Posts tagged Jerry Garcia

(Review from wikipedia, musicbox-online.com)

Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3 was billed as a 40th anniversary celebration of the album Workingman’s Dead. It includes several versions, some acoustic and some electric, of seven of the eight songs that appear on that album, omitting only “High Time”.

The album contains material from two concerts — the early show and the late show — performed on May 15, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City. Including the material from the bonus disc, this release includes both May 15, 1970 Fillmore East Shows in their entirety except for the acoustic performance on “Candyman” from the late show.

With a larger stash of songs in its repertoire — which seemed to grow exponentially every time the outfit returned to the road — the Grateful Dead had a broader range of styles at its disposal. While many of its sonic explorations continued to be rooted within the blues idiom, the outfit was starting to learn that it no longer was limited to building its psychedelic sojourns around tried-and-true, R&B-based grooves.

Split between acoustic and electric sets, the band’s stylistic forays remained heavily compartmentalized. Nevertheless, the collection features the best of both worlds that the Grateful Dead had established. In some ways, the outfit was returning to its jug-band days, picking up pieces to the overall puzzle of its career, ones that hadn’t necessarily disappeared completely from its work but had, at least, been subdued by its late 1960s diversions.

Armed with traditional instrumentation, Bob Weir dabbled in country textures via “Silver Threads & Golden Needles” and “Long Black Limousine” — the former was a hit for rockabilly queen “Wanda Jackson”, while the latter had been a recent addition to Elvis Presley’s repertoire. Meanwhile, Garcia was unearthing songs that were staples of the folk and bluegrass scenes: “Ballad of Casey Jones”, “Deep Elm Blues”, “Cold Jordan” and “A Voice from on High”, among them. Pigpen still routinely delved into the blues, but his renditions of a trio of Lightnin’ Hopkins-penned tunes — “Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub)”, “Katie Mae” and “She’s Mine” — conveyed the rural ambience of the collective’s revolutionized persona.

Given that many of these songs were infrequent visitors to the Grateful Dead’s set lists — some of the tunes are making their recorded debuts here — it is not surprising that they sometimes were delivered with considerably less confidence than the band brought to its original material. “A Voice from on High” and “Cold Jordan”, in particular, were as intriguing as they were unrefined. Meanwhile, the steady, pensive plodding of “Black Peter” conjured foreboding darkness, while “Friend of the Devil”‘s light gallop as well as the easy-going strum of “Uncle John’s Band” embodied the intimacy of a campfire gathering.

Fully amplified affairs, the latter half of the Grateful Dead’s performances at the Fillmore East exuded the rambunctious energy that epitomized the outfit’s mind-warping sojourns from the late 1960s. All of the heavy-hitting songs from the group’s repertoire were present — an epic rendition of “That’s It for the Other One”, a pair of explosive romps through “St. Stephen”, the hazily spiritual overtones of “Dark Star” and ferocious covers of “Good Lovin’” and “Turn on Your Lovelight”. Showcasing the Grateful Dead’s mastery of musical dynamics, moments of full-throttled fury pressed against passages of tender fragility. As usual, the material was twisted into a variety of shapes that allowed the band and its fans to view them from fresh perspectives.

In spite of the many familiar touchstones that lined the Grateful Dead’s performances at the Fillmore East, it is clear that the band’s sound was beginning to mutate. The two versions of “I Know You Rider” that surfaced during the concerts — both of which are included here — highlight how dramatically and quickly its approach was shifting. Performed with acoustic instruments at the onset of the early show, the song assumed a weary, heavyhearted moodiness that stood in stark contrast to the more familiar interpretations that the Grateful Dead delivered throughout its career. Even in 1970, the tune — almost to a fault — had become inseparable from “China Cat Sunflower”. Sure enough, it was presented in this fashion during the late-night electric set. Right from the start, these tracks fit together naturally. Still in an embryonic form, the pairing typified the joy of discovery that permeated this era of the Grateful Dead’s rich history.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / Electric and Acoustic Lead Guitar, Vocals
- Mickey Hart / Drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / Drums
- Phil Lesh / Electric Bass, Vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / Vocals, Organ, Percussion, Harmonica, Acoustic Guitar
- Bob Weir / Electric and Acoustic Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
with
- John Dawson / harmony vocals (CD2/9, CD3/6, CD4/4)
- David Nelson / mandolin (CD2/9, CD3/6, CD4/4)

Track List:
CD1
01. Don’t Ease Me In – 4:23
02. I know You Rider – 8:29
03. Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub) – 3:56
04. Long Black Limousine – 4:54
05. New Speedway Boogie – 6:25
06. Casey Jones – 5:01
07. St. Stephen – 5:46
08. That’s It For The Other One – 24:29
09. Cosmic Charlie – 7:59
10. New Minglewood Blues – 3:35
CD2
01. Deep Elem Blues – 5:41
02. The Ballad Of Casey Jones – 4:46
03. Silver Threads And Golden Needles – 3:49
04. Black Peter – 7:23
05. Friend Of The Devil – 4:05
06. Uncle John’s Band – 7:00
07. She’s Mine – 2:53
08. Katie Mae – 4:37
09. A Voice From On High – 2:54
10. China Cat Sunflower – 4:55
11. I Know You Rider – 4:41
12. Cumberland Blues – 5:13
13. Hard To Handle – 5:50
14. Morning Dew – 10:53
15. Dire Wolf – 3:53
CD3
01. Good Lovin’ – 13:45
02. Dark Star – 19:40
03. St. Stephen – 6:04
04. Not Fade Away – 6:52
05. Turn On Your Lovelight – 27:44
06. Cold Jordan – 2:32
CD4 (Bonus)
01. Friend of the Devil – 4:02
02. Candyman – 6:11
03. Cumberland Blues – 4:51
04. Cold Jordan – 2:33
05. Easy Wind – 8:17
06. Attics of My Life – 5:45
07. Beat It on Down the Line – 3:08
08. Next Time You See Me – 3:36
09. New Speedway Boogie – 9:24
10. St. Stephen – 6:30
11. Not Fade Away – 6:36
12. Turn On Your Lovelight – 17:38

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(Review from allmusic)

This archival release is a three-and-a-half-hour, triple-CD distillation of three shows played at the Alexandra Palace in London on September 9, 10, and 11, 1974.

Coming only a month before the Dead retired for a year and a half, these performances mark the end of a chapter in the band’s history.

The Dead’s most recent studio album at this point, released a little over two months previously, was Grateful Dead From Mars Hotel, and that record’s most memorable songs, “Scarlet Begonias” and “U.S. Blues”, bookend this set. Otherwise, the set list is fairly typical of the early 1970s with such familiar songs as “Playing in the Band”, “Jack Straw”, “Brown-Eyed Women” and “Truckin’”. And there is a performance of the Dead’s signature song, “Dark Star,” that weighs in at 24-plus minutes.

Sound quality is OK, with the vocals sometimes coming off as compressed and boxy.

Like most of the Dick’s Picks albums, this one is for the cognoscenti not the neophyte.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / bass, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards

Track List:
CD1
01. Scarlet Begonias – 9:29
02. Mexicali Blues – 3:36
03. Row Jimmy – 8:21
04. Black-Throated Wind – 7:20
05. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown To – 8:48
06. Beat It On Down the Line – 3:30
07. Tennessee Jed – 7:59
08. Playing In the Band – 23:30
CD2
01. Weather Report Suite – 18:18
02. Stella Blue – 8:32
03. Jack Straw – 5:19
04. Brown-Eyed Women – 5:07
05. Big River – 5:14
06. Truckin’ – 10:31
07. Wood Green Jam – 5:56
08. Wharf Rat – 11:13
CD3
01. Me and My Uncle – 3:30
02. Not Fade Away – 16:27
03. Dark Star – 24:08
04. Spam Jam – 7:13
05. Morning Dew – 13:15
06. U.S. Blues – 5:41

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(Review from wikipedia, allmusic)

“Dark Star” is a sort of loose, free-form jam that plays a pivotal role at Grateful Dead shows, and it’s been anywhere between five and 55 minutes in length.

