Top 49 Best 1973 Grateful Dead Shows The 59 Detailed Answer

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Similarly there is general agreement on the Dead’s peak performance periods: 1968–1974, 1977, 1981–’82, 1988–’90; you’ll find a heavy concentration of Seventies performances here. In the end, though, opinions about “best” anything are always going to be completely subjective and also probably change over time.The oldest 100,000-crowd concert reported to Billboard Boxscore is Grateful Dead’s gig at the Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey on September 3, 1977. The concert was attended by 107,019 people, which remains the largest ticketed concert in the United States to date.The events of that evening were especially noteworthy as the show included a nearly 50-minute rendition of “Playing in the Band,” making it the longest single-song performance in the Grateful Dead’s career of more than 2,300 concerts.

Grateful Dead – 11/17/1973 – Pauley Pavilion, UCLA – Los Angeles, CA
  • Here Comes Sunshine (Live at Pauley Pavillion, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 11/17/1973) …
  • Uncle John’s Band (1) (Live at Winterland, November 10, 1973) …
  • Morning Dew [Live at Winterland, November 10, 1973] …
  • El Paso (Live from San Diego Sports Arena 11/14/73)
Popular on Rolling Stone
  • The Matrix, San Francisco. December 1st, 1966. …
  • Winterland, San Francisco. March 18th, 1967. …
  • Dance Hall, Rio Nido, California. September 3rd, 1967. …
  • Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco. …
  • Dream Bowl, Vallejo, California. …
  • McFarlin Auditorium, Dallas. …
  • Fillmore East, New York. …
  • Harpur College, Binghamton, New York.

Contents

What are considered the best Grateful Dead shows?

Popular on Rolling Stone
  • The Matrix, San Francisco. December 1st, 1966. …
  • Winterland, San Francisco. March 18th, 1967. …
  • Dance Hall, Rio Nido, California. September 3rd, 1967. …
  • Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco. …
  • Dream Bowl, Vallejo, California. …
  • McFarlin Auditorium, Dallas. …
  • Fillmore East, New York. …
  • Harpur College, Binghamton, New York.

What were the best years for the Grateful Dead?

Similarly there is general agreement on the Dead’s peak performance periods: 1968–1974, 1977, 1981–’82, 1988–’90; you’ll find a heavy concentration of Seventies performances here. In the end, though, opinions about “best” anything are always going to be completely subjective and also probably change over time.

What was the Grateful Dead’s biggest concert?

The oldest 100,000-crowd concert reported to Billboard Boxscore is Grateful Dead’s gig at the Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey on September 3, 1977. The concert was attended by 107,019 people, which remains the largest ticketed concert in the United States to date.

How many shows did the Grateful Dead play in 1974?

The events of that evening were especially noteworthy as the show included a nearly 50-minute rendition of “Playing in the Band,” making it the longest single-song performance in the Grateful Dead’s career of more than 2,300 concerts.

Who has seen the most Grateful Dead shows?

Bill Walton has seen the Dead 850+ times.

What is considered the best Grateful Dead album?

1. ‘Live / Dead‘ (1969) Because the Dead were best known as a live act, and because they indeed often did their best work onstage, their breakthrough 1969 concert record remains their greatest and most representative album.

When was the Grateful Dead most popular?

1977: The Grateful Dead’s Greatest Year – Rolling Stone.

What era was Grateful Dead popular?

Grateful Dead, byname the Dead, American rock band that was the incarnation of the improvisational psychedelic music that flowered in and around San Francisco in the mid-1960s. Grateful Dead was one of the most successful touring bands in rock history despite having had virtually no radio hits.

Why the Grateful Dead is the best band ever?

It Was One of the Greatest Touring Bands of All Time

The Grateful Dead played to an estimated 25 million people over their career—more than any other band in history. In 1998, The Guinness Book of World Records certified that the band had played the “most rock concerts ever performed” at the time with 2,318.

Who has the highest concert crowd ever?

Jean-Michel Jarre’s Concert – 3.5 Million People

Over 3.5 million people attended Jean-Michel Jarre’s 1997 event commemorating Moscow’s 850th anniversary, making it the largest attended concert of all time.

What was the largest concert of all time?

Jean-Michel Jarre’s 1997 concert, which marked the 850th anniversary of Moscow, was attended by over 3.5 million people, making it the most widely attended concert of all time.

Who played the largest concert ever?

Copacabana New Year’s Eve Concert 1994/1995

British rock singer Rod Stewart proved that better than anyone else on New Year’s Eve 1994/1995. His free New Year’s Eve concert attracted a bit more than 3.5 million people that year, making it the biggest concert of all time.

Why did the Grateful Dead stop touring in 1974?

The concerts

By 1974, lead guitarist Jerry Garcia wanted to stop touring and take a break from performing with the Grateful Dead. Before beginning a hiatus of uncertain length, a five-show farewell run was set for October 16–20, 1974 at Winterland in San Francisco.

How many shows did the Grateful Dead play in 1976?

June 1976 zooms in on those five shows—Boston, New York and New Jersey—throughout 15 CDs, in one of the most visually attractive packages (only 12,000 made) ever created to distribute GD music.

Did the Grateful Dead ever play at the Hollywood Bowl?

Hollywood Bowl – July 21, 1974 | Grateful Dead.

How many shows did the Grateful Dead play in 1972?

Billed as a “mega box set”, it contains all of the band’s spring 1972 concert tour of Europe—22 complete shows, on 73 CDs.
Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings
Producer David Lemieux
Grateful Dead chronology

How many shows did the Grateful Dead play?

Concert tours were the primary source of revenue and exposure for the band, which played over 37,000 songs live in some 2,300 concerts over its 30 year career (Lundquist, 1996–2007). Throughout the years, the Grateful Dead accumulated a large repertoire that included over 450 unique songs (Lundquist, 1996–2007).

Did the Grateful Dead tour in 1975?

Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1975.

Who wrote they love each other?


Grateful Dead – 11/17/1973 – Pauley Pavilion, UCLA – Los Angeles, CA
Grateful Dead – 11/17/1973 – Pauley Pavilion, UCLA – Los Angeles, CA


Grateful Dead – 11/17/1973 – Pauley Pavilion, UCLA – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube

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Grateful Dead - 11/17/1973 - Pauley Pavilion, UCLA - Los Angeles, CA - YouTube
Grateful Dead – 11/17/1973 – Pauley Pavilion, UCLA – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube

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Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1973

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1973 Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1973 ; Roscoe Maples Pavilion, Stanford U., Palo Alto, CA: 1 Show. 2/9/73 (Fri) ; State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA: 1 Show. 5/13/73 ( … …
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Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1973
Grateful Dead Tour-by-Tour: 1973

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Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own – Rolling Stone

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Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own - Rolling Stone
Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own – Rolling Stone

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The Grateful Dead’s 50 Best Live Performances | Guitar World

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The Grateful Dead's 50 Best Live Performances | Guitar World
The Grateful Dead’s 50 Best Live Performances | Guitar World

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List of highest-attended concerts – Wikipedia

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Highest-attended concerts[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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List of highest-attended concerts - Wikipedia
List of highest-attended concerts – Wikipedia

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Playing in the band: The Grateful Dead’s 1974 UW show | Arts | dailyuw.com

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Playing in the band: The Grateful Dead’s 1974 UW show | Arts | dailyuw.com Updating arts_and_cultureInside the cavernous interior of Alaska Airlines Arena, when the sounds of squeaking rubber shoes, dribbling basketballs, and roaring crowds fill the air, it’s hard to imagine that on the
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Playing in the band: The Grateful Dead’s 1974 UW show | Arts | dailyuw.com
Playing in the band: The Grateful Dead’s 1974 UW show | Arts | dailyuw.com

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Favorite show from 1973 – Grateful Dead Music Forum

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Favorite show from 1973 - Grateful Dead Music Forum
Favorite show from 1973 – Grateful Dead Music Forum

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Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own – Rolling Stone

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Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own - Rolling Stone
Grateful Dead Best Live Shows: 20 Every Deadhead Must Own – Rolling Stone

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Ed & Lerry’s Grateful Dead Winter 1973 Tour Journal of 2013 | Rock and Roll Nerd

