It’s been a while since we’ve given the Grateful Dead any love, so let’s go back 17 years ago to June 17, 1991. The Dead were back in the groove nearly a year after the sudden death of Brent Mydland. Keyboardist Bruce Hornsby provided a spark that lit a fire under Jerry Garcia’s ass for the first time in decades, and the band finally started changing up the familiar patterns in their setlists.
The Dead played many shows at Giants Stadium, but 6/17/91 stands out from the rest. After a long rain shower that broke just before the band took the stage The Dead opened up firing on all cylinders with a powerful version of Eyes of the World. Eyes has always been a second set tune, but Hornsby urged the band to try something different. Thankfully, the show was captured for ABC’s In Concert series. Here’s the first Eyes of the World opener since 1974 from that ABC broadcast…
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Did you hit this show? We want to hear all about it…
6 Responses
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You should post more on the Grateful Dead
Yup – Was a great night. All the Dark Star Jams, the Eyes of course was beautiful and a perfect way to open a show. They opened with Eyes because it was being filmed, bottom line. The SMOKIN’ Brown Eyed Women was also a treat. Great nite indeed.
FLUFF
Agreed! One of my favorite shows. So many great moments that night. My first “Might As Well”, “Saint”, and “New Speedway”.
Actually had someone from “In Concert” who wanted to ask me some questions during 6/16, but I was so scared that my parents might see me on TV that I couldn’t do it 🙂
I think you guys do enough Dead (could always use more). Just please don’t turn into a Phish blog when they get back together. Variety is the spice of life.
Nice! I did not attend this show–saw the smokin’ Deer Creek and Buckeye Lake shows the following week–but I distinctly remember watching this on ABC. This is a SUPERB show. Hornsby and JG tear it up right out of the gate and push the rest of the band to heights not heard since…uh…1989?
IMO 1991 is the most underrated Dead year, there are so many stellar shows. Thanks for this.