So smooth, so warm. 2nd song in the show, and they sound like its late 2nd set. Gem of a show, gem of a song.

The Bear tape is a bit over-saturated, but the band is just killing it from all corners. Don't pass this one up out of aud-o-phobia.

Look for the Bear recording, which is the proper speed: You'll find a killer version with an explosive transition than just soars.

Jerry's diamond hard-edged tone slices and slashes achingly, hauntingly, and clear desperado mode.

Just Jerry, Phil, and Bobby are audible in this weird tape - but what a study of their communication. Worth a listen for that alone.

Absolute stunner. They were clearly all warmed up and ready to go from the first note of the first set, and this just caps it off with a great stand alone SB. Starts nicely in the pocket, then Donna adds subtle, gentle touches, as sweet as she ever got with the '76 sound, and then it's off to the moon and back. At around 10:00 or so Mickey (presumably) starts throwing martian golf balls around the cowbell and it kicks everyone into the next level. Should have many more votes here. Don't vote for the mis-listed SB>Fire on this page!

Very hot for a show opener. Gives the heads heads-up that the boys mean business.

Thanks Catalonia for the essay link. I'll read that asap. I love the deadessays stuff. There's a great one about how 76 Dancin' in the Streets versions. All in all there's a ton of great '76 stuff, which I think goes mostly overlooked. The sound is still rougher than the best of the studio-tight '77 shows, there isn't that wild anything-goes feeling of the pre-haitus years. There is, however, a sense of big open spaces, that any song could become a new vehicle for deep spontaneous composition - not just the big Playin's or Dark Stars (in fact no Dark Stars all year). I'm going chronologically - you noticed! - but I prefer not to rush things. I'll spend a couple of days on a single show rather than trying to get through them all so fast that they all become a blur. Next year? I'm thinking of going through '77, but I know most of that year already. I might also deep dive into '69 - a big mostly undiscovered terrain. There's a whole lot of Dead out there. Peace, brother or sister or whoever you are.

Leads into a unique 6 minute unnamed jam mislabeled "Drums" on some versions. Very cool.

Definitely a weird one, the meltdown is long and heavy, even a bit aggressive - maybe the weirdest one of the year not known for acid meltdowns. This isn't a first-time, convince your friend about the dead kind of Playin', unless your friend is into Trout Mask Replica and free jazz, and all that. The transition into Wharf Rat, is all the more amazing for it, out of wild abstraction they come in fast, landing on one of the more literal, prosaic (in the good sense) and story-telling songs in their oeuvre.