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I love the rankings game. Hard to argue with either of your Top 5s, really. I think I’d go (in no particular order):

DaP 3: 10/22/71
DaP 23: 1/22/78
DaP 29: 2/26/77
DaP 9: 5/14/74
DaP 8: 11/30/80

....you got me.
5
11
23
26
8 - matrix. sounds awesome.
If I'm wrong, and I might be, Sue me. I think that's it. Splitting hairs here.
And that's in ORDER! Lol.

Nice, I go back and forth between 26 and 3 for my ‘71 pick but i always end up back at 3 for some reason. Interested in the love for 11 tonight. I get it, and love those bonus tracks (wink, wink). Although I prefer 11/14/72 to 11/15. Second set anyway.

Love seeing you guys’ Top 5. Long time lurker here, infrequent poster.

I need to revisit this release. When it first came out, I was horrifically busy and not in a good way. I listened to it many times but I don't think it ever got the attention it deserved. I am not sure it ever got a uninterrupted listen.

I will give it another spin soon.

TOO is really the only extended jam to speak of but great versions of so many standards, a Comes a Time and a great up-front mix of early Keith’s keys make this one a winner for me. Love Fall ‘71 though.

1
5
9
23
29

#10 - Thelma '69
#5 - UCLA '73
#6 - SF '69/St. Louis '70
#2 - Hartford '74
#18 - SF '76

Just missed the cut:
#1 - Richmond '77
#29 - San Berdoo '77
#19 - Honolulu '70

Whoa, what's next for you man? Keith's Picks?! You never know, we are getting closer to Vol.36, maybe your being groomed....

Capitol Theatre Port Chester 2/18/71... First Bertha, Loser, Greatest Story, JB Goode.... Have a good weekend. bob t

first disc is my-tee-fyne
second disc is excellent-ee
not to disc three yet...soon, Waldo Jeffers, it will be soon...
bonus disc...by and by again, 1/3/70 will rise...

Star Trek's Scotty needs more power; I need more time!!!

I've already offered my assistance to help out with the picks. Dave politely let me know that there are already many ears in the process, gave me a cookie and thanked me for the offer :D

Dave's Picks Volume 3. I don't listen to this one a whole lot, only because I have so many official releases and it just doesn't come to mind often. I really think the brief second part of the Dark Star is awesome. If my memory serves me, it's a bonus track from the night before, and the cool thing is that it's Keith's first Dark Star. It's great to hear Keith playing some Hammond in there on a few DaP 3 tracks. You can definitely make out the difference in his piano tone, as he's playing a stand up instead of a baby grand or Grande - the Grands have a deeper fuller sound. The stand-up has that Barrel House bar room honky-tonk sound to it.

I'll tell you on a related topic, I recently listened to Keith's first show on 10/19 ("Enter Mr. Godchaux"), and I really got into the Zone on it. The audio quality is decent. They sound like they have been playing together for years at that point; it's really a wonder how these guys found each other. It reminds me of Mick Taylor joining the Stones. In hindsight you just can't fathom how such a perfect fit came about at random, for a band that was already together for several years and had achieved fame. On 10/19, there's a really good stretch of songs, I think starting with Casey Jones. I know there's a really good Brokedown Palace in there. Great stuff. Uncle Gary sent me that one. Everyone should have an uncle Gary.

Also a great show from Uncle Gary that same week, is the Dead in Detroit, October 24th - and it was Dark Star Night. There are no wasted moments on 1971 Dark Stars. Great audio.

Really just depends on my mood, but my general top 5 would be something like:

1. #9 (may 74)
2. #5 (nov 73)
3. #11 (nov 72)
4. #13 (feb 74)
5. #15 (april 78 - Nashville)

Yes, that Nashville '78 Dave's is underrated. Jerry botches the lyrics to the first verse of Bertha, (the 1st song of the 1st set) and after that, to my ears, there's nary an error. Its as close to a flawless show as i've heard. plus you have the best ever Wharf Rat.

