any word? I need them!!!!!! thank you!!!! I had this tape...but an ex girlfriend ended up with it...SO...now i need to download it!!!! AND yes...how cool was it that they opened w Cold Rain and Snow with that weather!!!!! that made me know I would love these guys for the next 14 years....and beyond!!!! MAN...I miss the shows.

I remember this show ... if anybody out there had taken Amtrak to this show and remembers the Bong party in the bathroom on the train, all we heard was knockin on the door and when we opened the door a huge billow of smoke followed us out and there was a line of business men in line for the bathroom . I think there was 10 of us in this tiny bathroom. Great adventure going to philly by amtrak and saying overnight. Nothing left to do but smile smile smile................

Hanging out with Biker friends...first time I slammed... (WTF was i thinking)......

30 Years ago! Unbelievable how quickly time has flown in this long strange trip we call Life. I feel so honored that this wonderful show was released by the band as one of their Road Trips series and that it was my Virgin show. The band absolutely LOVED PHIL-adelphia and The Spectrum in particular. In describing the disc set they even say, “A lively and powerful dose of Grateful Dead from one of the band’s all-time favorite venues...” It is also one of the only buildings the played 5 different decades in; 60’s (w/ Iron Butterfly & Steppenwolf) through 2009 (w/ The Dead lineup). At their 50th show there a huge tie-dyed banner commemorating that feat was lowered from the Spectrum rafters like a retired uniform number or a championship. The Spectrum listed this as one of their top moments in the history of the building. (rememberthespectrum.com)I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Philly burbs and caught most of their record 53 Spectrum shows from this day forward until my last when they broke out Unbroken Chain. Phil Lesh during soundcheck – “NO! I wanna do it in PHILLY man!” From what I experienced in that old building (may it RIP), I can say there was always an added buzz to the air when they came to Philly. The band felt this energy and built on it, making for some fabulous shows. Even on nights when they may not have felt the best or were maybe not singing the best they always seemed to kick it up a notch to build that Philly Phever to a boiling point. Interesting notes on this one. I remember coming out of the Broad Street Subway to freezing cold temperatures and snowing like crazy. We were like WTF, this is April! We went up to The Spectrum and were banging on the doors to let us in. They actually let us in a half hour early because it was so nasty outside. After the concert we had to wait for the same subway in 5-6 inches of snow bundled up in concert shirts for friends. They kicked it off with, what else? – Cold Rain and Snow. The crowd exploded and the race was on. Great first set with a lot of good songs and energy. I tend to gravitate towards soundboards for the most part but this recording is fabulous and gives you that sense of the excitement of the crowd without sacrificing the sound. I especially loved the energy of Might As Well with Jerry screaming “And the poor boy’s on the line!” 2nd set was epic. Shakedown Street was a funk monster that came flying out, shook you up and down, and left you begging for more. My favorite song of all time and this is my favorite version. The interplay between Jerry and Brent is phenomenal. Starts about 8:00 in, crowd really starts going crazy around 9:23, and then Jerry goes off on his own again at about the 9:45 mark. St of Circumstance Bob ad-libs, “May be crazy, may be outta line now. I’m on the road and I’m feelin’ fine now.” Truckin’ – goes with the old school beginning with the whistle. Bob adds the “Ever since she went and had a sex change” line. Other One – SMOKIN hot! Who cares about a missing verse. The bus came by this night and I got on! Morning Dew Phil was thundering. Jerry gets the most quiet and soulful on tis rendition too, it’s beautiful. I loved this show and have not stopped dancing to "The Boys" since this epic evening.

Yep just as good as any. Just fu*king hot

Still don't "get" it. poor poor pitiful me.

third show, but first where I dosed. The first two were more Americana. But this Morning Dew and all the lights went on. I was very much on board after that.