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about Ed & Lerry’s Grateful Dead Winter 1973 Tour Journal of 2013 | Rock and Roll Nerd Ed: First set, always psyched to see a Cumberland Blues, not best ever, but still good… Second set is tremendous, contains a Truckin->other one-> etc jam, but … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Ed & Lerry’s Grateful Dead Winter 1973 Tour Journal of 2013 | Rock and Roll Nerd Ed: First set, always psyched to see a Cumberland Blues, not best ever, but still good… Second set is tremendous, contains a Truckin->other one-> etc jam, but … The deal: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s November/December 1973 Tour, Ed Watts and his buddy, the legendary Lerry Camero, decided to listen to the shows on the 40th anniversary date of each show (or as close as possible to it). Below is the mind-blowing account of their journey. November 9,…
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Subject the Dead as songwriters‏

Ed & Lerry’s Grateful Dead Winter 1973 Tour Journal of 2013 | Rock and Roll Nerd
Ed & Lerry’s Grateful Dead Winter 1973 Tour Journal of 2013 | Rock and Roll Nerd

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Favorite Grateful Dead Shows By Era | Daily Dose Of The Dead

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Favorite Grateful Dead Shows By Era | Daily Dose Of The Dead 08/01/1973 – Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ. A long-time personal favorite with an astounding Dark Star>El Paso>Eyes of the World>Morning Dew. 02/24/1974 – … One of my favorite things about the Grateful Dead is that their style changed tremendously over time, making each era unique.  Since I’m loath to say that there are “best” shows, I’ll use this page to highlight the shows that are my current favorites from each era, adding things as we go along and removing…
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Grateful Dead Show Reviews For This Day In History

15 thoughts on “Favorite Grateful Dead Shows By Era”

Favorite Grateful Dead Shows By Era | Daily Dose Of The Dead
Favorite Grateful Dead Shows By Era | Daily Dose Of The Dead

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1973 Grateful Dead Tour History & Setlists

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1973 Grateful Dead Tour History & Setlists
1973 Grateful Dead Tour History & Setlists

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Best Of The B List: The Year of the Dead

[Originally Published: December 14, 2006]

The Grateful Dead established the genre of rock improvisation and have always been innovators, establishing trends both good and bad. Over the band’s 30-year history they went through many changes in their sound and personnel. Fans have very different opinions on which years they love and which years they hate, and now I present my list of the five best years in Grateful Dead history.

Read on for my comprehensive look at the Dead’s five best years, including links to what I think are the five best of each year and some analysis on why I think the things I think. Make sure to jump into the deep end at the end and tell me why I’m dead-on-balls accurate or so horribly wrong I should cut myself at night…

5. 1979: Nineteen seventy-nine was a year of major change for the Grateful Dead. Keith and Donna Godchaux left the band and Brent Mydland entered. Keith was no doubt an amazing player, but he seemed to be allergic to any keyboard that wasn’t a piano. Brent revitalized the band with his dynamic organ and synthesiser tones. May 1979 itself is severely underrated, but the band really hit its stride towards the end of the year.

New Songs: Althea, Saint of Circumstance, Alabama Getaway, and Lost Sailor

Most Played: Minglewood (42), Good Lovin’ (37), and Deal (32)

Shows of the Year: 1/10/79, 2/17/79, 5/7/79, 10/27/79, and 10/28/79

4. 1970: In 1970 the Dead blended the primal rock explorations of the late ’60s with the incredible songwriting found on Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. The band was hitting on all cylinders with many New Rider of the Purple Sage double bills that featured a whopping four sets of Jerry. Side projects would steal band members’ time moving forward, but in 1970 the Dead played an impressive 146 show, the most they ever played in one year.

New Songs: Friend of the Devil, Candyman, Attics of My Life, Sugar Magnolia, To Lay Me Down, Brokedown Palace, Ripple, Truckin, and Operator

Most Played: Good Lovin’ (67), Casey Jones (65), and I Know You Rider (65)

Shows of the Year: 1/3/70, 2/11/70, 5/2/70, 9/19/70, and 10/31/70

3. 1973: The Dead once again found a different genre-defying sound in 1973, which they displayed on songs like the new Eyes of the World and Here Comes Sunshine. Each show was a marathon, packed full of jams and marvelous songs. The improv was amazing, and the band was taking chances and stretching out songs to a level not previously seen before.

New Songs: China Doll, Eyes of the World, Here Comes Sunshine, Loose Lucy, They Love Each Other, Row Jimmy, Wave That Flag, Let It Grow, WRS Prelude, You Ain’t Woman Enough, and Peggy-O

Most Played: El Paso (65), Row Jimmy (61), Big River (59), and Mexicali Blues (56)

Shows of the Year: 2/9/73, 5/26/73, 11/14/73, 12/2/73, and 12/19/73

2. 1977: Precision and polish are the best words I could come up with to describe the Grateful Dead in 1977. It took the band a couple of tours to warm up after the hiatus of 1975, but by May of 1977 they turned a corner. Every band member was at his or her best, and improved monitors helped Donna sing in key more frequently. Jerry et al played 60 shows in ’77, and each of them has moments of pure ecstasy.

New Songs: Estimated Prophet, Terrapin Station, Fire on the Mountain, Sunrise, and Passenger

Most Played: Estimated Prophet (51), Samson and Delilah (41), Minglewood (35)

Shows of the Year: 2/26/77, 5/7/77, 5/8/77, 5/22/77, and 12/29/77

1. 1974: The Grateful Dead announced they would be retiring following a run of shows at the Winterland in October of 1974. All of the sudden the band played with a passion never seen before or since. The year started with two three-set shows, coming out of the gate strong and never losing energy. Billy and Phil were at their absolute best, changing directions and tempo on a dime, seeming to act as four arms of the same person.

Every night each musician in the band left nothing in the tank. The setlists were diverse, the jams were succinct, and every song was played with excitement. No expense was spared to give the fans the best sound possible, as the band toured with the revolutionary Wall of Sound. From the day I heard the tapes of Freedom Hall there was never a doubt in my mind that 1974 was the pinnacle of the Grateful Dead.

New Songs: It Must Have Been The Roses, U.S. Blues, Ship of Fools, Cassidy, Scarlet Begonias, Money Money, and Slipknot

Most Played: U.S. Blues (35), Big River (34), El Paso (32), and Jack Straw (31)

Shows of the Year: 2/23/74, 5/19/74, 6/18/74, 9/11/74, and 10/20/74

So what do you think? Make sure to sound off in the comments below…

20 Essential Grateful Dead Shows

Choosing and justifying a list of essential Grateful Dead shows — 20, 200, or even 2,000 — is treacherous work. Passionate challenge from fans, especially hardcore Deadheads and veteran tape traders, is guaranteed. Endless debate over set-list minutiae is inevitable. In fact, there is only one definitive list of the Dead’s greatest concerts — and it includes every show they played, in every lineup, from their pizza-parlor-gig days as the Warlocks in 1965 until guitarist Jerry Garcia‘s death in 1995.

That long, strange trip was a continually unfolding tale of highs and trials, dedicated evolution and surrender to the moment, often caught vividly in the recording studio but told most immediately each night (or day) onstage. This list jumps and dances through the story, but it’s not a bad place to start, if you’re not in deep already: more than 40 hours of performance from key runs and one-nighters in every decade, drawn from archival releases, the vast amount of circulating recordings and my own good times with the music.

These 20 shows are genuinely essential in at least one way: If I had no other live Dead in my collection, I would be happy and fulfilled with this. Luckily, there is more. I already have lots of it. I will never have enough.

