For some reason, and it may have been a good one, they held two Grateful Dead Meet-Up At the Movies events this year. Well, two so far!?! There was the one back in April, and then they announced another for Jerry’s Birthday, August 1st. That was the original annual date of the event, so maybe they’re going back to the old schedule. Anyway, you won’t find us complaining about too much GD!
The August one was another premiere from footage originally shot for stadium display screens, on July 12 1989 at RFK Stadium in DC … one of the great tours in GD history. All players were at their peak, though Brent was looking a little depressed and doomed, Bruce Hornsby (looking very high) joined them for a couple of tunes, and it was all in all an excellent concert.
They announced just before the event that they’re releasing the July 12th and July 13th shows (both from RFK) on CD. We’re considering buying them, since the playing was so great and the setlists were very good. But we’re also wondering why they don’t release the film on DVD?? We’d rather have that. And there are many other videos from around that time period that should be released. Oh well, maybe that’ll happen sometime.
Met Sarah and Dave at Outback Steakhouse (we had a coupon) in Assembly Square, Somerville, after they got stuck in a maelstrom of Orange Line commuters. For once, I got there long before they did. After a rushed meal, we hurried over to the cinema and found our center-center seats just as the film was starting.
As mentioned, Brent was in top form both on the keys and singing. Phil did a really goofy, 1989 Tom Thumb’s Blues. Other first set highlights (not that the Phil vocal was really a *highlight*) included one of the best Far From Me’s I’ve ever heard, a very high-level Minglewood from one of the best Bobby eras ever, and a cerebral FOTD.
Bruce appeared for the first two songs of the second set, which opened with Sugaree(!) and then went into a just fantastic Man Smart Woman Smarter that had the whole theater roaring and stomping their feet. At one point during this Brent was routinely brilliant and then Bruce slung his accordion on his back, pushed Brent aside (to his surprise, but he dealt with it), and the two of them banged on the piano at the same time, this was excellent!
Here’s the setlist:
Set 1
Touch Of Grey
New Minglewood Blues
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
Far From Me
Cassidy
Friend Of the Devil
Promised Land
Set 2
Sugaree >
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
Ship Of Fools >
Estimated Prophet >
Eyes Of the World >
Drums >
I Need a Miracle >
Dear Mr. Fantasy >
Black Peter>
Turn On YourLovelight
Encore
Black Muddy River