Toronto-based sound chemist John Oswald is known for his editing style of “plunderphonics”, whereby he builds a dense collage of pre-existing recorded material to create jaw-dropping murals (for a definitive taste).

Using over a hundred different performances of the song “Dark Star” between 1968 and 1993, Oswald built, layered, and “folded” all of them to produce one large, recomposed version spanning just sixteen minutes short of two hours. Due to the nebulous and organic raw material (and Oswald’s delicacy with it), Grayfolded rarely shows its cut-and-paste seams.

Whether you’re a Grateful Dead fan or an Oswald fan, you will likely have your loyalty tested, since it’s such an epic and unique recording for both.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / keyboards, vocals, harmonica, percussion
- Tom Constanten / keyboards
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals
- Bruce Hornsby / piano, keyboards, vocals
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, vocals
- Vince Welnick / keyboards, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Novature (Formless Nights Fall) – 1:20
02. Pouring Velvet – 2:58
03. In Revolving Ash Light – 16:59
04. Clouds Cast – 7:13
05. Through – 8:52
06. Fault Forces – 6:19
07. The Phil Zone – 4:45
08. La Estrella Oscura – 9:33
09. Recedes (While We Can) – 1:57
CD2
01. Transilence – 0:45
02. 73rd Star Bridge Sonata – 14:25
03. Cease Tone Beam – 13:27
04. The Speed of Space – 9:23
05. Dark Matter Problem/Every Leaf Is Turning – 7:15
06. Foldback Time – 1:32

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(Review from allmusic)

After the untimely passing of the Dead’s keyboardist, Brent Mydland, in late July of 1990, the band called upon former Tubes member Vince Welnick as Mydland’s replacement. Likewise, Bruce Hornsby (grand piano and accordion) was added as a semi-permanent bandmember as schedules permitted.

This archival release highlights two R.F.K. Stadium appearances from the early 1990s. The main performance features both sets from June 14, 1991; the bonus material is from July 12, 1990, and features a slightly different incarnation of the band.

Both performances are replete with better-than-average versions of well-worn classics such as “Cold Rain and Snow” and Johnny Cash’s “Big River.” The latter is also notable for its adept coupling to a smoldering rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm”. The Dead’s unique arrangement features a verse from all five Dead vocalists.

The second set, commencing on disc two, is where the performance becomes truly inspirational, leading off with a stirring reading of the “Help on the Way”, “Slipknot!”, “Franklin’s Tower” suite. Specifically, the engaging instrumental midsection “Slipknot!” issues rush after rush of flawless execution from lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. In turn, this pushes the rest of the band into creating symbiotic musical bliss for both performer and audience alike.

The remainder of the 1991 show features additional highlights, such as a heartfelt “Dark Star” and their second Dylan cover for the evening — “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”.

The bonus material features a few gems from the Dead’s final studio album, “Built to Last”. The “Dark Star” that concludes View From the Vault II is the preferential version. It rises organically from the sonic ashes of “Foolish Heart” instead of sounding like a forced afterthought.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Vince Welnick / keyboards, vocals
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion
- Bill Kreutzman / drums, percussion
- Bruce Hornsby / accordion, piano, synthesizer, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Cold Rain and Snow – 7:00
02. Wang Dang Doodle – 6:39
03. Jack a Roe – 5:47
04. Big River] – 5:42
05. Maggie’s Farm – 7:43
06. Row Jimmy – 11:03
07. Black-Throated Wind – 7:19
08. Tennessee Jed – 7:48
09. The Music Never Stopped – 8:55
CD2
01. Help On The Way ] – 4:33
02. Slipknot! ] – 8:29
03. Franklin’s Tower ] – 12:27
04. Estimated Prophet ] – 13:07
05. Dark Star ] – 11:28
06. Drums ] – 9:54
07. Space ] – 6:26
CD3
01. Stella Blue] – 13:09
02. Turn on Your Lovelight – 9:12
03. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue – 7:19
04. Victim Or The Crime] (Bonus) – 8:29
05. Foolish Heart] (Bonus) – 10:10
06. Dark Star (Bonus) – 24:58

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(Review from wikipedia, amazon)

This archival release offers the complete concert from July 8, 1990 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh (only 16 days before Mydland’s death) with bonus tracks from two days earlier at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.

A beaming Garcia sets the tone for night with a lyrically and musically perfect “Touch of Grey”. The first set includes some favorites like “Jack-A-Roe”, a wonderful, lilting “Row Jimmy”, Lesh’s fun rendition of “Dylan’s Tom Thumb’s Blues”, and a set closing “Let It Grow” that sees the band hitting all the marks they should be.

The second set, however, is where the fireworks are: two hour journey through old and new Grateful Dead, with nary a break in action for the duration. “Samson and Delilah” smokes, but it is the “Eyes of the World” that explodes. The second jam in the song saw a house full of dropped jaws. The band is solid throughout the set, with “Estimated Prophet”, “Wang Dand Doodle”, and “Black Peter” being real standouts.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Brent Mydland / Hammond organ, keyboards, vocals
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion
- Bill Kreutzman / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Touch of Grey – 6:36
02. Greatest Story Ever Told – 4:44
03. Jack-A-Roe – 5:09
04. Minglewood Blues – 7:17
05. Row Jimmy – 11:50
06. Mama Tried ] – 2:32
07. Mexicali Blues – 5:30
08. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – 6:13
09. Let it Grow – 12:15
CD2
01. Samson & Delilah – 7:05
02. Eyes of the World – 15:13
03. Estimated Prophet – 11:40
04. Terrapin Station – 14:55
05. Jam – 4:46
06. Drums – 7:37
07. Space – 9:03
CD3
01. I Need A Miracle – 5:27
02. Wang Dang Doodle – 5:19
03. Black Peter – 9:42
04. Throwing Stones – 9:22
05. Turn On Your Lovelight – 8:38
06. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – 7:08
07. Standing On The Moon (Bonus) – 9:44
08. He’s Gone (Bonus) – 9:41
09. KY Jam (Bonus) – 13:42

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(Review from allmusic)

This archival release mixes performances from three successive shows performed at Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, NY, March 24-26. It contains most of the first set from March 26, all of the second set from March 24, and the second half of the second set from March 25.

