New To Circulation: Grateful Dead Welcomes Neville Brothers In Pittsburgh In 1987

Audio guru Charlie Miller has transferred hundreds if not thousands of Grateful Dead recordings over the years and a recent share is quite a gem. Miller has unearthed the first soundboard recording of the band’s July 6, 1987 show at Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh featuring special guests The Neville Brothers to circulate.

The recording, which can be streamed below or downloaded via the Live Music Archive, is an “Ultra Matrix Soundboard” originally taped by longtime GD sound man Dan Healy. Dan combined a soundboard feed of the concert with an audience recording to give listeners a feel for what went down at “The Igloo.”

The Grateful Dead opened with “Feel Like A Stranger” which they segued into “Franklin’s Tower” during the era in which “Help On The Way” and “Slipknot!” went missing. Weir then presented “New Minglewood Blues” ahead of Jerry Garcia’s “Row Jimmy” and Bobby’s one-two punch of “Mama Tried” > “Big River.” Keyboardist Brent Mydland next had a turn in the spotlight on “Far From Me.” The set concluded with “Stagger Lee,” “Desolation Row” and “Don’t Ease Me In.”

Pittsburgh ’87’s second set began with a dynamic “Shakedown Street” and Bobby giving a sermon in the form of “Samson & Delilah.” At that point members of The Neville Brothers joined in the fun for a wild “Iko Iko” > “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” > “Man Smart (Woman Smarter)” sequence. Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart showed what The Rhythm Devils could do ahead of the evening’s “Space” endeavor. Jerry Garcia then put his heart and soul into a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” before Weir led a rambunctious “Good Lovin’.” The Dead ended the evening with a “Johnny B. Goode” encore. Members of the Neville Brothers also contributed to the final three songs of the night.

Listen to the recently surfaced recording:

Setlist (via Deadbase)

Set One: Feel Like A Stranger > Franklin’s Tower, New Minglewood Blues, Row Jimmy, Mama Tried > Big River, Far From Me, Stagger Lee, Desolation Row, Don’t Ease Me In

Set Two: Shakedown Street, Samson & Delilah, Iko Iko* > Day-O* > Man Smart Woman Smarter* > Drums/Space > Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door* > Good Lovin’*

Encore: Johnny B. Goode*

* – with members of the Neville Brothers, first “Day-O”