Got to love the Fuzz watching us deadheads shakin it down from the top of the roof. My wife and I got married on the 30th of May in 09, and they played our song. TLEO! Nice to get a wedding present from the dead! OH YEAH

this show most definetly changed my life for the better. thanks for posting it!

Zman Steve...Great job as usual with your set up and recording! Always great to see you and never a shock as we both are bound to cover just a little more ground. Hope to hook up in hometown Hot'Lanta, maybe for The Mule in July. Peace to you and thank you for a real good recording! Tim Cox

Venue was next to O-Hare Airport. Parked in lot, no hassles, vibrant Shakedown street scene.

We went in about the earliest ever for a show . . . Waltzed to the floor and into our * seventh-row* seats. Sound was good and pretty clear. The light show rudimentary at best.

Show started at 7:45 with place only 2/3 full. By the time Tennessee Jed followed Dancin' it was full but not stifling. Room to shake our bones and catch a buzz. Warren thrives on the old tunes like Golden Road: Join the party, everyday!!! Rode that wave into a tasty Mr. Charlie. TLEO gave us a chance to breathe/inhale before so-so Touch picked up the tempo. I thought that would close the set, but NO! A delectable Weather Report Suite blossomed.

After a much needed break, and the usual chats with folks visiting from other planets, Truckin' was smokin' with everyone in synch and crowd singing along (ugh). Throwing Stones was solid, but it was Unbroken Chain that opened the path to two splendidly weird jams that easily made me forget about Phil's singing . . . into a Drums > Space sequence that didn't seem overly long (as it sometimes has been on this tour). Great to see Billy absolutely losing his mind on the toms and smiling through his windmills. Mickey inserted his voices from Jupiter and did a powerful sequence on the hanging beast-like drums . . . Weir noodled the band into a tight "Come Together" before they headed into Hell in a Bucket (?!) that featured an inspired jam that gave birth to a foot-stomping Rider to end the set. Phil's donor rap and a Brokedown lullaby sent us home, sweaty and satisfied.

Overall, the band was tight and energetic, playing a bit faster than many of the shows I've listened to from this tour. Jeff Chimenti's playing fit in splendidly: great team player AND a fine soloist. His jazzy touch complements Warren's blues-heavy sensibility. All the show needed, IMHO, was a second set Garcia tune (e.g. a pre-drums Terrapin or any post-space ballad).

All in all, this was clearly not a band doing covers of itself. Far from it! They took chances and were enjoying themselves . . . thank you for a real good time. Peace.

Couldn't have said it better myself! Allstate Arena was amazing- only regret is that I couldn't get on the road to see some more.

Thanks for the magical night!

Compared to the '03 and '04 Dead, these shows boggle the mind. I was at Shoreline last night and was just blown-away by the experience. So much more than expected.

Of course all these shows are garnering 4-5 star reviews - who would have guessed they'd keep getting better. We need a new standard - and if we can't compare "The Dead" to the good ol' Grateful Dead, then I know not by what standard to compare them.

So maybe we put stars based on "compared to GD"? Still these shows blow so many Dead shows of old away! I'm eternally grateful that our old friends decided to put this thing on the road again... took a while to get fired up, but WOW. All cylinders now!

TAKE IT EASY AND ENJOY! You only live once, but if whining floats your boat, then all I can say is "Please don't dominate the rap, Jack, if you've gotten nothin' new to say..."

See y'all on the road...

i am 14 years old and already a deadhead. this was my first dead show and what an experience it was! first, the police were being cool that day, so the parking lot was fun. it was wild though. once we were inside, the dead went on stage and it was a great experience. they opened with dancin in the street and the place was very "happy". next was tennessee jed and the crowd was singing along to every word. as the first set rolled on, the dead put on a very powerful touch of grey. again, the entire crowd was singing along. they closed the set with an amazing let it grow. during the setbreak, i got up and went to the bathroom and to the t shirt stand to reserve a copy of the concert recording and get a shirt. as i was walking back, the entire building exploded with the opening song of set 2, truckin. the entire arena was making music then. throwin stones and unbroken chain came next, but equally as amazing. the drums/ space was cool and funky. they finished the set with i know you rider. this was another stunning part of the show. then phil spoke and the dead finished it off with a superior brokedown palace. what a night. what a great band. in all honesty, i would have to say that their epic sound is a tiny bit better than the grateful dead's

