Few benefit concert series have ever reshaped the relationship between popular music and political activism the way the No Nukes concerts did.

Officially known as The MUSE Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future, these historic shows unfolded over five sold-out nights—September 19 through 23, 1979—at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

More than just another star-studded run of performances, No Nukes became a cultural turning point—a moment when mainstream rock artists stepped directly into public policy, environmental advocacy, and national debate.

And tonight, JamFest listeners can experience that legendary series exactly as it was meant to be heard.

🎙️ Tonight on Live Nuggets Radio — The Complete No Nukes Concerts

Tonight, and every Tuesday night at 9PM EST,
Live Nuggets Radio Show presents a very special, hand-picked broadcast of the entire No Nukes concert experience, aired in full.

From the opening moments inside Madison Square Garden to the final encore, this is a rare opportunity to hear one of the most historically important live concert series in rock history exactly as it unfolded.

For longtime collectors and new listeners alike, tonight’s broadcast is not a highlights reel—it is the full story.

A Movement Born from Crisis

The No Nukes concerts were organized by Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE), an artist-driven organization founded by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, and John Hall.

The timing was not accidental.

Earlier in 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident had shaken public confidence in the safety of nuclear energy in the United States. MUSE was formed to turn that fear and uncertainty into public engagement—using music as the megaphone.

What started as a series of benefit concerts quickly grew into a national cultural moment.

The five nights at Madison Square Garden were followed by a massive public rally at Battery Park that drew an estimated 200,000 people, placing musicians, activists, and audiences side by side in one of the largest artist-driven environmental demonstrations of the era.

A Lineup That Defined an Era

The No Nukes stage became a gathering point for the most influential singer-songwriters and rock acts of the late 1970s.

Across the five nights, the lineup included:

• Jackson Browne
• Crosby, Stills & Nash
• Bonnie Raitt
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• The Doobie Brothers
• Carly Simon
• James Taylor
• Chaka Khan
• Gil Scott-Heron
• Poco

But for many fans—and for rock history as a whole—the defining performances came from
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

These concerts became their first officially filmed major concert appearances—capturing the band’s raw, marathon-length intensity at a moment when their reputation as the ultimate live act was still spreading mostly by word of mouth.

Legendary Performances and Unrepeatable Collaborations

One of the most powerful aspects of the No Nukes series was its sense of experimentation.

Artists frequently crossed into each other’s sets, creating spontaneous collaborations that never existed on tour and were never repeated in later years.

Among the most celebrated moments:

• Springsteen and the E Street Band tearing through the now-legendary “Detroit Medley”
• Cross-artist collaborations that blended folk, pop, and roots rock into something completely unique to this event
• A shared spirit of looseness and risk that felt closer to a musical summit than a tightly scripted concert series

These were not promotional appearances.

They were performances driven by urgency and conviction.

The Famous and Infamous Moments

No Nukes also produced some of the most talked-about stories in live rock history.

The “Broooce” incident

During Chaka Khan’s set, the crowd began rhythmically chanting “Bruce!” in anticipation of Springsteen’s upcoming appearance. The chant was mistaken as boos, and Khan reportedly left the stage frustrated—one of the most awkward and misunderstood moments of the entire series.

The live birth of “The River”

The No Nukes shows also marked the first public live performance of Springsteen’s future classic The River—a song that would soon become one of the defining pieces of his career and catalog.

The “Mellow Mafia”

Because of the overwhelming presence of high-profile singer-songwriters, the concerts were jokingly dubbed a gathering of the “Mellow Mafia”—a playful label that masked just how politically direct and socially motivated the entire project truly was.

Preserving the Legacy on Film and Vinyl

The impact of the concerts was preserved in two major releases that helped cement No Nukes as a permanent chapter in rock history.

The documentary film

The 1980 film
No Nukes, directed by Julian Schlossberg and Danny Goldberg, blended live performances with backstage footage and activist discussions.

Most notably, it introduced the wider public to Springsteen and the E Street Band in a full concert setting for the very first time.