The best feature of that show is a nearly eight-minute version of the rarely performed jam “Your Mind Has Left Your Body” here playfully renamed “Mud Love Buddy Jam.” The Dead had reinvigorated their live shows in the fall of 1989, meanwhile reintroducing many of their older songs. By the spring of 1990, they were back to a more conventional repertoire (though this album contains such fairly unusual selections as “The Wheel” and the a cappella “And We Bid You Goodnight”), but their performance standard remained high, as demonstrated on this well-performed collection.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / drums

Track List:
CD1
01. Hell in a Bucket – 6:58
02. Dupree’s Diamond Blues – 5:56
03. Just a Little Light – 4:51
04. Walkin’ Blues – 6:52
05. Jack-A-Roe – 4:28
06. Never Trust a Woman – 7:39
07. When I Paint My Masterpiece – 5:54
08. Row Jimmy – 11:20
09. Blow Away – 11:39
CD2
01. Playing In The Band – 10:11
02. Uncle John’s Band – 10:05
03. Lady With A Fan – 6:49
04. Terrapin Station – 6:32
05. Mud Love Buddy Jam – 7:52
06. Drums – 9:41
07. Space – 9:38
CD3
01. Space – 0:43
02. The Wheel – 4:15
03. All Along the Watchtower – 7:41
04. Stella Blue – 8:38
05. Not Fade Away – 9:41
06. And We Bid You Goodnight – 2:59
07. Space – 1:33
08. I Will Take You Home – 5:16
09. Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad – 6:53
10. Black Peter – 9:15
11. Around and Around – 7:17
12. Brokedown Palace – 5:54

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(Review from allmusic)

This double-disc release highlights the Grateful Dead’s final performance of a five show run at the Meadowlands Arena, on October 16, 1989, Bob Weir’s 42nd birthday. Nightfall of Diamonds presents this concert replete with one of the most accurate soundstages of any Grateful Dead vintage release.

The Dead’s fall tour of 1989 coincided with the release of “Built to Last” — their 13th studio release. The loosely structured and perpetually evolving set lists allowed for the integration of newer tunes such as “Picasso Moon” — the up-tempo rocker that opens this set — with more established works from their 200-plus song canon. “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo”, coupled here with the funky “Feel Like a Stranger”, reveals some excellent ensemble playing. Jerry Garcia’s lead guitar lines are precise and well developed as he maneuvers the band into territories considered unattainable in the late ’80s by skeptical enthusiasts.

Another first set highlight is the overtly bluesy “Never Trust a Woman” — featuring the first of two lead vocals from the Dead’s ’80s keyboardist, Brent Mydland. The pairing of “Let It Grow” to an exceptionally engaging performance of “Deal” conclude the first set with the same high energy with which it began.

Set two/disc two continues to exhibit the Dead’s imposing strength. From the opening strains of the psychedelically acquiescent “Dark Star” — which envelopes a majority of the second set — to the a cappella encore “We Bid You Goodnight”, the Dead morph their entire quarter-century history into the space of less than 80 minutes. Every genre and stylistic approach is uncovered, including nearly half an hour of premier instrumentation which links “Uncle John’s Band” to the second Brent Mydland vocal, “I Will Take You Home”.

“Nightfall of Diamonds” disengages the misnomer that the Grateful Dead were outmoded and strung out in their final years of performance. Additionally, the set is offered as the quintessence of everything musically addictive to Deadheads during this era.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Brent Mydland / Hammond organ, keyboards, vocals
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion
- Bill Kreutzman / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Picasso Moon – 7:05
02. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 6:43
03. Feel Like A Stranger – 7:34
04. Never Trust A Woman – 7:31
05. Built To Last – 5:11
06. Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again – 10:43
07. Let It Grow – 11:59
08. Deal – 8:41
CD2
01. Dark Star-] – 12:02
02. Playin’ in the Band-] – 8:02
03. Uncle John’s Band-] – 9:25
04. Jam-] – 9:20
05. Drumz-] – 6:08
06. Space-] – 5:49
07. I Will Take You Home-] – 4:48
08. I Need A Miracle-] – 4:02
09. Dark Star-] (2) – 5:18
10. Attics of My Life-] – 4:52
11. Playin’ In The Band Reprise – 4:30
12. We Bid You Goodnight – 2:56

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(Review from wikipedia, dead.net, allmusic)

This is the last rock concert performed at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia before it was demolished — the first having been performed by the Beatles in August 1966, and the last here by Grateful Dead on July 7, 1989.

The name “Crimson White & Indigo” is taken from the lyrics of the song “Standing on the Moon”, which the Dead first performed earlier in 1989. The version of this song featured in this release is an exceptional performance, with an extended ending jam.

The first set starts out with a vengeance, with the Bob Weir co-written (with John Perry Barlow) and sung “Hell in a Bucket,” a key song from the Dead’s hit 1987 In the Dark album, which elevated them from massive cult band to massive band in general for the rest of their lifespan. Weir’s voice proves strong and flexible on the track, as it is again on the stunning “Let It Grow,” which arrives later in that first set and proves one of highlights of the entire show. Weir also takes the reins for a churning interpretation of Bob Dylan’s “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” that rivals the power of the Blonde on Blonde original. Garcia, too, is ripping as the show gets underway, his guitar playing fluid, creative, and lyrical, his vocals assured, and his attitude spirited. Leading the way on the New Orleans classic “Iko Iko” and his own “Ramble on Rose,” Garcia seems fully reinvigorated after his near brush with death. Things don’t really begin to flag, in fact, till the end of the first set, when Mydland takes over on vocals for “Blow Away”, a track that would be released a few months after this show on the “Built to Last” album, their final studio release.

The second set opens with a warm and inviting “Box of Rain”—peppy and nicely sung—and then right on its heels a “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain” that is as “up” and celebratory as you could hope for: The “Scarlet” breezes along with joyous purpose, and the “Fire” hits all sorts of mighty peaks; at nearly 25 minutes, it’s a spectacular pairing. “Estimated Prophet” is marked by a smoldering intensity and then the jam that follows settles into the majestic Hunter-Garcia ballad “Standing on the Moon” is surely one of their greatest late-era compositions.

“Rhythm Devils” percussion duel gives us a fascinating glimpse of how Hart and Kreutzmann used to create their magical alchemy, and then, following “Space”, the band launches into a hair-raising, careening “Other One”, Garcia takes us down to the docks of the city for an emotional “Wharf Rat” and Weir gets back into party-mode for the concluding “Lovelight”. The encore of Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” offers a beautiful grace note for a show that has taken us through so many different spaces and moods.

It’s a wonderful show from a great year!

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / electric bass, vocals
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, Hammond B3, vocals
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Hell In A Bucket – 6:50
02. Iko Iko – 7:46
03. Little Red Rooster – 9:32
04. Ramble On Rose – 7:35
05. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again – 9:17
06. Loser – 7:15
07. Let It Grow – 12:42
08. Blow Away – 12:29
CD2
01. Box Of Rain – 4:46
02. Scarlet Begonias – 9:58
03. Fire On The Mountain – 13:42
04. Estimated Prophet – 9:12
05. Standing On The Moon – 8:19
06. Rhythm Devils – 10:08
CD3
01. Space – 10:09
02. The Other One – 7:47
03. Wharf Rat – 10:31
04. Turn On Your Lovelight – 8:20
05. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – 8:41

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(Review from wikipedia, allmusic, musicbox-online.com)

This volume of the series contains two consecutive complete shows — July 24, 1987, at Oakland Stadium, and July 26, 1987 at Anaheim Stadium.

It was around this time that the band began to peak in terms of general popularity. Their unique circuslike atmosphere had attracted a perpetual audience ever since their seminal Haight-Ashbury days. It had been exactly two decades since the Summer of Love and there were few artists from that era who could claim concurrently new material on both the top album (In the Dark, 1987) and singles (“Touch of Grey”) charts. This is perhaps the reason that secondary cuts from the long-player, such as “When Push Comes to Shove” and “Tons of Steel”, are so prominently included.

Neither of the two shows — which were recorded on July 24 and July 26, 1987 in Oakland and Anaheim, respectively — stood out as being better than the other. Indeed, each had its share of highs as well as its share of lows, both of which naturally grew out of the band’s loose approach to performing and lent the Grateful Dead its charm. There were blown lyrics and missed opportunities, but there were also the rip-roaring rockers, the inspired exploratory jams, and the stirring ballads as well as a few surprise twists and turns that broke up the monotony of the band’s increasingly structured format.