This story was first published in the special Rolling Stone edition Grateful Dead: The Ultimate Guide

The Matrix, San Francisco

December 1st, 1966

In late 1966, more than a year into their evolution, the Grateful Dead were still in the early stages of their psychedelia: an acid-dance band with bar-band aggression, tripping in its jams but just starting to write and largely reliant on folk and blues covers. These three sets at the Matrix – a club founded by Jefferson Airplane‘s Marty Balin – catch the original quintet in primal, exuberant form, slipping early originals such as “Alice D. Millionaire” (a pun on a newspaper headline after Owsley, the band’s sound man and resident chemist, was busted) amid R&B-party favors (the Olympics’ 1960 hit “Big Boy Pete”) and future cover staples including the traditional “I Know You Rider” and John Phillips’ “Me and My Uncle.” In a spirited thrashing of “New Minglewood Blues,” guitarist Bob Weir sings like a hip, brash kid, which he was (Weir had recently turned 19). “Welcome to another evening of confusion and high-frequency stimulation,” Jerry Garcia announces in the first set. The long, strange trip was under way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kikei3_gaZQ

Grateful Dead’s First Decade Captured in New Photo Memior

Winterland, San Francisco

March 18th, 1967

Warner Bros. Records released the Dead’s debut album, The Grateful Dead – a sonically brittle, high-speed version of the group’s stage act and songbook – on March 17th, 1967. That evening and again on the 18th, the Dead opened for Chuck Berry at Winterland, performing much of that record’s material on the second night with more natural vigor and plenty of room for Garcia to go long and bright on lead guitar. His fusion of folk guitar and bluegrass facility with blues language and Indian modality, shot forward in a clean, stinging treble, is on dynamic display in a rightly extended “Cream Puff War” (cruelly faded out after two minutes on the LP), Martha and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street” and the Dead’s signature rave-up on “Viola Lee Blues,” originally cut in 1928 by Cannon’s Jug Stompers. Also note the thrilling, slippery surge underneath – bassist Phil Lesh and drummer Bill Kreutzmann pushing and tugging at the beat – as Garcia affirms his nickname, “Captain Trips,” overhead.

Dance Hall, Rio Nido, California

September 3rd, 1967

Time was an elastic concept on a Grateful Dead stage – a song ended only when every possibility embedded in the structure and set loose by the group’s improvising empathy was tested and fulfilled. Lesh thought enough of this night’s 31-minute stretching of Wilson Pickett‘s “In the Midnight Hour” – most of it given to Garcia and organist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s hard-lovin’ vocal charm – to include it on his 1997 live anthology, Fallout From the Phil Zone. “Song” is a loose word here: Choruses and chord progressions are departure points. “Viola Lee Blues” is epic, rude hypnosis, twice the length of the version on The Grateful Dead. The accelerating instrumental break is a glorious connected fury – five voices racing in parallel but jamming as one. The long, early roll on “Alligator,” a chugging, spaced-blues feature of 1968’s Anthem of the Sun, was further evidence that the Dead’s rapidly advancing idea of dance music on that album – a combination of acid, freed rhythm and no fear – was on its way.

Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco

February 14th, 1968

Anthem of the Sun, the Dead’s second album, may be the most authentic musical document of the San Francisco renaissance: a union of interior psychedelic exploration and truly liberated rock & roll; a continuous drive to light via mad studio alchemy and the Dead’s already proven specialty, live performance. Elements of this show – the official opening of the Carousel, a collective attempt by the Dead and other local bands to mount an alternative to the Fillmore’s dominance – were used on Anthem; the show was also broadcast live on the radio and officially issued, at last, in 2009 as Road Trips Vol. 2 No. 2. It is basically Anthem as it happened every night, on the way to vinyl. The weightless rapture of “Dark Star” – recorded in studio miniature the previous year, released as a single in April 1968 – is already in mutating bloom, segueing into the dadaist funk of “China Cat Sunflower” and the elliptical rhythm of “The Eleven,” while the second half of the show is every song on Anthem live, in sequence and excelsis.

Dream Bowl, Vallejo, California

February 22nd, 1969

This show, on the eve of the long weekend at the Fillmore West that was taped for 1969’s Live Dead, is a beautifully recorded artifact of the Dead at a different, simultaneous juncture: during a break from the studio sessions for 1969’s Aoxomoxoa, where they were spending a fortune crystallizing the cryptic but compelling lysergic romanticism of the songs Garcia was writing with lyricist Robert Hunter. The first set opens with two songs that would appear on that album: the outlaw ballad “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” and the delicate “Mountains of the Moon,” the latter sung by Garcia with a brave (for the stage) vulnerability, framed by spidery guitar. The “Dark Star” that follows is arguably an equal – in spatial elegance and endearing, monkish vocal harmonies – of the one immortalized on Live Dead. Add a hellbent second set (starting with the choppy cheer of Aoxomoxoa‘s “Doin’ That Rag”) and astonishing fidelity, and it’s hard to believe this night is not yet an official live album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZr1_1viYyY

Good Old Grateful Dead: Rolling Stone‘s 1969 Cover Story

McFarlin Auditorium, Dallas

December 26th, 1969

The addition of acoustic sets to the live experience, at the end of the Sixties, was a characteristically eccentric progression for the Dead: a smart step back – to the group’s folk, bluegrass and roughed-up-country origins as the Wildwood Boys and Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions – on the way to a great leap forward as songwriters and vocal harmonizers. The unplugged set in Dallas opens with a song from the Mother McCree days – “The Monkey and the Engineer,” by the Bay Area-based bluesman Jesse Fuller – and includes the traditional “Little Sadie” and the country mourning of “Long Black Limousine,” recently cut by Merle Haggard. The psychedelic-ballroom era is still here in “Dark Star” and “Turn on Your Love Light.” But in between the two is crackling proof of the group’s emerging voice, along with emphatic notice of utopia’s end: “New Speedway Boogie,” Garcia and Hunter’s memoir of the death and debacle, only three weeks earlier, during the Rolling Stones‘ free concert at Altamont.

Fillmore East, New York

February 13th, 1970

Topping a bill that included Arthur Lee’s Love and the Allman Brothers Band, the Dead played with superlative consistency across this entire engagement: two concerts each on the 11th, 13th and 14th (with a club date squeezed in on the 12th). Guitar nirvana arrived early, when Duane Allman and Fleetwood Mac‘s Peter Green joined the band on the 11th for “Dark Star.” Owsley drew tracks from the 13th and 14th for his 1973 anthology, Bear’s Choice, and additional material from those nights was released as Dick’s Picks Volume Four. But the three-set late show on the 13th, which didn’t start until after 1 a.m., is a popular contender for the holiest of holies – the greatest of them all. “Dire Wolf,” in the first electric set, has the deft balance of earth and electricity the Dead were negotiating in the studio for Workingman’s Dead. A winding passage through another “Dark Star,” then “The Other One” and a rousing “Turn on Your Love Light” finally ended near daybreak – a fitting hour for a band always driving through space, to sunshine.

Harpur College, Binghamton, New York

May 2nd, 1970

For the Grateful Dead, touring wasn’t just a living – it was an imperative. Performance was their primary form of expression and sharing. In taking their version of the San Francisco experience on the road, ­especially to colleges, the band exposed greater America to the ferment and ­possibility born in the Bay Area, converting the nation one campus at a time. This show is routinely cited as one of the Dead’s best – ever. It is easy to agree. The acoustic set – a warm, beguiling preview of the country and pathos on the imminent Workingman’s Dead and ­American Beauty – includes the traditional ­spiritual “Cold Jordan” and a version of the Dead’s rare, first single, 1966’s “Don’t Ease Me In.” When the amps go on, the Dead play like they’re working at a college mixer, jamming on their Young Rascals and Motown covers, with McKernan unleashing his inner James Brown in “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” a unique feature of this year. Get the whole night, across three discs, on Dick’s Picks, Volume Eight.

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York

February 19th, 1971

The dead’s fabled six-night stand at this small hall, a short train ride north of New York City, opened with great promise and unexpected trial. On February 18th, the group debuted five new songs, all destined for permanent high rotation: “Bertha,” “Greatest Story Ever Told,” “Wharf Rat,” “Loser” and “Playing in the Band.” But after that show, drummer ­Mickey Hart – devastated by revelations the previous year of embezzlement by his father, Lenny, during a spell as manager – went on a personal hiatus. The group responded to the loss the following night (issued in 2007 as Three From the Vault) with determination, opening with a vigorous “Truckin’,” and McKernan’s growling sympathy in the Elmore James blues “It Hurts Me Too.” The streamlined propulsion recalled the Dead’s dance-band days; the repertoire and instrumental cohesion showed the band at a freshened high. That March and April, the Dead would record the shows featured on their Top 30 live album, Grateful Dead, a.k.a. “Skull and Roses.”

Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

April 16th, 1972

On their 1972 european tour, their first major trip abroad, the Dead – with the husband-and-wife team of pianist Keith and singer Donna Godchaux fully integrated into the lineup – were “laying down the framework of what we were up to, to a brand-new, cold audience,” Weir said in 2011. This show is a delightful example of that salesmanship held in close quarters: a college cafeteria. The material goes back to the first LP and thoroughly covers the reinvented Americana initiated on Workingman’s Dead before the Dead unleash a climactic blast of Fillmore dance-floor action: a nonstop set of spirals and slaloms that starts with “Truckin’,” melts into “The Other One” and comes to Earth via Woody Guthrie and Buddy Holly. Nothing here made it to the triple LP Europe ’72. But the performance – included in the sold-out 2011 Europe ’72 box and available separately – is solidly transcendent: a characteristic good time at a true peak in the Dead’s concert history. Check it out. It could be your next favorite Dead gig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su4_xotgIjo

Bickershaw Festival, Wigan, England

May 7th, 1972

This was a day made for “Cold Rain and Snow”: wet, chilly and muddy, typical English festival weather. The Dead did not play that song during this legendary near-four-hour appearance. Instead, the group, halfway through its European tour, gave the huddled masses at Bickershaw something more heated and unforgettable: the ’68 trip at ’72 strength in an hourlong sequence of “Dark Star” and “The Other One,” the latter then easing into the wistful country pining of Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home.” Bickershaw (also in the Europe ’72 box and available separately) was the Dead’s truncated, underwhelming show at Woodstock in 1969 made good, a memorable reward for an audience sabotaged by the elements. McKernan, in particular, was in defiantly strong and comic vocal form. It was one of his last performances. The singer-organist, suffering from liver disease, played his final show with the Dead a month later in Los Angeles, and died in March 1973. He was 27.

Civic Center, Philadelphia

August 5th, 1974

The dead played two concerts in this cavernous arena on August 4th and 5th. I worked at both of them, as part of the security team. My station was in the left-side bleachers, near the stage – the press section, where I spent a lot of time talking to Deadheads without passes who told me, “Hey, man, I’m Jerry’s cousin” and “Bobby said it was cool to sit here.” After the lights went down, it was easier to just let them through and concentrate on the shows: prime nights delivered through the Dead’s visually breathtaking concert-audio miracle, the Wall of Sound. Choosing one of these two dates is tough. The second set on the 4th has a full rendering of the pensive-to-­urgent “Weather Report Suite,” from 1973’s Wake of the Flood. I’ve gone with the next night, for the prolonged elevation in “Truckin’ ” and the dazzling descent into “Stella Blue.” Excerpts from both shows are on Dick’s Picks, Volume 31. Alas, the live intermission performance of Seastones, Lesh’s electronic collaboration with Ned Lagin, is not.

Great American Music Hall, San Francisco

August 13th, 1975

Exhausted by the logistical and financial strains of touring with the Wall of Sound, the Dead stayed away from the road in 1975 – playing only four shows that year, all of them at home. This was one: an intimate record-release party for Blues for Allah, one of the Dead’s best studio LPs. Their pride in the new music and the healthy effect of their break from the grind are evident in the relaxed, textured swing of this performance. The contagious gait and sparkle of “Help on the Way,” “Franklin’s Tower” and “The Music Never Stopped,” all from Allah’s first side, stayed in the live sets for the rest of the Dead’s touring life. The night, released as One From the Vault, also featured a buoyant “Eyes of the World,” some Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and the deep space and abstract magnetism of Blues for Allah‘s title track. The Dead never played that one live, in full, again. “That song was a bitch to do,” Garcia noted in 1991. “In terms of the melody and phrasing and all, it was not of this world.”

Beacon Theatre, New York

June 14th, 1976

The Dead ended their 20-month hiatus from touring in June 1976. The Beacon was the third stop on the tour. This concert was the first of two there, and the recording from that generously long night confirms the relief and satisfaction I felt a week later, when I saw one of the band’s four shows at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. The Dead were rested and rejuvenated, already playing with an excited momentum and clarity that would carry into the nightly perfection of their spring ’77 tour. “Cassidy,” in the first set here, is an exemplary snapshot. Weir and Donna Godchaux harmonize in easy, bracing formation across Kreutzmann and Hart’s polyrhythmic carpet; Keith Godchaux laces the twin-guitar rain with gracefully executed saloon-piano flourishes. In the second set, Garcia sings the reflective irony of “High Time” with plaintive force, before the real high times start: long, assured expeditions through songs from Blues for Allah and Aoxomoxoa. Another golden era was under way.

Winterland, San Francisco

June 9th, 1977

For sublime singing, instrumental union and sequencing bravado, there may be no greater sustained run of shows, certainly in the Keith-and-Donna years, than the Dead’s spring ’77 tour. Highlights are plentiful: Five concerts from one week in late May have come out on archival releases, and the May 8th show at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, is often cited in greatest-ever terms. But I keep coming back to this valedictory blast on home ground – the end of a three-night stand and the final gig of the tour – because of the second set. It has the jagged acid-flavored reggae of “Estimated Prophet,” from the Dead’s next album, Terrapin Station; passes twice through “St. Stephen”; includes all of Terrapin‘s seductive title suite; and ultimately lands, an hour later, in “Sugar Magnolia.” I described that medley, in my liner notes to the 2009 box set Winterland June 1977, as “all of the Deads in one – the lysergic delirium; the country-rock comfort; blues-party time; the electric seeking.” I haven’t changed my mind.

Civic Center, Augusta, Maine

October 12th, 1984

The Eighties were an uneven decade for the Dead. There was new blood: keyboard player Brent Mydland. But Garcia was in perilous health, and studio recording lapsed after 1980’s Go to Heaven. There was a Top 10 single at last: “Touch of Grey,” from the 1987 LP, In the Dark. But that success brought an explosion in numbers on the road, overwhelming the parking-lot scene and the dedicated pilgrims following the band from town to town. Through it all, the Dead toured as if their survival depended on it – which it always did – and played fondly remembered gigs, often off the beaten track. After a summer of amphitheater dates, the band sounds cozy here, loose and swinging indoors, especially at quicker tempos. Mydland plays a brawny organ solo, evoking the Hammond-jazz master Jimmy Smith, in the cover of the Rolling Stones hit “It’s All Over Now,” and the Dead bend “Uncle John’s Band” into a spirited, improvising vehicle with a detour into “Playing in the Band,” another great song about this way of life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cgc7Srb_Jw

Madison Square Garden, New York

September 18th, 1987

The Dead dutifully played their hit “Touch of Grey” twice during this five-show New York run – but not tonight. They start with a wry laugh over their improbable, complicating success, plunging into “Hell in a Bucket” from In the Dark, with Weir belting the chorus line at a shredded pitch: “I may be going to hell in a bucket, babe/But at least I’m enjoying the ride.” Garcia seconds that motion, turning to his 1972 solo effort, Garcia, for luxuriant readings of “Sugaree” and “Bird Song.” The second set is classic contrarian Dead: urgent and unhurried with a crisp, long stroll through the durable title track from the 1978 disappointment, Shakedown Street (produced to surprisingly bland effect by Little Feat’s Lowell George). The baroque drama of “Terrapin Station” is the last stop before the open waters of “Drums” and “Space”; “Good Lovin’ ” comes in two parts with Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” shaking in the middle. The Dead’s spell as pop stars would soon be an anomalous memory; they kept playing like it never happened.

Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia

October 9th, 1989

You didn’t need an advanced degree in Dead lore to decode the name on the tickets for the two ’89 shows at this 13,000-capacity arena. The group was billed as “The Warlocks,” a thinly veiled attempt to avoid overcrowding and security problems. Hampton Coliseum was a favorite East Coast stop for the Dead at the time – they performed there 21 times between 1979 and 1992 – and these concerts sold out fast, mostly to local fans who got two of the band’s best shows of the decade. The Dead were about to release what would turn out to be their last studio album, the ironically named Built to Last, and they played the title track in the first set on the 9th along with a Brent Mydland showcase, “We Can Run,” written with Weir’s composing partner, John Barlow. The second Hampton show, issued with October 8th in the 2010 box Formerly the Warlocks, is most notable for the return of “Dark Star” after five years, and in the encore, American Beauty’s “Attics of My Life” – its first time out since 1972.

Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York

March 29th, 1990

There was something about springtime that brought out the verve, fraternity and experiment in a Dead tour. The group’s six-city, 16-date East Coast trip (with a stop in Canada) in March and April of 1990 was so strong that Weir remembered it years later as “the high point of that era. We were hot, feeling our oats and surprising ourselves onstage.” Spring 1990, a multi-CD survey of the tour released last year, includes the March 30th show at Nassau Coliseum. But the 29th had a special guest: saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who slipped into the lineup for the whole second set with ease and a challenging fire. His keening phrases in “Eyes of the World” – alternating with, then dancing alongside, Garcia’s teardrop runs – edge the song toward the progressive-soul temper of Marvin Gaye‘s “What’s Going On.” Marsalis also enjoys the blowing room in “Dark Star” and fires up some R&B honk and squeal for “Turn On Your Love Light.” That “Eyes” came out on the 1990 live release, Without a Net. But the whole set is a gas.

Madison Square Garden, New York

September 14th, 1991

This was my next-to-last night with the Dead. There would be a solid send-off, also at the Garden, in ’93. But I think of this show more often, for the good feel running through it and the rebirth that appeared to be in reach again after Brent Mydland’s death in 1990. The Dead were working with two keyboard players, Vince Welnick and Bruce Hornsby; the latter’s singing also added pinpoint heft to the harmonies. From this show, I particularly recall the call to disorder – the Shirley and Lee hit “Let the Good Times Roll,” taken at a measured Sam Cooke-like pace with a gospel call-response finish – and the way Garcia, looking like everyone’s grandfather, soloed like his much younger self in “Jack Straw.” This was not a historic gig. It’s a treasured piece of my connection to a band and infinitely evolving mission that seemed, at that moment, without end. Bill Graham famously said of the Dead, “They’re not the best at what they do, they’re the only ones that do what they do.”

This story is from the special Rolling Stone edition Grateful Dead: The Ultimate Guide; a version of this story was originally published April 2013.

The Grateful Dead’s 50 Best Live Performances

(Image credit: Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

Two years removed from the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary celebration and the triumphant “Fare Thee Well” stadium concerts in their native San Francisco Bay Area and in Chicago, the surprising, resurgent Deadmania has not subsided.

Indeed, the events of that year seem to have both rekindled the ardor for the group’s music in many Deadheads who dropped off the psychedelic bus following Jerry Garcia’s death in the summer of 1995, and also brought in many new fans who never had a chance to see the band but are attracted by the Dead’s amazingly diverse and appealing songbook, and the colorful, upbeat, Sixties glow that will forever surround the group.

The ongoing success of the many Phil Lesh & Friends lineups and, more recently, Dead and Company, featuring newish Dead convert John Mayer (playing with Bob Weir and Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart), show that the Dead’s legacy is very much intact and that the music is continuing to evolve.

The individual musicians in the Grateful Dead were never poll winners in music magazines, yet you would be hard-pressed to find a rock group with a core so adept at playing so many different styles—and always in an improvisational context.

They drew from electric and country blues, oldtime and bluegrass, jazz, rock and roll, soul, funk, Indian, New Orleans R&B, electronic and classical music; nothing was off-limits. Each of the musicians brought in different influences and forged his individual style. Nobody sounded quite like Garcia (often imitated, never duplicated), and the same could be said of Bob Weir, whose designation as a “rhythm guitarist” is hopelessly inadequate given the sophistication and depth of his playing.

Their styles couldn’t be more different, but they were completely sympathetic players, tightly enmeshed and equally in sync with bassist Lesh (another utterly unconventional player) and the drummers.

They brought it all together in a unique mélange that took them from the fire-breathing psychedelia of the late Sixties, to the Dead Americana of Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty, and far beyond. Along the way they built the most loyal fan base the music world had ever seen

What follows is a selection of the best live versions of 50 songs by the Grateful Dead (and a few cover tunes) spanning their history.

Why live performances? Because that’s where the magic happened with this band. Everyone, including band members, will tell you that studio albums never quite captured the Dead’s mystical X-factor. So, live recordings it is. Fortunately, the Dead had the largest archive of live tapes of any band ever, so there is much to draw from. The difficulty, of course, is narrowing it down to just 50. After all, hardcore Deadheads would argue that 50 versions of “Dark Star”—each different as can be—could be a list in itself.

And the fact is, this does go beyond 50: As you’ll see, for a number of tunes, there are second and third picks based on eras—songs such as “Dark Star,” “Playing in the Band,” “The Other One” and a few others changed radically from one period to the next (influenced by the change in keyboardists and other factors), so versions from each epoch get a nod.

As for the criteria for the choice of songs—most are ones that, over time, were most variable night to night either because of the jamming in them or the intensity of the vocal delivery, or some other elevating force. So why not have “Sugar Magnolia” here? Or “Deal”? Or “Touch of Gray”? Surely there are multiple versions of each that fit those categories. Of course there are, and so it is with nearly any tune you’d care to mention that is not here. Such are the cruel realities of list-making.

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A couple of final notes: The songs are listed in chronological order by performance date. For the main picks, we’ve listed where they can be found on Grateful Dead–sanctioned releases (where applicable), most of which can be accessed through Apple Music and Spotify. But here’s the cool news: There’s a fantastic web site called headyversion.com that is the ultimate resource for listening to the “best” versions of Grateful Dead songs.

Not only do they appear in order of popularity according to hundreds of folks who have weighed in on their favorite versions of just about every song in the Dead cannon—280 versions of “Eyes of the World,” 27 versions of “Liberty,” 59 versions of “Jackaroe,” etc.—but the site also provides direct links to archive.org’s immense vault of Dead performances, so you can hear them all in just a couple of mouse-clicks.

Of course, there is no true consensus on any of this, but it is fair to say that there is widespread agreement that certain versions of certain songs would probably make most discerning Deadheads’ lists. Similarly there is general agreement on the Dead’s peak performance periods: 1968–1974, 1977, 1981–’82, 1988–’90; you’ll find a heavy concentration of Seventies performances here. In the end, though, opinions about “best” anything are always going to be completely subjective and also probably change over time.

50. “Victim or the Crime”

March 21, 1990; Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario

Call it jagged, gnarly, noisy or unpleasant, the fact is this dissonant late Eighties Weir song was a darkly powerful force to be reckoned with, and almost featured a harrowing jam, as its ascending lines crashed and clashed. This first-set version shows all its bludgeoning brute force (and sophistication), then dissolves into Garcia’s late-Eighties ballad tour de force, “Standing on the Moon”—which, truthfully, deserves to be on this list, too, so listen to both! Available on the Spring 1990 (The Other One) box.

49. “Foolish Heart”

July 19, 1989; Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin

Introduced two days after “Victim” in 1988, this melodic Hunter-Garcia number (occasionally paired with “Victim”) provided a bouncy contrast, somewhat in the tradition of “Franklin’s Tower.” This version, as presented as a bonus track on the remastered Built to Last CD, is mixed so that every instrument is clear and loud—you can really feast on Weir’s imaginative rhythm lines and Brent’s synth washes. And this is easily Garcia’s best-ever vocal on the song.

48. “The Music Never Stopped”

July 17, 1989; Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin

The best Eighties versions of this Weir tune, also from 1975’s Blues for Allah, have a ragged majesty and intensity that is unmatched by earlier ones. The song part is fairly similar one to the next, but the two jams at the end are where the fireworks occur. Chosen by Phil for his Fallout from the Phil Zone compilation.

47. “Dear Mr. Fantasy”

July 2, 1989; Sullivan Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

From its introduction in the summer of 1984 until Brent’s demise in summer 1990, this relatively rare Traffic cover was a real crowd favorite. Brent would sing the first verse alone, Garcia would go wild between verses, and then sing the second verse as a duet, followed by more fiery leads, and in some cases—as in this incendiary version from 1989 (one of the Dead’s best years), go into the “Na-na-na” coda of “Hey Jude,” with Brent singing “Mr. Fantasy” in between the “na-nas.” Truly electric; Jerry goes off!

