As we dive deeper and deeper into quarantine life, I find myself staring longingly out the window, thinking about how live shows seem like a distant memory. But it's going to be ok, my fellow dead heads, because the Grateful Dead fam is giving us plenty of content to last us as long as... well as long as the Stay at Home Order is in place for!
First, Dead & Company started doing "One More Saturday Night," releasing a D&C show each Saturday, then Bob Weir started his own version with "Weir Wednesdays" where fans can watch a new, archival Weir set every Wed, and now we have "Shakedown Stream," which features Dead concerts straight from the video archives every Friday, starting today.
“We’ve decided to start the streaming video series with the Buffalo ’89 show for a couple of primary reasons: it’s excellence is indisputable and is something that we think pretty much everyone will enjoy in the absence of actually being able to see live concerts; and, as a tribute to the many rabid, loyal Dead Heads from the hard-hit tri-state area, which has been affected more than anywhere else in the country,” said Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux.
Every week, the series will provide both previously released concerts and never-before-seen shows from the Dead's video archive, and not only that, but they will kick it off with a live, on-camera pre-show with members of the Dead community so that Dead Heads from all over can still keep in touch!
The first concert to stream on YouTube will be the Dead's iconic 4th of July set form 1989. It was part of their '89 Summer Tour. The 21-song setlist took place in Buffalo, New York at Orchard Park's Rich Stadium. You might be familiar with the show, as it was previously released on video, called Truckin' Up to Buffalo.
Now the concert is screening for EVERY dead head to enjoy and lose theirselves in, via YouTube. The setlist is full of golden nuggets, with the first set kicking off with "Bertha" and ending on "Deal," and the second set kicking off with "Touch of Grey" and ending on their coveted rendition of "Not Fade Away." They encored with an anthem to match the patriotic theme of the day - "U.S. Blues."
Highlights in the midst of both sets included a Bob Dylan cover for each half of the concert - "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "All Along the Watchtower." They also did the very rare "I Will Take You Home" off of Built to Last. This song was only performed around 34 times by GD, and has yet to be performed by D&C. Weir did it solo once in 2018.
During this summer tour, the Dead enjoyed performing licks like "Eyes of the World," "Playing in the Band," "The Other One," and "The Wheel."
Check out the setlist below and tune in tonight on the official GD YouTube Channel at 8PM EST for the concert! And make sure to do your best Dead dance while watching the show. While you're watching, you have to option to donate to MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Next week, "Shakedown Stream" will post The Grateful Dead Movie, so save the date, April 17th, because it will be a special night!