The band is certainly playing with a renewed verve and sense of vigor. It had not been quite a year since Jerry Garcia had fallen victim to a serious diabetic coma and, quite frankly, the poor guy looks like he’s run a marathon even before he plays the first note. That certainly doesn’t prevent him from weaving fleeting yet intricate leads throughout the thoroughbred version of “Jack Straw” that opens the festivities.

Other highlights from the first show — at Oakland Stadium (July 24, 1987) — include an inspired and thoroughly jammed-out “Playing in the Band,” which flows effortlessly into the extended “Drums” and “Space” segments.

During the second concert, the band seems to pounce right out of the gate with a wiggly reading of the Mardi Gras masterpiece “Iko Iko” that literally defies the listener to sit still. The second set offers up a profound “Shakedown Street” and “Terrapin Station” suite, as well as a heart-wrenchingly poignant “Stella Blue”.

“View from the Vault IV” is another stunning display of the Grateful Dead’s multi-faceted magic, giving old-timers a chance for fond remembrances and newcomers a hint of what the fuss was all about.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass, vocals
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, vocals
- Bill Kreutzman / drums, percussion
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Funiculi Funicula – 3:52
02. Jack Straw –] – 5:59
03. Missisippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 9:30
04. My Brother Esau – 5:01
05. Friend Of The Devil – 9:06
06. Me And My Uncle –] – 3:08
07. Big River – 6:07
08. When Push Comes To Shove – 5:26
09. Far From Me – 4:24
10. Cassidy –] – 6:57
11. Deal – 7:57
CD2
01. Hell In A Bucket –] – 5:58
02. Scarlet Begonias – 7:36
03. Playing In The Band –] – 10:46
04. Drums –] – 7:01
05. Space –] – 5:49
06. Uncle Johns Band –] – 7:17
07. Dear Mr. Fantasy –] – 6:26
08. I Need A Miracle –] – 3:35
09. Bertha –] – 7:01
10. Sugar Magnolia – 9:22
CD3
01. Iko Iko – 6:36
02. New Minglewood Blues – 7:53
03. Tons Of Steel – 5:36
04. West L.A. Fadeaway – 7:48
05. When I Paint My Masterpiece –] – 3:45
06. Mexicali Blues – 4:51
07. Bird Song –] – 8:41
08. Promised Land – 4:26
CD4
01. Shakedown Street –] – 12:23
02. Looks Like Rain –] – 8:23
03. Terrapin Station –] – 11:47
04. Drums –] – 8:36
05. Space –] – 6:23
06. The Other One –] – 6:47
07. Stella Blue –] – 7:12
08. Throwing Stones –] – 8:48
09. Not Fade Away – 7:51

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(Review from wikipedia, allmusic)

This archival live recording is Grateful Dead’s New Year’s Eve show 1978.

The title derives from the fact that it was the last concert in San Francisco’s Winterland Arena, which was shut down shortly thereafter. The Dead celebrated the Closing as an approximately five hour long party (complete with breakfast with the audience at dawn) and invited some guests including guitarist John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service and Ken Kesey as well as actor Dan Aykroyd who provided the midnight countdown.

For this very special performance, they pull out all the stops with a healthy sampling of both new as well as seminal selections from their classic repertoire. Like musical magicians, the Grateful Dead seamlessly maneuver between the lengthy and thoroughly psychedelic coupling of “Scarlet Begonias” with “Fire On The Mountain” or the open-throttle arrangement of the Bob Weir led cowboy medley of “Me and My Uncle” and “Big River”. Other impressive selections from the first set include a snarling cover of the Womack’s “All Over Now” and a rare solo lead vocal from Donna Jean Godchaux on “From The Heart Of Me”.

The ante is upped during the second set, commencing with a thoroughly funky take on Rev. Gary Davis’ “Samson And Delilah.” The band continue to rise to the auspicious occasion as they wind through a stellar and extended medley with “Terrapin Station” and “Playing In The Band.” The “Rhythm Devils” percussion break spotlights Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and long-time enthusiast and noted author, Ken Kesey — who is actually playing the amplified remnants of Thunder Machine — the infamous “Further” bus that the Merry Pranksters traveled in.

For most seasoned Grateful Deadheads, the third set will command the most attention, as they effortlessly weave their unmistakable musical and definitely muse-inspired magic. From the opening notes of the first “Dark Star” to be performed in over four years, through to the recently revived “St. Stephen”, the band use their uncanny abilities of communal sonic transportation to envelope the listener and incrementally relocate.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / electric bass, vocals
- Donna Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / piano
- Mickey Hart / drums, percussion
- Bill Kreutzman / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Sugar Magnolia – 7:15
02. Scarlet Begonias – 11:56
03. Fire On The Mountain – 15:05
04. Me And My Uncle – 3:09
05. Big River – 7:08
06. Friend Of The Devil – 10:44
07. It’s All Over Now – 8:23
08. Stagger Lee – 7:59
09. From The Heart Of Me – 3:46
10. Sunshine Daydream – 3:11
CD2
01. Samson And Delilah – 9:15
02. Ramble On Rose – 9:30
03. I Need A Miracle – 11:17
04. Terrapin Station – 12:27
05. Playing In The Band – 13:12
CD3
01. Rhythm Devils – 19:29
02. Not Fade Away – 19:35
03. Around And Around – 9:14
CD4
01. Dark Star – 11:53
02. The Other One – 4:55
03. Dark Star – 1:09
04. Wharf Rat – 11:08
05. St. Stephen – 7:51
06. Good Lovin’ – 13:57
07. Casey Jones – 5:17
08. Johnny B. Goode – 7:14
09. We Bid You Goodnight – 4:13

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(Review from allmusic)

This archival release contains a full run of shows at the San Fran-based Winterland Arena in early June 1977 — the 7th, 8th and 9th. We are treated to a trio of consecutive Grateful Dead performances, during one of their unquestionable zeniths as a live combo.

Boasting a whopping nine CDs — or ten if you count the bonus CD — there is ample opportunity to compare and contrast versions of Dead set staples. “Bertha”, “Jack Straw”, “Looks Like Rain”, “Good Lovin’”, “U.S. Blues”, “Not Fade Away” and appropriately enough, “The Music Never Stopped” sit comfortably alongside newer catalog titles “Estimated Prophet”, “Samson and Delilah”, “Terrapin Station” and Donna Jean Godchaux’s haunting ballad “Sunrise”. There are even a pair of fully fleshed-out excursions into the familiar Italian melody known as “Funiculi Funicula” — which the band used upon occasion during warmup.

As inspired as many of those selections are, the heart of Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings lies in the consistently innovative interaction occurring as they collectively craft near-faultless versions of tunes only toted out once during the series.

Key offerings from June 7 include an aching beauty of “Peggy-O,” the comfortably stretched-out “Friend of the Devil,” a monstrous “Scarlet Begonias”/”Fire on the Mountain,” “Candyman,” “(Walk Me Out in The) Morning Dew,” and despite an off-kilter vocal here and there an “Uncle John’s Band” that one wishes would go on for another ten minutes.

Stronger still, the 8th contains arguably one of the most inspired renderings of “Sugaree” to make it out of the Grateful Dead’s tape vaults. Equally worthy of many re-visitations is the CD5 sequence starting with the solid “Ramble on Rose” and continuing through the fiery “Estimated Prophet” into an energetic and magically delicious “Eyes of the World”. The latter is of the caliber of renderings some three years earlier, when it was — among other things — an improvisational showcase for Phil Lesh.