46. “Shakedown Street”

June 30, 1985; Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland

This song was Garcia’s great contribution to late Seventies funk, and this colossal version has been the deserving winner of every poll on the subject. The interplay between Garcia (again with the envelope-wah) and Weir (who artfully employs a phase-pedal wah and octave divider in the middle of the jam) is deliciously rhythmic, and Brent adds much with his keyboards as well. If spacey/strange is more your thing, look no further than this Seventies pick: Egypt 9-16-78 (no third verse or vocal coda, but jamming galore).

45. “Cassidy”

March 28, 1985; Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York

First on Weir’s solo Ace album in 1972, but not played regularly until 1976, this is another one that fully matured in the Brent era, thanks to his solid duet vocals and the more variegated jam near the end. This one hits all its marks beautifully, including a nice “landing” after the jam. Look for the “SteveSW” soundboard recording on archive.org.

44. “Uncle John’s Band”

October 12, 1984; Augusta Civic Center, Maine

Speedy and adventurous, this one has a searing middle jam and then a really long ride before the final vocal reprise—which doesn’t materialize! Instead, the boys drift into an unconnected spacey jam, then “Drums,” “Space,” a fantastic “Playing in the Band” reprise, and then back to the “Uncle John’s” vocal reprise; stunning! Available on the 30 Trips Around the Sun box. For an acoustic rendering closer to the Workingman’s Dead version, check out Harpur College 5-2-70.

43. “Lost Sailor” > “Saint of Circumstance”

October 10, 1982; Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California

These two Weir-written nuggets, which date back to the summer of ’79 and were paired until mid 1986, show two sides of Bob’s writing. “Lost Sailor” is drifty and floaty, with a slightly odd structure (that works!); and “Saint of Circumstance” is a riff-heavy and ultimately anthemic rocker, which also has some unpredictable components. From December ’86 on, “Saint” appeared alone; usually not quite as potent as it was with the then-departed “Sailor.” (Still, check out this excellent Hornsby-era solo “Saint” pick: Giants Stadium 6-17-91.)

42. “Feel Like a Stranger”

August 10, 1982; Fieldhouse, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

When this wonderful Weir funk number—introduced in 1979, less than a year after “Shakedown”— appeared as an opener, it promised a “long, long, crazy, crazy night!” and laid the groundwork for exactly that. As with “Shakedown,” its success hinged on the meshing of different rhythmic lines from everyone in the band, with Jerry’s clucking envelope-wah dancing above Bob’s slashing chords.

41. “The Wheel”

December 14, 1980; Long Beach Arena, California

What a great moment it was at any show when the first golden notes of “The Wheel” would emerge, float into the air, and point the way to that rousing sing-along. It was best in the early Eighties, once Brent solidified the harmonies that were often rough in the late Seventies, and Garcia took more time getting into and out of the song. This one comes out of a fantastic “Estimated Prophet” and quickly rolls up to cruising speed and becomes very powerful; and the post-song jam is a thing of beauty, with Weir on tasteful background slide for some of it, before it eases into “Drums” (featuring Brazilian jazzers Flora Purim and Airto).

40. “Jack Straw”

January 11, 1979; Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York

Overall, my preference is for Brent-era versions, but there are many, many great ones from 1972 to 1979, and I have to concur with popular opinion that this one from the close of the Keith and Donna [Godchaux, singer] era smokes from beginning (“We used to play for acid/Now we play for Clive”) to the blistering ending jam. One of my longtime favorite Eighties versions is from Oakland Stadium 7-24-87, found on View from the Vault IV.

39. “Stella Blue”

October 21, 1978; Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco

It could be argued that this heavy, affecting ballad, introduced in the summer of 1972, is the single most perfect work that Garcia and [lyricist] Robert Hunter ever wrote, its power never diminishing through the years. This rightly revered version is, alas, cut near the end on the soundboard recording, but when it was officially released on Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 4, a patch from an audience-made recording was added, and it’s still the best there is.

38. “Estimated Prophet”

July 8, 1978; Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado

Year after year one of the most dependable tunes in the Dead’s second sets, Weir’s moody reggae number, with Garcia employing a wah-ish envelope filter, was played at most shows in ’77-’78 and was common for the rest of their history. The “song” part was reliable over time; it’s what happened in the jam that followed that Deadheads lived for. Here, it drifts evenly for a while, then picks up steam and rides high, before settling back down and eventually chiming into “The Other One.” Available on Red Rocks: 7/8/78.

Brent-era pick: Oakland 12-26-79 (major “clam” notwithstanding).

Nineties pick: Nassau 3-29-90, with [saxophonist] Branford Marsalis.

37. “Wharf Rat”

April 22, 1978; Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Tennessee

I’ve rarely encountered a “Wharf Rat” I didn’t love—which is good, because they played it a lot. Though I generally prefer the harmony vocals on the bridge in the Brent-era, the late Seventies versions have a distinctive haunting quality and some crushingly powerful jams. Here, the harmonies are fine, Garcia’s lead vocals are deep, and his playing outrageous and spectacular on the two concluding jams. Available on Dave’s Picks Volume 15.

36. “Black Peter”

October 29, 1977; Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois

Dark, passionately sung, with a wonderful, if brief, slide guitar solo, and then a completely rip-roaring finale that keeps on building to a sustained climax before it lurches into “Sugar Magnolia.” Look for the soundboard recording on archive.org.

35. “Terrapin Station”

September 3, 1977; Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey

Introduced in March ’77, this multi-layered Hunter-Garcia epic was always solid during its first year, with this version—played as the encore of what to this point was their biggest show as a headliner—notable for both its precision and power; just about perfect. It combines a folk sensibility with its famous baroque-ish contrapuntal coda and crunching rock power. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 15.

34. “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo”

September 3, 1977; Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey

This perky little number took the Dead’s Americana thrust in a slightly new direction, with its nod to old-time jazz, as well as country flavors. It always built to a couple of nice peaks—the first instrumental and then the vocal coda (“Across the Rio Grande-o…”) and ending solo. This is another winner from the dynamite Englishtown show. Available on Dicks Pick’s Vol. 15.

33-32. “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower”

June 9, 1977; Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco

This powerful and diverse triumvirate had three distinct incarnations: ’75–’77, ’83–’85, and ’89–’95, while the bouncy “Franklin’s Tower” also enjoyed solo spins during the in-between periods. This titanic 31-minute marvel from ’77 crackles with electricity, with a booming “Help,” an intricate then relentlessly building “Slipknot!” jam, all resolved with a triumphal “Franklin’s Tower.” Available on Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings.

Eighties pick: Santa Fe 9-10-83 (“Slipknot!”).

Nineties pick: RFK Stadium 6-14-91 (with Bruce Hornsby and MIDI Jerry) “Franklin’s Tower” alone: Cape Cod 10-27-79.

31. “Sugaree”

May 22, 1977; The Sporatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida

Again, lots of great choices from 1977. This one was vaultkeeper Dick Latvala’s favorite, a big reason he chose the show as Dick’s Picks Vol. 3, and it’s hard to argue against its greatness. It’s big, loping and jammed to the max between verses with everything from fast, intricate runs to powerful fanning to gentle guitar etchings. As the saying goes in the Dead universe: “All killer, no filler!”

30. “Comes a Time”

May 9, 1977; War Memorial, Buffalo, New York

The voters at headyversion.com get it right again. With this song, it’s all about Garcia’s vocal delivery and swelling, crying solo after the verses, and this one delivers in spades! My favorites are from ’76-’77, with Donna on sweet harmony vocals and Keith adding little piano touches to the spare arrangement. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 29.

It was still powerful when it was revived in the mid Eighties, and from that era I’d recommend checking out Richmond Coliseum 11-1-85, which has a fragile but committed Jerry really baring his soul. It almost falls apart, but the recovery is great!

