this show was not one of their best on tour, but there were some great highlights. the first being the minijam into one of my favorite classics, brown-eyed women. i also thought that the energy bobby displayed in the encore of not fade away made up for what happened earlier in the show. the man has been playin some of these songs for like forty years

adamdean - I agree that to feel negatively overall about these shows (or any live music)is missing the point, but this section is called "reviews", not "gushing, unbridled praise." Even the boys will admit to having good/bad nights, and it's totally ok to criticize as long as you're enjoying the ride...

Oh, and this one is pretty good!

I thought theshow was fantastic on many levels. I won the lottery for the show in NYC at the roseland and then won tickets again for this show. I was blessed and to be back with all my friends and the band is the best medecine in the world. Close your eyes and let the music do the talking. Things have cahnged and we need to pull together again as a community of like-minded fans. Life today is different han it was back in the day and you have to give the boys credit for trying to do their very best. I at one time didn't care for Warren in 2005 but he really blew me away this time. It's nice to see Jeff playing keys too. Think about it, would you rather have 3 guitarists again? I think they sound great and if they keep touring (hopefully) every year it will be a magical time again. The world without these guys just isn't as beautiful. Se ya all at Mtn. Jam........

capndoubledose >phish4jerry > and all you other "naysayers" PLEASE STAY HOME! This is 2009 and these guys (those who are still with us) have been doing this for at least 45 years (how old are you? I am 52). So if you don't have anything good to say about what is happening here, don't say it at all. Every show is different. Every day is different. Just thnak god that we still have a "Grateful Dead" to call our own. I get really p/o'd to see some of the stuff being said around here. LOVE IT or don't bother to post at all. I thought Albany was an awesome show. I was there. And THANKS TO THE TAPERS!!!!!

This show failed for one reason only - BOBBY. He grandstands and insists his mike be placed 2' ahead of Warren's on stage, checks his gear or swaps guitars in the middle of other people's jams and there was a point in unbroken chain where Warren was standing a foot away from Bobby guitar to guitar trying to jam with him and Bob would not even make eye contact.

I walked in and was howling in order to get the crowd going and everyone was stoked to be there - Bob this is for you kid; you let us down. The other negative comments were right, stop sequestering Phil in the back and jam with Warren and learn the words to Minglewood bro your song. It is insulting to those of us that had to go through alot to get there. Nuf said.

Into the mystic was nice, Sugaree, Viola Lee and stand alone other one was cool and this show was long started promptly at 740 and finished at 1140.

Wilkes-Barre buried this show.

I really loved the show on 4/17, and am currently waiting for this download to finish! (I'll rate it asap) It almost hurts to hear people who disliked the show. No show is ever perfect, and I found the intensity level of this one to be just right. In fact, I loved the show so much that when I found out work gave me an accidental extra Saturday off, I bought tix for Philly! I can't wait to see another show! (p.s. anyone w advice on where to stay in Philly, I could use it :P)

The music was great, but slow...Second set was a 60 minute jam of three songs Viola>Sugaree>Other One with no crescendo in any of them. I normally would enjoy this if in the middle of the jam it was still clear what song they were playing....hate to be to critical because I still loved what they were doing, just wish for shorter jams and more songs played..

I was very pumped up to see The Dead for the first time in 15 years. I have seen Ratdog and Phil Lesh & Friends over the last few years, but this was something special. The first set was energetic and fun. Normally they give you a song or two that slow things down, so you can relax, and they never bothered with that in the first set. I never sat down once. Then the 2nd set started, and while on paper each song is an awesome song, and live each song in itself was awesome, it just did not fit together. Viola Blues, Sugaree, and The Other One, were all way too spacey and long. Which I could live with, if they just came out of Drums/Space with a more upbeat, vocal, and dance type songs. Again, on paper the songs are great, but they lost me and a lot of the crowd it seemed because they never lifted us back up. Even my wife, who enjoys the music and the scene, but is not a "Dead Head" was looking at me and wondering if it was ever going to pick up because it was putting her to sleep. As much as I danced in the first, is as much as I sat in the 2nd set. Cool tunes, great music, but it just did not seem to fit together.

Thank you! Sound is great, songs are great! What an amazing tour so far! Wish I could be out touring, thank you so much for getting these shows up so quickly. It means a lot to us to be able to listen so soon after the shows!

First: THANK YOU!! What a clean recording. I almost regret pre-ordering the download.

Second: We all have our own opinions. I was there and loved the show. I really wanted to see/hear The Other One and a Rhythm devil - heavy show, and I got it. The Other One was, to me, a little weird; no one huge crescendo, but it kept dancing in and out of the groove. I never could get enough of Space, and thought this one was beautiful. Warren's Comes a Time and then Unbroken Chain were just heartbreaking. And then to go back to the Devils with Throwing Stones and NFA - Yeow!.

