Dylan and the Dead from 1987: video from 7-12-87 at Giants Stadium

 Dylan and the Dead from 1987: video from 7-12-87 at Giants Stadium

This is back from when VHS was still in competition with Betamax and Dylan was playing with the weirdest backing band ever. And I do believe that Bobby has a perm! It's not necessarily pretty but it's one of the groups that had the best potential. Dylan himself often claimed that Jerry was the best interpreter of his material. This is the first whole concert to surface on youtube, although many singular songs from the six concerts. The album, compiled and released later, Dylan and the Dead, was widely panned by critics. It still managed to hit #36 and go gold. This time wasn't a high point for Dylan and not even really a high point for the Dead. According to books by both camps, it worked better on paper as a concept than an actual show. The Dead say Dylan would practice a song in one key then play it in another, a common complaint from Dylan's backup bands. On the Dead's end, they came to the table with ideas about playing songs Dylan hadn't played since the early 60's and weren't anybody's first choice when you think of tight, sharp backing bands. The Dead and Dylan were both meandering so I think this show is a good document. You can also find two songs from this tour on View from the Vault vol. 4 from one of the other shows. If for nothing else, it makes you appreciate how far video recording technology has come in the last thirty years. Sound technology was Owsley's mission and the Dead were always at the forefront of live sound. Wall of Sound in 74' anyone? So I doubt you watch the whole show but appreciate that some experiments don't work. I'm sure the strictly Dylan fans, who are as rabid as Deadheads, stood out like uncomfortable, sober sore thumbs during the Dead's sets and I'm sure quite a few fans started heading for the door halfway through Dylan's closing sets.
Written by: Greg Heffelfinger

Setlist: 

Set 1
Loser

Tons Of Steel
Ramble On Rose
When I Paint My Masterpiece
When Push Comes To Shove
The Promised Land
Bertha 

Set 2
Morning Dew
Playing In The Band 
Drums
Space
The Other One
Stella Blue
Throwin' Stones
Not Fade Away

Set 3 (with Bob Dylan)

Slow Train Coming

Memphis Blues
Tomorrow is a Long Time
Highway 61
Baby Blue
Thin Man
John Brown
Wicked Messenger
Queen Jane
Chimes of Freedom
Joey
All Along the Watchtower
Times a Changing
E: Touch of Grey
Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Missing first three songs

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