The triple live album

The RIAA Gold-certified triple LP
No Nukes: The Muse Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future preserved many of the series’ defining performances and collaborations and became a reference point for how benefit concerts could be documented and distributed.

A Complicated Chapter: Censorship and Exclusion

The political intensity of the No Nukes events extended well beyond the official messaging.

Peter Tosh performed during the concert series but was excluded from both the original album and film releases. His outspoken political statements, stage presentation, and controversial symbolism were viewed at the time as too provocative for mainstream distribution.

In hindsight, that exclusion has become a reminder that even within progressive movements, there were limits placed on which voices were considered “acceptable” for mass audiences.

A Blueprint for Music-Driven Activism

What separates No Nukes from countless later benefit concerts is not simply its star power.

It is the way the event integrated:

• direct political education
• artist-led organizing
• public rallies
• and sustained media presence

No Nukes did not treat music as decoration for a cause.
The music was the engine of the movement.

Decades before social media and viral campaigns, these concerts proved that artists could mobilize national attention through live performance alone.

Why Tonight’s Live Nuggets Radio Broadcast Matters

In an age of short clips and curated playlists, tonight’s Live Nuggets Radio Show presentation restores something rare: continuity.

Listeners will hear:

• how each night unfolded
• how the energy evolved from set to set
• how collaboration replaced competition
• and how the atmosphere of urgency shaped the performances

Tonight at 9PM EST, JamFest fans can step directly into September 1979 and experience the full arc of one of rock’s most ambitious live projects.

The JamFest Take

The No Nukes concerts were not just a reaction to a crisis.

They were a declaration—by some of the most influential artists in the world—that popular music could do more than entertain.

It could organize.
It could educate.
It could mobilize.

More than four decades later, No Nukes remains one of the most celebrated and historically important benefit concert series ever staged.

And tonight, thanks to Live Nuggets Radio, that legacy returns to the airwaves—one complete, uncompromised live experience at a time.

Tune in tonight at 9PM EST for the full No Nukes concerts—only on Live Nuggets Radio.

Live Nuggets: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ, on September 20, 1978

Source: Events

Tonight on JamFest: Live Legends, Night Visions, and Festival Energy That Never Sleeps

There’s something electric about a night on JamFest. It isn’t just radio — it’s time travel, atmosphere, and community wrapped in sound. From historic festival performances to forward-looking sonic explorations, JamFest continues to deliver live music culture in its purest form. And tonight, that mission shines especially bright.

Live Nuggets Radio Show – Tonight at 9PM EST

We Will Make Your Day Special — A Memory of a Lifetime!

Every Tuesday night, JamFest opens the vault for a hand-picked live concert broadcast in its entirety — the kind of performance that reminds you why live music matters in the first place.

Tonight’s featured show:
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Live at Montreux 1985

Before Stevie Ray Vaughan became a household name, there was Montreux. This early European appearance captures SRV at the moment his legend began to ignite. The performance is a masterclass in ferocious Texas blues guitar — lightning-fast runs, searing bends, and a tone that cuts straight to the soul.

The Montreux crowd witnessed a rising force blending blues tradition with rock-charged intensity and fearless improvisation. It’s raw, urgent, and timeless — a set that helped introduce Vaughan to the international stage and cemented his reputation as one of the greatest live guitarists of all time.

Tonight at 9PM EST, experience it the way it was meant to be heard — uninterrupted, unfiltered, and alive.

NRN Radio Show – Devon Allman: Nightvision

When the sun goes down, JamFest shifts into deeper frequencies. Devon Allman’s Nightvision is a cinematic journey built for late-night listening — immersive, textured, and emotionally resonant.

Designed as a headphone record, Nightvision plays like a meditation on memory, atmosphere, and imagination. It’s a bold left turn for Allman — confident, curious, and purposeful — expanding the JamFest soundscape beyond blues heritage into modern sonic storytelling.

Plug in. Turn out the lights. Enter the shadows.

Festival Radio – Every Thursday Night

If your heart beats in festival rhythm, Thursday nights are sacred. For eight straight hours, JamFest’s Festival Radio delivers non-stop live performances from legendary stages around the world — the songs, the crowds, the moments you lived and the ones you wish you had.

