Grateful Dead - 1980-08-31 - Landover MD (Ex Aud + SBD)

Grateful Dead

1980-08-31 

Capital Centre

Landover, MD

Ex Aud + SBD Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set (Ex Aud):

01. Alabama Getaway >

02. The Promised Land

03. They Love Each Other

04. Mama Tried >

05. Mexicali Blues

06. Althea

07. Little Red Rooster

08. Tennessee Jed

09. Far From Me

10. Lazy Lightning > 

11. Supplication

12. Deal

2nd Set (SBD):

01. Tuning

02. Greatest Story Ever Told >

03. Uncle John's Band >

04. Lost Sailor >

05. Saint Of Circumstance >

06. Comes A Time >

07. Truckin' >

08. Drums >

09. Space >

10. The Other One >

11. Stella Blue >

12. I Need A Miracle >

13. Good Lovin'

Encore (SBD):

01. Brokedown Palace 

Grateful Dead - 1980-08-31 - Landover MD (Ex Aud + SBD)

We end our month ong tribute to Jerry Garcia with one more from the Grateful Dead, a first set excellent audience, a second set soundboard, tape from August 31, 1980, 45 years ago today, and about halfway through Jerry's 30 year long strange trip with the Dead. That year, the Dead celebrated their 15th anniversary and the shows during the 2nd half of the year, in San Francisco, New Orleans and New York that included an acoustic set, get most of the attention. But some pretty fine playing was going throughout 1980, as evidenced by the fact that portions of the May 6, 7, 15 and 16 shows, the entire September 3 show, and 2nd set of the September 4 show, and the entire November 28 and 30 shows, have all been officially released. This show captures then right before those September official releases so you know the band was in fine form.

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-31 - Berkeley, CA (Ex Aud)

Jerry Garcia

with Merl Saunders

1974-08-31

The Keystone

Berkeley, CA

Excellent Audience Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. tuning 

02. That's What Love Will Make You Do 

03. My Funny Valentine 

04. Roadrunner 

05. Wondering Why 

06. Tough Mama 

CD 2:

01. Second That Emotion 

02. Favela >

03. People Make The World Go Round >

04. Mystery Train

05. Going, Going, Gone 

06. How Sweet It Is 

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-31 - Berkeley, CA (Ex Aud)

As promised yesterday, here's another post featuring Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders, one of his most frequent collaborators outside of the Grateful Dead.  This one is an excellent audience recording from Berkeley from August 31, 1974, 51 years ago today.

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-30 - Davis, CA (SBD)

Jerry Garcia

with Merl Saunders

1974-08-30

Freeborn Hall 

University of California Davis

Davis, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Favela

02. Neighbor Neighbor

03. Harder They Come

04. He Ain't Give You None

05. Think

06. La-La

xx. Mystery Train (missing)

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-30 - Davis, CA (SBD)

From December 1970 to June 1975, Jerry Garcia, when not playing with the Grateful Dead, often found himself collaborating with keyboardist Merle Saunders. In fact, Garcia and Saunders played over two-hundred and fifty shows together, The duo even released a live album together, entitled Live At Keystone featuring tracks from their concerts at that venue in Berkeley on July 10 and 11, 1973. This soundboard recording finds the Jerry and Merl a little over a year later, in Davis, on August 30, 1974, 51 years ago today. Download this one, then come back tomorrow for another one from Jerry and Merl.

The Band - 1976-08-29 - Lenox, MA (SBD)

The Band

1976-08-29

Music Inn

Lenox, MA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Intro

02. Ring Your Bell

03. Shape I’m In

04. The Weight

05. Makes No Difference

06. King Harvest

07. Ophelia

08. Stage Fright

09. Night They Drove Old Dixie Down > Across The Great Divide

10. Twilight

11. Up On Cripple Creek

12. Genetic Method

13. Chest Fever

14. Life Is A Carnival

15. Forbidden Fruit

16. Wheels On Fire

17. W S Walcott Medicine Show

The Band - 1976-08-29 - Lenox, MA (SBD)

The links between Jerry Garcia, as a member of the Grateful Dead, and The Band stretched across 4 decades. The Band & The Grateful Dead played at two of the most famous rock festivals in history, Woodstock in August 1969 and Watkins Glen in July 1973. The two bands also played on the same bill at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City on July 31 and August 1. Three years earlier, in the summer of 1970, The Dead and The Band, along with Janis Joplin and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, participated in the Festival Express, a train tour across Canada that was detailed in a 2003 documentary film. In the 1990’s, Rick Danko of The Band sat in with The Dead during their 3rd set on December 31, 1983, while all the members of The Band joined the Dead for the encore on June 21, 1984. The Dead added The Band tune The Weight to their set lists in the 1990s, often playing the song as an encore. After they reformed in 1983, sans Robbie Robertson, The Band served as the lead-in band for the Grateful Dead on about a half dozen occasions, including what turned out to be the Dead’s final show on July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field in Chicago, just a month before Jerry Garcia’s death. 

