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Set 1:
Mississippi Half-Step
Jack Straw
Tennessee Jed
Mexicali Blues
Me And My Uncle
Friend Of The Devil
New Minglewood Blues
Dupree's Diamond Blues
Passenger
Dire Wolf
The Music Never Stopped

Set 2:
Samson And Delilah
Sunrise
Scarlet Begonias
Fire On The Mountain
Good Lovin'
St. Stephen
Drums
Not Fade Away
Wharf Rat
St. Stephen
Truckin'

Encore:
Johnny B. Goode

Download/Listen to this Show at Archive.org

Comments:

Dire Wolf should be moved up between Mississippi 1/2 step and Jack Straw.
-

Has to be the best Truclin'. When I was at this show I thought it was the "best" ever, even better than 5/8. Time has mellowed me a little, but whoa, check out the Truckin! The 1/2 Step and Jack straw ain't bad either
-

the friend of the devil is also stellar. my first show , and its a greatest hits ....great tenn jed, st stephen ...and the above mentioned truckin
-

dire wolf is right where it should be. right b/f the music never stopped
-Anonymous

ooh, the seed of this puppy is so dank. listen to mickey drunkenly/stonedly hollering, "One, two, three, four!"before launching Msc Nvr Stppd
-GATOR

h.Th s f ths ppy s s dnk. Lstn t Mcky drnknly/stndly hllrng n tw thr Fr
-

bfr lnchng Msc Nvr Stppd
-GATOR

maybe it's the fault of my aud tape, but this has the sloppiest yet best 'music n.s' out of the 8 or 9 times this novice has heard them play that tune. what a band beyond description
-Anonymous

this show also has the only billy banter i know of

bobby- "candace, oh candace, billy would like a light, billy wants a light"
"you see him not havin the microphone, and me havin the microphone"
jerry- "its a terrible disadvantage" "easy you guys"
billy- "id call this a microphone, wouldnt you" "i still need a light"

then they procede to tear into the best music never stopped ever.
-

First show I ever got a hold of that I called my own. I've worn the second set tape out nearly. Scarlet-Fire, Truckin', just all of it kicks major ass, and the Wharf Rat always just makes me realize again and again the awesomeness of the Dead.
-

One of THE BEST shows that I ever been to.
-

best jack straw ever?
-Anonymous

My personal favorite Half Step, absolutely phenomenal.
-Jay

no, the dire wolf is the next to last song in the 1st set.
-

Truckin'-Particullary spectacular. Especially the instrumental crash towards the end before the final lyrics.
-Perrinswold (06/08/2007)

One of my all time favorite shows. to me the transition from Mexicali to Uncle was the best ever- quick sharp, wow. Also Wharf Rat->St. Stephen-> Truckin is amazing. There's the Irish jig in Wharf Rat jam and the fact they don't know how to end Truckin. They could have jammed forever
- (06/21/2007)

Best 1/2 step ever!!
- (05/30/2008)

Brent Mydland is awesome in this show...his licks on some of those songs are just sick. So sick.
-Steve (06/29/2008)

Keith Godchaux isn't bad either

-st. steven (07/07/2008)

Don't you mean Hornsby?
-Not Brent (07/31/2008)

Hey you guys...that was Pigpen.
-Bossgobbler (10/07/2008)

Vince really shines on this one
-Shroomin Capote (10/26/2008)

It's obviously Meryl Saunders on keys this night.
-Boston George (11/06/2008)

It's definitely a good TC keys show
-Notbrenthornsbypigvinceormeryl (01/13/2009)

best m.n.s ever
-sam (01/09/2010)

Could that be Meryl Saunders brother Merl on the keyboards
-skido head (01/29/2010)

Could that be Meryl Saunders broyher Merl on the keyboards
-skido head (01/29/2010)

maybe the guy who said dire wolf should be in the first 3 songs meant he wants it to be, instead of tryin to change the setlist
-Anonymous (11/06/2010)

jeff chimenti tears it up on keys in this show
-Anonymous (05/08/2011)

Greatest Wharf Rat EVER!
-dblur (05/15/2011)

My First Show! .. What A Night!!!
- (05/06/2013)

Half-Step my favorite I've encountered...Jerry's just floating perfectly, powerfully.
-Box (05/15/2013)

