according to this site they played it 40 times, mostly in 1980 and mostly in consecutive nights. I think Jerry thought he didn't do the song justice.

http://www.setlists.net/?search=true&ve ... mit=Search

This 1973 release was the very last collection that the Grateful Dead authorized during their tenure with Warner Bros. in the late '60s and early '70s. However, this live disc was a sort of melancholy affair, as it centered on material featuring Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (guitar/vocals/mouth harp), who had left the band due to illness in June of the previous year. History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice) is somewhat misleading, as a follow-up never came to pass. Band historians, however, claim that this release was optimistically titled because the label had hoped to issue a series of live recordings (à la Dick's Picks) containing highlights from a variety of vintage Dead performances. Alas, with the formation of the group's own label it was not to be. The single disc includes performances from a highly touted series of shows held over two nights (February 13-14, 1970) at the Fillmore East in New York City. While most assuredly not the finest example of the Dead's formidable acoustic sets, the platter opens with a quartet of cover tunes -- many of which had been entries in Jerry Garcia (guitar/vocals) and McKernan's folky jug band repertoire prior to ultimately forming the electric, psychedelic Grateful Dead. McKernan's playful cover of Lightnin' Hopkins' "Katie Mae" is a somewhat lightweight affair. He counterbalances ad-libbed lyrics with his own very sparse solo guitar picking, which is in perfect keeping with the lonesome nature of this blues. Garcia and Bob Weir (guitar/vocals) join in on the remaining "unplugged" tracks. Both the affective and noir "Dark Hollow" and "I've Been All Around This World" reveal the command of this highly under-utilized sub-division of the Dead. Clocking in at seven-plus minutes, the album's sole original composition, "Black Peter," is masterfully executed. It ultimately bests the original Workingman's Dead (1969) version in sheer emotive realization. The two electric offerings -- a cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnin'" and Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" -- are full-blown rave-ups allowing the entire band to weave their collective R&B-influenced psychedelia, unedited and in real time. Both tracks had become assertive vehicles for McKernan's no-nonsense R&B sensibilities. In 2001, History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice) was included in the 12-disc Golden Road (1965-1973) box set. The remastered edition comes replete with a newly inked 16-page liner notes insert containing an essay from the "Bear" (aka Owsley Stanley) himself. The expanded track list yields four additional performances from the same cache of shows: the McKernan-led "Good Lovin'," "Big Boss Man," a second and equally scintillating version of "Smokestack Lightnin'," as well as an up-tempo "Sitting on Top of the World," the latter of which keeps the frenetic spirit of the reading from the Dead's self-titled debut firmly intact.

I didn't get around to Bear's Choice, but I did finish Ladies and Gentlemen, which is up there with the best stuff we've listened to, IMO, and is a really choice set in terms of songs pursuant to my tastes.

The Grateful Dead's first extended tour outside the United States took them to Europe in the early spring of 1972. The tour has been well documented on several other multi-disc packages -- most notably Europe '72 (1972) and Hundred Year Hall (1995). While both have obvious merit to the rabid enthusiast as well as the casual listener, they likewise fall short of recalling the exploratory essence and improvisational apex that was propelling the band throughout this era. Steppin' Out With the Grateful Dead: England '72 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 pure ebb and flow of the shows has been thoroughly maintained by compilation producer David Lemieux -- who likewise came up aces with the song selection. 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 discs, Garcia and Ace. 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. Years of excessive drinking cut his life tragically short and, apart from one final stateside appearance, he was no longer able to perform with the band he co-founded some eight years prior. 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)."

finally around to listening to the april fools 88 road trips, and it's tight as it gets. jerry's on fire: great tone and serious runs, like in jack straw and fire on the mtn.

Although there have been no shortage of Grateful Dead archival releases in the wake of the band's dissolution, Go to Nassau (2002) is the first set to be comprised of shows from 1980. The electric Reckoning (1981) and acoustic Dead Set (1981) -- which were culled from the Dead's series of 15th-anniversary shows at the Warfield in San Francisco and New York City's venerable Radio City Music Hall -- are the only other recordings available from this year. Historical significance aside, neither of those releases represents the band as accurately as this double-disc set.

By even the most generous of accounts, the intensely perpetual psychedelic experimentation that had dominated the Grateful Dead's music in the late '60s and early to mid-'70s had begun to level out. Producer and Dead tape archivist David Lemieux cleverly navigated the available materials, synthesizing a composite that is in many ways stronger and tighter than the respective May 15 and May 16 shows from which Go to Nassau was ultimately gleaned. The title is a sly inference to the Dead's 11th studio album, Go to Heaven (1980), which had hit the streets less than a month prior to these mid-May shows. As such, it is no real surprise that this compilation includes half a dozen tracks from their most recent LP -- highlighted by the first live release of the rarely performed "Far From Me" by newly acquired keyboardist Brent Mydland.