Today's post takes us back to 1976, when Robbie Robertson of The Band had grown tired of the grind of touring. He urged the group to retire from the road, and conceived the idea of a massive, star studded, retirement concert to be held on Thanksgiving Day, November 25 1976 at Winterland in San Francisco. Along the way to the Last Waltz, however, The Band embarked on one final tour, giving their fans across the country a last chance to see the classic line up of Robertson, Rich Danko, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm. This soundboard recording captures The Band during that tour, in Lenox on August 29, 1976, 49 years ago today 

Sting - 1993-08-28 - Oslo, Norway (TV SBD)

Sting

1993-08-28

Spektrum

Oslo, Norway

TV SBD Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You

02. Heavy Cloud No Rain

03. Love Is Stronger Than Justice

04. Seven Days

05. Fields Of Gold

06. Synchronicity II

07. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

08. Roxanne

09. It's Probably Me

10. Shape Of My Heart

CD 2:

01. Saint Augustine In Hell

02. Straight To My Heart

03. Englishman In New York

04. King Of Pain/All This Time

05. Bring On The Night/When The World...

06. She's Too Good For Me

07. Nothing 'Bout Me

08. Every Breath You Take

09. Fragile

Sting - 1993-08-28 - Oslo Norway (TV SBD)

Jerry Garcia's williness and desire to play music with artists who crossed a broad spectrum of styles is evidenced by his connections to Sting, the former front man for a new wave band! In spring 1993, Sting agreed to be the lead in band for the Dead’s summer tour, playing 11 stadium shows. During that run, Jerry Garcia sat in with Sting on 4 occaisons,  lending his guitar work to Walking On The Moon, Tea In The Sahara, Consider Me Gone, and Been Down So Long. During that run, Garcia advised Sting to "Go out there and push your limits, because these people (the Deadheads) are gonna listen to you." During a joint interview with Jerry and Sting for Rolling Stone at the the Four Seasons Ritz Carlton (side note - kind of ironic that a San Francisco hippie an an English punk rocker would one day be at Ritz Carlton) Garcia said of Sting, “Everybody knows he’s a wonderful musician and a truly fine person, too. It’s nice that we get to meet him, hang out with him a little bit and sort of . . . network a little with him. We share interests, and I think there’s stuff that we could do together in the hypothetical future that would be fun for him and for us." Sting who playfully nicknamed Garcia "Father Christmas", explained his decision to work with Jerry and the Grateful Dead as follows: "I want to see this Deadhead phenomenon. I want to see it first hand. I've never supported anyone in my career. It's so off the wall, such a crazy idea. Hell, let's do it." 

This soundboard recording captures Sting later in 1993, on August 28, 1993, 32 years ago today, in Norway on tour in support of his 4th solo album, Ten Summoner's Tales.  The disc went to #2 on both the US and British charts, while achieving triple platinum status in less than a year. Ten Summoner’s Tales, would be nominated for 6 Grammys, and win 3, including Best Pop Vocal performance for If I Ever Lose My Faith In You, the first single from the album. That tune would reach #17 on the Billboard charts in the US, while another song from the album, Fields of Gold, would climb to #23. 

Jerry Garcia (Mickey & The Hartbeats) - 1969-08-28 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

Jerry Garcia
with Mickey and The Hartbeats
1969-08-28
The Family Dog At The Great Highway
San Francisco, CA
Soundboard Recording
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. It's A Sin
02. Hi-Heel Sneakers
03. Dark Star >
04. The Eleven

Notes:
Bob Weir & Pigpen are absent
with Howard Wales on keyboards

Jerry Garcia (Mickey & The Hartbeats) - 1969-08-28 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

Sometime in late 1968, Bob Weir and Pigpen were "fired" from the Grateful Dead for their lack of commitment to improving their musical craft. I put fired in quotes because depending on what source you read, the level of severity of this matter varies. Some say the band was simply having normal friction that happens in any group environment.  Other sources indicate that the other members of the band simply wanted to experiment with a different style outside of the boundaries of the Grateful Dead. This article provides plenty of background on what Garcia jokingly refered to as "Mickey & The Hartbeats", (a play on drummer Mickey Hart's name), but was always publicly billed as Jerry Garcia and Friends. While all the drama seemed to end quickly in fall of 1968, the configuration of Garcia, Hart, Kreutzman, and Lesh, accompanied by keyboard player Howard Wales and sans Weir and Pigpen, played another show together on August 28, 1969, 56 years ago today, as captured in this soundboard recording. More on this gig can be found here. Of note, while this recording was originally listed as a Grateful Dead tape, it was later changed to be classified as a Jerry Garcia performance.

September's Theme At So Many Roads

For September 2025, our theme will be Farm Aid!  Its hard to believe, but September 23, 2025 will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Farm Aid, an initiative founded by Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp, to support the American family farmer.  We'll post highlights from that first Farm Aid festival, as well as excerpts from 24 other editions of the benefit concert.  On those days we don't have a Farm Aid show, we'll post a band that participated in at least one edition of Farm Aid.  You'll get plenty of Willie, Neil and John, as well as a calvalcade of rock royalty!

Enjoy the tunz!

