Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-06-16
Dead Drops Tuesday is back with two more stops from the Grateful Dead’s Spring 1989 tour: April 9 at Freedom Hall in Louisville and April 11 at the Rosemont Horizon outside Chicago.
Curated by David Lemieux and mastered by David Glasser from the original DAT recordings, both shows are now available to stream in high resolution through DEAD Ahead.
The Louisville show opens with “Hell in a Bucket” into “Sugaree.” “It Must Have Been the Roses,” “Ramble On Rose” and “Desolation Row” stand out in the first set before “Foolish Heart” closes the frame.
The second set begins with the Grateful Dead’s final performance of “Louie Louie,” followed by “Man Smart, Woman Smarter.” The band then moves through “Ship of Fools” into “Estimated Prophet” and “Uncle John’s Band.” After “Drums” and “Space,” Phil Lesh drives “The Other One” before the show closes with “Stella Blue,” “Sugar Magnolia” and a “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” encore.
Freedom Hall – Louisville, Kentucky
Set I:
Hell in a Bucket, Sugaree, Walkin’ Blues, It Must Have Been the Roses, Me and My Uncle, Big River, Ramble On Rose, Desolation Row, Foolish Heart
Set II:
Louie Louie, Man Smart, Woman Smarter > Ship of Fools > Estimated Prophet > Uncle John’s Band > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Sugar Magnolia
Encore:
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Two nights later, the band arrived at the Rosemont Horizon with “Shakedown Street” setting the tone. The first set also includes “Friend of the Devil,” “Victim or the Crime,” “Built to Last,” Brent Mydland’s “We Can Run” and a closing “Deal.”
The second set features “Crazy Fingers” into “Playing in the Band” and “Terrapin Station.” After “Drums” and “Space,” the band returns with “Gimme Some Lovin’,” followed by “Standing on the Moon,” “Throwing Stones” and “Not Fade Away.” “U.S. Blues” sends the Chicago crowd home.
Rosemont Horizon – Rosemont, Illinois
Set I:
Shakedown Street, Little Red Rooster, Friend of the Devil, Victim or the Crime, Built to Last, We Can Run, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again, Deal
Set II:
Samson and Delilah, Crazy Fingers > Playing in the Band > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Gimme Some Lovin’ > Standing on the Moon > Throwing Stones > Not Fade Away
Encore:
U.S. Blues
Spring 1989 was a strong period for the band, and these two Midwestern shows capture both sides of the run: the tighter song-driven first sets and the deeper second-set sequences that opened things up.