Top 5's are tough, but i'll go

1. Wichita '72
2. Pauley Paviliion '73
3. Winterland Feb '74
4. Boston Garden '73
5. Swing Auditorium, '77

these aren't Daves, but still are worth seeking out:

4/28/80

a surprise encore (don't look at the set list)

well that's one.

there are many others in 80 and 81 that will put a smile smile smile on your face.

still need to check out the rest of new daves...crawling out of my skin with anticipation.

Can’t really vote because I don’t have them all, but so far I really dig #16 3/28/73

This is a stupendous release, though I am a sucker for anything with Pigpen-- and I haven't even gotten to the Lovelight on Disc 3 or the Bonus Disc yet!! The Dark Star is full of moods and is a great prelude to the gorgeous one played one month later at the same venue (Dick's 4). The Tighten Up jam after the dissonance is fluid and pretty. My wife had to come downstairs to tell me to turn it down during the spacey portion-- that was difficult to do as I figured a fine jam was coming-- and it was. Oh, and the Eleven is fantastic. Not as frenetic as winter/spring 69 versions I have heard, but really a good version.

Top 5 was doable a couple years ago when there were 20 or 24 from which to choose. Now, it is impossible for me to do. I felt guilty taking any of my previous top five picks out for new ones, but the 2/26/77 and this new pick warrant attention. I have always liked the Wichita 11/11/72, Nashville 4/22/78, UCLA 11/11/73, Winterland 2/24/74, Thelma December 1969, Fillmore and St. Louis 69 and 70, Mosque 5/25/77. I mean, how do I bump any of those top shelf shows? Inconceivable.

Oh yeah, the talk about Phish and Alligator takes me back to conversations I had with friends in college in the early 1990s. A friend put on Phish's song, "Possum" and I said that they were ripping off "Alligator." An argument ensued.

And I agree with Jim, while it is a great song, Alligator really is different from anything else Hunter wrote. I love the song, especially the early versions with the screams of 'Alligator!" at the end-- I truly miss that in later versions.

...a grateful afternoon to everyone!
Took another dose of Daves Picks #30 early this morning and loved it even more than the last time I listened to the release. This releases opens a lot of doors in the Grateful Dead’s canyon and the Bonus Disc is just the perfect cherry on top of this sweet pick! 30 minute plus Dark Star which starts off CD#3 is far out there and I’m love’n every minute of it.
The Druming in Cumberland is primo! ;)
Keep on trucking my brothers & sisters!
...this aftternoon im enjoy 5/7/77 from the boxset. It’s one of those days folks. 🙏❤️😎

....what about Gainesville???

:D

Sixtus

with a license plate holder that informed me that the car was purchased in....GAINESVILLE!

and I smiled quietly to myself

:)))

...I just got pulled into by 3/25/90 this late afternoon...
‘Quinn the Eskimo’(The Mighty Quinn) !!! ❤️😎
https://youtu.be/xN0X5IuU6jA
The video is from diff. Performance.

Yes this is hard to do. There are so many grate releases.
I just finished re-listening to DaP7 4/24/78 and I was very impressed. You can hear Kieth really well, almost too loud in the mix in some places. So in no particular order...

5 11/17/73
7 4/24/78
11 11/17/72
13 2/24/74
29 2/26/77

nitecat

Edit: Oops I forgot the Fox - DaP 11/30/80 with that matrix mix and they are so ON!
I just listened to this again recently, loved it.

Your top 5 Dave's Picks are rather odd. Just sayin'.

Odd that you should mention it, Bolo. Even still...