Phil Lesh - 2016-08-27 - Lockin', Arrington, VA (Ex Aud)

Phil Lesh and Friends

2016-08-27 

Lockn' Festival

Arrington, VA

Excellent Audience recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Scarlet Begonias

02. Dire Wolf

03. Rosa Lee McFall

04. Uncle John's Band

05. Mr. Charlie (w/ Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi)

06. Sugaree (w/ Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi)

07. Shakedown Street

08. Terrapin Station

Phil Lesh - 2016-08-27 - Lockin', Arrington, VA (Ex Aud)

For 30 years, Phil Lesh stood on the opposite side of the stage form Jerry Garcia, the 2 end points in the base of a triangle with Bob Weir out front. If Garcia's guitar pointed the way as the Dead segued from song to jam to song, Phil's bass was right there with him, helping lead the band unlike any other bass player had ever done, Yet if Phil's playing was often out front, he rarely took that role on stage. Yes, he occasionally took a lead vocal, but he hardly seemed like the type to lead a band. Yet, in the wake of Jerry death, that's exactly what Phil did. In 1998, he began playing under the moniker Phil Lesh and Friends. Over the years, those friends have included a virtual who’s who or rock and roll, including Jorma Kaukonen, Trey Anastasio, John Molo, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Joan Osborne, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi, just to name a few. This excellent audience recording captures Phil & Friends at the Lockin' Festival on August 27, 2016, 9 years ago today.

Santana - 1990-08-26 - Tinley Park, IL (FM)

Santana

1990-08-26

The World Theater

Tinley Park, IL

WXRT FM Broadcast

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Angels All Around Us > Spirits Dancing In The Flesh

02. The Healer

03. It's A Jungle Out There

04. Somewhere In Heaven

05. Batuka > Nobody That I Can Depend On

06. Gypsy Woman

07. Just A Jam > drums and bass > Solo bass

08. Black Magic Woman > Gypsy Queen > Oyo Como Va

09. Mandela 

10. Goodness & Mercy

11. Choose

12. She's Not There

13. Toussaint l'Overture

14. Soul Sacrifice 

15. Mother Earth > Europa > Jingo

Santana - 1990-08-26 - Tinley Park, IL (FM) 

The links between Santana and Jerry Garcia/the Grateful Dead go back to the 1960s, when both bands emerged from the San Francisco music scene. In fact, Carlo has said that seeing the Dead pull up in a limousine to the restaurant where he was washing dishers inspired him to pursue his musical dreams.  Moreover, some sources claim that once Santana macde that decison, Garcia helped mentor him.  In addition, the 2 bands would often share the bill together, such as at a New Year’s Eve 1968 show at Winterland or a jam session along with the Jefferson Airplane in February 1970 at the Family Dog. Both bands, of course, appeared at Woodstock in 1969. In the late 1980s and early 1990s. Santana served as the Dead’s lead in band for numerous shows. On several occasions, Carlos joined the Dead on stage for a few numbers. Bill Graham would play a major role in promoting shows by both Santana and The Grateful Dead throughout both bands’ long storied careers. It's no surprise then that both Santana and The Dead played at the concert in Graham’s honor in November 1991 after the fabled promoters tragic death.

This soundboard recording captures Santana in Chicago, on August 26, 1990, 35 years ago today.

Jerry Garcia Band - 1989-08-26 - Berkeley, CA (Ex Aud)

Jerry Garcia Band

with Jimmy Cliff

1989-08-26

Greek Theatre

Berkeley, CA 

Excellent Audience Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Tuning

02. Cats Under The Stars  

03. They Love Each Other  

04. Forever Young

05. Band Intros

06. Run For The Roses  

07. Mission In The Rain  

08. Harder They Come*

09. Deal

2nd Set:

01. How Sweet It Is

02. Stop That Train  

03. Waiting For A Miracle  

04. Think  

05. My Sisters And Brothers  

06. That Lucky Old Sun 

07. Midnight Moonlight  

* with Jimmy Cliff On Vocals

Jerry Garcia Band - 1989-08-26 - Berkeley, CA (Ex Aud)

The first time I saw Jerry Garcia solo was the late show on March 17, 1978, at the Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ.  The first song I heard him play - a cover of the Jimmy Cliff's, The Harder They Come.  Garcia played that tune over 350 times in his various solo bands, making it the 2nd most played song behind How Sweet It Is.  So, it was only fitting, that on Augut 26, 1989, 2 dozen years ago today as captured in this excellent audience recording, Cliff joined Garcia on stage, to sing what else, but the Harder They Come! By the way, Garcia was also fond of playing another Cliff tune, Sitting In Limbo, when performing live.

