One of the most beloved concerts in Grateful Dead history took place at Barton Hall on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on May 8, 1977. An image teasing a celebration of the legendary performance was posted yesterday on Dead & Company‘s social feeds and those of the band’s members.
The graphic of the Grateful Dead lightning bolt logo within a seal that would appear on a diploma was accompanied by text reading “C23” underneath as well as the caption “5.8.23 
.” Monday, May 8 is currently an off day for the group consisting of Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. The 46th anniversary of the 1977 concert falls between Dead & Co.’s appearance at Jazz Fest in New Orleans on May 6 and the start of their summer tour with two nights at The Forum near Los Angeles on May 19 and 20.
A source told Ithaca-based website 14850.com Dead & Company will play a concert of their own at Cornell University’s Barton Hall on May 8, 2023. “These rumors are to be believed,” the source noted. The 119-year-old venue has a capacity of 4,800. Additional Dead shows took place at Barton Hall on May 7, 1980 and May 16, 1981. Additionally, Phil Lesh & Friends (with co-headliner Bob Dylan) played Barton Hall on November 15, 1999 and Weir and Lesh brought Furthur to the venue for a concert on February 14, 2010.
“Since the moment that the board tape of Cornell began circulating in the late 1980s, its legend was instantly created,” Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux stated when an official recording of the concert was announced in 2017. “Although plenty of Grateful Dead shows have been called their ‘best ever,’ in the case of Cornell this statement is rarely contested.” A recording of The Grateful Dead’s May 8, 1977 show at Barton Hall was enshrined into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2012.
Dead & Company’s upcoming trek will be “The Final Tour” for the band. The group follows the shows at The Forum by making a loop around the country and are currently expected to end the excursion and their eight-year run together with concerts at San Francisco’s Oracle Park July 14 – 16.
Tickets for many Dead & Company 2023 shows are available via Ticketmaster. See a full list of dates below and stay tuned for news of what the band is working up for May 8.