Like I said, we all have our opinions but every time I hear someone really bitch about a show as if they have the only opinion, I remember sitting next to two people during a (to me) great Space/Jam in about 1977 and they kept saying "enough, enough, when are they gonna play one of their hits..."

This show was the worst show I have been to I think. First set was good but only lasted an hour. After the forty five minute set break they come back with Viola Lee. This is the one song I was dieing to hear, was sooo pumped when I heard the first couple notes. Then they get into about 6-7 minutes in and they butcher it, the jam went nowhere, no build up, nothing, just noodling the entire time. Sugaree was great but then the other one>drums>space was slow tempo slop fest. I almost left mid second set this show was so bad. Another thing that killed me was during drums, the rhythm devils are going at it and it isnt anything spectacular, same beat going for 5 minutes, then all of a sudden the crowd starts going crazy, im confused because i dont hear mickey laying out intense complex patterns, its the same god damn beat, what could the crowd be cheering for, ohhhhh they are lighting up the grateful dead lighting bolt on the stage, omg everyone has there camera out and is going wild for this LIGHT!!! How incredible, long live the DEAD!!!!! That is the most expensive show I have ever attended and the worst one at that. Save your money and go check out this other little band, I heard that they are pretty good and they have all the members in prime shape.....

Thank you to all the tapers that make this happen! From what I have listened to so far, this is a great recording of a great show. Great to hear Warren on Sugaree, Comes a Time and Phil on Unbroken Chain.

A great show by my standards. I'm prejudiced to Albany though, so close to home. Remarkably enough, GDTSTOO sat me in the exact same seat I had the last time I saw Jerry alive. Behind the stage, upper level. Not a great seat, but definitely gives one a different perspective to all that makes our heaven possible. Sitting there, I cried when Warren crooned a beautiful version of COMES A TIME.
I've been touring for 25 years and never saw the band before or after the show. It was only fitting that I'd get that opportunity at The Knick. I briefly saw Phil, Billy & Mickey scoot by me (within 10 ft) in a golf cart. I got a wave out of Billy cause he was riding on the back, facing backwards.
The Albany scene was beautiful as always; Cops and Heads being tolerant of each other around the arena and on Shakedown St. Still too much Nitrous going around if you ask me, it's ruining our scene. And jack-asses leaving the empty balloons lying all over the ground. It's non-biodegradable litter and a huge choking hazard to animals. Speaking of which PLEASE STOP BRINGING YOUR PETS TO SHOWS. They can't get in, and leaving them alone in the car or tied to the car is just mean.
Ok, that's my rant, on to the show... 1st set started with a bang; CASEY JONES & a well-played COLD RAIN. MINGLEWOOD FOLLOWED. I've always loved the way Warren does INTO THE MYSTIC and tonight's version was superb. Of course, A very well-played and Jammy WEST L.A. really had me movin, but that was just a warm-up for BROWN EYED WOMON and a CUMBERLAND that had us all on our feet.
2nd set opened with a pleasant surprise; VIOLA LEE. I, for one, had never seen that played live. Quite a treat. A long SUGAREE and a short THE OTHER ONE whooped us up higher. DRUMSPACE brought Mickey to his feet and Mr K was really hot tonight. 9 times out of 10, Mickey Hart is the center of DRUMS. But tonight, in my mind, Billy really rocked. He was energy-packed and it was so good to see him smiling as he pounded away a hypnotic, blessed beat. Tons of teases throughout the show: Jack Straw, China Cat, Stella. But space really had us all wondering. It felt like The wheel was coming for a long time, but when Warren layed COMES A TIME on us, it was a beautiful version indeed. Every note and every word were crisp & clean. NO ONE could take that place on that stage except a magyckal musician with such obvious love & respect for our dear departed Jerry. Phil tore into an UNBROKEN CHAIN and I was elated to hear an old favorite brought to life. The rest of the crowd was not quite as enthusiastic, which surprised me. Bobby treated us to the expected THROWING STONES (after all, it is Albany) to set us up for our expression of gratitude to the band: The boys and the Heads executed the usual exchange of NOT FADEAWAY that has become an Albany tradition.

Not sure who has listened to the other shows on this tour but for anyone who is familiar with the dead's work there is a treasure trove of wonderful material so far. The tapers have been magnificent in uploading the shows to the board. Sometimes even being uploaded the same day of the show. Clear quality and shinin setlists have made these shows generate one of the most exciting times in band history. Thanks david

this show is just awesome viola lee! high time is really comes a time

I can't wait to hear this show! Seems like some more grate sets from the '09 tour!