Edie Brickell - 1989-08-25 - Mansfield, MA (SBD)

Edie Brickell

& The New Bohemians

1989-08-25 

Great Woods Center 

Mansfield, MA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. The Wheel

02. Nothing

03. Beat The Time

04. She

05. Black And Blue

06. Air Of December

07. What I Am

08. Love Like We Do

09. Drums

10. Keep Coming Back

11. Mama Help Me

Edie Brickell - 1989-08-25 - Mansfield, MA (SBD)

Welcome to a post about another artist that folks may not realize had connections to Jerry Garcia.  In the summer of 1990, Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians led in for the Grateful Dead at several stadium shows. That led to her working with Garcia and Rob Wasserman on 2 songs three years later  - Zillionaire and American Popsicle - for the latter’s album, Trios. She then sat in with the Dead on September 20, 1993 at Madison Square Garden, and legend has it her pressence so inspired Garcia that he threw down a masterful version of Morning Dew. That guest spot also Garcia thinking about a new venture - a an improv band, and Edie Brickell signed on to be a key part of it. The band would have headed out on the road with other great musicians - Branford Marsalis, Bruce Hornsby, and Rob Wasserman were also to be part of the group - without any material, making it all up on the spot at each show. Garcia's wife at the time, Deborah Koons, put an end to any notion of a new band, so unfortunately, we never got to see what that incredibly talented group could have done on stage.

Thsi soundboard recording captures Edie and the New Bohemians about a year before they first encountered the Grateful Dead, in Mansfield, on August 25, 1989, 3 dozen years ago today.

Jerry Garcia - 1991-08-25 - Squaw Valley, CA (SBD)

Jerry Garcia 

With Dave Grisman

1991-08-25

Gold Coast Concert Bowl 

Squaw Valley CA

Soundboard Recording

320 Kbps

Artwork Included

01. Jack A Row

02. Spring in California

03. Grateful Dawg

04. Angels Layed Him Away

05. Off To Sea

06. Friend of The Devil

07. Two Soldiers

08. So What

09. Russian Lullaby

10. Dawg Waltz

11. Thrill Is Gone

12. Old Rockin’ Chair

13. Arabia (A)

14. Arabia (B)

15. Eat My Dust*

16. Ripple* 

*With Bela Fleck

Jerry Garcia - 1991-08-25 - Squaw Valley CA (SBD)

Today we bring you another Jerry Garcia show that highlights one of the numerous partnerships that highlighted his carrer outside of the Grateful Dead.  This soundboard recording from Squaw Valley on  August 25, 1991, 34 years ago this very day, finds him playing acoustic with long time friend and musical collaborator, David Grisman. Their relationship went all the way back to 1964, when they met in San Francisco. Grisman would play on the Grateful Dead album, American Beauty, and in the 1970s, be part of Garcia's Old and In The Way and Great American String Band projects. In the 1990s, the 2 collaborated in earnest, playing live on around 20 occasions, and recording 7 albums together. Garcia nicknamed Grisman, Dawg, after a dog that was following him while they were driving around in California. 

Los Lobos - 1997-08-24 - Chicago, IL (SBD)

Los Lobos

1997-08-24

Goose Island Festival

Goose Island Brewery

Chicago, IL

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. WXRT DJ intro > 

02. I Got to Let You Know >

03. Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio

04. Maricela

05. Revolution

06. Colossal Head

07. That Train Don't Stop Here Anymore

08. Everybody Loves A Train

09. Angel Dance

10. I'm Tore Down

11. I Walk Alone

12. Kiko And The Lavender Moon

13. Soy Mexico Americano

14. Los Ojos de Pancha

15. Estoy Sentado Aqui

16. Georgia Slop

17. Don't Worry Baby (w/ band intros)

18. crowd

Encores:

19. encore break

20. Anselma

21. Volver, Volver

22. She's About a Mover

23. Bertha

Los Lobos - 1997-08-24 - Chicago, IL (SBD)

Jerry Garcia was a huge fan of Los Lobos - in fact, a tape circulates of Jerry and Bob Weir playing with them in the parking lot before a show on July 2, 1989 in Foxboro. You can find video of  that that impromptu performance here. Los Lobos served as the lead in band for the Grateful Dead for several shows in both 1988 and 1989, including the July 9 and 10, 1989 shows at Giants stadium that I attended. They appeared on the 1991 album Deadicated, performing a cover of the Garcia/Hunter tune, Bertha. That tune, as well as West LA Fade Away became staples of Los Lobo’s concert set lists. Los Lobos also frequently played La Bamba > Good Lovin' > La Bamba, with the middle of that sandwich  being a tune the Dead frequently covered. At the legendary September 18, 1987 concert, I saw the Dead play the inverse of the combo, Good Lovin' > La Bamba > Good Lovin, with Garcia on vocals on the Ritchie Valens classic.  I've always suspected that song choice was influenced by Jerry's admiration for Los Lobos!

This soundboard recording captures Los Lobos on August 24, 1997, 28 years ago today, in Chicago. Given our theme this month, its only fitting they end the concert with Bertha!

