6/10/73: robert f. kennedy memorial stadium, washington, DC.

in the summer of 1973, the dead joined the allman brothers for two memorable performances in the 45,000 seat multi-purpose arena, two miles due east of the u.s. capitol building. doug sahm and wet willie opened the festivities on saturday and sunday, respectively.

the shows used the dead’s prototype wall of sound with a stereo PA system with JBL speakers inside Alembic cabinets, plus a stereo auxiliary PA. on the second night, the dead played a powerful, lengthy—4 ½ hour—set that included extended takes on birdsong and playing in the band, a lovely eyes of the world > stella blue pairing, and a dark star suite that surely sent many of the psychedelic rangers in attendance into a state of supreme delectation. toward the end of the evening, allman’s guitarist dickey betts joined the band for a few tunes, including a scorching run through the arthur big boy crudup tune, that’s alright mama.

president richard nixon chose not to attend either night.

https://archive.org/details/gd1973-06-10.sbd.miller.89640.sbeok.flac16