The second disc commences with a suite of recent compositions, highlighted by the combo of "Althea," "Lost Sailor," and "Saint of Circumstance," all of which had already begun to show signs of remarkable maturity. These are peppered among other performance staples such as an extended "Franklin's Tower." This version is particularly notable for the variations during the waning moments of improvised instrumentation. Likewise, "Playing in the Band" allows the group the opportunity for some inspired interaction -- although it was no longer the transportational device it had once been in the '70s.

Additional kudos to the sonic spit shine that producer Jeffrey Norman gave to these recordings -- which provide an almost palpable soundstage under even the most tenuous of listening environments.

I've never heard of this, but it looks sensationally terrible, and by that, I mean, perfect.

The music packed into these four CDs features the Grateful Dead's entire three-set show that formally retired the Bay Area rock and roll palace, Winterland Arena. The content comes directly from the original 24-track analogue tapes, which sound nothing short of sublime. The Closing Of Winterland (2003) is the audio only companion to the two-DVD title of the same name. One major difference between the two is that these CDs only contain the standard stereo 2.0 mix -- as opposed to the respective DTS and Dolby 5.1 mixes on the DVD. By late 1978, the Grateful Dead were at an undeniable crossroads. Even though the tenure of husband and wife team Keith Godchaux (keyboards), and former session vocalist at Muscle Shoals Studios, Donna Jean Godchaux (vocals) was drawing to a close, the band still functioned with their ever-voracious appetite for improvisation and the kind of in-the-moment musicianship that became the cornerstone of the Grateful Dead's mere existence. 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 (guitar/vocals) 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. Although they would continue through a number of personnel changes for another 17 years, they would rarely (if ever) regain the fortitude and above all, the passion that is represented on this collection. The Closing Of Winterland is a must-own for every degree of Grateful Dead listener, and is an ideal trial-by-fire springboard for the curious.

Disc One
"Sugar Magnolia" (Robert Hunter, Bob Weir) – 7:21
"Scarlet Begonias" (Hunter, Jerry Garcia) – 11:55
"Fire on the Mountain" (Hunter, Mickey Hart) – 13:12
"Me and My Uncle" (John Phillips) – 3:11
"Big River" (Johnny Cash) – 7:05
"Friend of the Devil" (John Dawson, Hunter, Garcia) – 10:48
"It's All Over Now" (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) – 8:55
"Stagger Lee" (Hunter, Garcia) – 8:03
"From the Heart of Me" (Donna Godchaux) – 3:49
"Sunshine Daydream" (Hunter, Weir) – 3:15

Disc Two
"Samson and Delilah" (traditional, arr. Weir) – 9:17
"Ramble on Rose" (Hunter, Garcia) – 9:35
"I Need a Miracle" (John Barlow, Weir) – 11:19
"Lady with a Fan" / "Terrapin Station" (Hunter, Garcia) – 12:23
"Playing in the Band" (Hunter, Hart, Weir) – 13:06

Disc Three
"Rhythm Devils" (Hart, Bill Kreutzman) – 19:23
"Not Fade Away" (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) – 19:34
"Around and Around" (Chuck Berry) – 9:19

Disc Four
"Dark Star" (Hunter, Garcia, Hart, Kreutzman, Phil Lesh, Pigpen, Weir) – 12:05
"The Other One" (Kreutzman, Weir) – 4:45
"Dark Star" (Hunter, Garcia, Hart, Kreutzman, Lesh, Pigpen, Weir) – 1:15
"Wharf Rat" (Hunter, Garcia) – 11:00
"Saint Stephen" (Hunter, Garcia, Lesh) – 7:52
"Good Lovin'" (Artie Resnick, Rudy Clark) – 11:00
"Casey Jones" (Hunter, Garcia) – 5:17
"Johnny B. Goode" (Berry) – 4:42
"And We Bid You Goodnight" (trad., arr. Grateful Dead) – 1:30

I love, love, love that album.

It took me a while to come around to the "we're so fucked up on smack, we're gonna play all of these at least a half tempo slower than we normally do" sound. But I like it.

That Nassau set is a fucking smoke show. It's insane.

I request, please.

I love, love, love that album.

Look, I'm not going to go back and read any of this stuff (I hope you understand), but how would you guys rate the Live/Dead album against all of this stuff?

I'm asking because I just listened to that one for the first time. I think I like it.

I request, please.

I love it, but I'm a particularly big fan of their '69 shows. Great version of Lovelight. Drink, if you kind of liked that one we'll be doing the Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings set right away and I believe a chunk of Live/Dead is from those shows.