This show is outstanding who did'nt know they would be getting better and better.I like to see Bobby still proves every one wrong time after time. Only true dead heads know. I am sick and tired of the negativity about Bobby. It is so rediculous. I have seen the Grateful Dead 71 times and Ratdog 33. I seen Bobby blow people off the stage. I seen him do everything. For instance I believe it was 96 Orlando on Lee Road. He did Misty and Gloria in the same night. Thank you. So cut the crap about your Bobby never being any good You people have no clue. This show is a big time treat. So well done. I am not just a Bobby fan. There will never be A Jerry Garcia ever again. Why do you think Jerry palyed with these talented guys for thirty years and could of been alot more. Because of Bob Weir's absolute talent.Well done this show wish i was there and get to see a show on this tour. Trying to get my friends from Madison CT. TO GO. rOTHBURY 4TH OF jULY. i WILL STOP GOING ON AND ON. lOVE YOU ALL. pEACE OUT

drkstrcrashes...
Phish does not blow, i love the GD purist i see coming out of you (i myself am one, hardcore) but after dead, its Phish, phish is fucking rocking, open up ur ears bro. Phish has given me those same moments the dead has, and i bet they can for you too. Dead first, Phish second.

And yes it isnt the GD, you cant expect it from the dead. I went into the show not expecting too much and was blown away (i was at this show). i really thought they did a great job and the jamming/creativity was there, far better than i expected. God bless the Dead and thanks for putting these shows up. Show wise i give it a 4/5, havent listened to the recording yet, but 5/5 has to be perfect or damn close. IMO

We have this incarnation of the Bus, the Band the Fan

When I hear this music, I hear Warren be himself on the guitar while paying tribute to Jerry. When I hear Warren sing, I hear a little Pigpen and some Brent.

I love the new song mixes, the trading of verses, the different tempos.

This has been a tour for the ages, and if it doesn't float your boat, then by all means, abandon ship.

I'm enjoying the ride, who knows when they will sail again.

Grateful Susan

nice balance of mellow and tight jamming. nobody's tripping over each other.

They sound very refined, Warren I believe does an excellent job of not trying to steal the stage but work with phil and bobby to direct without taking over.. and there were times during the show where the jamming transcended rosemont and sounded like 1970's era dead jamming, space/drums I thought was very well played I missed the Monday show but this show was great, hell in a bucked into rider was wonderful, so was the beatles cover... I say 5/5 for sure

Another killer show! What a wonderful weather report!!! Any rain song brings me joy maybe because of my love/hate relationship with rain...Anyway I find myself at a loss to keep up with all of these wonderful tapers and this review goes out to all of you. I have no money to see a show and I was bummed out about that and I must give a BIG hear filled thank you to all of you who are out there taping and uploading so fast for all of us who can not be there many Grateful thanks. You do it selflesslee (is that a word?sounded good) for the enjoyment of all! Now that is America folks! I also enjoy reading the coments from the "critics" I remeber the days of scouring the parking lot for cassetts and to think we have high def at our fingertips; Jerry would be tickled I think. An amazing band doing the not so ordinary!!! Thank Yo Tapers keep on keeping on!!!! They couldn't have picked a better vocalist than Warren. Peace

On the bus since 1976. It's a mistake to listen to this band expecting "The Grateful Dead." Stylistically, Warren is different from Jerry, with those long Allman sounds rather than Jerry's banjo-picking background. So enjoy, or don't enjoy, as you see fit. I know I had a good time at the Meadowlands despite it being an uneven show. After all, there were plenty of uneven shows - even (truth be told) waste years - during the GD's last decade.

That being said, this is one of the best shows on this tour - especially the first set, whose songs are reclaimed as great songs played by this new excellent band, "The Dead." To understand my point, compare to 2nd set Rider, which really does miss Jerry. It's hard to put a finger on it too - intuitively, I would think that the TLEO is another "Jerry" song, but they pull it off just fine. And they do the same with the 4/24 Scarlet.

