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Set 1:
Greatest Story Ever Told
Don't Ease Me In
Mama Tried
Mexicali Blues
Friend Of The Devil
Passenger
High Time
Looks Like Rain
Jack-A-Roe
Lazy Lightnin'
Supplication

Set 2:
Might As Well
I Need A Miracle
Bertha
Good Lovin'
From The Heart Of Me
Big Railroad Blues
Terrapin Station
Playin' In The Band
Drums
The Wheel
Shakedown Street
Playin' In The Band
Sugar Magnolia

Encore:
One More Saturday Night

Download/Listen to this Show at Archive.org

Comments:

Last show with the Godchaux's.....sux!!!
-Anonymous

Yeah man, the end of a most beautiful eeeera
-Anonymous

The last show with Donna's horrible off key howling
-

Help! Help! Please Help. This is the first show that I took my Wife to, this was our first date as a matter of fact and I am desperatelly seeking tapes of this show!! Can anyone help...Thank You
-

Whole show has a "let's get this _over_ with!" feel to it. To be fair though, the Gaudchaux years were not as a rule terrible; '73, '74 and '77 did _not_ suck!
-Anonymous

The Godchaux years were the years the Dead were in their prime, better than any other era, except possibly 84-85.
This show is a true testament to the beauty they brought to the dead, and they will always be sorely missed.

-

in the early part of the Godchaux years Keith's piano playing was beautiful and added so much to the dead's sound. by the last couple of years he didn't contribute much primarily due to his being all screwed up on drugs.
on the other hand donna didn't contribute much in the beginning but by '76 was adding some really good harmony to many tunes. her best years imho were '77 & '78 when she sang on a lot of songs and did a very fine job on most of them. the "off key" howling was primarily on those playin in the band screams in the early 70's but as a harmony singer she added alot to the band's vocals. just one man's opinion.
-Row Jimmy

right on, jimmy... i think donna sounded her best post-'75. in fact, the earliest show where donna really shines i think is the Great American Music Hall show during they're hiatus.(One from the Vault). Maybe May '77 was her best e.g. wharfrat 5-22-77 was perfect imho. She sounded her worst during the 'Wall of Sound' years. But i do think that Keith was nevertheless essential during '77 and '78 inspite of any 'color' he may have lacked during those years. Geschmacksfrage.
-

Although at the time I felt it wasn't as melodic as recent shows, a good listen will reveal that this one has a manic quality unlike any other K&D show I can recall. An "Environmental Cancer Benefit", Jane Fonda donated a pre-show screening of the bitchy corporate film "Fun With Dick and Jane" which seriously tweaked the dosed audience. The band is clearly heavily under the influence of blow and blotter themselves. Many unique (and personal favourite) versions such as a frenzied "Greatest Story", and the shortest, sweetest "Wheel" ever make this one worth getting.
-

I just noticed it's got the first Big RR BLues in 5 years.
-

I
High Time-last time played 5/26/77 121 shows

II
From the Heart Of Me-last time

In defense of Donna during the wall of sound era, perhaps she could barely hear herself as with Phil and overcompensated...often.

Donna gave a good yelp right at the end of Saturday night. Farewell.
-Perrin

According to this sites dbase, this was the first version of Greatest since 10/18/74. That's noteworthy!
-Brianmerrilyn

Greatest-Great solo and wah wah pedal action by Garcia!
-Conor1341 (06/28/2007)

Best 'Greatest Story...' ever! Jackaroe is no slouch, and the Wheel has a magical intro weir reverb bouncing off the barn's concrete staunchions. The whole 1st set is non-stop energy (FOTD notwithstanding) as they perform all of side one of GratefulDeadaka"Skullfuck" Anybody know another set with all these songs from "Skullfuck"'s 1st side (bertha thru pitb?)
- (07/10/2007)

End of the Donna era....no more of that cackling witch and her off-key howling screwing up the tunes....her singing was like nails down a blackboard....a buzz kill every time....
-Anonymous (12/11/2007)