Bob Dylan - 1997-08-23 - Vienna, VA (SBD)

Bob Dylan

1997-08-23

Wolftrap

Vienna, VA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. Absolutely Sweet Marie

02. Man In The Long Black Coat

03. Tough Mama

04. Under The Red Sky

05. Sylvio

06. Stone Walls And Steel Bars

07. Mr. Tambourine Man

08. Tangled Up in Blue

CD 2:

01. Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again

02. Blind Willie McTell

03. Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat

04. Like A Rolling Stone

05. Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright

06. Alabama Getaway

Bob Dylan - 1997-08-23 - Vienna, VA (SBD)

Jerry Garcia's connections to Bob Dylan could fill a book. Garcia, both with the Dead and in his solo shows, made covers of Dylan tunes such as Maggie’s Farm, All Along The Watchtower, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Tangled Up In Blue, Quinn The Eskimo, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) and When I Paint My Masterpiece, just to name a few, staples of his live sets. In 2005, Rhino Records released a compilation disc entitled Garcia plays Dylan, featuring Jerry playing live versions of 18 different Dylan tunes either as a member of the Grateful Dead or at a solo show. It was a companion to an album entitled Postcards From The Hanging, released 3 years earlier, that featured 13 Dylan tunes as covered by the Grateful Dead, some with Bob Weir or Phil Lesh on vocals. Robert Hunter, Garcia's song writing partner,, co-wrote 2 songs on Dylan’s 1988 album, Down in The Groove. In 1987, Dylan and The Dead played 6 shows together, where the Dead opened with their material, then served as Dylan’s backing band for a closing set. In both 1986 and 1995, Dylan served as the lead-in band for several Dead concerts. He also made several guest appearances at their shows, most notably a February 12, 1989 show in Los Angeles and an October 17, 1994 performance in New York. Fittingly, when Bob Weir played a concert the same night his brother in music, Garcia, passed away, the song he chose to close the night was Dylan’s Knockin on Heaven’s Door. That's the very same song that Jerry played for the encore at my favorite Grateful Dead concert on September 18, 1987.

This post takes us back to 1997, when while on tour in the US, Bob Dylan was forced to cancel numerous dates after being hospitalized for a potentially fatal chest infection, called histoplasmosis. Since Dylan had embarked on what he called the Never Ending Tour in 1988, his 1997 hospital stay was his longest break from playing live. Dylan recovered, and continued to tour the US throughout August. This soundboard recording captures Dylan in Vienna VA, on August 23, 1997, 28 years ago today! By the way, the last tune of the night, Alabama Getaway, is a cover of a Grateful Dead tune sung by Garcia.  Fitting given our theme this month!

Grateful Dead - 1972-08-22 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1972-08-22

Berkeley Community Theatre

Berkeley, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Bertha

02. Greatest Story Ever Told

03. Loser

04. Black Throated Wind

05. Bird Song

06. Beat It On Down The Line

07. Tennessee Jed

08. Me & My Uncle

09. Friend Of The Devil

10. Playin' In The Band

11. He's Gone

12. Promised Land

2nd Set:

01. Brown Eyed Women

02. Mexicali Blues

03. Truckin' >

04. Drums >

05. The Other One >

06. Stella Blue

07. El Paso

08. Ramble On Rose

09. Not Fade Away >

10. Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad >

11. Hey Bo Diddley >

12. Not Fade Away

Grateful Dead - 1972-08-22 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

As promised yesterday, heres another show featuring the Grateful Dead during the transitional year of 1972.  This one is a soundboard recording from Berekely from August 22, 1972, 53 years ago today.

Grateful Dead - 1972-08-21 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1972-08-21

Berkeley Community Theatre

Berkeley, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set

01. The Promised Land                   

02. He's Gone                           

03. Black Throated Wind                

04. Friend Of The Devil                 

05. Jack Straw                         

06. China Cat Sunflower >               

07. I Know You Rider                    

08. Me And My Uncle                    

09. Sugaree                           

10. Beat It On Down The Line            

11. Stella Blue                      

12.  Playing In The Band               

13.  Brown Eyed Women                    

14.  Mexicali Blues                      

15.  Casey Jones                        

2nd Set:

01.  Greatest Story Ever Told            

02.  Ramble On Rose                      

03.  Dark Star >                                  

04.  El Paso >                          

05.  Space >                            

06.  Deal                               

07.  Sugar Magnolia                      

08.  Mississippi Half Step               

09.  Uncle John's Band                  

10.  One More Saturday Night             

Grateful Dead - 1972-08-21 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

By the middle of 1972, the Grateful Dead had evolved in a number of ways as a band. Pigpen's last hurrah had been during the recently completed Europe 72 tour.  He played one show upon the band's return to the US on June 17, then left the band to deal with the effects of alcohol abuse that would take his life the following year. Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux had joined the band, giving the group a different sound. The pure psychedelia of 1969 had been augmented with a host of new tunes from the albums Workingman's Dead and American Beauty, that had a folk rock flavor and emphasized harmonies. Jams that once emerged from Pigpen tunes such as Alligator or Hard To Handle now sprung from songs such as Truckin' or Playing In The Band. Amidst all that, Jerry Garcia remained the band's musical and spiritual leader, always at the center of whatever magic they would produce each night. This soundboard recording captures the Dead during that transitional time on the st night of a 4 night stand at The Berkeley Community Theater on August 21, 1972, 53 years ago today   Download this one, then come bac tomorrow for a 2nd show from this run.  By the way, despite all the changes, the band was in peak form in August 1972, with both the last night in Berkeley on August 25 and the legendary Venetta show on August 27 being officially released.

