This week, we have 15 years of Grateful Dead music for you, spanning a nice period from 1972 to 1987. August often found the band off tour, but performing interesting one-off shows, runs or mini-tours.

Our first stop on our weekly round-up of the Grateful Dead’s recorded history is on August 12, 1972, in Sacramento. This show falls in the middle of a great span of shows, from mid-July to the end of September. From this Sacramento show, we have the second set jam of He’s Gone>The Other One>Black Peter>The Other One>Truckin’. It’s definitely a cool way to end the jam, with the usual jam-starter, Truckin’. Also from 1972, by request, are a couple of second set songs from 4/7/72 in London, Ramble On Rose and Sugar Magnolia.

Moving ahead seven years to Red Rocks in Colorado on 8/12/79, we have a couple of gems. From the first set is this typically monstrous Lazy Lightning>Supplication, and to start the second set features this China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider. This was meant to be a three night run at Red Rocks, but with a massive storm moving into the area, they moved the second and third shows to the indoor McNichols Arena in Denver. Certainly not quite the same ambience as Red Rocks, but the band pulled off some exceptional shows at McNichols. The second half of 1979 offers a renewed energy in the band’s playing, with the addition of Brent into the lineup, and the new Go To Heaven material into the repertoire.

Eight years later, also at Red Rocks, the band was at the start of their five night Colorado excursion, which included the famous Telluride shows. From 8/11/87, we have Tons of Steel-High Time from the first set, and the encore of Black Muddy River. And from the next night, we have the first set closing jam of My Brother Esau>Bird Song>The Music Never Stopped. These were drawn from the Beta PCM digital tapes.

Going back five years, to 1982, we have a couple of great bits from that Summer Tour. From Alpine on 8/8/82, the first set ended with Bobby delivering the gospel on this Sunday night in the form of this terrific Samson and Delilah, and to open the second set in Minnesota on 8/6/82, we’re pleased to bring you this excellent Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain.

Be sure to check back in next week, when we don’t know exactly what we’ll be playing aside from a nice collection of material from 1981, but we’re sure it’ll be enjoyable. As always, feel free to write with questions, comments or suggestions. Your input is always appreciated.

David Lemieux
vault@dead.net