The June 17, 1991 Giants Stadium show is one of those concerts where people who were there still talk about “you remember when the second set happened?” rather than “it was such a great show”, asking each other where they were, rather than hearing about what happened in the second set from someone who wasn’t even there
On August 8 and August 10, 2026, that night returns to New Jersey theaters as the 2026 Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies 35th-anniversary screening of the remastered multi-cam film with a 48-track surround sound mix by Jeffrey Norman, and if you’ve only heard it, you should see it, and you will want to see it, and if you’re reading this, maybe you should tell your story about that night first.
The screening will also feature a preview of “Shakedown Street” from the forthcoming Merriweather 6/30/85 box set as a treat for those of us waiting on that one,
but tonight is about the present, as The Music Plays the Band Radio Show streams live on The Grateful Dead Live, celebrating Grateful Dead cover bands with a multi-hour block tonight, just in time for the 35th-anniversary screenings of this show, the various tribute shows happening around New Jersey this month, and Don’s Pick tomorrow night, featuring one of the heaviest concerts in Dead history this week in the life of the community.
New Jersey Theaters Showing the 2026 Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies - The Theater Screenings: Where to See Giants Stadium ‘91 in New Jersey - The August 8 and 10 screenings are available at over a dozen New Jersey theaters and a few border areas, with just about all showings at 3:00. Here is the full list of places:
Basie Center Cinema House
36 White Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
AMC Freehold 14
101 Trotters Way, Freehold, NJ 07728
AMC Monmouth Mall 15
Route 35 & Route 36, Eatontown, NJ 07724
Cinemark Hazlet 12
2821 Highway 35, Hazlet, NJ 07730
Regal Commerce Center
2399 Route 1 South, North Brunswick, NJ 08902
AMC New Brunswick 18
17 US Highway 1, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Central Jersey and the Shore: Basie Center Cinema House, 36 White Street, Red Bank. AMC Freehold 14, 101 Trotters Way, Freehold. AMC Monmouth Mall 15, Route 35 and 36, Eatontown. Cinemark Hazlet 12, 2821 Highway 35, Hazlet. Regal Commerce Center, 2399 Route 1 South, North Brunswick. AMC New Brunswick 18, 17 US-1, New Brunswick.
AMC Cherry Hill 24
2121 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
AMC Voorhees 16
900 Haddonfield-Berlin Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043
Regal Moorestown Mall
400 Route 38, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Cinemark Somerdale 16 & XD
711 Evesham Road, Somerdale, NJ 08083
Regal Hamilton Commons
4215 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
South Jersey: AMC Cherry Hill 24, 2121 Route 38, Cherry Hill. AMC Voorhees 16, 900 Haddonfield Berlin Road, Voorhees. Regal Moorestown Mall, 400 Route 38, Moorestown. Cinemark Somerdale 16 and XD, 711 Evesham Road, Somerdale. Regal Hamilton Commons, 4215 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing.
Regal UA Oxford Valley
403 Middletown Boulevard, Langhorne, PA 19047
AMC Neshaminy 24
660 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, PA 19020
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Staten Island
2636 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306
Nearby border locations for out-of-state subscribers: Regal UA Oxford Valley, 403 Middletown Boulevard, Langhorne, Pennsylvania. AMC Neshaminy 24, 660 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Staten Island, 2636 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, New York.
Most participating theaters are currently scheduled to begin the presentation at 3:00 PM on both August 8 and August 10. Check your preferred theater for the latest schedule and ticket availability before attending. The 2026 Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies will be screened at theaters throughout New Jersey on August 8 and August 10, featuring the legendary Giants Stadium 1991 concert.
Most participating theaters are currently listing showtimes beginning at 3:00 PM, though it’s always a good idea to confirm your local listing before heading out.
The Music Plays the Band exists because the cover band ecosystem is not an adjunct to the real Dead shows but a continuation of the tradition the Dead created that the music was for everyone who played it seriously and played it with love.
Tonight’s broadcast taps into that ecosystem most intensely, and if you haven’t been paying close attention to what the best tribute bands have been up to in 2026, it’s worth your while to actually pay attention rather than have it on in the background.
The Dead didn’t give us a catalog; they gave us a practice, which the tribute bands that do it right recognize.
The Music Plays The Band Radio Show plays live music by Grateful Dead Cover Bands. Grateful Dead, the iconic American rock band, has left an indelible mark on music history. Known for their improvisational style, eclectic sound, and devoted fan base, the Grateful Dead’s influence continues to resonate long after their disbandment. While the original band members may no longer grace the stage together, the spirit of the Grateful Dead lives on through the countless cover bands that pay homage to their music. In this show, we explore the world of Grateful Dead cover bands and the important role they play in keeping the legacy alive.
The Music Plays The Band Radio Show features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music every week!