It always amazes me to hear anyone prefer the Dead post-K&D. Keith's piano playing was invariably excellent and usually absolutely beautiful - far, far stellar to what was to come afterwards. Sorry, folks - Brent's keyboard playing was pretty lousy, and the synthetic sounds he chose were often awful. As for Donna, outside of those Playin' yelps, she brought a huge amount of color and beauty to the band.
-Anonymous (04/02/2008)

After this show Keith morphed with Donna thus creating Brent.
-Anonymous (11/13/2008)

By most accounts, this was the best "Lazy/Supplication" ever.
Each era of Dead speaks to the listener. I am a K&D guy, and I was never a fan of the "synth" keyboard sound, so this show is very bittersweet to me. If your a Brent or Vince guy (are there any "Vince Guys"?) stay out of the '70s and stick with your Hampton Colisseum's and MSG's.
- (03/25/2009)

I wish they'd played another Dark Star on this sad occasion. Donnas beautiful vocals in the 31.12.78 version made me wanting more. With this and her solo songs new ways for the band were in sight but they remained a unfullfilled promise. Though Keiths star was sinking he still had his unique ideas. Yes brent had his many moments too, I even like some of his cheesy synth sounds, but I prefer any of Donnas '74 off key wails compared to Brents pathetic self indulgence from 86 onwards.
- (04/04/2009)

the only "wheel" of '79
- (03/28/2010)

This was my first Dead show. Being heavily dosed, the movie became more and more of an annoyance and when Tom Hayden and Jane Fonda took the stage the angst among the crowd was palpable. The show itself was incredible. If Dark Star Orchestra ever recreates this one I hope they leave the house lights on for the GSET as in the original.
- (07/13/2010)

No offense to Keith & donna fans but Brent was a great musician. Keith was a great musician, They are different in the approach to the music. Some of the tightest show came from this era. But some of the most amazing shows I have heard came form the Brent era. Both era's are very good, but they are different
- (12/01/2010)

--Please excuse this post, I needed to put it somewhere--

There was a time when "Pigpen Dead" was the only dead that mattered. Everything else was a headache. However, slowly through my time with the GD, I began to love and appreciate even the most horrid Donna wails (her harmonies were actually quite lovely in the latter years).

Anyway, with that being said, I have still yet to come around to Brents cheesy South Park vocals.
His songs really sound like something South Park would do.. A parody of the GD.

So, with THAT being said...
Althought I really don't like 80s dead, I still envy those who see the Beauty in the Brent. Not to mention, think that 80s Dead is "prime dead". C'mon dude.

As if the dead were a piece of matter; I love the raw, primal, hungry, murky "gaseas" dead of 68-69. Even as they slowly turned to water from 70-72, it was still an awesome fluidness, not lesser or greater than the "gas" dead. But then something happened during there hiatus of 75. I feel like part of the Dead died. The atoms/energy of there once free-flowing body had slowed down to a near stop.
-(even the death of pigpen (i feel)robbed them of alot of their youthfullness that I so dearly love; just listen to the stage banter through the years--and when ppl say "this is what the dead was all about" in reference to the early years)
And [sadly] by the 80s, it seems that they had become an old decrepid being.
(just my POV ppl).

-Thanks for reading (however much you may agree or disagree)

p.s. I guess this is the road a young man takes when he's hooked by Live/Dead.
Peaceeee
- (12/01/2010)

Donna haters bite me. If she was good enough for Jerry and Bobby, she's good enough for me. Criticizing an added vocalist in the Dead is kind of silly. "Yeah that Donna is a terrible singer, not like Phil..or Jerry...or Bob." C'mon Man

Brent haters bite me. We played a game at the end of the K&D era. Who should the Dead's new keyboard player be? Nicky Hopkins got a lot of mention, nut no vocals there. Stevie Winwood was my pick. Can you imagine? But no way to merge the egos there. Brent was fine. His almost good vocals fit right in with a band full of almost good vocalists. And his playing was world class.

