Grateful Dead - 1973-07-27 - Watkins Glen, NY (Sound Check) (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1973-07-27

Grand Prix Racecourse

Watkins Glenn, NY

Soundboard recording

256 kbps (vbr)

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. The Promised Land

02. Sugaree

03. Mexicali Blues

04. Bird Song

05. Big River

06. Tennessee Jed

07. "We're Gonna Take A Short Break"

2nd Set:

08. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo

09. Me And My Uncle

10. Jam >

11. Wharf Rat

12. Around And Around

Grateful Dead - 1973-07-27 - Watkins Glen, NY (Sound Check) (SBD)

Every rock fan knows the story of Watkins Glen, the concert attended by over 600,000 fans who showed up on July 28, 1973 to see and hear The Band, The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead.  (And if you don't, you'll learn all about it tomorrow!) Today's post, however, captures the Dead the night before that concert in a performance that has become the stuff of legends. Thousands of fans had descended upon Watkins Glen by July 27, 1973, 4 decades today, camping out overnight in anticipation of the next day's festivities. Robbie Robertson of the Band requested to do a sound check, but was concerned about the crowd in front of the stage. Promoter Bill Graham gave the ok to go ahead with the sound check, so the The Band ran through a few numbers to the delight of the audience. The Allmans did their sound check next, playing One Way Out and Ramblin' Man. Finally it was The Grateful Dead's turn for a sound check. Instead of playing one or two songs and calling it a night, the Dead performed 6, then announced they were going to take a short break, but be right back. They returned to play 5 more tunes, including a 21 minute jam that some Deadheads feel is the finest improvisational work that the band ever performed (go here for more details). Yet, another amazing chapter in their long strange trip, a sound check that turned into a 2 set marathon. Download this soundboard recording to capture the concert before the concert in its entirety.

1973 in Grateful Dead History

• The year opens on a solemn note when original band keyboardist, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan dies of liver failure on March 8, at the age of 27.
• As a tribute to Pigpen, The Dead release a live album entitled History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice). The album was recorded by Owsley “The Bear Stanley and features tunes that highlight Pigpen’s contributions to the band.
• The Dead and the Allman Brothers play2 legendary shows at RFK Stadium on June 9 and 10.
• As detailed above, on July 28, The Dead, The Allmans and The Band play in front of a crowd of over 600,000 at Watkins Glen in New York, the largest attended concert in US history. 
• Bruce Hornsby attends a Grateful Dead show at William and Mary College on September 11. 
• The Dead release the album Wake Of The Flood in November, the first featuring Keith & Donna Jean Godchaux. As a result, the album has a much jazzier feel to it than previous discs.
• Wake Of The Flood is also the band’s first release on their own label, Grateful Dead Records. The album includes such classic tunes as Eyes Of The World, Weather Report Suite and Stella Blue. 
• The Dead play 3 incredible shows at Winterland on November 9, 10 and 11, which are officially released as a box set in 2008. 
• In addition to the 3 Winterland shows, the following live concerts from been officially released: February 26, February 28, October 19, November 17, November 21, November 30, December 2, December 10 and December 19.