Getting through my first listen as it just arrived 2 days ago. The first Early Show is a B-/B, no real fire, even the TIFTOO suite is just okay. The segue to Cosmic Charlie is really nice. The Late Show on 1/2 takes a bit to start firing on all cylinders, but China Rider is really good, and Good Lovin' is fantastic. Monkey and the Engineer is fun because of the broken string and it leads to a high level Dark Star with a good amount of space before the Feelin' Groovy hits around 19 min in, then the nice proto-Sugar Mag Jam, and the fantastic, extended Soulful Strut Jam. I can't call this one Tighten Up, it does sound much more like Soulful Strut, and some Tighten Ups do sound like Archie Bell and the Drells, but whatever name ones gives to this 9 min, it's great and groovy, then a nice second verse and the extended composed section ending into an insanely quiet St Stephen intro. Great use of dynamics by the band on this show, something they were really getting into almost a year after the Dupree's and Mountains of the Moon acoustic numbers leading to the space of Dark Star. St Stephen is pretty good, great middle jam, some shakiness on the William Tell Bridge transition back, but The Eleven is just fantastic! Love the breakdowns, especially the drums. They were clearly feeling The Eleven as they start a little Eleven Jam in Lovelight a couple minutes in. And that's where I got out of the car. It took them a while, but they finally got heated up on that winter evening. So, Lovelight and the 1/3 material on my decently long drive tomorrow. I had to reorder the stuff after I ripped it, and then reordered it again after I saw it put it in a slightly confusing way. So, I just ended up creating folders for each show and putting the appropriate material in the appropriate folder. Kudos to Dave and Mr Norman for a fine release. The sound quality is odd for a Bear tape. Not his best recording, but the dynamic range is massive, and with 3 bands doing 2 shows, the man did a helluva job on the Sonic Journal. The quality did improve as the show went along.

I did a preview listen to 1/3 some weeks back, and based on that and some of the responses here, really looking forward to that tomorrow. I remember that TIFTOO was spectacular and full of fire.

These are by far the best liner notes in the Series. I wish they could do something like this every time. Bill Walton's on DaP 5 11/17/73 are also great, but two tales from 15 year olds scarred for life by the Dead at the Fillmore East on the same night in different shows is great.

Top 5 (not including DaP 30, have yet to finish it, unfair to rank it, and it hasn't shot past my favorites as yet)
1. 11 11/17/72 great show, great filler.
2. 14 3/26/72 and bonus disc Truckin> Jam> The Other One>Me & My Uncle> The Other One> Wharf Rat, a Stranger, Cold Rain & Snow, Black Throated Wind, great shorter Playing, Greatest Story starts to hit its stride, a release I like more than most people. But that Good Lovin' thru Wharf Rat is just unbelievably good stuff.
3. 6 and bonus disc 2/2/70, 12/20-21/69, 2 Dark Stars, a top shelf Other One (no Cryptical, but fiery Other One), 3 Mason's Children, 2 shows with TC, one without, 2 St Stephens, an Eleven, 2 New Speedways, 2 big Lovelights. This one moved up on last listen.
4. 13 2/24/74 Weather Report Suite> Row Jimmy, Dark Star> Morning Dew, that about does it for me.
5. Several tied among them 5 11/17/73, 10 12/11-12/69, 26 11/17/71 & 12/14/71, 17 7/19/74, 1 5/25/77, and 2 7/31/74 with bonus disc from 7/29/74.

Other miscellany: the Wharf Rat from DaP 15 4/22/78 is fantastic. Jerry rips a second solo, I think, because his first one didn't come out like he wanted, and he nails the second one. DaP 29 2/26/77 has shot that show up in my opinion, I had a really low volume copy on cd for 20 years and never got into that show because it hurt to strain my ears to listen, still probably outside the top 10. DaP 16 3/28/73 is an underrated one. The last disc is a Grateful wet dream of Weather Report Suite prelude> 30 min Dark Star> Eyes> Playing, with a ton of weirdness/feedback in the Star and an incredibly energetic Playing to cap the show. DaP 21 4/2/73 is from a few nights later and the tour closer, and a better sounding tape, but not as great a performance to me.

Also, interesting in the liner notes, Starfinder credits Bear with some Dave's Picks where Kidd is listed as the recording engineer 9 and 17 are two examples. Whatever it means, I hope it means more undiscovered Bear recordings make their way out...

So the Box won’t be from those years?

Warfield CDs in the mailbox today!

...for me to catch on to Bolo's post. Yeah, you guys appear to have picked exclusively odd numbered Dave's picks for your top 5. Seems like a comment not a clue.

That settles it, I’m going to have to give #11 a proper listen again. It’s been a while and I remember liking it a lot but it sure has made a lot of Top 5 appearances here.

I also took Bolo's post as an observation and not a clue. But, on second thought, knowing Bolo as well as I don't, it might be.

Dave's 11 was a close contender for the Top 5, followed closely by 15. Both odd numbers as well. Hmmmm. This is starting to feel slightly Hitchcockian.

