The annual “Grateful Dead Meet-Up At The Movies” is upon us, and this year Deadheads can enjoy special screenings of the band’s June 17, 1991 show, when they played a killer set at Giants Stadium.
In an exclusive clip, the band — Jerry Garcia, Bobby Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, with Bruce Hornsby and Vince Welnick on keys — tear through “Brown-Eyed Women.” Check it out below.
The gig is notable for the fact that “Dark Star” was woven in and out of the set, making six appearances across the show that also included “Eyes of the World” (opener), “Ship of Fools,” “China Doll,” and a closer of their rendition of the Band’s “The Weight.” The show was recorded on 48-track analog tape, and mixed by Jeffrey Norman.
“The Summer Tour of 1991 was widely considered one of the best of the 1990s, and the June 17, 1991 show at Giants Stadium was nearly universally acclaimed as the best of the tour,” said David Lemieux, the Dead’s legacy manager and archivist. “From the ‘Eyes of the World’ opener to the six-pack of ‘Dark Star’ teases woven throughout the night, the one show from 1991 whose reputation grew as time went on was this concert.”
The screenings will also include a sneak preview of “Shakedown Street,” off the upcoming Merriweather 6/30/85 release, which is also part of the massive Summer Magic 1985 box set (out Sept. 18). According to Lemieux, that “Shakedown” is “widely considered one of the greatest single performances of any song by the Grateful Dead, up there with the ‘Dew’ from Europe ’72, ‘Viola Lee Blues’ from Harpur College, and ‘Eyes of the World’ from 3/29/90. Yes, it’s that good.”
“Grateful Dead Meet-Up At The Movies” will screen on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10, coinciding with the Days Between, a time of remembrance that honors the life of Garcia from August 1 (his birthday) to August 9 (his death day). Tickets are on sale here.
