In the spring of 1997, Deadheads heard a rare, albeit disturbing pleasure in the “Grateful Dead Hour”, the radio broadcast, which syndicated nationwide. In two editions, moderator and dead historian David Gans played the complete tape of Jerry Garcia’s last appearance with the band two years earlier in the Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago. “I found it difficult to listen to” Gives goose over this volume. “But there is a historical value in this last performance.”
Anniversary and omissions
But since then it has never been heard again with regard to an official unveiling.
This year the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Dead was celebrated with a new box, unpublished concerts, three festive Dead-& Co. Shows in the Golden Gate Park of San Francisco, further publications in the important “Dave’s Picks” series under the supervision of the committed archivist David Lemieux, Bongs, E-Bikes and beach towels Logo of the band.
But when it comes to authorized products approved by the band, the recording of Garcia’s last concert with the Dead remains closed in the archives. Audience recordings and videos of the concert on July 9, 1995 have been circulating online for a long time. And are still spread. Especially on the Internet archive. As a commentator wrote on the page: “Even if it is not as entertaining as older concerts from the seventies, you have to listen to it as a fan of the Grateful Dead.”
A recording from the last concert of the Jerry Garcia was never published. Should she?
But 30 years later, the recording was still not published by the Dead Organization or Rhino Records, which supervised the Dead catalog, in an actually prepared form. And there seems to be no immediate plans for it. As a indication of how sensitive the concert’s admission remains, the legacy of the Dead – including band members and Garcia’s family – rejected it towards the Rolling Stone.
Closed treasures of rock history
The rock story is littered with valuable artifacts that the artists themselves kept under lock and key. Led Zeppelin were so disappointed with her reunion appearance at Live Aid in 1985, even with Phil Collins on the drum that this appearance was never broadcast again. This year’s four -part documentary about the benefit concerts does not even contain a section of it. The Rolling Stones set in Altamont in 1969 was recorded by the professional sound engineering crew of the Grateful Dead. But it also remained in their archives. Just like the concert by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1974 in the Wembley Arena in London (filmed for a planned TV show), in which, according to their own admission, they were quite drunk on their way to another separation.
What would be the last concert with the Dead (he died a month later) is an equally important historical document. And also burdened. Like Deadheads and pretty much everyone in the world of Dead, in 1995 there was no glam -year for the band. Even before the two evenings in the Soldier Field, who completed their summer tour, the tour was plagued by problems. From faders and a threat to murder in Indiana to a lightning strike in the RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, which injured several fans.
The Soldier Field final
The Dead played Solide in the Soldier Field on July 9th. Although not as sharp as many think they were in 1992 and 1993, which are widely considered the last remarkable tours of the band. The band still sounded alive on “Cumberland Blues” and “Touch of Gray”. Garcia’s guitar solos had a touch of shine. And a rare version of Phil Lesh’s “UnbroKen Chain” was a nice surprise. Just like a second addition of “Box of Rain”. But Garcia looked older for decades than his 52 years. He got stuck on some texts. And his voice sounded fragile and barely audible in moments like “Shakedown Street”.
To date, only one song from this concert has been considered worthy of being published. That evening Garcia brought an informative tired version of “So many roads”. A loaded but beautiful Garcia Robert Hunter-Koop that the band played live since 1992. Garcia said Hunter wrote it with him in his head, which was never clear that evening. Even in his weakened state, Garcia invested a life full of pain and suffering in this performance. Both his lecture and the game of the band built up to a correspondingly emotional and driving final.
Unique moment – and yet edited
The recording was considered so special that it was contained in “So many roads”, the box published in 1999 with live rarities from the Dead. “Jerry disappeared from our eyes,” says Gans, who worked on this box. “But we found that ‘So many roads’ was a worthwhile performance. Even a certain melancholy was carried out.” Even then, the tape had to be edited before the release, from an adapted intro to a guitar solo Garcias, which was shortened due to missed grades.
But whether the entire show should be formally revealed, in accordance with the approximately 400 other tapes that have already been published, is another question. “As a deadhead, I twitch a little together in the idea of publishing the Soldier Field concert,” says Johnny Dwork, co-author (with Michael Getz) by “The Deadhead’s Taping Compendium”. Three volumes that cataloged every concert (and every tape of each concert) of the Dead. “As a historian of an important and permanent cultural movement, I certainly think that all important historical events such as Jerry’s last concert should be preserved for history. But as a diplomat for the permanent legacy of the Grateful Dead, I have concerns that someone could hear this concert one day and a bad opinion about one of the largest guitarists, songwriters and singers of our generation.”
No demand, no plans
Gans, who also moderates the Siriusxm show “Tales from the Golden Road” together with the dead expert Gary Lambert, says that he had heard of Deadheads little about a CD or other version of the tape. “I cannot say that in 30 years I noticed some urging to publish or play this concert,” he says. “Everyone knows that it was an unintentional finale.” If the whole show were officially published, he says, “many would have to happen with many.”
Filmmaker Justin Kreutzmann, Bill’s son, works on a documentary about Garcia. Which he hopes to complete by next summer. Like many fans and dead family members, he has similar mixed feelings about the tape of this performance. “In my view, Jerry would hate something more than it already came out,” says Kreutzmann, who knew Garcia well. “It is not a show that I would personally listen to for pleasure. It is particularly painful for his family and friends to look at it.”
A recording from the last concert of the Jerry Garcia was never published. Should she?
For this reason, Kreutzmann says that he is currently not planning to use audio or video from the Soldier Field appearance in his documentary, which bears the working title “Garcia”. “It is so uncomfortable to look at him. Because he just looks so unhappy and unhealthy. And as if life is just not what he wants,” says Kreutzmann. “I’m not pretending that it has never happened. But it’s not the smiling Jerry who jumps around. If I want to hear Jerry, I want to feel smile through the music.”
For the time being, the fact that an unauthorized version of the tape is circulating must be sufficient. “The decision not to publish it is a completely justifiable musical and a discussable cultural decision,” says Gans. “But it’s outside for those who want to find it. And maybe that’s enough.”