Vocally, Half-Step is great, but Jerry's guitar playing is a little sloppy and not spot on. DefInitely not the best I've heard. Theres tons better if you look.
-Anonymous (07/08/2013)

Liberace sure could tickle those ivories!
-Anonymous (09/27/2013)

Jason Crosby on the 88's ! Nice. Liberace tickled a little bit more than the ivories
-Brian Damage (11/21/2013)

I said it 6 years ago and Ill say it again...best 1/2 step ever!!
-Mark (03/05/2014)

John Medeski was on fire that night!
- (11/01/2014)

I think you mean Rob Barraco was on fire!
- (11/01/2014)

Sure, he may have only been 12 years old at the time, but if you come away from listening to this show without fully believing that Page McConnell is undisputedly the greatest goddamned keytar player who's ever lived on this here planet Earth, then you, my friend, are one deaf son of a bitch.
-bl002e (12/17/2014)

I was there.. it was the Captain on Keys, Tennile on vocals. Hot show.
-William J Clinton (01/12/2015)

Sounds like Hornsby on keys.
- (02/11/2015)

A stellar night from Ned on keys.
- (03/02/2015)

You know who that is on piano? I think it might be Berry Gordy.
- (03/10/2015)

It is me, Vince Guaraldi, stroking Rachmaninov’s legs.
- (03/17/2015)

Funky enough to be Herbie Hancock that wet the zebra's back that night!
- (04/06/2015)

I was jammin' that night.
- (04/22/2015)

First Great Quintet to Grateful Dead.
- (05/07/2015)

Billy Joel played the keys like a pro
-wf1970 (05/21/2015)

I never knew Stevie Wonder was in the Dead
-Anonymous (05/22/2015)

That's Chuck Leavell "sitting' in" on keys.
- (05/31/2015)

Van Cliburn showed he can really rock on this evening!
- (06/02/2015)

That was Tony Banks, over from London, jamming with the dead that night.
- (06/06/2015)

Not Tony Banks. Jon Lord from Deep Purple.
- (06/06/2015)

I think it might be Tom Waits.
- (06/06/2015)

That's Don Fagen. This is the show he and the rest of Steely Dan watched from the wings. Then he was called up for the 1/2 Step.
- (06/06/2015)

I'm pretty sure it is Elton John!
- (06/06/2015)

It isn't EJ. I'd know. Believe me.
- (06/20/2015)

Does anybody even like this show? Or is it all about the keyboard player?
- (06/21/2015)

It's all about the keys! Alan Fitzgerald from Night Ranger sat in on this fine evening! He was amazing (as always). Loved how he captured the essence and spirit of Keith.
- (07/08/2015)

Played the keys with the 'dores, then beat it on down the line for this show to fill in for Brent (or Keith, as the case may be).
- (07/25/2015)

It is kind of outrageous that no one recognized that it was, indeed, Bernie Worrell playing the keys on that fine evening in Binghamton, New York.
- (08/14/2015)

You got the wrong doctor, brother. It is Dr. Fink from the Revolution that served as a substitute for Keith that night.
- (08/16/2015)

Right band, wrong keyboard player, Dr. Fink. It was me, Lisa (of Wendy and Lisa fame) that filled in for Keith that night.
- (08/16/2015)

Hate to say it, but there isn't anybody on keyboard or piano that night. I was there and the seat was empty. And by that I mean it was Keith. Keith not playing, just like every night in late 1977.
- (09/07/2015)

Actually it was Meryl Streep. She was following Keith around to play in him in the "Heart of Gold Band" tv movie that was never made.
- (09/07/2015)

LOL. It wasn't Meryl Streep. That was Leif Garrett. And he only made it through three songs before he passed out and they brought Keith back (even though he, too, was passed out).
- (09/14/2015)

ROTFLMAO. So silly. It wasn't any of these people, and it definitely wasn't Keith on that night. It was Franz Nicolay. He didn't have the full handle-bar 'stache back then. He didn't grow that out until 1987, which is why he was almost unrecognizable.
- (09/14/2015)

The show is famous for having 12 grand pianos set up in a row on stage left. Keith, obviously, "played" during much of the show (when he wasn't taking a smoke-break or drooling into his shirt). Many of the names identified above also accompanied the band for a song or two. The big keyboard finale had all twelve rigs going at once directed by a very youthful Wayne Coyne and Tim DeLaughter. It was quite a sight to behold (not to mention wondrous to hear).
- (09/14/2015)

