On Broadway: Act One – October 28th, 1987

Recording

The Lunt-Fontanne performances were recorded surreptitiously to avoid the ire of the venue's union boss, who imposed a strict no-taping policy. The secret nature of the hidden recording rig, made up of an early DAT recorder, led to the matinee electric set not being recorded on October 28. This set consisted of the following songs: "Get Out of My Life, Woman", "They Love Each Other", "Mission in the Rain", "Like a Road Leading Home", "Love in the Afternoon", "My Sisters and Brothers", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Deal", and "Crazy Love".

Critical reception

On All About Jazz, Doug Collette wrote, "The deliciously relaxed air of the music on these three discs belies the precision in the musicianship as much as it does the operations necessary for a two week run on a Broadway theater."

On AllMusic, Thom Jurek said, "There are some truly inspired moments of guitar interplay between the leader and Nelson on the first two discs, and Seals adds another layer of swing and R&B drive to the electric one. Even with the uncertainties of a first-night performance, these musicians are itching to play together; and, as the tape traders know too well, by the end of this two-week run this group would be rattling the rafter."

On Grateful Web, Dylan Muhlberg wrote, "The first two discs are packed with varied American traditional songs from folk, bluegrass, blues, and spiritual.... The electric set displays the music that Jerry’s band had accumulated in his vast electric incarnations. The chemistry and ease between these players was previously marveled at and these 1987 concerts display some of the finest Garcia Band."

Track listing

Disc one

1. Opening announcement – 0:30
2. "Deep Elem Blues" (traditional, arranged by Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band) – 6:56
3. "I'm Troubled" (traditional, arranged by Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band) – 4:16
4. "Spike Driver Blues" (traditional, arranged by Mississippi John Hurt) – 7:06
5. Band introductions – 0:34
6. "Blue Yodel #9" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 6:45
7. "Short Life of Trouble" (G. B. Grayson, Henry Whitter) – 4:05
8. "If I Lose" (Ralph Stanley) – 3:12
9. "I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" (Karl Davis) – 5:41
10. "Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie" (traditional) – 6:01
11. "Drifting Too Far from the Shore" (Charles Moody) – 5:10
12. "Ragged but Right" (George Jones) – 5:43

Disc two

1. Opening announcement – 0:58
2. "I've Been All Around This World" (traditional, arranged by Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band) – 8:09
3. "Ballad of Casey Jones" (traditional, arranged by Hurt) – 5:40
4. "Blue Yodel #9" (Rodgers) – 7:31
5. "I'm Troubled" (traditional, arranged by Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band) – 5:46
6. "Rosa Lee McFall" (Charlie Monroe) – 3:32
7. Band introductions – 1:08
8. "Diamond Joe" (Tex Logan) – 4:29
9. "I Ain't Never" (Mel Tillis, Michael Webb Pierce) – 4:17
10. "It's a Long Long Way to the Top of the World" (Don Wayne) – 3:56
11. "Bright Morning Stars" (traditional, arranged by Stanley) – 2:19
12. "Ragged but Right" (Jones) – 5:18

Disc three

1. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland) – 7:14
2. "Forever Young" (Bob Dylan) – 9:53
3. "Stop That Train" (Peter Tosh) – 8:38
4. Band introductions – 0:29
5. "Run for the Roses" (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) – 5:56
6. "Evangeline" (Louis Perez, David Hidalgo) – 3:38
7. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Dylan) – 10:13
8. "Gomorrah" (Garcia, Hunter) – 6:40
9. "Tangled Up in Blue" (Dylan) – 10:57
10. "My Sisters and Brother" (Charles Johnson) – 4:44

Personnel

Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band

Jerry Garcia Band

Production