Take The DeadTest™ Vol. 27 – Where Did They Play?

Greek Theater – It’s the mystical amphitheater on the campus of UC Berkeley in upstate California. You can see the school’s 307-foot Sather Tower in the background. The Dead performed there 29 times, mainly in the ’80s. The band played two shows there in the ’60s and none in the ’70s.

Hampton Coliseum – Also known as “The Mothership” – due to its exterior resemblance to a “space craft” – the Virginia venue played host to two shows billed as “Formerly the Warlocks” on October 8-9, 1989.

Nassau Coliseum – The Dead played there more than 40 times over the course of their long strange trip. On March 29, 1990, the band performed at the Nassau Coliseum, which is in Uniondale, NY, with sax player Branford Marsalis. It is considered one of The Dead’s finest latter-day shows. The performance was released commercially as Wake Up To Find Out (2014). Marsalis sat in for the entire 2nd set (as well as for one song in the 1st).

Oakland Coliseum Arena – The Dead played the venue more than 60 times all told. Second place is a tie with both Winterland and the Fillmore West coming in at 59 times. Although the band played some spectacular shows at Shoreline, it is a distant third.

Ventura Country Fairgrounds – The band’s final performance at the venue, which is pretty much right on the beach, was June 14, 1987. The Dead played their very first “Masterpiece” on June 13, 1987, at the fairgrounds.

Alpine Valley Music Theater – The venue is in East Troy, WI, and was the site of some HUGE Dead shows from the ’80s. Alpine Valley is memorialized in The Dead concert video, Downhill From Here (1999), most of which was recorded on July 17, 1989.

Fillmore East – It hosted more than 20 Dead shows in the ’70s. The band’s final performance at the Fillmore East was April 29, 1971.

Barton Hall – It’s on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. The Dead performed there just three times. The first time on May 8, 1977, was over the friggin’ rainbow. Many consider that show to be the very best The Dead ever played. It’s most definitely on the short list.

Thelma Theater – It’s in Los Angeles. The Dead played there three times, all in December ’69.

Soldier Field – It’s in Chicago. The Grateful Dead performed their very last show there on July 9, 1995. Rest in peace, Jerry.