The Deadpod

This week on the Deadpod we go back 54 years, to October 9, 1972, for the second set of the "benefit for the roadies" at Winterland in San Francisco, CA. It opens with a somewhat amusing, clearly well-lubricated rap from Grace Slick, who was eventually led off the stage by Bill Graham, before the band eases into "He's Gone." The set features some really fine vocals from Garcia and great versions o...

This week on the Deadpod we go back to the fall of 1972 for a show at Winterland that was billed as a benefit for the band's road crew. The night is remembered for two things: a brief, unplanned cameo by Grace Slick at the start of the second set, and the first electric performance of the much-loved "Box of Rain," which the band hadn't played since its acoustic debut in September 1970. This episod...

Here's a fine second set to close out September on the Deadpod. The setlist may look short, but there's plenty of tasteful jamming and exploration to round out a strong selection of classic Dead tunes. Bruce Hornsby is a great addition to a rousing "Samson and Delilah," and "Eyes of the World" gets stretched out nicely for this period in the band's history. After "Saint of Circumstance" there's an...

This week on the Deadpod, I'm heading back to one of my favorite September stops: Madison Square Garden in New York City, for the opening night of the band's nine-show run in September 1991. By this point, the post-Brent lineup has had time to settle in, and Bruce Hornsby adds plenty of color to the proceedings. Phil makes his presence felt right from the opening "Touch of Grey," providing a stron...

On this week's Deadpod, we continue with the second set from September 2nd, 1983, in Boise, Idaho. The boys keep up the energy from the first set throughout this one, with a jamming pre-drums segment that runs non-stop through a string of favorites. A highlight, however, comes just before Drums, when Bobby and Brent stay out front together for an intense jam of their own. Following Drums and Space...

Labor Day is here! I've found what I think is a rather overlooked show to celebrate the holiday this week with this gem from September 2, 1983 in Boise Idaho. This was the only show the band ever played in Idaho, and I have to believe that the unique location gave them some extra energy that shows through as we listen to this show.  After a unique introduction by Phil, the band powers into a funky...

Hey Now -- this week we have a wonderful second set from one of the most memorable times in the band's storied career.. This second set from the Berkeley Communitiy Theater in Berkeley California has a mix of straight ahead rockin' and deep exploratory jams that showcases the band's versatility and innovation. I call your attention to the incomparable 'Other One' here that goes in previously unkno...

This week on the Deadpod we have one of the fine shows the band played in late August 1972 at the Berkeley Communit y Theater in Berkeley, CA. In this small, hometown venue, the band plays together and listens to each other at a high level — something that would bloom beautifully a few days later at the Old Renaissance Fairgrounds in Veneta, Oregon. They're relaxed and loose here. In this first se...

We return to St. Paul this week for a wonderful second set from August 6, 1982. The set hangs together beautifully, with the band locked in from start to finish. The opening Scarlet > Fire features some fine interplay between Jerry and Bob, with Garcia's lines dancing around Weir's rhythm. That same energy carries into Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance, which spills into Space and an 11‑beat, "E...

This week, as we approach the end of the "Days Between," I thought this recording—emblematic of what I think of as the Dead's 'third' period—would be a fitting choice as we remember Jerry. This one comes to us from St. Paul, MN, on August 6, 1982. It's an energetic show with a tight ensemble throughout. Jerry is playing at a high level, and Brent, along with the rest of the band, is right there wi...

This week on the Deadpod we head back to the Family Dog at the Great Highway in San Francisco for a superb show from August 3, 1969. This is the kind of set that reminds us just how quickly the Grateful Dead were evolving in that remarkable year, moving from the raw energy of their early material into the open-ended exploration that would define so much of what followed. The set opens with a fine...

This week on Deadpod we're back at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco for the second set from 7/12/76, a show that has that special midsummer 1976 feel I've always loved: relaxed, open, and full of musical space, but with plenty of spark still in the band's step.  The set gets underway with a very nice "Sugaree," followed by a spirited "Samson And Delilah," and then we move into one of the great...

This week takes us to Summer tour 1976 - to the first night of a six night run on the home turf of San Francisco California for a delightful show at the intimate Orpheum Theater on July 12, 1976.  'The Music Never Stopped' provides a fine and fitting opener as the boys return to the stage on the West Coast following their hiatus from touring and the completion of 'Blues for Allah' and an East Coas...