I liked all the incarnations of the band. All of them. I love every member more than words can tell. Especially Pigpen. RIP.
- (08/25/2011)

Donna's last show. Thank God. She was so horrible.
-mark (10/15/2011)

I remember this show as being a huge venue for The Grateful Dead at the time, considering that the Closing of Winterland happened about six weeks earlier. It wasn't a sellout, which gave the twirlers a lot of room to dance in the hallways, nooks & crannies. The sound system looked small but it was clean and easily filled the cavernous venue. Coming out of Drums & Space, Phil's baselines seemed subsonic. There was a deep rumble and I flashed that The Coliseum was a huge mothership, the bass sounded like the engine, the house lights were a control panel, and we were about to take off. What a ride!
- (03/14/2012)

Keith was great in the early 70's and Donna was great'75 - '79. Just an incredible run of shows.....Brent was terrific in the early days but after Jerry came out of his coma Brent was just too much of a presence in the flow for my taste. Anyway, all depends on your style!
-80s head (03/20/2013)

I was at this show. A group of people were walking around handing out free electric salad croutons. I ate six. They had bags of them. They were handin em out like candy. There were alot of people really extra fried at that show. I personally liked the movie. I laughed my ass off. The speech sucked, but hey that was the cause for the show.


- (04/05/2013)

Poor brent, so many haters. Clearly they don't know the magic of the early 80's. This is just one heads opinion, but i prefer '74 over any other year. I love Brent though, he is the man when he's not high as a kite. Same thing applies to keith, he is an immaculate keys player, when he's not three sheets to the wind.

Maybe, just maybe... being sober once in a while doesn't hurt. Keith was brilliant, as is brent, and if it weren't for pig there'd be no Dead in the first place. So all three of the masters have one thing in common, their playing went down the drain when they got too high. So weather or not you like the choices they made on their keys player, it is what it is, thats the band we all love and there no changin' it. When people in this band got too messed up, they fucked up, including jerry. so these debates are very entertaining. At least there are still people who care enough to debate it at all.
-Anonymous (11/19/2013)

It's not like Donna came into an outfit of great vocalists and ruined it. None of the boys...and I love them all dearly...was ever a great vocalist. Donna was fine. If she was good enough for Jerry and Bobby, she was good enough for me. She fit in and Keith was the bomb for a long time. So go listen to Boston or something and get over it. That is all.
-oydave (07/13/2014)

I was there. One of the most electrifying shows I ever saw. The Bertha and the jam that started with The Wheel are still electric in memory

- (04/12/2015)

I'm a 65-75 guy, and I came here to hear the last D&K show. Keith's keys were good in 72-73….but they've clearly turned to mush by this point. Brent was too in the mix after Jerry's coma….
- (04/19/2015)

I always love "this era was better than that" "Keith was better than Brent" blah, blah, blah. It is good fun to read. But honestly all Dead eras are distinct and hard to compare to one another in the way people always seem to try to compare them. I think it is impossible to compare Keith's best years ('72-'74) with any of Brent's because they had just one drummer in the early 70's. It is just apples and oranges. Keith's initial years with the Dead his playing was sublime, but he had his serious shortcomings even then... he really played one instrument, while Brent played 3 and there is just something about his Hammond B-3 that just says Dead to me. Sure he was cheesy and I don't really like any of his songs, but I will always love his contributions. And lets remember, Keith and Donna were the only members to ever be fired from the band.
- (12/18/2015)

wharfrat 67, Bobby and Pigpen were fired, if only briefly, in 67. and i am pretty sure that Donna and Kieth wanted out as much as Jerry and the rest wanted them out, so i would say it was an Amicable parting. Totally agree with you on the apples to oranges thing, so many eras, so many stylistic changes... So much beauty. The comparisons are totally hilarious.
-Anonymous (02/18/2016)

I am not a vocal expert at all but I have never seen the problem with Donna's vocals. Although I'm not a fan of those Wharf Rats, Stephens, or Jack Straws where she sings. Just doesn't seem right.
-Anonymous (10/21/2016)

This show is actually GREAT! Jerry is sparkling like a glowing buddha. Interesting Shakedown. Very psychedelic!
- (12/28/2016)