Every track comes from a real festival performance. No studio polish. Just the energy of massive crowds and once-in-a-lifetime sets. It’s the closest thing to standing in front of the stage again.

What Is Hip?! – The Spirit of New Orleans

Few cities breathe music like New Orleans. Widely celebrated as the birthplace of jazz, the Crescent City gave the world dixieland, traditional jazz, and that unmistakable brass-band soul.

What Is Hip?! explores this living history — the rhythms, the roots, and the culture that still pulse through every French Quarter street corner and second-line parade.

Club Night – Saturdays at 10PM EST

When Saturday night hits, JamFest opens the digital dance floor. Club Night brings DJ culture, remixes, and festival-sized EDM energy straight to your speakers.

From studio mixes to global festival highlights, it’s a weekly invitation to lose yourself in rhythm and light.

Sunday Spunday – 2AM to 9AM EST

For the night owls and after-party faithful, Sunday Spunday keeps the celebration rolling into sunrise. Long-form live sets, extended grooves, and the perfect soundtrack for those who refuse to let the weekend end.

Gospel Lunch – Sundays 12:30PM to 2PM EST

JamFest’s Gospel Lunch is a joyful tribute to New Orleans-style spirit and soul. A midday celebration where uplifting rhythms, brass-band energy, and sacred roots come together in true NOLA fashion.

Project Reggaeologist – Worldwide Roots & Rhythms

From Kingston sound systems to global reggae festivals, Project Reggaeologist delivers nonstop reggae, dancehall, roots, ska, and world grooves. It’s a passport to international rhythm culture — no borders, no limits, just vibration and vibe.

All Things Considered Live – Bob Dylan at Newport

Monday Night, February 2, 2026 – 7PM EST

Few moments in music history carry the weight of Bob Dylan’s Newport Folk Festival appearances.

1964: An acoustic Dylan performing “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Chimes of Freedom,” solidifying his place as folk’s poetic voice.
1965: The night Dylan plugged in. Electric guitars. Boos from purists. A revolution in real time. A performance that fractured tradition and created folk-rock overnight.

JamFest brings both historic sets together — a front-row seat to music’s turning point.

NewGrass Radio Show – Mondays at 9PM EST

Traditional roots meet rule-breaking creativity. NewGrass Radio showcases artists reshaping bluegrass, folk, and Americana into something new — music without rules, performed by a new generation of fearless innovators.

Follow JamFest Everywhere

Stay connected with JamFest across all platforms:
X (Twitter) • YouTube • LinkedIn • Instagram • Telegram • Pinterest • Website

JamFest – Where Live Music Lives Forever

JamFest isn’t just programming — it’s preservation. Every show, every broadcast, every festival performance exists to keep music culture alive, accessible, and unforgettable.

And tonight, when the clock strikes 9PM EST, tune in to Live Nuggets Radio Show: Stevie Ray Vaughan – Live at Montreux 1985.

Because some performances don’t just entertain — they become memories for a lifetime.

Tonight on JamFest — A Handpicked Full-Concert Broadcast Airs Tonight at 9PM EST

There are certain Bob Weir performances that live quietly in Deadhead lore — shows whispered about with reverence, passed along through bootleg trades and late-night listening sessions. They are not defined by spectacle, but by soul. By warmth. By a feeling that the room itself became part of the music.

Bob Weir’s October 16, 2016 birthday performance at the Capitol Theatre is one of those nights.

And tonight, JamFest proudly celebrates that legendary evening as Live Nuggets Radio presents a very special handpicked broadcast, airing the complete concert in its entirety every Tuesday night at 9PM EST — offering fans a rare opportunity to step back into one of the most emotionally resonant nights of Weir’s modern era.

The concert that continues to echo through Deadhead circles — the one remembered for its intimacy, vulnerability, and quiet emotional gravity — unfolded on October 16, 2016, when Bob Weir turned 69.

It was a key stop on Weir’s Campfire Tour, a run that stripped away arena-scale theatrics and returned his music to its roots: storytelling, shared memory, and a room full of listeners leaning in rather than shouting back.