Exactly, this is the famous "wall-of-pianos" show. Apparently, this was originally Phil's idea. He was at the office on Front Street, demonstrating his perfect pitch to a group of dead staff members.
- (09/16/2015)

Phil sang selected vocal riffs, runs and embellishments, Rock Scully, Dan Healy, Betty Cantor-Jackson and others tried to divert his attention by pounding out different atonal patterns on a couple of keyboards in the office.
- (09/16/2015)

Phil, getting misty eyed over his old friend Ned Lagin and the misunderstood "Seastones" project got the idea to place exactly twelve (12) grand pianos at stage left.
- (09/16/2015)

His design was for Keith to play most of the show but to be joined by the likes of Dr. John, Dr. Woo, Dr. Fink, and others with a doctoral piano degree, for an extended jam. Phil would join in on vocals and bass. The idea, as at Front Street, was to demonstrate his perfect pitch to as large an audience as possible (shades of "searching for the sound"). Anyway, that's the history of this show.
- (09/16/2015)

A very dunk Michael McDonald ambled onto the stage, opened the lid of one of the twelve rigs, and then tried to dive into the soundboard case to implement some sort of John Cage-art-of-noise "prepared piano" piece.
- (09/16/2015)

All of this occurred mid-way during "Sunrise" if you want to hear it at archive.org.
- (09/16/2015)

I've got an old AUD cassette of just the wall of piano portion of this show. I always thought that Michael McDonald stumbled into the stage and knocked over one of the upright pianos. I don't think all were grand pianos. But I wasn't there and only have heard the tape.
- (09/18/2015)

I can definitely vouch for Michael McDonald drunkenly knocking over an upright. He did that all the time with the DBs back in the day. I've got a big old soft spot for the dead in my heart. Especially Pig. Me and Pig actually have a lot in common --being relegated to third-string percussion when our heart lies elsewhere and all. Just like Pig had to sit and watch TC get all crazy on the moog and whatnot while he pounded on the congas and tweaked the guiro, I can't count the times I had to watch Denny Dias play lead on Ricky Don't Lose That Number. Drove me straight into the defense industry, it did. Anyway, I was at this show and helped set up the "wall-of-pianos." Keith was a good friend and I miss Jerry quite a bit. Bob stole his mustache from me, while I'm complaining.
- (10/11/2015)

I believe the above post was written by none other than Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. Sounds like it, anyway.
- (10/12/2015)

That reminds me of an old joke from the 70's:

What do you call it when Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead combine to play together as a single band?

I don't know, but they gave up touring and their records all sound like dog sh*t.
- (10/12/2015)

I just listened to "Sunrise" from this show from an etree feed. Pretty amazing stuff. Up there with the Brent meltdown in the mid-80s. Not sure what they were trying to do there, but it kind-of worked. I'm only 19, so obviously I never had the chance to see Jerry and the rest of the band live, but I'm really into them now. Looking forward, also, to the new Bob Dylan box set with all the bonus tracks, etc. So much music, so little time.
- (10/14/2015)

By the way, if you were wondering why most of Steely Dan was at this show, it was for Phil's wall-of-pianos stunt.
-Anonymous (10/16/2015)

I wouldn't call it a "stunt." It was art, brother.

-Anonymous (10/19/2015)

Don was often too scared to sing in public back in the day. Unlike Phil, though, he could actually sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AWCYMG2Das

Can you believe Phil sang Eyes and Bird Song in the FTW shows?
- (10/26/2015)

This show wrapped up the fall East Coast tour of '77 and also concluded three straight nights of stellar shows -- Colgate on Friday (picked as a must have show by the New York Times), Rochester on Saturday (a Dick's Pick) and then Binghamton.
It is an incredible show and the best Truckin' I ever saw, but it has its flaws. They lose energy in the Scarlet-Fire transition and the Fire is subpar. The Not Fade Away also loses energy. First set was outstanding, and Bobby opened the second set by saying, "It being Sunday, we're gonna do a little tune of spiritual derivation" before launching into Samson and Delilah. When Jerry was killing it at the end of Wharf Rat, Bobby walked over and whispered to Phil, then signaled the drummers and Keith and Jerry to bring about the return to St. Stephen followed by Truckin'.
I've never experienced such collective exhilaration as when they burst into Truckin'. Everywhere you looked, people were dancing in unison, even silhouettes in the exits backlit by the lights in the concessions area. The atmosphere was like the last night of Fare Thee Well -- an arena or stadium crammed with people so happy to just be there.
- (11/22/2015)

