Dead & Company continued their 2019 Fall Fun Run at Uniondale, NY’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with the second of two shows at the Long Island arena on Thursday. Following their first show at the Nassau Coliseum the night prior, the band delivered another impressive two-set performance which included some notable John Coltrane and Bob Dylan covers sprinkled in throughout.
The show opened with Bob Weir launching fans into “Feel Like a Stranger” before revisiting a pair of older fan-favorites from Workingman’s Dead in “New Speedway Boogie” and “Dire Wolf”. A cover of Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” came next, after which John Mayer led the audience through a heartfelt sing-a-long of “Sugaree” while brilliantly utilizing a black Travis Bean guitar—a notable change up from his usual PRS axe—for a solo befitting of the Jerry Garcia tune. Mayer used the black Travis Bean throughout the whole set, making it clear that, like Garcia, he really, really likes the guitar.
Weir brought the first set to a close with “Cassidy” and a fitting “The Music Never Stopped” to send fans into set break feelin’ good. Watch the set-opening performance of “Feel Like a Stranger” from Wednesday below.
Dead & Company – “Feel Like a Stranger” [Pro-Shot] – 11/6/19
[Video: Dead & Company]
During set break, a tie-dyed banner made its way to the rafters of the Nassau Coliseum, colorfully recognizing the rich history of music and memories of which members of the Grateful Dead have been a part over the decades. The banner will forever recognize the 44 total shows which members of the band(s) have played at the Long Island arena (more than any other artist in the venue’s history), an honor well deserved for one of the best longevity stories in rock and roll.
A historic night on the Island and new addition hanging high in the rafters!
𝟜𝟜 𝕊ℍ𝕆𝕎𝕊.@GratefulDead | @deadandcompany have performed more times than any other act in the building 💥 pic.twitter.com/uizQQmuBoN
— NYCB LIVE (@NYCBLive) November 7, 2019
The second half of the show opened on a strong with the Deadhead-favorite, three-song segment of “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower”. Mayer took his time to work his magic around the fretboard before moving into “Franklin’s”. Another primal-Dead classic came next in “Dark Star”, with Weir leading the way through Robert Hunter‘s cosmic masterpiece. The song transitioned right into John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”, which didn’t come as a surprise considering Weir’s love for classic jazz.
The band proved right then and there that the music indeed never stops as “A Love Supreme” transitioned back into “Dark Star” to close out the two-song segue. After the “Drums” > “Space” instrumental segment, the band collectively charged into “The Other One”, making for a special night for Deadheads in attendance with so many jam-focused originals in one set. Weir and company then pumped the breaks for a slower rendition of “Wharf Rat”. The set would come to an energizing close with their familiar take on “Turn On Your Love Light” before yet another Dylan cover, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, closed out the band’s two-night Nassau stint.
Watch a selection of videos from the show below:
Dead & Company’s fall tour heads south for a pair of performances at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA on November 8th and 9th. Head to the band’s website for tickets and tour info.
While you wait for the Hampton run, take a look at our deep-dive retrospective on the history of the Grateful Dead at the Mothership here.
Setlist: Dead & Company | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum | Uniondale, NY | 11/6/2019
Set One: Feel Like a Stranger, New Speedway Boogie, Dire Wolf, When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan cover), Sugaree, Cassidy, The Music Never Stopped
Set Two: Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, Dark Star > A Love Supreme (John Coltrane cover) > Dark Star, Drums > Space > The Other One, Wharf Rat, Turn On Your Love Light (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)
Encore: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)