Seems to me that the other top shows of tour are 4/19 Worcester and 4/24 Nassau. But what do you think? So far, there's not so much discussion of the relative merits of the shows (which is so useful to those of us who don't have the time to download everything), as there is on the Grateful Dead side of the house. I've always thought it was kind of pointless to give everything a "5" - oh yeah, another great show. Well, you know, some days are better than others.

ok, i've been to my share of dead and friends of the dead shows and have never felt such positive vibrations as i did that night! far as i'm concerned bobby's doing exceptionally well for his age, and still lookin good ; ) what i figured would be crap seats ended up being amazing and everyone around us felt the same way. looking around i saw nothing but smiles and love. were you people even at the same show?????

Wasatch bikers, Dalai Lamas, people who think this is a cover band...Jesus, it's like I've been asleep for forty years or something. This place is a fargin' circus!

OK, this is an order: Sit down, shut up,, hold on and enjoy the damn show. Quit nit picking and bawling out each other, you're wreckin' my high.

Of course I'm kidding. It's a Humboldt County Friday night and I've got a couple Lagunitas IPA's in me. You kids just go on without me, Old Pulver's jes gwine teh set here on de porch...

Great job taper! KUTGW.

Listen to doodle he said it all! This ain't the Grateful Dead it's the Dead!Were all sorry Jerry,Brent,Pigpen is gone.But the show must go on!these boys are doing a wonderful job. So for the people who dont believe your not realy dead! what would Jerry want? He would have told you too the show must go on! the Dead hits my soul,and i thank them!

Yeah, the WRS->Let it Grow, Unbroken Chain & The Brokedown were phatty... I'm sitting here looking at spending $2k to fly in and see just one show on this tour, so listening to everything in minute detail. No $2k moments shows yet(!)...but if I could roll my own from this tour, those two from this night would be contenders.

Wow, i'm suprised by all the bickering over this show on various forums. I went to this expecting a really awesome GD cover band and I got that and more. Why is the Bob speak singing and slow pace of some of his songs shocking everyone so much? Have you heard a Ratdog show lately? I dunno, there are some obvious highlights here like "Unbroken Chain", "I Know You Rider", and "Weather Report Suite" among others. Not to mention Warren's silky soloing all over the place that I could listen to for hours. Is this a show from May of 1977? No, of course not. This is a different band and a different time. But it's better than 99% of the junk out there in current rock music that's for darn sure.

The show: Great
The Sound: Great
The Tour: really gathering steam. I'm not a Warren fan to speak of, but they seem to be really gelling.
The "Bobby's got some sort of something disease: Shut the F Up!!!!!!!!! Idiots, all of you on that bandwagon. If I'm not mistaken, that was born from someone on this show reviewing that Bob's singing is some sort of spoken whatever, thus he has a cardio pulmonary disease. Now folks are running with it? That's the rumor mill folks and it's a waste of time by small-minded people. Review the band, review the show, review the sound. Hell, even tell me about your parking lot experience, but DO NOT make some sort of medical diagnosis because Bob doesn't sing Jerry tunes like Jerry. Check the calendar, Jerry hasn't been here for almost 15 years. These guys are giving us great music...different, but great. Stop the BS rumors.
My apologies for the rant. The show rocks.

You, sir, are a self absorbed jerk. I wasn't making light of anything. To the contrary, I was making an observation based on my own experience with the inability to take a deep breath. That's right, smokers. One day you just wake up and you can't do it anymore. At that point, it's too late. Whether you have a multi-million person following, or you are one of said following, the repercussions are the same. I love Bobby to death, don’t get me wrong. I sincerely hope my layman’s diagnosis is wrong, because if it’s not, the effect on his singing ability will be the least of his problems.

On a side note: God Bless Phil for being absolutely straight and narrow. You don’t get on a transplant list if you screw around AT ALL. Fame, fortune or celebrity will not get you jack. Doctors don’t waste good livers on addicts. Thanks for everything, Phil.

Oh, dalilama1!: Here are two more observations based on fact. 1: I’m older than you think I am. 2: You are not as smart as you think you are.

Weir gets a few lyrics correct on this gig
This is a smoking show in terms of musicianship

I am sure Weir is suffering from an illness
At The Gorge on the 16th maybe Scotty will beam him up when they are playing Space in 2nd set.