For many longtime Deadheads, it is the Thursday, June 9, 1977 show that holds a special place in their hearts and collections. the fidelity is richer and even more three-dimensional than ever before. What the first set might lack in raw energy, it more than resolves with additional intensity. The jam during the second half of “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” creates an atmosphere primed for the music telepathy the unit are known for. “Loser” and a thoroughly explored “The Music Never Stops” set the scene for an action-packed Set Two. The rambunctious, sacred celebration of “Samson and Delilah” through to an all-time great “Help on the Way”/”Slipknot!”/”Franklin’s Tower” all point toward an epic non-stop medley that ultimately combines “Estimated Prophet” with “Saint Stephen”, “Not Fade Away”, a brief “Drums” interlude prior to the reprise of “Saint Stephen”, “Terrapin Station” and “Sugar Magnolia”.

The bonus CD contains over an hour of music from the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL on May 12, 1977.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Donna Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards
- Mickey Hart / drums
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD01
01. Bertha – 7:33
02. Jack Straw – 6:19
03. Tennessee Jed – 9:25
04. Looks Like Rain – 9:05
05. Peggy-O – 10:12
06. Funiculi Funicula – 3:06
07. El Paso – 4:51
08. Friend Of The Devil – 8:42
09. The Music Never Stopped – 7:20
CD02
01. Scarlet Begonias – 10:10
02. Fire On The Mountain – 9:02
03. Good Lovin’ – 7:29
04. Candyman – 7:23
05. Estimated Prophet – 8:47
06. He’s Gone – 14:46
07. Drums – 3:00
CD03
01. Samson and Delilah – 9:29
02. Terrapin Station – 10:50
03. Morning Dew – 13:14
04. Around and Around – 9:13
05. Uncle John’s Band – 11:54
06. U.S. Blues – 6:06
CD04
01. New Minglewood Blues – 6:22
02. Sugaree – 16:46
03. Mexicali Blues – 3:55
04. Row Jimmy – 10:34
05. Passenger – 3:51
06. Sunrise – 4:14
07. Brown-Eyed Women – 5:46
08. It’s All Over Now – 8:56
09. Jack-A-Roe – 7:19
10. Lazy Lightning – 3:24
11. Supplication – 5:46
CD05
01. Bertha – 6:52
02. Good Lovin’ – 6:04
03. Ramble On Rose – 8:07
04. Estimated Prophet – 9:42
05. Eyes Of The World – 19:20
06. Drums – 4:04
CD06
01. The Other One – 14:31
02. Wharf Rat – 11:15
03. Not Fade Away – 13:43
04. Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad – 8:05
05. Johnny B. Goode – 4:38
06. Brokedown Palace – 7:52
CD07
01. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 11:26
02. Jack Straw – 6:06
03. They Love Each Other – 7:33
04. Cassidy – 5:41
05. Sunrise – 4:13
06. Deal – 5:48
07. Looks Like Rain – 9:09
08. Loser – 7:39
09. The Music Never Stopped – 7:43
CD08
01. Samson And Delilah – 7:39
02. Funiculi Funicula – 2:24
03. Help On The Way – 5:08
04. Slipknot! – 8:59
05. Franklin’s Tower – 17:29
CD09
01. Estimated Prophet – 11:35
02. Saint Stephen – 5:29
03. Not Fade Away – 6:28
04. Drums – 4:22
05. Saint Stephen – 0:50
06. Terrapin Station – 11:09
07. Sugar Magnolia – 9:24
08. U.S. Blues – 6:07
09. One More Saturday Night – 5:17
CD10 (Bonus)
01. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 9:58
02. Dancing In The Street – 13:58
03. Terrapin Station – 10:25
04. Playing In The Band – 8:17
05. Drums – 4:08
06. Not Fade Away – 14:10
07. Comes A Time – 10:18
08. Playing In The Band – 6:49

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(Review from allmusic)

This live album was recorded on August 13, 1975 at the Great American Music Hall. After a 19-month live sabbatical, the entire band are eager to dig in, dust off their collective chops, and prove they aren’t rusty. They were not only going to preview material from their new studio album “Blues for Allah”, but most every Deadhead in North America would hear the gig via nationwide radio broadcast.

First disc is heavy on “Blues for Allah”, commencing with a flawlessly and passionately executed “Help on the Way” and the tricky syncopated instrumental link “Slipknot!” that connects it to a prototypical “Franklin’s Tower” preceding a note-perfect take of “The Music Never Stopped.” The latter two tunes would become permanent fixtures in the Grateful Dead’s repertoire for the remainder of their existence.

Most notably, this is the third (of only six) live rendering of the intricate instrumental “King Solomon’s Marbles” (aka “Stronger Than Dirt”) that evolves out of the excellent “Eyes of the World” via a feisty percussion duet between Hart and Kreutzmann. A version of Chuck Berry’s “Around & Around” is tagged onto the end.

Second disc opens with the familiar favorites “Sugaree” and the cover of Johnny Cash’s “Big River” — both part of the Grateful Dead’s songbook since 1971. Rarer is the inaugural performance of Weir’s beguiling acoustic composition “Sage and Spirit”, which had grown from a finger exercise the guitarist used when warming up. Other top-shelf and not to be missed offerings include “Eyes of the World”, a note-perfect “It Must Have Been the Roses”, as well as the funky and driving staple “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad”.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards, vocals
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums and percussion
- Mickey Hart / percussion and crickets

Track List:
CD1
01. Introduction – 0:46
02. Help on the Way ~ – 7:52
03. Franklin’s Tower – 6:58
04. The Music Never Stopped – 5:28
05. It Must Have Been the Roses – 5:05
06. Eyes of the World ~ Drums – 14:31
07. King Solomon’s Marbles – 6:36
08. Around & Around – 5:59
CD2
01. Sugaree – 7:55
02. Big River – 4:50
03. Crazy Fingers ~ Drums – 13:08
04. The Other One – 5:32
05. Sage and Spirit – 3:24
06. Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad – 7:13
07. U.S. Blues – 5:30
08. Blues for Allah – 21:01

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(Review from allmusic, wikipedia)

This archival release contains three complete concerts, missing only the encore song of the first concert. It was recorded on November 9, 10, and 11, 1973, at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

Hearing the natural ebb and flow inherent in the concerts themselves reveals the Grateful Dead’s singular ability to effortlessly vacillate between a multitude of styles. Among them are straight-ahead vintage rock & roll — namely Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and “Around and Around” — to covering country & western troubadours Johnny Cash (“Big River,”) Marty Robbins (“El Paso”), and George Jones (“The Race Is On”). An amalgam of these artists would heavily influence the writing of Weir and John Barlow as the originals and Grateful Dead songbook staples “Mexicali Blues” and, to a more refined degree, the tales-from-the-road sensibility of “Black-Throated Wind” and “Looks Like Rain.” Another facet of the hydra-headed Grateful Dead reaches back into their formidable psychedelic past, while Garcia, Keith Godchaux, and Kreutzmann are simultaneously aggressive in their pursuit of a jazzier grade of instrumental improvisation. Nowhere is this as evident as during the multiple stretched-out epic and exploratory readings of “Playing in the Band,” “Eyes of the World,” and “Weather Report Suite.” Likewise, each night brought a host of undeniably special musical moments.

Friday (November 9) contains a seminal “fast” “They Love Each Other” with a few lyrical rearrangements by Garcia, the return of the far-too-infrequently played ballad “To Lay Me Down” and the tight segue between the fiery “Greatest Story Ever Told” and “Bertha”.

