Thirty-four years ago tonight in 1989, the Grateful Dead treated fans to the live debut of “Standing on the Moon” during a performance at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, CA. The Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter-penned ballad would go on to appear on the band’s final studio album, Built to Last, which arrived later that year on October 31st.
The live debut of the Garcia-sung ballad came just four songs into the second set of the night, between “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” and “Playing In The Band”. The show that night happened to be the Dead’s first concert of 1989, and opened a three-night run at the Oakland Convention Center which also saw the band celebrate Chinese New Year (2/6/89) and the start of Mardi Gras (2/7/89).
Even though “Standing on the Moon” didn’t arrive until the band’s later era, it has since hung on as a fan-favorite and continues to be performed by the next generation of musicians three decades after its debut.
Listen to the live debut of “Standing on the Moon” below.
Grateful Dead – “Standing on the Moon” [Live Debut] – 2/5/89
[Video: TheBolillo310]
[H/T ConcertArchives.org]
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