29-28. “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain”

May 8, 1977; Barton Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

After a couple of years of “Scarlet” enlivening any set it appeared in, in March 1977 it was paired with the new “Fire on the Mountain” to become perhaps the most popular combo of songs in Dead history—it was played around 240 times. My own preferences run toward the driving, high-energy Brent-era versions ’79–’90 (I loved what Brent’s B-3 and backup vocals added), but it’s hard to argue with the primacy of Cornell ’77, which has the unbeatable ending “Fire on the Mountain” jam (but the best-ever “Scarlet” is the amazing Giants Stadium 9-2-78 version).

Eighties pick: Atlanta 11-30-80.

Nineties pick: Hamilton 4-22-90 (tight, great MIDI Jerry). “Scarlet” alone pick: Fresno 7-19-74.

27. “Morning Dew”

May 8, 1977; Barton Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

This song was great in all eras, always a highlight when it appeared. The subtext of the Bonnie Dobson–penned folk ballad could not be more dire—the last man and woman on earth after a nuclear holocaust!—but in the Dead’s hands it was both delicate and filled with heavy pathos. At this show, it closes an incredible second set, with Garcia and company reducing the place to rubble with the ending buildup—the mark of a truly great “Dew.” A pre-hiatus version to check out is Winterland (San Francisco) 10-18-74.

From the Eighties, it’s hard to top Augusta, Maine 10-12-84.

26. “Crazy Fingers”

June 9, 1976; Boston Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

Played briefly in the mid Seventies and then from ’82 on, the ’76 versions capture the spirit of the jewel-like Blues for Allah version, with this one a particularly satisfying rendition, with its breezy, reggae lightness. Available on Road Trips Vol. 4 No. 5.

Eighties pick: Frost Amphitheatre 10-10-82.

25. “Eyes of the World”

August 6, 1974; Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ

So many contenders! Even though this is another tune that was great in every period, only versions from ’73 and ’74 included the amazing, still-unnamed jam that would materialize after a few minutes after the final verse (and following Phil’s dependably monstrous bass solo), in which the group bopped through an intricate series of key and tempo changes, jazzy intricate unison lines that were miles away from the song, and then soared on the “Eyes” groove for several minutes.

I love the relaxed-but-still intense vibe of Seventies “Eyes”; by the early Eighties the tempo had increased and the tune sometimes lacked that liquid-sunshine flow the song begs for. This one, clocking in at 19 minutes, is just about flawless in every respect. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 31.

Eighties pick: Greek Theatre 5-13-83; Seventies tempo, lots of jamming, nice work by Brent; look for the soundboard version on archive.org.

Nineties pick: Nassau Coliseum 3-27-90; gotta give some love to the magnificent first show where saxophonist Branford Marsalis sat in with the Dead, and fit in perfectly!

24-23. “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider”

June 26, 1974; Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island

This was a tough one. The version 10 days earlier from Des Moines, Iowa, (6-16-74) has a slightly better “China Cat” and a cooler between-songs jam, but Providence has a fantastic long intro to “China Cat” and better “I Know You Rider,” so we’re going with that choice. Both are wonderful (as are most of these loping ’74s), filled with excellent interplay. Available on on Dick’s Picks Vol. 12.

Eighties pick: Madison Square Garden, New York; 3-9-81. I really love all the peppy [keyboardist] Brent Mydland–era “China-Riders,” too. This one is over-the-top spectacular, with super high-energy jamming all the way through its generous length; one of several highlights in an amazing show from an underrated year.

Nineties pick: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California; 6-16-90. Strong late Brent-era version with hot extended jam (including MIDI flights) between tunes and solid “Rider.” Available on View from the Vault III.

22. “Truckin’ ”

May 19, 1974; Portland Memorial Coliseum, Oregon

Another nearly impossible choice, with more than 500 versions to pick from! Again, we lean early: ’72–’74, when Keith was in the band, Phil was at his most prominent musically, and the jams following the song typically opened up the widest and wildest. Like on this one—talk about the Group Mind in action! This one bounces and grooves forward with so much vigor and purpose before it falls into a funky jam and eventually ends up at “Not Fade Away.”

21. “Here Comes Sunshine”

November 30, 1973; Boston Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

It’s difficult to fathom why this lilting, bopping tune was only played during 1973 (and once in ’74), then dropped until 1992. Yes, the Beatles-ish harmonies were a challenge, but the jams were varied and often tremendous. Phil really shines on this version, but everyone is on-point. The harmonies were better in the Nineties, but the jams not nearly as interesting. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 14.

20. “Weather Report Suite”/“Let It Grow”

August 4, 1974; Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Weir’s three-part “Weather Report Suite” (“Prelude” > “Part One” > “Let It Grow”) was an important part of many shows only in ’73-’74; then “Let It Grow” alone was a fast-paced, multi-textured spin-off from ’76–’95. This version of the suite is spectacular, and leads to a long jam where Billy Kreutzmann takes the “Let It Grow” pulse and drives it frenetically in jazzy directions, with Garcia’s wah-wah and Keith’s Rhodes sounding like electric Miles Davis. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 31.

Eighties pick: “Let It Grow”: Alpine Valley 8-7-82.

Nineties pick: Capital Centre 3-14-90.

19. “He’s Gone”

May 26, 1973; Kezar Stadium, San Francisco

Always a winner pre-hiatus (i.e. ’72-’74), this particular version has a perfect tempo, a top-notch lead vocal, Keith seemingly channeling country piano great Floyd Cramer throughout, a soulful stroll through the “Nothin’s gonna bring him back” coda, and then an extremely tasty melodic jam that’s as pretty as anything you’ll hear from this group. Don’t miss it! In the Eighties, the trio of Jerry, Bobby and Brent always did a nice job on that vocal coda.

18. “Cumberland Blues”

September 27, 1972; Stanley Theatre, Jersey City, New Jersey

This song was always much more rockin’ and intense in a live setting than you might expect, and many versions in the early Seventies stretched out nicely under that fast, shuffling beat. At this show it comes out of 30-minute “Dark Star,” so it feels like it has a little extra juice and sparkle to it. Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 11.

17. “Bird Song”

August 27, 1972; Old Renaissance Faire Grounds, Veneta, Oregon

Are you picking up a trend here? Yes the ’72 Veneta show, put on by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, is as good as its reputation. No collection should be without the superb 2013 set called Sunshine Daydream, which includes the full concert and also a DVD of the trippy, long-bootlegged-but-now-restored film of (some of) the event that gives the box its name. This was the year that “Bird Song” really blossomed; from here on out it was a cherished jamming vehicle (usually) in GD first-sets; not as common as some, but always welcome when it flew in.

Eighties pick: Greek Theatre 7-15-84; cool and jazzy.

Nineties pick: Greensboro Coliseum 4-1-91; strong Bruce Hornsby and [keyboardist] Vince Welnick contributions, and some great peaks over its 17 minutes.

16. “Playing in the Band”

August 27, 1972; Old Renaissance Faire Grounds, Veneta, Oregon

You can’t lose with any ’72 “Playing in the Band” (it was featured every night on the European tour), but this justifiably famous version has an acid-drenched, edge-of-chaos vibe that that makes it completely gripping for every second of its 23 minutes. There are longer and spacier versions, but this has everything it needs. Available on Sunshine Daydream.

Eighties pick: Laguna Seca 7-29-88; a rare later version that includes the “reprise.”

Nineties pick: Cal Expo 5-26-93—one of the band’s last truly great jams; the “reprise” comes later in the set.

15. “Good Lovin’ ”

January 2, 1972; Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco

As Pigpen’s raps on this tend to be fairly similar one to the next, with a few notable exceptions (such as Princeton 4-17-71 with the famous “Brooklyn Bridge” rap), I tend to judge them by what the band does behind him. This one, from the first show of their greatest year, is smokin’ and amazingly varied, even tucking in a bouncing “China Cat” at around the 18-minute mark, before bringing “Good Lovin’ ” to a close. Weir revived the song in earnest in 1977, and many fine versions of that more compact, but still energetic, showstopper abound.