I was surprised Oroborous was the first I saw who mentioned DaP16 3/28/73, that one is one of my favorites, I think Kiethfan2112 had a catchy name for it based on the funky house on the cover. Those '73 shows are just so long and I just can't get enough of that '73 sound, especially when there is a WRS>Dark Star>Eyes>PIB sequence. And to be honest, I may be in the minority, but I really dig Donna doing You Aint Woman Enough and that one has a cool Here Comes Sunshine also. Now that I think about it, DaP16 is due for another listen ASAP.

If the bonus disc is included then the DaP10 12/12/69 release is another favorite as that bonus disc is still my number one favorite bonus disc and the rest is also good stuff. Another even numbered release I return to often is DaP18 7/17/76, as I recall that one has a cool, slow feel to things.

Hard for me to really come up with a top 5, and to be fair, I don't have some early ones from the first couple of years, but I just thought I'd mention a few cool even numbered releases.

....so what's up with all the hubbub, bub?
Keithfan called it the Scooby-Doo house if I recall correctly.

How cruel to make us consider a top 5 DaP list. I apologize.. but I have to admit it was really fun reading all these comments. So I guess.. no regrets. In the immortal words of Paul Reubens.. "I'm Not Sorry!!!"

A tip of the hat to OKCDeadHead for calling me out on my unintentional farce that I actually had a top 5. As soon as I read his respectful reply I knew I had been found out and listing a top 5 was close to impossible. Ooops.. my bad.

I do stand behind my post though.. disc three is special. I have listened to it twice more since. Perhaps it just agrees with me and my mood this week. I also think Alligator is perhaps the most whimsical of the original songs in the GD cannon, and I am happy for that. Love that song, and I am grateful it was such a rare gem. By the time they were back to one drummer, it was gone like the dodo. Rarities..

Thanks to all for some really fun comments.. I have personally listened to three or four of the high points in some of my neglected releases and questioned my judgement every step of the way. Which is good, I think.

Even.. odd.. I spent half my life trying to be the even one. The other half I realized I am odd and have been much the happier person. Perhaps none of us were really meant to fit in, but to stand out and stand tall. Perhaps that was Bolo's way of saying thanks for being yourself. An odd little place it is.

Ha! Love the post, Jim. No sorries from me though. That was fun! I’m a list guy, what can I say? Once you mentioned #30 being a top 5, I needed to see what other four cracked it for a point of reference. I really enjoyed all the responses. Once I noticed all of the #11 love I almost wanted to initiate a poll for Top 5 ‘72 shows, again for a point of reference. That could prove to be just downright cruel so I thought it better to leave that one alone. Thanks for playing, everybody! Now, a second spin of #30 Disc 3 before the night closes.

....indeed. Its an hour and a half drive from Santa Fe as the crow flies. Just saying. I get caught in a rut at times.
I also enjoy lists. Last five anyone? I think I may have started that. Or maybe it was cosmicbadger. Or slolettuce. Hard to tell.

#2 - 7/74
#9 - 5/74
#11 - 11/72
#5 - 11/73
#13 - 2/74
I guess that kind of puts to rest what my favorite era might be! Lol
Rock on

....the defense rests. It's awesome we all agree on those two picks. Love you all. 11.17.
Wichita was recorded by Bear, with nice liner notes from Gary Houston. I know, cause I just started spinning it.

I know I'm always blathering on about listening on headphones, but I'm going to do it again, because of the Wichita discussion going on. I believe it's the best sounding two-track we have from 1972. Vguy - I did not realize that Bear recorded this one, thanks for that tidbit. He did something right. Separation is great, fidelity is great, dynamic range is great, recording level is great. I only mention the headphones because that's the best way to catch the nuances in quality.

