Playing To The Tide: Watch Grateful Dead Perform ‘Uncle John’s Band’ At Shoreline In 1991

The Grateful Dead released video of “Uncle John’s Band” as the latest in their All The Years Live series. The footage is from the band’s May 11, 1991 concert at the Bay Area’s Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.

The Grateful Dead unveiled “Uncle John’s Band” live in late 1969. “UJB” remained a steady staple thereafter. 1975 and 1978 were the only years it was not played between 1969 and 1995. The tune also opened up the Grateful Dead’s 1970 album, Workingman’s Dead, as archivist David Lemieux mentioned in his notes accompanying the Shoreline video.

“Opening one of the Grateful Dead’s most beloved albums, Workingman’s Dead, ‘Uncle John’s Band’ was always a thrill to hear live in concert, with its beautiful melody, harmonies, and a closing jam that usually hit some pretty high peaks.”

The Shoreline ‘91 version of the song bridging the band’s equally strong folk and psychedelic tendencies contains shimmering piano from Bruce Hornsby and sees Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Vince Welnick teaming up for the tune’s harmonies. The solid closing jam was led by Garcia but driven by the rhythm section of Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh.

Watch the Grateful Dead perform “Uncle John’s Band” at Shoreline in ‘91 below:

[Hat Tip – The Setlist Program]