11/1/85 “Comes a time”, this is sacrilegious to me. When you think the song is ending by falling apart, Jerry brings it all back together for a beautiful melodic ending. This version is pure bliss !!
4 Likes
Hey @Kyleromero94
That’s a tough question to answer. These are a couple of my favorite shows to get you going.
There are a ton of really great shows posted on this thread. Check em out!
9 Likes
Yeah definitely a loaded question 
thank you sir, I’ll check these out!!
5 Likes
Three excellent choices. 
4 Likes
I second the recommendation from @CrunchBerries for 8/27/72 Veneta, OR as a top choice
Often referred to as the “Sunshine Daydream” concert
Lots of great jumping-in points. There are more recordings available now than ever, and many of them are on streaming services
I’ll recommend a mix of live albums, studio albums, and full shows. Been listening for nearly 20 years and I can always find a new show I’ve never heard before
Official live albums, more concise than a full show:
- Live/Dead is basically the best primer on early-era “primal Dead”
- Europe, ‘72
- Skull & Roses aka Grateful Dead (1971) - this and Europe 72 each have a great mixture of songs and jams
Studio albums:
- American Beauty (1970) is a classic album, I think every lover of American music needs to hear it
- From the Mars Hotel (1974) has great songs and excellent production, with “Ship of Fools” being a standout among their studio work
Live shows (easily found via streaming):
- previously mentioned “Sunshine Daydream” 8/27/72 Veneta, OR - also available in video
- Dick’s Picks, Vol. 8 5/2/70 Harpur College, Binghamton, NY) - opening acoustic set followed by electric set, great selection of songs
- Cornell 5/8/77 - legendary show for many reasons, the “Scarlet” → “Fire” second set opener among them
I also think it’s worth seeking out videos of their performances. Especially the earlier ones (more videos exist during their later career, the earlier period has less video available). For me, watching The Grateful Dead Movie had as big an impact or more than listening to their shows - being able to see everyone and witness their emotions is what really solidified my connection to them and their music
7 Likes
Damn!! What an answer, thanks growmies. I’m gonna start with that certain concert, sounds like a good one 
5 Likes
Everyone says they were better on stage than in the studio and for the most part they’re right, but they cut some really nice tracks on their albums. I always associate American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead together since they represent their western period. I love them both and would be hard pressed to choose a favorite.
Shout out to the studio version of Terrapin Station!!! It’s their most ambitious project, consuming all of one side of the album and filled with additional instruments and voices than their live shows. A live Terrapin Station can be a powerful listening experience. It had been a while since I heard the studio version but WOW! It’s impressive!
There are distinct periods where their sound would evolve. The early stuff spun out of LSD parties and contained plenty of chaos. The country/western tunes came around 1970. They lost original frontman and blues aficionado, Pigpen to illness, and Mickey Hart parted ways leaving a single drummer, so in 1973-74 they were branching into fusion jazz influenced jams. They took a hiatus after fall of 1974, recording a series of shows at the end of the tour which became the Grateful Dead movie. In 1975 there were only a handful of Dead shows played. I highly recommend the performance from August 13th which was released as “One From The Vault”!!!
Jerry spent hours and hours working on the Grateful Dead movie during the hiatus, as well as on new material that would form the Blues For Allah album. They would usually debut new songs in concert but due to the hiatus, many of these tracks were available in stores before fans had heard them at a show. The band returned to regular touring in June '76. They didn’t go as deep with their musical explorations, but were firing on all cylinders with their live shows. 1976-78 has many energetic concerts to check out. They lost keyboardist Keith Godchaux to a motorcycle accident in '79 and his wife, Donna, stopped performing with them. Brent Mydland played keys through the 1980s, adding great work on organ and vocals to the band’s sound. He succumbed to an overdose after summer tour 1990 ended. The last 5 years of the band saw Bruce Hornsby join to ease the transition to Vince Welnick on keys (1990-92). Their music wasn’t the same in the latter years. Still a fantastic experience to go to a show but when I’m looking to listen to some Dead it’s always something before 1990. YMMV! I’m a sucker for 1973-74. You can find moments of excellence all throughout their career. Kinda depends on what scratches your musical itch.
8 Likes
Imma keep dog piling on some suggestions, every suggestion youve gotten so far is some fantastic dead. cant go wrong with any of them.
Heres two more that are personal favorites
10/31/71, 2nd set. awesome taste of late early dead but theyre all on the same wavelength.
Dicks picks 12: listen to this one after you get more familiar with their song catalog or not haha its crazy either way. Weather report is probably my favorite song from the album. There are some wild jams that will have you going “wait what song is this?”
5 Likes
Morning everybody !
7 Likes
This is my go to album recommendation for those seemingly impervious to the joyous audible delicacies of the GD.
6 Likes
I like the shit eating grin Jerry’s got goin’ on…RIP
7 Likes
Good morning good people…
7 Likes
kinda slow in here…let’s play some slow tunes to match the vibe…
dust off those rusty strings…
and I say row…
It’s only fractured…
last fair deal…
Exercise your freedoms, or lose them 
no other DJ’s out there?
8 Likes
Woke up with this tune in my head, not a bad start to the day 
6 Likes
WOW, I saw Grateful Dead live at the Oakland Auditorium in Oakland, California summer 1979. The concert is a really great memory from summer 1979.
4 Likes
Hey @Purple_Haze would the show you saw be this one?
8 Likes
My loves bigger than a Cadillac, I tried to show you but you drive me back! 
8 Likes
And it stoned me
8 Likes
7 Likes
I am not a Doctor and I have never played one on TV but I prescribe listening to Ship of Fools at least twice a day. 
9 Likes