Joan Osborne - 1993-08-20 - Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ (SBD)

Joan Osborne 

1993-08-20

Stone Pony

Asbury Park, NJ

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Flyaway

02. Son Of A Preacher Man

03. 4 Camels

04. Enemy In The Sky

05. Fingerprints

06. What You Gonna Do

07. Open So Wide

08. His Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles

09. Crazy Baby

10. Take Me To The River

11. Dracula Moon

12. Get Up Jack

Joan Osborne - 1993-08-20 - Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ (SBD)

Joan Osborne never got to know Jerry Garcia, but she most certainly built relationships with other members of the Grateful Dead. In 2003, she toured with The Dead, adding her vocals to those of Bob Weir and Phil Lesh.  In 2005 and 2006, she continued her association with Lesh, playing numerous shows with Phil and Friends. Often times in those collaborations, she'd take lead vocal on Garcia tunes, such as Stella Blue and Sugaree.  All that time singing Garcia tunes gave her a vast appreciation for the the man's catalog of songs, his vocals, and his prowess on guitar.  So much so, that in 2022, in honor of Jerry's Birthday, she played a series of concerts where she performed his music, one of which we posted back in October 2024. 

This soundboard recording captures Joan both before  Jerry passed and she hit it big with the tune One Of Us, peforming at the legendary Stone Pony on August 20, 1993, 32 years ago today.

Huey Lewis - 1984-08-20 - Saratoga Springs, NY (SBD)

Huey Lewis 

and The News

1984-08-20

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)

Saratoga Springs, NY 

Soundboard recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. The Heart Of Rock & Roll

02. Change Of Heart

03. Don't Make Me Do It

04. I Want You

05. If This Is It

06. Heart And Soul 

07. Walking On A Thin Line

08. It's All Right

09. Do You Believe In Love 

10. You're Still A Young Man 

11. instrumental

12. Bad Is Bad > band intros

Huey Lewis - 1984-08-20 - Saratoga Springs, NY (SBD)

I guess if you were a San Francisco musician between 1965 and 1995, at some point you were going to play alongside Jerry Garcia.  Huey Lewis was originally a member of Clover, a pyschedelic country rock band that played with Garcia's Old & In The Way in the mid 1970s.  Lewis also sat in with the Grateful Dead on a few occaisions, adding harmonica to songs such as Good Morning Little School Girl and Turn On Your Lovelight, including an appearance at the Bammies in 1998 that you can find here.  This soundboard recording captures Huey and the News in Saratoga Springs on August 20, 1984, 41 years ago today.

A Great Summer Read: TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT

Countless "truth is stranger than fiction" tales, 160 magical concerts, 100 unique bands, 50 years of finding a way to the next show, and 10 Rules Of The Road all add up to 1 ordinary guy's extraordinary love letter to live rock & roll.

Grab the perfect book to read on the beach this summer! Check out these great ratings and reviews!
- a 4.40 star rating on Amazon with 33 5-star reviews out of 43

- a 4.46 star rating on Goodreads with 9 5-star reviews out of 13

BUY IT HERE IN THE US!

Here's just a sample of what folks are saying about TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT:

- "As a fan of rock shows myself, this book written by a fellow fan was fun to read, and reminded me of many of my own long-forgotten concert stories. Definitely recommended." 

 -"Insightful, poignant and just plain joyful." 

- "Truly a book for music fans of the 70’ s onward. Love the personal thoughts of sharing the music with his wife and kids." 

 - It was a lot of fun to hear about the author's experiences from the time of his first concert to sharing those experiences with his teenage boys. There is a lot of truth in his "rules" 

 - "The book is well-written and a fun reminder of my younger days. Just an enjoyable read!" 

 - "A hero for our times - he sees great shows, learns about life, and gets the girl. What's not to like?" 

 - "The author takes you on a tale of wonder through the ups and downs of going to concerts." 

- "I would recommend this book for anybody who loves live music - especially those, like me, who enjoy the anticipating and reliving almost as much as actually being at the concert." 

 - "I've got to say that Speedy's book is a little known gem and a real joy to read... the author's genuine love of live music comes through wonderfully." 

 - "Excellent account of the rock concert experience from 1976 to today. Very well written and extremely entertaining." 

- "This is a very entertaining and enjoyable book... you can pick it up, read a chapter, put it down, and come back to it again and again. If you're a music fan, especially of live performances, I highly recommend this book."

- "Great for anyone who loves live music... Lots of fun anecdotes and details that really make you feel like you're sitting with someone, listening to stories about concerts."

- "It's a love letter to live music."

- "If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed going to.rock concerts, then Speedy's story is your story. This tale reminds you of the best and worst parts of attending concerts, and captures the magic of those moments when the music was truly transcendent. Well written, engaging and filled with truth is stranger than fiction moments, Ten Rules is a must read for any rock music fan."

