Far above Cayuga’s Waters stands Barton Hall, a fieldhouse on Cornell University‘s campus where the Grateful Dead performed one of their most revered concerts, one reared against the arch of heaven. Dead & Company has been keeping the Dead’s flame alive with several tours since its 2015 debut, though sadly retiring following their upcoming Summer 2023 tour.
Quite a buzz was created by a simple graphic posted on Dead & Company’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds on Feb. 28 where Deadheads quickly caught on to its nod to the May 8, 1977 Barton Hall show and what it alludes to.
The graphic, emblazed with Cornell’s signature red and white colors with the Dead’s lightning bolt set inside the university emblem’s border with “C23” styled in Cornell’s traditional block text. If that wasn’t a strong enough hint at something special in 2023, the text in the post reads “5.8.23 
,” the anniversary of the May ’77 Barton Hall show.
On Friday, March 3, Dead and Company confirmed they would be playing Barton Hall, responding by saying, “There’s a lot of excitement brewing about what’s to come at Cornell University. Yes–it’s true–Dead & Company will be playing a benefit concert at Cornell University.”
All proceeds raised from ticket sales will benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization that provides the music community with a network of critical health and welfare services. In addition, the show will support The 2030 Project, Cornell University’s climate change initiative.
On the 40th anniversary of the May 8, 1977 show in 2017 the Cornell Chimes played a special tribute to the occasion with a concert comprised of arrangements of Grateful Dead songs, which can be seen below and read about in our article about that special event.
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