We live in hope

My favorites were let it grow and unbroken chain. Sounded tight. Awesome recording! Thanks for uploading. The only thing that sucked was trying to funnel into the arena.
peace

To note, I was there, stage right, in front the big hanging speakers...Great sound.

WTF? Not much mention of the Weather Report Suite??? It was as incredible musically as this band has put out to date. It's true this is NOT the Grateful Dead but with Warren they can let it fly in a real nice way. Golden Road/Mr.Charlie/WRS made for a great first set. 2nd set had highlights (Hell In A Bucket) but not much to shout about IMO.

As for Bobby; Aside from the fact the he was dropping lyrics all night long (which proves my point that they should lose a few songs from the rotation in order to better perform what they do play), I read a great joke about his singing from another reviewer that could not be more true..."he sounds like William Shattner doing a Priceline.com commercial". Breathless, talking the lyrics with no melodic overtones...however he gives it his all (ie. 2nd set H.I.A.Bucket) and for that we send love. If there's any truth to him having an illness, my heart goes out and I wish him all the best.

I am very taken back by this whole thing. I had no plans on going to see this show at all...mostly in part to financial reasons. Also,the inner drive to go see the boys, well - it just wasn't the same as it was 19 yrs. ago. But while driving home from work the night before, I was stopped at Higgins and Mannhiem rd. and watched as police ushered all of these tye dies across the street and like a junkie, and undeniable urge welled up inside me and the next day I was in the lot, ticket in hand and ready for a good time.

Never in my wildest imagination did I envision having the splendour and magnificense of this night unfold before my eyes the way it did. The lot scene was Amazing!!!! Nothing like the past with Rosemont police. The heads were all out (unfortunatly so were their dogs)but everyone seemed to be right back in the groove like no one ever missed a beat. The music .... my god the music was unfathomable. The only time I sat down was when they busted out the Bucket late in the second set but halfway thru that song I still found myself on my feet dancin away cuz it was just that good.

Were they spot on? No not always, but then again, they weren't always when Jer was around either. But they sounded damn fine for a bunch of older guys havin' as much fun as we were. I am soo grateful and very thankful I had this oppertunity again. Thanks guys! Lot of love for you and the crew.

Way to go to Z-man. Your recordings always sound hot, and this one's no exception. Thanks.

Regarding the vox, I really dig how they're trading off verses, e.g., TJed: Bobby > Warren. Its also interesting how I'm evolving into digging Bobby's phrasing on the Jer Bear's toones. I used to get real annoyed that he was singing them different from Jerry, but I'm appreciating is that Bob's making the songs his own. Jer used to do the same thing throughout his career--there's always subtle inflections here or there, and especially towards the end, he'd go way off.

Can't wait for the full vids to crop up! The Justin/Jay productions on dead.net are killer!

Let me start by saying that I was brought into a dark place after Jerry passed, and there was seemingly nothing as far as I could figure to bring me out of that place. That being said, my experience at this Rosemont Show (yes, it will always be the Rosemont), was of a level that neither could I ever have expected, or enjoyed more in terms of how the usual protocol at this venue has been in the past and the quality of music is concerned. It appears as though the Rosemont constabulary has loosened up a bit in the last 15 years, and allowed the people to be who they are, not who they would want them to be- HUGE KUDOS! Live and let live. And the music was tight. Make no bones about it my brothers and sisters, this band has had a little time to process, AND THEY ARE BACK! I am eternally grateful for the music that I heard 25 years ago, and the music to come. This is going to be a balls out, bonafide situation that we all need to address. Seeing old friends in the lot; seeing the young ones at their first show; seeing the scene being allowed to transform; and seeing the band start to meld together to the extent that I'd say they were down right cookin'--HOLY CRAP! It's back people, who would of thought it was possible...

Peace,


Hey WstchBker,
Way to make light of another man's possible, yet unconfirmed illness. You're most likely still in the invincible stage. To everyone who was there and has been there for 30+ years: YOU know Bobby sounded strong. Great recording, ground breaking show in terms of the direction.