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

The Rules:

Rule #1: You Can’t Get Good Seats, But The Scalpers Can

Rule #2: Expect The Unexpected On The Way To Or From The Show

Rule #3: No Concert Ever Starts On Time

Rule #4: Rejoice - There Is No Opening Act

Rule #5: Rock Concerts Are Rarely Played At A Venue Meant For Music

Rule #6: Enjoy The Special Guests - They’re a Rare Event

Rule #7: The Set List - The Bad News - The Band Will Never Play Everything You Want To Hear

Rule #8: The Set List - The Good News - The Band Will Always Play An Unanticipated Tune You’ll Never Forget

Rule #9: Elvis Has Left The Building - Once The Houselights Come On, The Show Is Over

Rule #10: Don’t Miss The Moment - Go To Every Show You Can

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

- Just $6.99 for the Kindle

- Only $12.99 for the paperback 

- And always FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

 Also available in Kindle in: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, and IN 

Also available in Paperback in: UK DE FR ES IT JP

Crosby, Stills & Nash - 1992-08-19 - Tulsa, OK (SBD)

Crosby, Stills & Nash
1992-08-19
Brady Theater
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Soundboard Recording
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Wasted On The Way
02. Helplessly Hoping
03. The Lee Shore
04. Military Madness
05. In My Dreams
06. Marrakesh Express
07. In My Life
08. Deja Vu
09. Taken At All
10. Long Time Gone
11. Wind On The Water
12. Southern Cross
13. After The Storm
14. Cathedral
15. Somehow She Knew
16. Triad
17. It Won't Go Away
18. For What It's Worth
19. Our House
20. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
21. Wooden Ships (fades)
22. Teach Your Children (missing)

Crosby, Stills & Nash - 1992-08-19 - Tulsa, OK (SBD)

Jerry Garcia's links with CSN go all the way back to the early 1970s, though none may be more significant than their early work together during the recording of the album Déjà vu. Graham Nash asked Garcia to play pedal steel guitar on the now iconic tune, Teach Your Children.  After one take, Nash told Garcia, "Thanks Jerry, you’re done." Despite Garcia's protests, Nash held firm, recalling that "The first one was exactly what I wanted.’ And of course, his pedal steel was one of the defining elements in that recording." In return for Garcia's help, CSN helped the Dead work on their harmonies for their upcoming albums Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. David Crosby sat in on several occasions with the Dead, including 8/19/1970. 9/10/1972 and 12/31/1972. His most famous appearances with The Dead, however, are from December 1971, when he, Garcia, Phil Lesh and Mickey Hart played a series of rehearsals and shows at The Matrix in San Francisco, billed as David & Dorks. Stephen Stills joined The Dead on stage twice in 1969, on October 25 and December 12, and twice in 1983, on April 16 and 17. Both the Dead and CSN had long associations with Bill Graham, and performed at his memorial concert, as did Neil Young on November 3, 1991.

This soundboard recording captures CSN 22 years after recording Teach Your Children with Jerry, in Tulsa on August 19, 1992, 33 years ago today.

The Beatles - 1965-08-18 - Atlanta, GA (SBD)

The Beatles

1965-08-18

Atlanta Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta GA

Soundboard Master Recording

192 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Introduction by Paul Drew

02. Twist and Shout

03. She's A Woman

04. I Feel Fine

05. Ticket To Ride

06. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

07. Can't Buy Me Love

08. Baby's In Black

09. I Wanna Be Your Man

10. Help!

11. I'm Down

The Beatles - 1965-08-18 - Atlanta, GA (SBD)

Almost every rock artist has been influenced by The Beatles, and Jerry Garcia was no exception. According to one biography of Jerry Garcia, the reason Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions morphed into the Grateful Dead was all thanks to the Fab Four. "For one thing, like half of America under the age of 25, Jerry had been seduced by the Beatles, especially their film, A Hard Day's Night, which depicted life in a rock and roll band as just about the most fun that could be had on planet earth. The Beatles were deliciously irreverent and in-your-face anarchic; untameable gadabouts on an endless lark, always living in a completely different universe than the pitiable straight forces that were constantly trying to control, or at the very least, restrain them." "The Beatles were why we turned from a jug band into a rock and roll band" said Bob Weir. Over the years, The Grateful Dead incorporated a host of Beatle tunes into their live shows, including A Day In the Life, Blackbird, Day Tripper, Hey Jude, I Want To Tell You. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Rain, Revolution, Tomorrow Never Knows and Why Don't We Do It In The Road. They also played McCartney’s That Would Be Something. Jerry Garcia’s solo shows included covers of I Saw Her Standing There, Eleanor Rigby and Dear Prudence, as well as McCartney’s Let Me Roll It. In the 1960s, Linda McCartney did a photo session with the Dead. Those pictures were later incorporated into a nine-minute film released in 1996 called Grateful Dead: A Photofilm. It was directed by none other than Sir Paul McCartney. McCartney had hoped to show the film to Jerry Garcia just before the guitarist passed away. ”I heard on the news that Jerry had died, and I thought, ‘Oh no, I was just about to show the film to him,’ ” McCartney told the New York Times. ”I’d been in correspondence with him, because he was a painter and I thought he’d like this. Unfortunately, I missed him. I suppose it has become a little bit of a tribute to Jerry because of it.” McCartney admitted he had never been to a Dead concert, but after making the film, regretted he never took the opportunity to do so. 