Every Wednesday Night at 9PM EST
If tonight’s broadcast has whet your appetite to hear this music in a room with other people, here are some options.
Steely Dead plays the Ardmore Music Hall on August 9, just across the river in Pennsylvania, but close enough. The concept is as good as it sounds: the jazz-rock fusion precision of Steely Dan meets the improvisatory codification of the Dead in one hybrid that shouldn’t work as well as it does.
Lovelight brings two full sets to Cooper’s Riverview in Trenton on August 13. Lovelight is one of the more seriously improvisatory New Jersey tribute bands, meaning they’re going to be riffing on the catalog as much as playing through it, which is a nice change of pace if you’re into that kind of thing.
Back to the Garden 1969 brings a full multimedia theatrical tribute to the Woodstock-era catalog to the Broadway Theatre of Pitman on August 16. It’s a show of a different stripe, more production-oriented than most in this group, but the early Dead psychedelia it mines out is criminally underutilized in the tribute circuit, so that’s reason enough to check it out.
Dead.net’s Jam of the Week is streaming the May 11, 1977 St Paul Civic Center show, which is as good as it should be for that year on the road, and the Taper’s Section is concurrently featuring music from the 1969 Big Rock Pow Wow, Baltimore 1977, and Shoreline 1992 performances. Three shows, all very different, all well worth your time.
Mickey Hart has been out this summer promoting his community curation of the original 1967 Straight Theater concert poster from his first show with the band, which he’s trying to find, so if anyone knows anything about that poster, now would be a good time to let him know.
Live Dead and Brothers , the supergroup of Mark Karan and Berry Duane Oakley, and the 1969-73 Dead/Allman Brothers collaboration, is winding up its Northeast summer tour this week. Dark Star Orchestra has announced a 50th-anniversary reconstruction of the Dead’s September 1976 Kaplan Arena show to happen in late September at William and Mary, which could well be a worthwhile hunt.
July 29th is a day with two shows worth going back to if you have the chance.
July 29, 2000 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. This is the Quintet show, with Phil Lesh, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Rob Barraco, John Molo, featuring the best possible configuration of Phil and Friends, which is not surprising since it shares a co-headlining bill with Bob Dylan and has the setlist to prove it; the performance of Help on the Way into Slipknot into Franklin’s Tower into Terrapin Station and the Viola Lee Blues sandwich in the middle as the set’s anchor with a particularly white-knuckled version of the closing song defining the whole night’s music makes this the closest thing we’ll ever get to seeing the full power of the Phil and Friends lineup. Another noteworthy element was that it was the first time the band had ever played a concert on Garcia’s birthday, which fell on July 29, 1967, although that doesn’t appear to have stopped the fireworks going off over the Jersey City night sky during the performance when The Band opened the second set with their own set, with the members of The Band coming out to jam with the Dead.
July 29, 2021 at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, TN. Five years ago today, Phil Lesh paid tribute to the indie rock band Dawes by getting together some of their members for a very different kind of Phil and Friends show than usual. Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith, Lee Pardini, and Trevor Menear joined Grahame Lesh and Nicki Bluhm for a performance that opened with Cold Rain and Snow, an appropriate set-opener given the personnel, and the second set included The Wheel, Unbroken Chain, New Speedway Boogie, and Stella Blue, closing on China Cat into I Know You Rider into Shakedown Street. The connection to Dawes gives this performance a nice variation from the usual Phil and Friends fare.
Phil’s estate is not in any kind of legal trouble at the moment, and Grahame Lesh and the family are focusing on the Unbroken Chain tribute concerts and the San Francisco exhibition, which is the right move for everyone involved.
The Phil & Friends Radio Show is a captivating journey into the musical universe of Phil Lesh, the iconic bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead. This radio show is a celebration of Lesh’s solo projects and his collaborations with a rotating cast of talented musicians, collectively known as Phil & Friends. Through a curated selection of live recordings, the show highlights Lesh’s distinctive style and his contributions to the rich tapestry of improvisational rock music.
The Phil & Friends Radio Show features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music from their shows every week!
Every Tuesday Night at 9PM EST
Saturday, which means Don’s Pick, and Don is giving us the August 1, 1973 Roosevelt Stadium show in Jersey City for Jerry Garcia’s 31st birthday.
This is one of those shows where the legend is deserved, but it’s also worth knowing at least a little about the context before you listen because it adds a nice layer of significance to the performance. The band had played Watkins Glen three days ago, which was at the time the largest concert in America, and they brought that electricity with them to Jersey City for Garcia’s birthday, where they played an equally memorable second set that stretched unbroken from Dark Star into El Paso into Eyes of the World into Morning Dew, about an hour of music that moved from the most jazz-inflected song in the Dead’s repertoire to Marty Robbins’ cowboy song to one of the most expansive Garcia guitar workouts in the 73 catalog to a Morning Dew that folded all of it back in like the closing statement on a huge topic.