Saturday the 10th is marked by a simple and lovely “Brokedown Palace,” and the not-to-be-missed medley linking a spacy “Playing in the Band” to “Uncle John’s Band” to a note-perfect “(Walk Me out in The) Morning Dew” that briefly revisits “Uncle John’s Band” before returning, bookending the whole affair with a reprise of “Playing in the Band.” Plus, the stand-alone “Stella Blue” is well worth mentioning for inclined minds.

The elements seem to align perfectly throughout the Sunday night outing. The centerpiece is a half-hour-plus “Dark Star” that weaves in and out of the melody before connecting to an incisive “Eyes of the World” and concludes nearly an hour later with a poignant “China Doll.” The slinky and appropriately ribald rhythm pulsating through “Loose Lucy,” and arguably the best “Weather Report Suite” (of the three found in the this box), are other highlights from the 11th.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Donna Godchaux / vocals
- Keith Godchaux / keyboards
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Phil Lesh / electric bass
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Promised Land – 3:21
02. Brown Eyed Woman – 5:07
03. Me & Bobby McGee – 5:59
04. They Love Each Other – 5:42
05. Black-Throated Wind – 7:07
06. Don’t Ease Me In – 4:37
07. Mexicali Blues – 3:43
08. Row Jimmy – 9:02
09. The Race Is On – 3:57
10. China Cat Sunflower – 7:35
11. I Know You Rider – 5:27
CD2
01. Playing in the Band – 20:55
02. Here Comes Sunshine – 11:51
03. Me and My Uncle – 3:43
04. To Lay Me Down – 8:11
05. Big River – 5:28
06. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 8:02
07. Greatest Story Ever Told – 5:09
08. Bertha – 6:12
CD3
01. Weather Report Suite – 15:37
02. Eyes of the World – 16:43
03. China Doll – 5:57
04. Around and Around – 5:04
05. Goin’ Down the Road, Feeling Bad – 8:01
06. Johnny B. Goode – 4:24
CD4
01. Bertha – 7:10
02. Jack Straw – 5:14
03. Loser – 6:40
04. Looks Like Rain – 7:50
05. Deal – 4:39
06. Mexicali Blues – 3:41
07. Tennessee Jed – 8:39
08. El Paso – 4:54
09. Brokedown Palace – 6:12
10. Beat It On Down The Line – 3:51
11. Row Jimmy – 8:51
CD5
01. Weather Report Suite – 18:25
02. Playing In The Band – 11:58
03. Uncle John’s Band – 9:38
04. Morning Dew – 12:23
05. Uncle John’s Band – 1:49
06. Playing In The Band – 7:37
CD6
01. Big River – 5:11
02. Stella Blue – 8:18
03. Truckin’ – 12:17
04. Wharf Rat – 8:43
05. Sugar Magnolia – 10:38
06. One More Saturday Night – 5:28
07. Casey Jones – 7:05
CD7
01. Promised Land – 3:42
02. Bertha – 6:04
03. Greatest Story Ever Told – 6:06
04. Sugaree – 7:55
05. Black-Throated Wind – 7:47
06. To Lay Me Down – 8:27
07. El Paso – 4:45
08. Ramble On Rose – 7:03
09. Me And Bobby McGee – 5:55
CD8
01. China Cat Sunflower – 9:26
02. I Know You Rider – 6:03
03. Me And My Uncle – 3:33
04. Loose Lucy – 7:51
05. Weather Report – 15:10
06. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo – 8:25
07. Big River – 7:05
CD9
01. Dark Star – 35:40
02. Eyes Of The World – 13:35
03. China Doll – 5:40
04. Sugar Magnolia – 10:19
05. Uncle John’s Band – 7:32
06. Johnny B. Goode – 3:55
07. We Bid You Goodnight – 3:10

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(Review from allmusic)

“Steppin’ Out” focuses specifically on the seven performances that the septet played in England. From these shows a total of well over five and a quarter hours have been culled to create the first package in which there is plenty of room to allow the Dead to weave their intangible magic organically.

By this time, much of the band’s repertoire had shifted from the aggressive proto-punk psychedelia and extended instrumental jams of the mid- to late ’60s into a much more melodic trend defined by shorter and otherwise self-contained compositions. The overwhelming success of their last studio efforts — “American Beauty” and “Workingman’s Dead” — as well as the eponymously titled live release presented a new facet to their craft. The distinct country-rock sound that flavored much of those albums had likewise infiltrated their concert performances.

The track list incorporates a few rarely performed covers such as “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” and “Hey Bo Diddley” side by side with a few newly mined originals, including “Black-Throated Wind”, “Deal”, “Greatest Story Ever Told” and “Sugaree” from Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir’s respective debut solo albums.

Additionally, there are several concurrently new compositions from Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, including “Mr. Charlie” “The Stranger” and “Chinatown Shuffle” — the latter pair being performed exclusively during this, McKernan’s final tour with the band.

Deadheads clamoring for longer, stretched-out sonic explorations will likewise have much to discover and rediscover. Primary among these are the extended “Truckin’” medley, which includes a few stops along the way into “The Other One”, Marty Robbins’ “El Paso” and “Wharf Rat”, as well as nearly an hourlong coupling of “Dark Star” with “Sugar Magnolia” and the old psychedelic standby “Caution (Do Not Step on Tracks)”.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / organ, harmonica, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Keith Godchaux / piano
- Donna Jean Godchaux / vocals

Track List:
CD1
01. Cold Rain and Snow – 6:02
02. Greatest Story Ever Told – 6:00
03. Mr. Charlie – 3:52
04. Sugaree – 7:34
05. Mexicali Blues – 4:10
06. Big Boss Man – 6:28
07. Deal – 5:51
08. Jack Straw – 5:19
09. Big Railroad Blues – 4:26
10. Hurts Me Too – 6:07
11. China Cat Sunflower – 5:05
12. I Know You Rider – 7:50
13. Playing In The Band – 10:10
CD2
01. Good Lovin’ – 20:31
02. Ramble On Rose – 6:41
03. Black-Throated Wind – 6:07
04. Sitting On Top Of The World – 3:30
05. Comes A Time – 7:01
06. Turn On Your Lovelight – 13:02
07. Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad – 8:22
08. Not Fade Away – 4:54
09. Hey Bo Diddley – 4:30
10. Not Fade Away – 3:06
CD3
01. Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu – 5:15
02. Black Peter – 8:52
03. Chinatown Shuffle – 3:23
04. Truckin’ – 10:14
05. Drums – 2:44
06. The Other One – 19:31
07. El Paso – 4:47
08. The Other One – 8:20
09. Wharf Rat – 10:48
10. One More Saturday Night – 4:57
CD4
01. Uncle John’s Band – 7:20
02. The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion) – 7:57
03. Dark Star – 31:27
04. Sugar Magnolia – 7:15
05. Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) – 17:15
06. Brokedown Palace – 7:02

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(Review from wikipedia, musicbox-online.com)

This four-CD archival release was recorded at the April 25–29, 1971 shows at the Fillmore East in New York City. This five-night stand celebrated the venue’s closing. Some of the tracks found their way to the “Skulls & Roses” live release at the time.

The group benefited from its newfound interest in Americana roots-rock, which provided a tidy balance to its long, psychedelic journeys.

There is a healthy dose of Pigpen that pervades this collection. He elevates the intensity of songs like “Good Lovin’” and “Turn on Your Lovelight” with his aggressive vocal style, croons his way through a tortured Hurts Me Too, and straddles the line between Otis Redding and James Brown on a sprightly “Hard to Handle”.

Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” sparkles with tender beauty as do glorious renditions of “Wharf Rat” and “Morning Dew”. Likewise, the jam that winds its way out of Alligator is utterly delightful. It’s easy to hear in which direction the music was heading. Yet, the group allowed the song to unfold in a deliberate fashion, briefly revisiting “St. Stephen” from the night before and then settling into the uplifting strains of “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad”.

In addition, keyboardist Tom Constanten joined the band to reprise his role from the late 1960s for a 35-minute medley of material, which forms the crown jewel of this album. “Dark Star” fluttered with its typically aqueous feats of boundless splendor, and “St. Stephen” surged with the seething power of a supernova, which in turn gave birth to the volcanic rumble of “Not Fade Away”.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / lead guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / rhythm guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / harmonica, organ, percussion, vocals
- Bill Kreutzman / drums
- Tom Constanten / organ (CD3 6-10)

Track List:
CD1
01. Truckin’ – 9:57
02. Bertha – 6:23
03. Next Time You See Me – 4:11
04. Beat It On Down The Line – 3:49
05. Bird Song – 9:22
06. Dark Hollow – 3:30
07. Second That Emotion – 5:33
08. Me And My Uncle – 3:40
09. Cumberland Blues – 5:03
10. Good Lovin’ -) – 2:30
11. Drums -) – 5:37
12. Good Lovin’ – 14:47
CD2
01. Sugar Magnolia – 6:32
02. Loser – 7:03
03. Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub) – 6:26
04. El Paso – 6:36
05. I’m a King Bee – 8:24
06. Ripple – 5:34
07. Me and Bobby McGee – 6:12
08. Uncle John’s Band )) – 6:07
09. Turn On Your Lovelight – 22:23
CD3
01. China Cat Sunflower )) – 4:51
02. I Know You Rider – 6:14
03. It Hurts Me Too – 6:53
04. Sing Me Back Home – 9:51
05. Hard To Handle – 9:58
06. Dark Star )) – 13:55
07. St. Stephen )) – 6:08
08. Not Fade Away )) – 3:30
09. Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad )) – 6:28
10. Not Fade Away – 3:23
CD4
01. Morning Dew – 10:41
02. New Minglewood Blues – 4:28
03. Wharf Rat – 9:28
04. Alligator -) – 3:57
05. Drums -) – 3:53
06. Jam -) – 9:39
07. Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad -) – 4:53
08. Cold Rain And Snow – 5:49
09. Casey Jones – 9:13
10. In The Midnight Hour -) – 9:50
11. We Bid You Goodnight – 3:46

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(Review from allmusic)

Few concert runs (several shows in the same venue) are as highly lauded by Grateful Dead enthusiasts as February 27 through March 2, 1969, at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. Practically every second of their eight-set, four-night stand is captured on this ten-CD box. These concerts were the basis for “Live/Dead”.

While no specific set list is adhered to, the songs can be loosely categorized with representations from the Grateful Dead’s ever-expanding songbook with McKernan’s R&B standards “Turn on Your Lovelight” and “King Bee”.

There are also a handful of selections from their previous three LPs, such as “Morning Dew” and “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” off of their 1967 self-titled debut. Anthem of the Sun (1968) yields the extended “That’s It for the Other One” suite — which glides gently into a sublime reading of “New Potato Caboose” on March 1 — or the fiery McKernan-led medley of “Alligator” linked to the acidic blues-fuelled “Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)”.

The final batch comes from the then-yet-to-be-issued Aoxomoxoa (1969) and is highlighted by the more compact numbers “Doin’ That Rag”, “Cosmic Charlie”, the folk-based “Dupree’s Diamond Blues”, “Saint Stephen” and the haunting, baroque “Mountains of the Moon”. The latter is featured in an acoustic setting, and on February 27 and March 1 it also serves up the ideal disposition for the centerpiece original “Dark Star”.

At the very heart of what made the Grateful Dead an anomaly in rock & roll was their ability to improvise and interact in order to make each and every experience different from the last, or the next. These recordings are nine and a half hours of proof.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Tom Constanten / keyboards
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / keyboards, vocals, harmonica, percussion
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / drums

Track List:
CD01
01. Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl – 11:46
02. Doin’ That Rag – 7:52
03. That’s It For The Other One (Cryptical Envelopement > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopement) – 20:03
CD02
01. Dupree’s Diamond Blues – 3:57
02. Mountains of the Moon – 5:57
03. Dark Star – 21:43
04. St. Stephen – 8:22
05. The Eleven – 13:03
06. Turn On Your Lovelight – 19:21
07. Cosmic Charlie – 5:51
CD03
01. Morning Dew – 11:04
02. Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl – 10:59
03. Doin’ That Rag – 6:55
04. I’m A King Bee – 7:09
05. Turn On Your Lovelight – 19:08
CD04
01. That’s It for the Other One – 19:45
02. Dark Star – 19:44
03. St. Stephen – 7:50
04. The Eleven – 15:12
05. Death Don’t Have No Mercy – 10:38
CD05
01. Aligator – 4:08
02. Drums – 4:02
03. Jam – 14:56
04. Caution (Do Not Step on Tracks) – 8:47
05. Feedback – 5:40
06. We Bid You Goodnight – 1:07
CD06
01. That’s It for the Other One – 21:22
02. New Potato Caboose – 11:42
03. Doin’ That Rag – 5:57
04. Cosmic Charlie – 5:51
CD07
01. Dupree’s Diamond Blues – 4:47
02. Mountains of the Moon – 5:04
03. Dark Star – 23:01
04. St. Stephen – 8:05
05. The Eleven – 5:47
06. Turn On Your Lovelight – 23:59
07. Hey Jude – 7:43
CD08
01. Dark Star – 21:09
02. St. Stephen – 8:21
03. The Eleven – 12:43
04. Turn On Your Lovelight – 15:25
CD09
01. Doin’ That Rag – 7:38
02. That’s It for the Other One – 22:43
03. Death Don’t Have No Mercy – 11:21
04. Morning Dew – 10:16
CD10
01. Aligator – 4:14
02. Drums – 6:51
03. Jam – 25:31
04. Caution (Do Not Step on Tracks) – 9:13
05. Feedback – 7:54
06. We Bid You Goodnight – 2:01
CD11 (Bonus)
01. Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) – 30:06
02. He Was A Friend Of Mine » – 12:14
03. China Cat Sunflower » – 4:15
04. New Potato Caboose – 13:36
05. China Cat Sunflower » – 5:29
06. I Know You Rider » – 5:08
07. High Time – 7:03

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(Review from wikipedia, allmusic)

This archival release contains a complete performance recorded live at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on August 24, 1968.

The set list is fairly typical of the band’s mid-1968 repertoire. Having just issued their second platter, Anthem of the Sun, a month earlier, the Dead were concentrating fairly heavily on material from that disc — including most of the first side. The extended “That’s It for the Other One” suite is executed with the acidic fury associated with this era of the Grateful Dead.

The band is also looking forward to their upcoming projects. These include Aoxomoxoa — their next studio effort — which contains “Saint Stephen.” However, the track appears in the context of their 1969 release, Live/Dead, linked with “Dark Star” on one side and “The Eleven” on the other.

The developmental stage of the tunes here is nothing short of aurally palpable. The band is able to achieve much of the same energy that drove the versions which became indelibly stamped into the psyche of the counterculture, as well as Deadheads world wide.

