07-28-1973
Grand Prix Racecourse
Watkins Glen, New York
The seeds of Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, which brought 600,000 people to a racetrack in Upstate New York on this day for the Grateful Dead, The Band, and the Allman Brothers, was planted a year earlier at the Grateful Dead’s July 16, 1972 show at Dillon Stadium in Hartford. There, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, and Jaimoe joined the Dead on stage for several tunes. Witnessing the magic, promoters Shelly Finkel and Jim Koplik started planning what would become Summer Jam.
Bertha, Beat It On Down The Line, Brown Eyed Women, Mexicali Blues, Box Of Rain, Here Comes Sunshine, Looks Like Rain, Row Jimmy, Jack Straw, Deal, Playin’ In The Band
Set 2
Around & Around, Loose Lucy, Big River, He’s Gone-> Truckin’-> Nobody’s Fault But Mine-> El Paso, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Stella Blue, Eyes Of The World, Sugar Magnolia
Set 3
Sing Me Back Home, Not Fade Away*, Mountain Jam*, Johnny B. Goode*,
*wi the Allman Brothers and The Band
The night before, while people were still pouring in from all around the Northeast and beyond, the Dead had played an epic two-set throw-down soundcheck. Heads often argue that the music there overshadows the playing at the actual concert on this day. But Summer Jam itself is a huge historic moment for the Dead as they played at what would long stand as the largest concert in the world. And this is still the Dead at the height of their 1973 powers; it might not be the best show of 1973, but there nothing to complain about, especially in the second set as the Dead roll through fantastic versions of He’s Gone, Truckin’, China> Rider, and Stella Blue before a magisterial Eyes into Sugar Mags, which provides such a rushing release. Listening to the crisp soundboard – as opposed to some of the older circulating tapes, which were much rougher – that we have cued up puts the awesome music on full display and might just sway a few opinions.
The Dead came on first in the afternoon, in the blazing heat of the day. But it was not until hours after their two sets, after The Band and the huge audience got drenched by a summer thunderstorm and after the Allmans had played for several hours to a mud-covered crowd that the greatest moment of Summer Jam happened, a massive three-song encore with all three bands on stage. And though the sound is a little rougher than the clarity of the recording on this page, we have a pretty solid board of the Not Fade Away, rapturous Mountain Jam, and rocking Johnny B Goode ready to go right here for your listening pleasure.
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