It was also the first time the band had ever played a concert on Garcia’s actual birthday, and the Band played as the opening act, with fireworks going off over the Jersey City night sky during the performance and the members of The Band coming out to jam with the Dead.
In short, it is one of the great concerts that this band ever played, in New Jersey, on a birthday, and tomorrow night, Don’s Pick will air it for you to hear.
Planet Drum Circle!
Planet Drum Circle is an invigorating radio show that takes listeners on a rhythmic journey through the vibrant world of percussion, led by none other than Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, two legendary drummers best known for their roles in the Grateful Dead. Broadcasting for an hour every Sunday, this show is a testament to the power of rhythm and the universal language of music.
An old fashioned Hour A Week Good Ole ‘Planet Drum Circle’ every Sunday Morning at 11AM EST!
Every Sunday Morning at 11AM EST
The JGB Radio Show!
Celebrating Jerry Garcia’s Solo Projects with Live Music. When it comes to iconic figures in the world of music, Jerry Garcia is a name that stands out. Known primarily as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead, Garcia’s influence on the music industry cannot be overstated. However, what many people may not be aware of is Garcia’s extensive solo career, which produced some incredible music that deserves recognition.
FIVE (5) Hours of Live Jerry Garcia Music from His Solo Projects Every Sunday Night!
Every Sunday Night Starting at 9PM EST
The Ace Radio Show!
The Ace Radio Show is a mesmerizing journey into the musical universe of Bob Weir, the iconic guitarist, singer, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. This radio show is a celebration of Weir’s solo projects, showcasing his distinctive blend of rock, folk, and Americana that has captivated audiences for decades.
The Bob Weir ‘Ace Radio Show’ features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music from his solo projects every week!
Phil & Friends Radio Show!
The Phil & Friends Radio Show is a captivating journey into the musical universe of Phil Lesh, the iconic bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead. This radio show is a celebration of Lesh’s solo projects and his collaborations with a rotating cast of talented musicians, collectively known as Phil & Friends. Through a curated selection of live recordings, the show highlights Lesh’s distinctive style and his contributions to the rich tapestry of improvisational rock music.
The Phil & Friends Radio Show features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music from their shows every week!
Every Tuesday Night at 9PM EST
Music Plays The Band Radio Show
The Music Plays The Band Radio Show plays live music by Grateful Dead Cover Bands. Grateful Dead, the iconic American rock band, has left an indelible mark on music history. Known for their improvisational style, eclectic sound, and devoted fan base, the Grateful Dead’s influence continues to resonate long after their disbandment. While the original band members may no longer grace the stage together, the spirit of the Grateful Dead lives on through the countless cover bands that pay homage to their music. In this show, we explore the world of Grateful Dead cover bands and the important role they play in keeping the legacy alive.
The Music Plays The Band Radio Show features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music every week!
Every Wednesday Night at 9PM EST
Fare Thee Well Radio Show!
Fare Thee Well is a poignant radio show that serves as a musical tribute to the bands formed by members of the Grateful Dead following the passing of their iconic frontman, Jerry Garcia. Born out of a desire to honor Garcia’s legacy and continue the spirit of the Grateful Dead’s music, “Fare Thee Well” showcases the diverse and vibrant musical endeavors undertaken by the surviving members in the wake of Garcia’s absence.
Fare Thee Well Radio Show features FIVE (5) Hours of Live Music every week!
Every Thursday Night at 9PM EST
Don’s Pick Radio Show!
Every Saturday Night, “Don’s Pick” will delve into the extensive archives of live Grateful Dead performances to handpick a show that captures the essence and spirit of the band at their finest with the hope providing new shows & new versions of music by the band. From legendary concerts to hidden gems, Don’s meticulous selection process ensures that listeners are treated to an unforgettable musical experience and will deliver shows not available in Stores or as Live downloads.
Every Saturday Night Beginning at 9PM EST
The Ace Radio Show is a mesmerizing journey into the musical universe of Bob Weir, the iconic guitarist, singer, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. This radio show is a celebration of Weir’s solo projects, showcasing his distinctive blend of rock, folk, and Americana that has captivated audiences for decades.
FOUR (4) TIMES DAILY AT 9AM, 12 NOON, 6PM & 830PM EST
Dedicated entirely to live Grateful Dead performances. Radio shows include JGB Radio (live Jerry Garcia), Ace Radio (live Bob Weir), Phil & Friends, Music Plays the Band (Dead cover bands), and Fare Thee Well (post-Jerry shows). Don’s Pick spotlights a handpicked live show weekly, while Planet Drum Circle dedicates an hour to Drums.
The Grateful Dead Live Merch Stand in The Vending Lot!
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