A Night That Felt Like a Fireside Gathering

The Capitol Theatre has always had a certain mystique — but on this night, it felt less like a concert hall and more like a living room filled with old friends.

Weir stepped out alone, greeting the crowd with a gentle version of “One More Saturday Night,” only to be met by a heartfelt, spontaneous birthday serenade from the audience. From there, the tone settled into something beautifully unguarded.

Songs like “Peggy-O,” “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” and the tender title track “Blue Mountain” unfolded with space to breathe, revealing the grain in Weir’s voice and the quiet poetry that has long defined his storytelling.

A Handpicked Ensemble, A Carefully Curated Flow

As the set expanded, Weir was joined by a uniquely textured ensemble — a lineup that blended folk, indie, and roots traditions into a sound that felt cinematic yet intimate. Featuring members of The National, guitar virtuoso Steve Kimock, bassist Jon Shaw, singer-songwriter Leslie Mendelson, and roots duo The Bandana Splits, the band created a rich but never overpowering sonic landscape.

The first set flowed gracefully through “One More River to Cross,” “Darkest Hour,” “Lay My Lily Down,” “Ghost Towns,” and “Gonesville,” each song settling gently into the room like a story told at dusk.

When the Dead Came Home

Set Two opened the door wide for longtime fans. “Mama Tried” brought an outlaw-country spark, before Weir eased into a stretch of Grateful Dead classics that felt less like a setlist and more like a shared memory.

“West L.A. Fadeaway” glided effortlessly into “Eyes of the World,” glowing with delicate percussion touches. “Uncle John’s Band” unfolded like a familiar embrace, while “Morning Dew” landed with quiet gravity — restrained, reverent, and emotionally piercing.

The set closed with a celebratory “Not Fade Away,” marking the night’s first switch to electric guitar and sending a ripple of classic Dead energy through the theater.

Birthday Cake, Gentle Goodbyes, and Lasting Echoes

After a brief intermission and a heartfelt birthday cake presentation, Weir returned for an encore that felt deeply personal. A solo acoustic “Ki-Yi Bossie” gave way to a communal “Brokedown Palace,” sending the crowd into the night wrapped in gratitude and reflection.

Tonight on JamFest: Relive the Magic

Bob Weir would return to the Capitol Theatre in 2017 for another birthday celebration, but it is this 2016 Campfire performance that continues to resonate most deeply — a night defined not by volume, but by connection.

Tonight on JamFest, Live Nuggets Radio brings that magic back.
A very special handpicked full-concert broadcast of Bob Weir — Capitol Theatre, October 16, 2016 airs every Tuesday night at 9PM EST, allowing fans to experience this legendary show exactly as it unfolded.

For Deadheads, Americana lovers, and anyone drawn to music that feels lived-in, honest, and quietly powerful, this is more than a replay — it is a return to one of Bob Weir’s most heartfelt nights on stage.

Stay tuned.

JamFest Honors Bob Weir (1947–2026)

Tonight on Live Nuggets Radio — A Full-Circle Farewell at 9PM EST

This week, the music world lost one of its quiet architects.

Bob Weir passed away peacefully on Saturday, closing a chapter that helped define not only the Grateful Dead, but the emotional language of American live music itself. His songs were never just compositions — they were conversations, invitations, and mirrors. They taught generations how to listen, how to linger, and how to find themselves inside a melody.

And tonight, JamFest becomes more than a broadcast.

Live Nuggets Radio presents a very special handpicked full-concert airing of Bob Weir at the Capitol Theatre — October 16, 2016 — every Tuesday night at 9PM EST, transforming this evening into both a celebration and a farewell. A night that once marked a birthday now becomes a tribute — a final return to a room that always felt like home.

A Farewell That Feels Like a Homecoming

There are performances that feel preserved in amber. This Capitol Theatre night is one of them — a show that captured Weir not as an icon, but as a storyteller sitting among friends, leaning into memory and meaning.

It now stands as one of the most emotionally resonant portraits of who Bob Weir truly was — gentle, reflective, generous, and quietly fearless.