This thread is from a suggestion i made in a GD vault thread. I've found the quality drastically varies from show to show & I can never remember which ones I loved!

I'm currently listening to DP #21 & it's excellent.

When i have time, I'll try to search for other similar posts I've made on GD threads & copy them over here.

DP #3 From Pembroke Pines 5/77. 77 was about their best year.

The Golden Road 1965-1973 is my GD box set of choice, always.

I've been listening to the download series Vol.9, two Pittsburgh shows from 1989. Huge energy and very good sound. They are selling the shows as FLACS on the band's site.

I've also been listening to DP 34 - 11.5.77 and its companion, 11.6.77. Those two shows are less about the band and more about Garcia going nuts.

I assume you mean in a less then good way?

I like the November shows. I think you just have to approach them differently. There is not as much group interaction and more Garcia as frontman (instrumentally). If you like the best of 1978 then you'll enjoy late '77.

I find the late '77 shows to be a bit more ragged than the April-May tour. Still some great shows to be had though - 12/29, 11/5, 10/29, 11/6, that awesome NFA from 10/11, the smokin' "Truckin" from 11/2, etc....

From early '78 I highly recommend Dick's Picks 18 from 2/3 and 2/5/78 - fantastic Scarlet>Fire transition jam, and one of the wildest versions of "The Other One" you'll ever hear. The real spacey Playin>Wheel>Playin is great too.

Another show from early '78 that's not officially released yet still essential is 1/22/78 - great versions of "Terrapin" and "The Other One" and the legendary "Close Encounters" space jam which seques right into "St. Stephen". Stunning!

I pretty much like all eras of the Dead, some eras more than others, but I always find something to like no matter what.


Great thread topic!

Inspired by reader suggestions to the NYTimes in their poll of the best GD show ever I've put on 5.15.70. What a great show(s).

You get the full range, acoustic, bluesy Pig, deep space and some straight ahead rock n' roll. Two shows, early and late and on some versions out there a nice helping of early NRPS. The sound is not always aces, there is a long section where there's only one channel but this is a very satisfying set.

I'm listening to 5/20/73[Santa Barbara California]on the Grateful Dead Channel XM 57.......it's quite good imho.

After watching The Grateful Dead Movie a few nights ago, I decided to listen to the first two discs of the Soundtrack set on my (very) early morning walk today, down an isolated country road. It's nice to hear the full versions of the songs that were fragments in the movie, without the distracting sound effects, particularly that annoying flame-thrower sound that grates on my nerves every time.

Great performance of China Cat Sunflower > Know You Rider, and a 31-minute+ PITB that has a strong finish. I watched a gorgeous sunrise during a mellow Scarlet Begonias, which led into a sublime He's Gone > Other One > Mind Left Body Jam > Stella Blue that took my breath away, (or perhaps it was the steep hill I climbed that left me breathless). If you don't have the five-disc soundtrack, I would recommend getting it as representative of one of the better "pre-retirement" performances.

This listening experience inspired me later to pull out my old vinyl Mars Hotel album, just to hear that great, crispy, fried electronic keyboard sound throughout the song U.S. Blues, that you can just barely hear buried in the mix. As far as I know, this instrument is only heard on the studio version of this one song, but it really makes listening to it fun. Anyone else know what I'm talking about here?

I also really like the expanded cd set from the Dead movie.

It was a choice of the movie ST or Steppin' Out this afternoon. I went with Steppin' Out. At this point I might call it the best live set they have put out. Sound, performances, song selection, all of it top shelf.

That's a good example of why I started this thread: I own Steppin' Out & didn't even remember I have it! There is so much live dead out there, I constantly lose memory of great shows. I'll have to pull this one out & play it.

I was listening to the bonus disc of the current Road Trips (have not had a chance to settle in for the release proper). Great primal Dead...and as a hack keyboard player myself, I am encouraged by Pigpen's basic yet effective organ.

Both Steppin' Out and the GD Movie disc sets are up there as some of my favorite Live Dead Releases.

Speaking of Steppin' Out and Pig's organ, he is very much higher in the mix on S/O than on any other '72 recordings I can think of. You get the true double keyboard effect.

If you ask me next week I might think that the movie S/T was the best live release.

And I'll have to pull out the RT2.2 bonus disc and give it a good listen tonight.

everything from 1977 is PEAK, 1968 is also great with the new Carousel Ballroom road trips. I personally had about 200 silver pressed Dead bootleg CD's in the mid 90's before they probably got to volume 10 in the Dicks picks series (& most were ones I got at traveling record shows for $50 on doubles, ouch!) & was always wondering why they didn't plunder their vaults more & FASTER. Even after Jerry died nothing solo came out on Jerry (vault live wise) for 9 years after his death (pure Jerry 1 is 2004) but now BOTH Dead & Jerry stuff are coming out pretty fast (I think this stuff would have sold a lot better in the late 90's but better late than never). The Download series is great (bought them all but they don't offer it anymore, that was a series of 12 many people missed out on). Still amazed they don't do Cornell 77 yet, their most infamous concert.

I'm on my 3rd listen of Hartford To Terrapin. Good stuff.

Steppin' Out is one of a 10 or so I don't have, so I can't comment on that, but The Academy Of Music Pick, (30?) also has Pig's organ higher in the mix, giving the double keyboard effect. When this came out, it was one of my favourite Picks, but I haven't listened to it for a couple of years, although just writing about it means I'm now going to have to play this again very soon!

I've been listening to quite a bit of '77 recently. I'm enjoying To Terrapin and referring back to Dick's Picks 29 and also Road Trips 1.2 from the Autumn of that year, much of which holds ups very well against the Spring Recordings.

I'll have to check out the Academy pick. I didn't love it when it came out (although the out-take bonus disc that came with Rockin' the Rhine is outstanding) but maybe listening with fresh ears will do something for it.

Pure Jerry V.2. My so far opinion is that it's OK, but not great.

I erally like The Cats Under The Stars Album, so thought I'd like this, but so far the studio versions are superior imo.

Geff, are you talking about the 1978 show or the 87 Lunt-Fontaine releases? I think Vol.2 is the 87 which would put it well outside the CUTS period. Now the '78 show, that might be my favorite of all the PJ releases. For my taste that's the tightest playing (and some of the best sound) in the series.

1987. I was thinking CUTS because several of the songs from that are on here.