thoughts?
memories?
What an emotional encore. I think deep down, they must’ve known.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQiAQRMhyM[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QJz6RJXD2c&feature=related[/youtube]
I remember my buddies all asking me if I wanted to head into Chicago to catch the show. I said, “Nah, I think I’m going to skip this one (my potential first…) and I’ll go next time.” sigh I was a 16 year old dumbass at the time. 
So Many Roads is unbelievable.
My girl friend and I did the last 9 (8 for DC reasons) shows in 1995. Amazing though. Caught my 1st Shakedown and Cumberland Blues that night in 40 tries. We helped talk some police by the dunes in Indiana into letting some kids go that had been caught with nugs at a checkpoint. I thought the Palace 2nd night was stronger overall. The Deer Creek Dire Wolf might have been the best music of the whole fucked up year.
We jumped on tour because of the previously discussed Unbroken Chain thing.
TRUTH!!
God Bless the Grateful Dead.
I was there! I remember the Band opened for them and I was sitting off to the side of the stage, almost a little behind the stage right by the railing. I was enjoying the Band and not paying attention to the people moving around on the field, then all of a sudden there was a lot of commotion. Turns out Jerry was about to walk up on stage. We all yelled “JER!!!” I was about 10 feet away from him and I recall how horrible he looked, the sallow skin and haggard face. I couldn’t believe he was only 53 because I thought he looked 73.
Anyway, the highlight of the show, in my opinion, is So Many Roads. Such a moving song considering what was to happen about a month later.
“Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there…” an appropriate last line sung by the band.
Which is unfortunate too, because of rumoured death threats to Jerry circling.
I moved to Chicago 1 week after this show… 
Black Muddy River is pretty powerful as well…
I miss Jerry… 
^ Last Muddy River…
I did 4 shows this tour… and you just knew. Then word came in about deer creek and some other bad happenings… then he passes on a month later. It was so… cosmic in a way… and I usually don’t speak like this… it was like watching an angel fall, or the death of a god. quite frankly it sucked. I was not ready for him to go… But I took solace in the fact he died trying to clean up… it was just too late. My life changed after he left this world… 1996 was a seminal year for me in orienting the directional flux capacitor. the mountains shook and jerrys spirit lived on… I tossed my tye dyes because they went with him.
Like the day after Jerry died I went to a horde fest show and I’ll never forget some dude in the venue holding a sign: “We’ll miss you Jerry”… then the mushroom cap kicked in and I started dancing to ziggy marley wot? 
There was also an influx of deadheads at phish shows…
Wow.
Was it really that clearly bad for Jerry at that time? And what does “rumoured death threats to Jerry circling” mean?
I’m curious to hear more 
The night before was my first and only Dead show. It was a family outing with my Mom, step-father, aunt, uncles, and my cousins, and I was a 13 year old punk. It was one of the greatest nights of my life, and as I get older, the more appreciative of this experience I get.
Miss you Jerry!!!
From The Illustrated Trip:
TRIVIA QUESTION:
At Soldier Field, what rock band used the Grateful Dead’s sound equipment during their concert played just 2 days later?
Pearl Jam.
Certainly I had no thought that jerry was to pass on after this tour but there was so much negativity that when it did occur it wasn’t like “oh my god I can’t believe it!” but more of “ah, oh it makes sense now” … like that was what it was leading up to all along.
unbroken chain. I saw one at giants stadium and it was heartbreaking. the middle jam section with the splendid groove and jerrys glorious soloing on top… I’m intently watching and listening to the song and waiting for it… looking for jerry to solo over that section… and when the times comes… he wasn’t there. Nothing. No sound at all. I was a bit shocked to be honest. I was like where’d he go? I had to scan the stage to find him… he was sorta hunched back in the shadows of his monitors and equipment… kinda hiding back there with his guitar turned down.
It was a sad and poignant moment for me… all I could think of was “Jerry, what’s wrong?” Here he was in front of 70,000 people and he was so sad and lonely back there… it was like everyone in the place saw it or could see his pain, his saddness, his struggle…
the last show i saw was in albany a few days later. the last song i heard him sing was morning dew (i left before encore, us blues). it was a very short second set and i had the feeling jerry wanted to end the show and get off the stage. i guess it doesn’t matter anyway…
ding ding ding! You are correct!
+5 h3tty pts for you…
I remember vividly the day that Jerry passed. I was only 10, and had no appreciation or recognition of the Dead, but when his death was announced on TV my mother basically broke down and ran out of the house. I was pretty confused at the time but she made sense of it for me. Years later and now he is one of my biggest heroes…he is missed.