Enjoy The Fourth of July with The Grateful Dead

The United States celebrates it's Independence today, so enjoy the outdoors, hanging with friends and living life. What better soundtrack for that is there than The Grateful Dead?!?!

(This is RtBE's 4th of July tradition)

We took the opportunity a few years back to talk about the Best American Band question on July 4th. Now we are just giving you our answer in concert form, the Grateful Dead's July 4th 1989 concert. What a doozy! It is the perfect time to bust it back out.

This was played/filmed up at Rich Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills and captures the Dead in one of their better late period shows, pro audio and video to boot. From the opening "Bertha" to the 1st set closing "Deal" Jerry is just on and seems to be in a great mood. A few personal favorites of RtBE's are sprinkled in ("Stagger Lee", "Greatest Story Ever Told", "Row Jimmy") adding to us digging on this set.

Not many surprises, just on point playing from the group and Garcia in particular. The second set starts with a great "Touch of Grey" before the reggae tinge of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" which is our favorite version of this cover tune. "Terrapin Station" is always a welcomed 2nd set addition and RtBE are suckers for Brent's work on "I Will Take You Home" as it just melts our hearts.

A powerful Dylan cover and a great slightly slower rendition of "Not Fade Away" to close out the set. What better Encore for the 4th of July then "US Blue's"? While no where near the best show ever played, this is a great capturing of later day Dead with Brent in their arena late 80's summer phase.

The full set list is below, Enjoy:

Set 1
Bertha
Greatest Story Ever Told
Cold Rain and Snow
Walkin' Blues
Row Jimmy
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Stagger Lee
Looks Like Rain
Deal

Set 2
Touch of Grey
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
Ship of Fools
Playing in the Band
Terrapin Station
Drums
Space
I Will Take You Home
All Along the Watchtower
Morning Dew
Not Fade Away
E: U.S. Blues