The title is a Grateful Dead song.  It fits because the first of two shows last week was a Citi Field extravaganza by Dead and Co.  Marisa and I attended.  She remarked that almost 20 years ago, her uncle took her to see the earlier alt version of the Dead, The Other Ones, at Madison Square Garden.  There was an interesting highlight that tied the Thursday eve show to the Chicago concert we -- joined by its "groupie," Shelly, took in as the week ended at Bald Hill Amphitheater in Farmingville.  

Dead and Co. covered Steve Winwood's Traffic classic, Dear Mr. Fantasy, and Chicago played its early cover of Steve Winwood's Spencer Davis Group hit, "I'm A Man," which also was an early hit for Chicago.  What I really loved about the Fantasy cover was its arrangement followed the cover by Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper on their, "The Live Adventures of ..." which included the same Beatles "Hey Jude" coda.  I literally had just played that entire album in the car over a few drives.

Pre-concert Gotham Westchester co-chair Mike Steger emailed me his view so I replied back with mine.

I has hoping the appearance may bring the Mets some positive Karma.  Especially John Mayer donning a Francisco Lindor Jersey (See photo upper left and in video below).

I shared a snippet of "Truckin'" one of my early fave Dead tunes with my brother Robby, who is a true Deadhead.  

Chicago still features one of its primary vocalists and writers, Robert Lamb whose view was obscured by the speakers stage left when he was at his keyboards.  

So it was nice when he moved to acoustic guitar center stage for Beginnings.  

Setlists follow.

DEAD & Co.:

Set 1:

Feel Like a Stranger (Grateful Dead cover) 


Franklin's Tower (Grateful Dead cover) 


Mama Tried (Merle Haggard cover) 


Alabama Getaway (Grateful Dead cover) 


Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic cover) (>) Hey Jude (The Beatles cover) (Coda) [Lives Adventures of Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper arrangement]


Truckin' (Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

Deal (Jerry Garcia cover) 


Set 2:

Scarlet Begonias (Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

Fire on the Mountain (Grateful Dead cover) 


Estimated Prophet 
(Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

Eyes of the World (Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

Drums (Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

Space (Grateful Dead cover) (>) 

All Blues 
(Miles Davis cover) (>) 

Cumberland Blues (Grateful Dead cover) 


All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) 


Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson cover) 


Encore:

Brokedown Palace

CHICAGO:

Set 1:

Introduction

Dialogue (Part I & II) 

Questions 67 & 68 

Call on Me 

Wake Up Sunshine 

(I've Been) Searchin' So Long 

Mongonucleosis

If You Leave Me Now 

Make Me Smile 

So Much to Say, So Much to Give Colour My World 

To Be Free 

Now More Than Ever

Make Me Smile (coda)



Set 2:

Alive Again 

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? 

Old Days 

Hard Habit to Break 

You're The Inspiration 

Beginnings

I'm a Man (The Spencer Davis Group cover) 

Just You 'n' Me 

Hard to Say I'm Sorry / Get Away 

Saturday in the Park 

Feelin' Stronger Every Day 



Encore:

Free

25 or 6 to 4