Thris soundboard captures the lads from Liverpool threeee days after their historic show at Shea Stadium, on August 18, 1965, 6 decades ago today, in Atlanta for the 3rd concert on their 1965 North American Tour. As in other cities, their arrival in Atlanta was more than just a concert. The city declared it Beatle Day. DJ Tony Taylor, who along with Paul Drew, served as emcees for the show, wrote that "The Beatles concert at Atlanta Stadium sticks in my mind as perhaps the greatest event I ever witnessed. The stadium bordered on hysteria. I can still see the faces of the girls, tears in their eyes as they hung over the wall and the policemen tried to restrain them. There seemed to be one continuous scream. It was super high pitched and unrelenting." Such was the power of Beatlemania as it swept across America.  For Atlanta. it was the first, and only time, The Beatles would perform in the city. The Beatles, as we know all too well, broke up in 1969. Fulton County Stadium, site of the concert, was demolished in 1997. All that remains are the memories of the 34,000 fans in attendance that night, fans who were among the lucky few to experience one of only 25 concerts the Beatles played in North America on their 1965 and 1966 stadium tours.

Bruce Hornsby - 1998-08-17 - Red Bank, NJ (SBD)

Bruce Hornsby

1998-08-17

Count Basie Theater 

Red Bank, NJ

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Horns & Drums Intro

02. Across The Great Divide

03. King Of The Hill

04. Rainbow's Cadillac >

05. Franklin's Tower >

06. Rainbow's Cadillac >

07. Tango King

08. Boo Radley

09. Man Smart, Woman Smarter

2d Set:

01. Fields Of Gray

02. Show Goes On

03. Shadow Hand

04. Spider Fingers

05. Tempus Fugit

06. Spider Fingers

07. Drunken Hiccups

08. Western Skyline

09. When I Paint, My Masterpiece

10. I Will Walk With You

11. The Way It Is

12. Cruise Control

Bruce Hornsby - 1998-08-17 - Red Bank, NJ (SBD)

Bruce Hornsby, of course, served as the Grateful Dead’s keyboardist from September 15, 1990 to March 24, 1992, time which cemented his friendship with Jerry. Hornsby once remarked in an interview that "There are not many people in your life that you connect with so easily and closely, musically, You don't find that with many people. I found that with him." Hornsby was so close with Jerry that he was part of a select group which attended the guitarist's funeral on August 11, 1995. Even before his official stint with the band, Hornsby had significant ties to the Dead. As a teenager, the band he was in frequently covered Grateful Dead tunes. He began incorporating Grateful Dead songs into his live shows from the start of his solo career, a practice which continues until this day. Hornsby often served as the lead-in act for the Dead in the late 1980s, and sat in with them on numerous occasions as a guest after his official departure from the group. Garcia played guitar on several Hornsby compositions on Bruce's albums A Night On The Town, Harbor Lights and Hot House.  In the wake of Jerry Garcia’s death, Hornsby participated in the Further Festivals in 1996 and 1997, then became a member of the Other Ones, the first of many bands featuring former members of the Grateful Dead. Hornsby inducted the Dead into the rock and roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and participated in the Comes A Time show in 2005 in honor of the 10th anniversary of Garcia’s passing. And of course, he played at the Fare Thee Well shows in 2015, celebrating the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. 

This soundboard recording captures Hornsby three years after Jerry's death, in Red Bank, on August 17, 1998, 27 years ago today.  He pays tribute to his time with the Dead with covers of When I Paint My Masterpiece and Woman Are Smarter, plus by seguing Rainbow's Cadillac in and out of Franklin's Tower, a combo I saw him perform in Morristown on April 12, 1999.

Dead Links, Download Hosts, and Re-Post Requests - Oh My!

Often times, new visitors to So Many Roads ask why numerous old posts have dead links. The answer is simple.  First, given that we have over 5000 shows posted on this site, it is next to impossible to keep all the links active, That would be a full time job and nothing new would get posted. Second, and maybe more important,  the free download hosts that I use simply do not store files for more than 30 to 60 days. And believe me, I have tried countless ones over the year -  from the original Megaupload to Zippyshare to Sendspace to Workupload to Solidfiles to our latest, Mirrored.to.  All have their pro's and con's, but none that I know of keep free files for more than 1 or 2 months.

All that said, if you are looking for a re-up of a show, feel free to leave a request in the comments section of the post. We have a formal re-post policy here at So Many Roads (see sidebar) which really consists of just 2 things:

1. Please be polite when you ask for a re-post.  Leaving a coment like "Dead Link" is a statement of fact, not a request. I really do appreciate a "please" or a "thanks in advance" as part of your request. A little kindness goes a long way.
2. Please don't ask me to re-post every show by a particular artist. Remember, you're not the only person asking. I can handle requests for a a show a week (and you are welcome to come back the next week and ask for another, etc.), but if you are asking me to re-post dozens of dead links, I simply won't be able to handle that.

I hope all the above helps!  Remember - be kind and enjoy the tunz!