I really don't know why that one is so popular. The setlist isn't the most spectacular, even the long jam of The Other One is more of an exceedingly long Truckin Jam with a few minutes of actual Other One action, but the way it breathes into Brokedown Palace's gentle beauty is pretty sweet. The Black-Throated Wind, Bird Song, Jack Straw, Box of Rain quartet is the meat of the 1st set to me. Love the He's Gone, it's almost as good as the version from the next night at Hofheinz Pavilion. But how does that all add up to maybe the best DaP? Maybe it's just as simple as Fall '72. Or the oddity of falling on the date 11/17. Whatever it is, there is just something about that show that I go back to often. And the bonus tracks just add to the pleasure because you get an even longer Playing in the Band than Hofheinz, with similar jams as Hofheinz, just not quite the same level, and a very nice Wharf Rat and NFA>GDTRFB> NFA.

The Pauley Pavilion love is easier to spot as that setlist is more hallucinatory dream, and it also falls on 11/17 one week after the Winterland '73 shows. Surprised at the amount of top 5 love for DaP 9 5/14/74. Not that it's a bad show or anything, just never got into it personally. Mainly due to the weirdness of the Dark Star, put it on to fall asleep to once, and it was not a good choice as I didn't fall asleep before things started going askew. But as happens every time with these lists, I'll revisit 9, though it's never moved much with new listens. I do love that Playing, extremely high energy. WRS> Dark Star> China Doll ought to be right up my alley, maybe this time will be the right mindset and circumstances to achieve liftoff... But first up is the 1/3/70 material starting off with Morning Dew. Then Warfield 1980.

31
32
33
34
35

I don’t have them, thus they are the ones I want to listen to the most.

Ha.. 36 is a smoker.

I have a difficult time putting together a top 5 list. So many good choices so far out of 30. Unfortunate for me it is easier to put together a top 5 list of what I don't play... Up after 5/11/77 is 5/11/72 good old Rotterdam.. Have a good weekend all... bob t

That's right. A nearly flawless show. What a lucky bunch we are.

...top five include(d) ;) Pigpen!!! 🙏❤️😎

One last thought since “He’s Gone” got mentioned from two different 11/72 shows. I too love both Wichita and Houston and I admit full bias here but 11/14/72 is one of my favs. Especially the outro jam musical argument that closes He’s Gone. Truckin’ says Phil, Jerry says “nah.” Bobby pushes for TOO, denied again. After a bit more of this back and forth, Phil gets his wish. Then TOO follows. Great stuff! Maybe someday we’ll get a OKC Civic Center 11/14-15/72 release with both shows. The only time they had a two-show run in my home state. A man can dream...

Had mine for about a week and-a-half and just now ripping to iTunes. Look forward to hearing it.

Trying to keep up with the anniversary listening program but have only made it halfway through 5/9/77. Lots of May shows released.

Haven't made it though the full set, but this is a very nice release. I am surprised at how good and tight the "newer" material sounds at this show. The Cumberland is a disaster though.

TCs playing is also very subtle and subdued. Again, I'm surprised at how well he contributed to the newer material at this show, which I have never thought before until I heard this show.

The mix is also very fantastic. Not muddy and saturated like the many later recordings from May1969 forward. Thelma is very muddy and saturated compared to this show just a few weeks later.

Looking forward to the Live Dead sequence. I wish they would have found a way to sneak in Death Don' Have No Mercy into these shows. That's about all that's missing.

The Fillmore East was truly a special place, and probably the most iconic GD venue out there.

Because this goes to eleven...

.... different strokes for different folks I guess kevjones. I mean, it's not a Wichita Cumberland, which is 🔥, but it's worthy. Don't forget. I have a PhD in making five dollars a day.
Skulltrip. I see what you did there. Nice.

Thanks, Vguy. Should have guessed that one wouldn't slip past your radar.

This Cumberland's cruisin' along fine inside my ear sockets. Haven't heard it crash yet. Then again, I rarely ever ride trains so...

In 1976 when I was in elementary school, they gave us American flag bicentennial 1776/1976 bicycle spoke reflectors that I proudly adhered to my Schwinn scrambler.

At that time, I was unaware that the Dead's leaden tempos from this period would be the precursor to today's Dead & Co. pace, seemingly bogged down in molasses.

I hear it now, I hear the space in which the soloists, unhurriedly, pull off some gems. Keith's piano solo from the 6/9/76, Boston, They Love Each Other is brilliant! (playing now).

I guess Dead & Co. can get a pass, as there is a precedent for the slowness. I do love 1976.

\m/