Tori Amos and Brian Eno really complimented the spacey sound of the band that night... I was there and the one memory that sticks out to me is Jerry dropping his guitar halfway through Scarlet Begonias to go play organ... but the Dead made up for it with that wicked Hey Nineteen encore. RIP Pigpen...
- (03/05/2016)

That's Sir George Martin on piano, organ, harpsichord, and glockenspiel.
Rest in peace George. You were the best!
- (03/09/2016)

"That's Billy Payne on piano !"
-Lowell George (07/22/2016)

how do you people not recognize don music when you hear him? it was close this night -but he never got it!
-Anonymous (08/03/2016)

think Jerry Lee Lewis swung by after his run at the Palimino that summer.
-Anonymous (08/03/2016)

Billy Powell, only a few weeks removed from Skynrds horrific plane crash, shows up with a bandaged nose and shines on the grand piano. He later regrets this appearance and also discredits the wall of piano rumors that circulated at this time. Legend has it , Ray Manzerak was on deck if Billy P could not attend
-Free Larry Bird (08/08/2016)

This is the famous Grateful Dead show where Don Felder (guesting, on piano) told Eagles' bandmate Glenn Fry (guesting, also on piano), "Only three more songs till I kick your ass, pal." To which Frey responded, "Great. I can’t wait.” It was only through the peacemaking efforts of Don Henley (guesting, on piano) that a fight was avoided. Keith (on piano) slept through the affair.

- (10/06/2016)

Hey now! Who cares about piano players anyway. Geesh.
But, you should care to fast forward this standard Truckin' until about 7:55 when some major magic happens. And it wasnt because there was 10 pianos on stage...
Then go on about your business. Have a grateful day.
-Mike c (03/15/2017)

Hey! I care about piano players! I was at this show, but was too young to play onstage. This show turned me into the musician I am today. So may great players sitting in on Sunrise.
- (03/22/2017)

Mike - there were 12 pianos not 10.
-Piano Man (04/04/2017)

My good friend Billy Preston on keys for this one.
-George Harrison (04/28/2017)

Please Stop
-Anonymous (05/09/2017)

Come people enough with the piano player silliness. We all know it was Nicky Hopkins.
-Sir Mcjinglejugs (05/11/2017)

The Sunrise will break your heart. So many beautiful keys being pressed. Wall of Pianos, indeed. Little known secret about this show: Doris Day and Rock Hudson were there.
- (05/13/2017)

There is a great segment on this show in the new 6 hour amazon documentary. Some photos of the "wall of pianos" and even a snippet of video of Keith napping while Dr. John warms up.
- (06/10/2017)

You can't go wrong with this show.
- (06/10/2017)

Rumor circulating that this will be a Dave's Pick in 2018.
- (09/17/2017)

Dave's Pick 2018 Confirmed! Wall of pianos to get official release!
- (10/25/2017)

"30 years ago today, the load in began. Loading in 1 piano is tough but a multitude of pianos was unreal. Luckily the crew had enough supplies to get the job done overnight. Unfortunately Keith raided our supplies of pain pills and muscle relaxers for the next day and nodded out for the show. We propped him up with puppet wires to give the impression that he was playing though.

Though this was not a Wall of Sound load in , it was still brutal and the crew were glad it was a one and done type of deal. Enjoy the official release
-Steve Parrish (11/05/2017)

It was 40 years ago "Steve". Too many home before daylights for you. Due to the personality clashes, cost and load in problems of the Wall of Pianos, the Wall of 12 bassist, 12 drummers, 12 lead and rhythm guitarist concerts never materialized. So take a step back in time and enjoy this treasure for what it was/is
-Phil Lesh (11/06/2017)

And take another step back .....
-Phil Lesh (11/06/2017)

1st Maybe you know how I feel. Liberace has a meltdown ala Brent 86 due to his breakup with Scott Thorson at the time . Sad but true
-Dan Diddler (11/19/2017)

Mexicali Blues
New Minglewood Blues
Dupree's Diamond Blues
- (11/24/2017)

First of 4 shows the triple Blues performed. All in first set with Minglewood & Dupree's pairing.