We return this week to the plains of Kansas for the second set of the band's July 4, 1990 performance at Sandstone Amphitheater. The band comes back as the sun dips down and treats us to a couple of their newer songs, starting with 'Victim or the Crime'. They lighten the mood with a fine 'Foolish Heart', which flows into one of my favorite Brent tunes, 'Just a Little Light'. Knowing this was one o...

On this sweltering Fourth of July weekend, I've decided to travel back to another sweltering Fourth—July 4, 1990 at Sandstone Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs, Kansas. With temperatures well over 100 at showtime and no roof over the seating area, this was probably the hottest showtime I'd ever experienced. For me, it was a deeply memorable night: not only the last time I'd see Brent before his tragi...

This week's Deadpod features the Grateful Dead's second set from June 4, 1978, at Campus Stadium, University of California, Santa Barbara—a show that captures the band in a confident and fluid late-'70s mode. The set opens with a lively "Samson and Delilah," followed by a nicely rendered "Ship of Fools" that provides an early contrast in mood. The improvisational core begins with "Estimated Prophe...

This week's Deadpod takes us back to sunny California for a Sunday show at the University of California, Santa Barbara, on June 4, 1978. This is their first show in about a month following the excellent Spring tour, and the band sounds like they're in great spirits—evidenced both by the between-song banter and the upbeat performances throughout the set. A somewhat unusual pairing opens things up,...

This week's Deadpod features the second set from June 6th, 1992, a performance that captures the Grateful Dead's late-era mix of looseness, drive, and exploratory spirit. The set opens on a joyful note with "Iko Iko," before shifting into a spacious "Estimated Prophet" that leads into a rare second-set "The Same Thing." From there, the mood turns inward with a heartfelt "He's Gone," setting up the...

  This week's Deadpod comes from a listener request, as we head to Buffalo, New York, and the Grateful Dead's performance at Rich Stadium on June 6, 1992. It's firmly in the early '90s period, with Vince Welnick on keys and the band leaning into a more polished, modern sound while still drawing on their deep songbook. In this first set we get a very '90s opener with "Touch of Grey" into "Greatest...

This week's Deadpod continues our visit to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, as we present the second set from May 8, 1981. After last week's well‑played opening set, the band comes out strong here with a big "Shakedown Street" into "Samson and Delilah," then digs deep with "Terrapin Station" flowing into a wide‑open "Playin' in the Band" and on through Drums and Space. Ken...

For this Memorial Day weekend edition of the Deadpod, we're traveling to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, for the Grateful Dead's spring tour stop on May 8, 1981. This is early‑'80s Brent Mydland era, and the band sounds sharp and energized: Jerry's in good voice, Brent's keys add color and bounce, and the rhythm section keeps everything moving with plenty of drive and nua...

This week on the Deadpod, we travel to Nassau Coliseum on May 14th, 1980, for a second set that finds the Grateful Dead settling confidently into the early Brent Mydland era. The band sounds relaxed yet focused, blending that familiar late‑70s drive with a more expansive, textural approach.   The set opens with the cool, pulsing groove of "Feel Like a Stranger" and flows into a beautifully unhurri...

The Dead have a long history of great Spring performances, and 1980 was no exception. This week we go to Nassau for the May 14, 1980 show at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. This was the first night of a three‑show run, with the last two nights later compiled on the 2002 "Go To Nassau" release, leaving this opening show as the odd one out from the official catalog. This show comes short...

This week's Deadpod takes us back to Pasadena, California, and the Rose Palace on May 10, 1969. This is a fierce, high-energy slice of early Dead, complete with a few rough edges from the road. "Hard To Handle" and "Morning Dew" both run into technical trouble, with the band's frustration coming through loud and clear, but the real centerpiece here is the long psychedelic run from "Dark Star" into...

Saturday night in Chi-town brings us a second set that opens with the soon‑to‑be‑released "Touch of Grey," delivered in a tight, confident reading. A funky "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)" follows, with Jerry and Brent locking into some lively interplay that keeps the energy high. "Terrapin Station" then unfolds and the band shows their trademark virtuosity, taking us on a vibrant, narrative‑driven rid...