14-13. “Not Fade Away” > “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad”

November 15, 1971; Austin Municipal Auditorium, Texas

If you’re looking for a song to play for non-Deadheads, go with this one. The jam in between the two songs is completely magical, quoting “China Cat,” dipping in to a “Dark Star”–ish space briefly, and flitting into all sorts of other interesting realms. For a stand-alone “Not Fade Away,” try Englishtown 9-3-77. For “Goin’ Down the Road” it’s gotta be Fillmore East 4-29-71, coming out of an exquisitely constructed jam that has “China Cat” and “St. Stephen” teases in it. Available on Road Trips Vol. 3 No. 2.

12. “Hard to Handle”

August 6, 1971; Hollywood Palladium, California

Pigpen and the band really kicked out the jams on this Otis Redding tune, an explosive element in so many Dead sets in 1969 and ’70. This version is one that could reasonably be called a consensus choice—almost everyone thinks it’s easily the best they played. With its churning rhythms, slashing guitar, crunching bass and high-octane build-up during the jam, it’s a gripping rock/R&B tour de force. Available on the bonus disc of Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 3.

11. “New Speedway Boogie”

May 14, 1970; Meramec Community College, Kirkwood, Missouri

The Dead played this only in late 1969–70, and then again from ’91 (at the outset of the first Gulf War) until ’95. We’re going with this 1970 version because of Jerry’s emotional vocal delivery and the snaky, all-too-rare, slide solo that leans heavily on the old country blues lament “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”

For a Nineties pick, let’s go with Giants Stadium 6-17-91, which really shows what pianist Bruce Hornsby brought to the mix in that era. Collected on the bonus disc of Road Trips Vol. 3 No. 3.

10. “Dancing in the Street”

May 2, 1970; Harpur College, Binghamton, New York

This Motown nugget [originally released by Martha and the Vandellas] was still relatively new when the Dead started covering it in 1966. By 1969–70, it had expanded to a big jamming number, with all sorts of great R&B riffing (a quote from Archie Bell & the Drells’ “Tighten Up”!) and sinewy threads. This version is the titan of them all! Available on Dick’s Picks Vol. 8.

The song came back in an exciting, if vocally challenged, disco-influenced arrangement—also very jam-heavy—in 1976. My favorite version in that style is the long, ultra-funky one from Cape Cod Coliseum, 10-27-79, just the second time Brent played it live. Dig that clavinet!

9. “That’s It for the Other One”

May 2, 1970; Harpur College, Binghamton, New York

The mini-suite from Anthem of the Sun, incorporating “Cryptical Envelopment” sandwiching “The Other One,” was at its best from 1968–70, with ’69 its best year, but this one is my longtime favorite, for its many incredible mood swings, peaks and valleys; just an amazing ride. By ’72, “The Other One” had been cut loose completely from its original moorings, but it still careened across the Dead landscape as a compelling and constantly changing blast of trippy energy for the rest of the group’s career.

While it would be impossible to choose the best Seventies version of “The Other One,” the one I’ve enjoyed most often the past few years is from May 7, 1972, at the Bickershaw Festival in Wigan, England). Churning, sweetness, Phil bombs, space; it’s all here. Available on Europe ’72 Vol. 2.

For an Eighties pick, try April 23, 1983, at Veteran’s Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut. The first hints come during a tremendously strange and ominous “Space,” then a long build-up (guitars and talking drum!), a full-band jam around the main riff, and more than 13 minutes in, Phil leaps forward with the classic entrance. Not as wildly explosive as some (8-19-89!), but consistently fine for more than 20 minutes.

8. “Saint Stephen”

February 27, 1969; Fillmore West, San Francisco

This performance, which is the Live Dead version, is what hooked me on the Dead back in November 1969, and though there are many other killer versions, this one still resonates most strongly with me. It’s big, bold and has both punch and crunch. Sad to say, I never got to see them sing the “High green chilly winds” bridge into “The Eleven.”

Seventies pick: Boston Music Hall, 6-9-76. When “Stephen” came back after a five-year break at this show, it was slower, more delicate and had its “Ladyfinger dipped in moonlight…” bridge turned into a waltz, but it also opened up in ways it never had before. This very spacey extended version is unlike any other they ever played. Available on Road Trips Vol. 4 No. 5.

7. “Dark Star”

February 27, 1969; Fillmore West (San Francisco)

The Big Kahuna of the entire Dead repertoire, utterly different from era to era, “Dark Star” evolved into the band’s most open and exploratory jamming tune, living up to its name night after night. I’ve probably listened to the 2-27-69 version immortalized on Live Dead, more than any other piece of music, so I am hopelessly biased about its greatness—the worlds it visits, its elastic rhythmic pulse, the riffs that were perfected this night, the overall flow of the thing.

Seventies pick: County Fairgrounds, Veneta, Oregon, 8-27-72. After about 11 minutes of floaty, drifty goodness leading up to the first verse, the jam gradually accelerates and starts to go more “out,” as Phil signals a shift to a mid-tempo cruising altitude, then does it again a few minutes later for a long spacey stretch. Major dissonance/weirdness ensues at around 30 minutes and hits some frightening (but cool!) meltdown moments along the way; 32 minutes in all and truly epic! (Available on Sunshine Daydream).

Eighties pick: Greek Theatre, Berkeley, July 13, 1984. Played for the first time in two-and-a-half years, this is more in the vein of ’69 versions (even dropping in a couple of actual riffs from that era) and surprisingly self-assured—more to my taste than the best late-Eighties or early-Nineties versions, which relied so heavily on MIDI textures.

Nineties pick: Greensboro (North Carolina) Coliseum, 4-1-91. [Keyboardist] Bruce Hornsby loved playing (and teasing) “Dark Star” during his tenure, and this is my favorite with him—long, weird and noisy pre-“Drums” with lots of Garcia MIDI, a totally hypnotic “Drums,” and then a short, tasteful reprise (second verse).

6. “Turn on Your Love Light”

January 26, 1969; Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco

Admittedly, my favorite “Love Light” is the one from Frankfurt, Germany, 4-26-72 (first released on Hundred Year Hall), on which the band is unflaggingly spectacular—go Keith! [Godchaux keyboards]—but it has almost no Pigpen verbal riffing on it, so it’s not fair to choose it as the version. So I go back to Live Dead again and pluck this one, which has all the cornerstones I love—the crazy double-drumming, Pig at his most confident, band members chiming in on backups, and a crowd going appropriately nuts throughout. Not too short, not too long, this one feels juuust right.

5. “The Eleven”

August 24, 1968; Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

This song/jam was only around for about two years, but what a glorious run it had! Nearly every version is a blazing psychedelic swirl. The one on Live Dead (from 1-26-69) is the most famous (and also great!), but this one from a few months earlier is even more exciting and expansive. It just won’t quit—until it drops down into a devastating “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” Available on Two from the Vault.

4-3. “Alligator” > “Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)”

August 23, 1968; Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

With these two Pigpen numbers, it was less about the songs than the jams they spurred. “Alligator” always led to a mesmerizing rare-for-the time double-drum duel between Mickey and Bill, and the jam after would usually build from a Jerry-plus-drummers noodle to a ferocious full-band boil before dropping eventually into the locomotive rhythm and big crescendos that lace together Pig’s visit to the mysterious Gypsy Woman in “Caution.”

Available on Anthem of the Sun expanded edition. And don’t miss the primal, acid-drenched version from the Carousel Ballroom 2-14-68, and for a “Caution” alone, Fillmore Auditorium 11-8-69.

2. “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl”

February 14, 1968; Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA

The slinky, Pigpen-sung “Schoolgirl” gave the early Dead a chance to stretch out on an easy shuffling blues groove, with Garcia and Pig trading licks on guitar and harmonica, and Phil always dancing on top with what was already a formidable bass assault. Available onRoad Trips Vol. 2 No. 2.

1. “Viola Lee Blues”

November 10, 1967; Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

The longest and perhaps most intense versions are from the late period of the song’s relatively brief existence in the repertoire (such as Chicago 4-26-69 and Harpur College 5-2-70), but this one from 1967 really encapsulates what made this song such an important part of the Dead’s first years—it was the biggest jamming vehicle for the early group, capturing that era’s feral intensity, with all the parts interlocking, more by kismet than by calculation, Phil completely monstrous on the bass, and [Ron] Pigpen [McKernan’s] swirling organ still such a fundamental part of the sound. Available on30 Trips Around the Sun.

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