PS WstchBker: Call me in 40 years and let's see what you sound like. Yah, that's' right, I don't hear anything.

yeah...man. it was definatly nostalgic and the crowd and crews were fantastic...the set was a suprize as well..but just great and intense. i'd say this was a pretty great show. the sound the venue...all that. it was well worth it,but i didnt spend no 1000$ chucks on tix. it was good to be back and see em all tear it down...and im with everyone whos anyone when i say "hes gone" but "the music never stopped"!!! to the belly achin' knuckleheads downing warren...you must be insane ....long live the dead!!! i'd give the show a five as far as this recording!!! but a 4 cause i was thrown a bit by the setlist! i was on the left hand side of the stage if you were facing it...i was really hoping for eyes,wheel,stella....but thats just me being a booby and never satisfied...guess thats why i've been on so many roads....i'll take what they give me...always grateful...

It felt great to be back. Beautiful day in the lot, warm breeze blowin' with sweet songs from the past ridin' the wind. Just like I remember. I'm giving this a five because I was there and it felt good. With my boys and my wife. Been on the Golden Road since Spring 77, took the boys when they were just a handful of years back in the late 80's, but have not seen anything thing since The Other Ones and that just didn't feel right.

I'm not one to say this is best, better, bestest, greatest . . . and I'm more of an SB guy, but let me tell you . . . I damn near shat when they stoked up Golden Road. That made the $$ worth it, right away. Everything sounded great throughout, although I'm sure there will be complainers. I can't complain. Warren is the man. And, Jeff fits right in. And, the boys are just like I remember 'em through the years . . . even better.

I only have one suggestion. I love Bobby and I think he's a genius guitar player and it's great to hear him more in the mix. After struggling a bit with his singing at the start, he got it wound up great for Throwin' Stones and Hell in the Bucket. And, it was awesome. But he needs to stick closer to the melody and the phrasing when he's singin' Jer's songs . . . or hand it over to Warren. Bobby doesn't deviate from the melody with his own songs; don't know why he does with the Jerry tunes. But, hey, I can't complain. On the Golden Road again. Thanks a bunch to the tapers/downloaders. It's all great.

Cool to see so many young folks getting to see the dead, or rather experience the Grateful Dead for the first time ever. The boys are working together to create a great experience far all willing to put aside their judgements and just enjoy the music being created, mix it up a little, have fun and don't sweat the details, remeber, "everybody is playng in the heart of gold band", and nobody's forcing anybody to join the band. My daughter turned 18 on Easter Sunday which happened to be the opening of what has turned out to be a phenomenal tour. She was a baby when we toured with her and now she's a adult with all the ability to see it for herself. The spirit of the Grateful Dead is back. I started seeing shows when I was 16, I'm 38 now, followed the Dead movement for over 20 years now and the 87 tour seems like yesterday. God bless the band for their willingness to get out and kick some butt, and God bless the Tapers for posting shows that happened 12 hours prior, in the 80's who would have imagined being able to hear the bootleg of most every show within 12 hours of the actual performance. God Bless the Family, you know who you are.

ps

They have played over 150 different songs in 3 weeks, they are barely repeating. A far cry from the average band on tour who has a resevoir to pick from of less than 30 not includin' Dylan

pss I live in the west and haven't seen a single 2009 spring tour show yet, livin vicariously through the recordings, why not a 10 day run in Califorina somewhere, THEIR ARE A FEW DEVOTED HEADS OUT IN THE pACIFIC YA KNOW!

The experience at the show was legendary. From Shakedown to Sets, it was nothing like i can have imangined...

The stand outs are for sure the dancin in the streets opener, the Golden Road, Let it Grow, and one amazing I know you rider...

Thank you tapers, the quality is amongst the Gods..

was the theme from the crazy drumz jam. Oh my GOD, was it real! These guys are on fire!!!! Yes, Jerry was IT for me, but still, they are still THE BEST band in the land, with no close second. Phish BLOWS,
THE DEAD. It's REAL

My buddy Dylan got back a couple days ago from this show and he described the experience so well it made me want to save my money, not goto Hookahville and go to RothBury.

This MAY be the last time the dead is together and there not going to be around forever and this is something everyone should experience at least 1 time in their life.. GOTO ROTHBURY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great set, this was the second day in Chicago i couldnt find the first day but the set and quality of this recording is amazing.

it was my three year old's first show...what a great time...thanks for uploading