06/27/83-02/11/86-04/02/87



- (11/24/2017)

Had breakfast with Jerry that morning. Told him I had come up from Philadelphia to hear Dire Wolf and Dupree’s. Asked him why they hadn’t played Truckin inside on the East Coast in quite awhile. Told him that the Calypso jam from Terrapin was awesome they should do it more often. Jerry said he didn’t know anyone in Bing.and could I use back stage tickets,and he would see what he could do about those
-Anonymous (11/29/2017)

dyrwolf44@aol.com
Wrote the above

-Anonymous (11/29/2017)

Saw Parrish's post about the load-in. Hard to believe it has been more than 40 years since this, Phil's creative peak.
- (12/09/2017)

"The Piano Drop": On April 28 1968, approximately 3,000 fans attended a rock concert at a farm in Duvall, Washington where an upright piano was dropped from a helicopter
-Factoid Knows All (12/30/2017)

Can you believe THIS is the third most commented upon show? I mean, it's fine, whatever. The piano stuff gets all the attention, but this is not even a top 8 show, much less top 3
- (06/13/2018)

This show is a feast for fans of pianos.
- (02/02/2019)

... And take another step back.
- (03/10/2019)

Dave's Picks 23

Disc 1

New Minglewood Blues 6:20
Dire Wolf 4:35
Cassidy 5:08
Peggy-O 7:23
El Paso 5:21
Tennessee Jed 9:06
Jack Straw 6:08
Row Jimmy 10:37
The Music Never Stopped 8:08

Disc 2

Bertha 6:52
Good Lovin' 6:26
Ship of Fools 7:33
Samson and Delilah 7:18

Disc 3

Terrapin Station 11:08
Drums 7:51
The Other One 16:57
Space 3:52
St. Stephen 7:39
Not Fade Away 14:09
Around and Around 8:57
U.S. Blues 5:53


-Bookkeeper (07/21/2019)

Dave's Picks 25

Disc 1

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown 12:22
Jack Straw 7:18
Tennessee Jed 9:24
Mexicali Blues 3:19
Me and My Uncle 3:30
Friend of the Devil 9:38
New Minglewood Blues 5:34
Dupree's Diamond Blues 6:11
Passenger 4:43
Dire Wolf 5:18
The Music Never Stopped 8:05

Disc 2

Samson and Delilah 9:10
Sunrise 4:45
Scarlet Begonias 10:46
Fire On The Mountain 9:36
Good Lovin' 7:09

Disc 3

St. Stephen 7:55
Drums 2:48
Not Fade Away 9:44
Wharf Rat 11:09
St. Stephen 1:04
Truckin' 11:32
Johnny B. Goode 5:09

-Bookkeeper (07/21/2019)

At long last, a photo of part of the wall of pianos has been released: https://bit.ly/2PTJsLi
- (12/24/2019)

This must of been the special occasion when Brent and Keith played the same night!
-Anonymous (05/19/2020)

Donald Fagen was on XM deep cuts talking about this show last night. Donald said Phil kept flipping bottle tops and pull tabs at him all night after each beer he pounded. DF said by the end of the show he couldn't see the floor past all the tops and tabs. He claimed that at one point there were so many pianos and keys clanging that Rick Wakeman put down his curry and joined in.
- (07/22/2020)

David Paich and Steve Porcaro, sitting in on keys.
- (04/02/2022)

Ahhh! The infamous show that featured the Phantom of the Opera on organ, who when he removed his mask revealed himself to really be Howard Wales on keyboards!!!
-Peace Pipe (11/20/2022)

Getting the opportunity to sit in with his favorite band on this night, is what led teenage Page McConnell to aspire to be a famous keyboardist in a big rock band.
- (08/09/2023)

I had been to a lot of shows before this one, but this was the one I got on the bus. Few key things about this show.
First, you enter the Broome County Arena on the second floor, and this was one of those great GA && shows. Doors were pulled off the hinges, and EVERYONE got in.
Second, someone brought a street sign (Stephen St), and switched it to read 'St Stephen', presented it to the band, they placed it on Billy's drum kit, and then played it --awesome!
Lastly, it was one of the loudest and well played Truckin, I ever heard. It was LOUD!
- (12/27/2023)

Love upstate NY show and this tour! The Dead always played great in Binghamton, several other examples out there.
- (12/18/2024)

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