The comments about Donna are opinion without recognizing sufficient data, i.e., listening to enough Grateful Dead between 1972 and 1979. Her harmonies were actually very beautiful when she sang harmony to Jerry, and harmony with Garcia on songs that Weir sang. The only criticism you see relates to the supposed off-key "howl" but that was really only during the bridge in Playing in the Band, and seeing how it was baked into the song for every rendition between 1972 and 1979, circumstantial evidence would lead us to conclude that Weir approved since it was never scrapped. Who are we, then, to be so over the top critical. And the few songs she sang solo, just listen to this show, are also done tastefully, in key and sound lovely. Of course in fairness I will disclose my view that the Dead from 1980 to about 1985 were just fine, but after 1985 they did not play with the energy and quality heard from 1968-1971, or with the openness and versatility and beauty of their playing and arrangements between 1972 and 1974, and 1976-78. Jerry's voice (if you want to be critical) was spent; the band often seemed bored. Just the facts, folks. Take care.
- (03/22/2017)

Weir should have been suspended for one show for Easy Answers
- (03/24/2017)

I agree RUK. I think the show, well from Big Railroad Blues on is stellar. THat Wheel is so trippy.
-Anonymous (06/02/2017)

For all you guys that say Brent's songs suck (and they do)... It wasn't like K&D had anything memorable in the Dead canon

- (12/26/2017)

Since it's become a Dead Keyboards section, can someone point me to sonic examples of what made Keith great? (serious question) Wasn't there but have heard the tapes, technically great (as the band was during that time) but nothing interesting to me. But I've always thought that was sort of the point of Keith in the band.

And Brent was interesting (for ex. Little Red Rooster, 3/28/81) but he did "barge in" in a way that Keith never did. Nevertheless, I think the band took that on in exchange for the non-percussive texture that Brent brought.
- (01/12/2018)

Really disjointed show. Songs played off-tune. Forgotten lyrics. Donna's "From the Heart of Me" sounded like she was learning to sing for the first time. Totally off-key.
- (04/10/2019)

For proof of Keith’s brilliant contributions seek no further than the Wall Of Sound era when he was playing a Fender Rhodes. This is peak dead, fluid and articulate on all fronts. Billy’s drumming by this point could be likened to a controlled tornado, subtle manipulation of the ebb and flow, but with a light agility that would never be reclaimed post hiatus. The Eyes Of The Worlds and Scarlet Begonias of this period are in a league of their own, the former possessing the trademark fluid articulation of the period and the latter an outrageous syncopated interplay between members.
It’s not uncommon for a 74 aud to surpass that of its sbd siblings. Every show is a must. This is the dead at their most alien and weird, but in a subtle way, kind of like how a 1970 Me & My Uncle may sound ordinary on the surface but it’s clearly spiked with LSD and takes on this trippy glowy aura.
74 is short enough that you can listen to every show, and it’s well worth it.
-Bob (05/16/2020)

Holy crap - Greatest Story Ever told sounds amazing on Wolf!! if only they had played it in '78...
-Luke (07/05/2020)

... the next " Wheel" would happen in Kansas City, MO on 8/17/1980 ........

Round, round robin run round, got to get back where you belong ...
Little bit harder, just a little bit more
A little bit further than you gone before
- (02/16/2021)

Holy crap - Greatest Story Ever told sounds amazing on Wolf!! if only they had played it in '78...
-Luke (07/05/2020)

ABSOPOSIFUCKINGLUTIVELY AYFUCKINGMAYZING "GSET"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- (12/13/2021)

.... love Donna's version of "From the Heart of Me" .... it was the last of 23 times played ....
iko iko
-Anonymous (05/08/2022)

Last great Dead show right here. All shows that followed were either very good (1980-82) or good/bad/slop (1983-1993) or unlistenable (1994-95). There, I said it.
- (10/29/2022)

Did you ever waken to the sound
Of street cats makin' love
And guess from their cries
You were listenin' to Donna?
-hedge (01/04/2023)

I honestly think that Keith peaked in Fall of '71. That first tour was amazing, and while he was still strong for a while, he never really lived up to the potential of that 1st tour, imo.
- (02/14/2023)

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