Two from the Vault is a fun ride, as well as a glimpse into the immense improvisational talents of the Grateful Dead in the late 1960s.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / organ, harmonica, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl – 16:00
02. Dark Star – 11:20
03. Saint Stephen – 4:39
04. The Eleven – 14:27
05. Death Don’t Have No Mercy – 8:23
CD2
01. That’s It For The Other One – 15:40
02. New Potato Caboose – 14:15
03. Turn On Your Lovelight – 17:12
04. (Walk Me Out In The) Morning Dew – 7:13

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(Review from allmusic)

For the truly Dead-icated Grateful Dead enthusiast, Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966 might be comparable to the recovery of lost Biblical relics, shedding light and providing a valuable context for the works to come.

It certainly can’t be argued that the band would take what they developed here and go on to create much more substantial. Likewise, upon hearing the flood of ideas crammed into these energetic selections, there is no doubt that a sonic synergy is occurring and rapidly maturing into its own unique beast.

The 18 tracks are split fairly evenly between studio demos/rehearsals and performances, all recorded at some point circa 1966. Grateful Dead’s set list points primarily to the members own specific tastes — such as McKernan’s obvious affinity and penchant for the blues, or Garcia and Weir’s folkier leanings.

There are also early originals, including McKernan’s “You See a Broken Heart,” Garcia’s “Cream Puff War” — with alternate lyrics — as well as the group-derived “Standing on the Corner”. The incendiary, blazing and ferocious “Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)” tumbles out of a brooding and stinging overhaul of James Moore’s “I’m a King Bee” for a total of a quarter-hour long fusion of the Grateful Dead’s patented blues-a-delia.

Notably, a few of these entries remained in their repertoire, specifically “Not Fade Away” and “Good Lovin’.” Here, the latter moves at a breakneck speed that gets them through both verses and a chorus in under a minute (no lie!) and the former bears an unrelenting Bo Diddley groove that seems to have dissipated over the years.

The majority of the tunes stayed in the lineup until new, fresh material began to take their place — particularly when Robert Hunter joined the fray the following year.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / harmonica, organ, vocals
- Phil Lesh / electric bass, vocals
- Bill Kreutzman / drums

Track List:
01. Walking The Dog – 5:40
02. You See A Broken Heart – 2:52
03. Promised Land – 2:32
04. Good Lovin’ – 2:40
05. Standing On The Corner – 2:57
06. Cream Puff War – 3:39
07. Betty And Dupree – 5:37
08. Stealin’ – 2:56
09. Silver Threads And Golden Needles – 3:02
10. Not Fade Away – 3:53
11. Big Railroad Blues – 3:10
12. Sick And Tired – 3:19
13. Empty Heart – 6:20
14. Gangster Of Love – 4:37
15. Don’t Mess Up A Good Thing – 2:58
16. Hey Little One – 5:02
17. I’m A King Bee – 6:00
18. Caution (Do Not Step On Tracks) – 11:05

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(Review from allmusic)

This double CD collection was the final live title to have been released by the Grateful Dead during their active performance life. The contents were compiled from a six-month window that included some of the Dead’s most uniformly strong shows from the fall of 1989 and the spring of 1990.

More than most other touring bands, the Grateful Dead were able to take full advantage of the technological advancement, as their expanded instrumental jams and sinuously segued suites often lasted in excess of the standard 25 minutes available on a single side of a vinyl album.

Without a doubt, this collection is the strongest and most accurate representation of how the concurrent Grateful Dead sounded since the epic Live/Dead album some two decades earlier.

Victim or the Crime” — Bob Weir’s dark tale of survival — is the most recent composition, having originally surfaced on the Dead’s final studio album. The two covers — Robert Johnson’s “Walkin’ Blues” and Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” — were the only songs making their debut appearance on a Grateful Dead release.

The remaining dozen performances are nuggets mined from the Dead’s formidable catalog. There are a few definitive versions of Deadhead favorites, including “Althea”, “Bird Song” and “Cassidy”, as well as the “Help On the Way”/”Slipknot!”/”Franklin’s Tower” medley.

Line-up:

Track List:
CD1
01. Feel Like A Stranger – 7:32
02. Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo – 8:00
03. Walkin’ Blues – 5:44
04. Althea – 6:55
05. Cassidy – 6:36
06. Bird Song – 12:57
07. Let It Grow – 11:54
CD2
01. China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider – 10:24
02. Looks Like Rain – 8:03
03. Eyes Of The World – 16:14
04. Victim Or The Crime – 8:04
05. Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin’s Tower – 18:57
06. One More Saturday Night – 4:50
07. Dear Mr. Fantasy – 5:44

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(Review from wikipedia, amazon)

Dead Set is essentially the electric brother of the acoustic Reckoning: both of the albums come from the same recorded concerts. It was originally intended for both of the albums to be one double record set, but due to the lengthiness of many of the Grateful Dead’s electric tunes, it was decided to separately release the material.

Steering from the path of previous live albums, this album does include much audience noise. There is cheering and screaming in the middles of songs.

There are some interesting renditions, like the slowed down version of “Friend of the Devil”, and the very energetic “Fire On the Mountain” and “Deal”.

Even classic renditions can be of interest, since the Godchaux’s present in the studio recordings are replaced with Brent Myland.

This edition of the album omits the track “Space” to make the album fit to a single CD.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / drums

Track List:
01. Samson And Delilah – 5:02
02. Friend Of The Devil – 7:27
03. New Minglewood Blues – 4:41
04. Deal – 4:35
05. Candyman – 7:15
06. Little Red Rooster – 4:30
07. Loser – 5:45
08. Passenger – 3:21
09. Feel Like A Stranger – 5:40
10. Franklin’s Tower – 5:22
11. Rhythm Devils – 3:55
12. Fire On The Mountain – 6:29
13. Greatest Story Ever Told – 4:04
14. Brokedown Palace – 5:41

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(Review from wikipedia, allmusic)

Here comes the 1980s and a change with the line-up, the newcomer keyboard player Brent Mydland replacing both Donna Jean Godchaux’s backup vocals and Keith Godchaux’s piano playing. Here the band transitions from Godchaux’s jazzy piano playing to Mydland’s Hammond B3 organ and use of keyboard effects.

All eight of the songs in this studio album — not including “Antwerp’s Placebo (The Plumber,,” which is a 38-second instrumental percussion track — had either already worked their way into the Dead’s live performance repertoire, or would in due time.

These include “Althea”, “Feel Like a Stranger” and “Saint of Circumstance”, as well as the raucous rock & roll opening cut, “Alabama Getaway” — which was likewise often the band’s opening number in concert during the early 1980s.

Highlights include Bob Weir’s “Lost Sailor” and “Saint of Circumstance” pairing. While obviously not as thoroughly developed as it would become in concert, the lilting melody and fluctuating tempos are reminiscent of his “Weather Report Suite” from the 1973 release Wake of the Flood. The groovin’ Jerry Garcia-sung ballad “Althea” is yet another example of a tune that would take on bolder and brighter hues as a concert staple for the remainder of the Dead’s performance life.

Line-up:
- Jerry Garcia / guitar, vocals
- Bob Weir / guitar, vocals
- Brent Mydland / keyboards, vocals
- Phil Lesh / bass
- Bill Kreutzmann / drums
- Mickey Hart / drums

Track List:
01. Alabama Getaway – 3:37
02. Far From Me – 3:40
03. Althea – 6:54
04. Feel Like A Stranger – 5:09
05. Lost Sailor – 5:54
06. Saint Of Circumstance – 5:39
07. Antwerp’s Placebo (The Plumber) – 0:39
08. Easy To Love You – 3:41
09. Don’t Ease Me In – 3:14

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