Customer Reviews

Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 12/29/77

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pure power. Seamless transition. A complete musical group-mind. All the pieces were in place a few days after Christmas in 1977, and the Dead were at their home, the Winterland in San Fran.

The rest is history.

In the annals of live Dead shows, this one is truly memorable. From the very first note, everyone is in peak form. Jerry's not stumbling on leads out of the gate, Bob isn't forgetting any words, and it seems even Donna is singing in tune consistently.

But it's the second set re-emergence of "China Cat Sunflower," in the middle of a mind-melting "Playing in the Band" that really cements this as a classic set. They hadn't played "China" in 3 years, and suddenly it emerges. You can hear people in the audience literally freaking out.

Obviously, this album is for Dead freaks like myself, but if you're looking for a totally solid live recording of them, this is a great place to start. Very little pretentiousness, mostly meat and hardly and filler. This is the sound of a rock band that had transformed itself into a psychedelic hurricane, unleashed on the California coast.

It certainly is all opinion when the subject is live Grateful Dead. There are heads that list their favorite year of Dead shows as 1969, there are many folks that tend to go for the jazzier/jammier 1973 shows, and 1985 was a popular year to find on trader's tape lists back in the late 1980's. Well, because of those tape lists, I was able to explore lot's of different years of live Grateful Dead music and for me THE year that has stood out as being my favorite is 1977. The reason that 1977 is my favorite is because of the SOUND of the band, and during this year the sound is rich & warm, and it transports to tapes and CD's (thank you, Dick} in very cool colors & texture. The playing of The group {for me, remember it is all opinion} of 1977 has that extra x-factor, that soars above most other great years of these special concerts.

The Most Popular Grateful Dead Show of 1977 is by far 05/08/77, the Barton Hall Performance from Cornell University. If we had a High Quality Tape of 12/29/77 way back in the 80's, this Wonderful Show from Winterland, {THE Place to see The Dead in the 1970's} would have been right up there with Barton Hall or Buffalo {05/09/77) or Englishtown, NJ {09/03/77}. But, Dick has brought this Gem Out of the Mists, and now we can drink this Great Night in!

From: "Jack Straw" thro to the Encore of: "Terrapin Station", this Show is ON, Jerry adds something Extra to the Music throughout the Entire Show, And if you don't know about Keith, and WHY he is so Special, then you need to start here to see what all the Fuss was about. The Piano is mixed right up front, {A Crime on other Dick's Picks, when it is not!} and Thank the Gods that is! Keith was having a Night here, as this Show features some of his Best Playing that I have ever heard...Well, anywhere. And We Shant Forget Bill & Micky, On this Night they are a Percussion Force of Might {Much like a Runaway Train, that is about to Jump the Tracks, but doesn't}.


The Second Set From the Smokin': "Bertha" thro to the rap up "Playing in the Band" Sequence is Pure Magic and Must Be Heard to be believed...This Music has the X-Factor Plus 10, it has been often said that you could have heard a pin drop in Winterland during this Famous Set of Music. Well, now you can hear it in all it's Glory, and you will know just WHY those Jaws were dropping during this Famous Second Set from San Francisco.

Yeah, I'm a little biased in my opinion of live Grateful Dead music {and after hearing 1,500 Hours of it, YOU would be as well}. But, when something stands out as special, your ears certainly take notice, and of this Winterland show, you will again realise WHY we are called: "Dead-Heads" in the first place.

This is some of the finest live Grateful Dead music, that you are gonna be lucky enough to hear....Buy this one...Nuff Said!
A 5-Star Show !!!

This show is simply stunning. If a show has one or two powerful songs in it, we call it a good show. Every single song in here is a scorcher. It starts off strong and just goes up from there. It stomps, it roars, it kicks ass like a sailor on leave. The band is posessed - they seem unable to do wrong, and they're tighter than Dick's hatband (no pun intended.) The sound is as clear and crisp as a mountain stream - you can hear every single note. Sometimes the vocals are a little low in the mix, but only just. Driving home early this morning I was moved to tears as China Cat/Rider evolved into China Doll - the artistry was incredible. Maybe the finest, most accomplished show I've ever heard, from beginning to end. DP 3 has a stronger second set, but for a show that just kicks your teeth in from song to song, for one that grabs you and won't let go, this show is amazing. What a year 1977 was.

The Dead were clearly happy to be home for New Year's Eve. The opening tune, Jack Straw is sharp as a tack, with Jerry's guitar craking and the drums snapping. Disc 2, with a great Bertha/Good Lovin' an awesome China/Rider and a pounding Not FadeAway, is one of the best discs in the whole DP series. If you are just starting your DP colletion, number 10, along with 3 and 12, are the places to begin.

This 3-CD collection opens with what might be the very best extant version of "Jack Straw," and that includes all the references to that English highwayman going back to and including Chaucer's Canterbury Tales!

Those of us who are accustomed to the graceful and melodic but simple and placid Garcia riffs of early 90s concerts and recordings will be amazed at the electric energy of Gracia's work on this song, and the dual drumming of Kreutzmann and Hart and thunk-thumping of Phil Lesh's bass make this single song of the first CD a prime tune to play for those non-GD aficionados who ask you, "what is so great about this group?"

This CD collection is the electronic version of those old bumper stickers that used to say, "There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert."

Why isn't there a rating level above 5? This one should definitely be there. There are amazing versions of so many songs...'Jack Straw,' 'Bertha,' 'Playin' in the Band,' I could go on. 'China Cat Sunflower' (played for the first time in 3 years) has a palpable energy that carries through the rest of the show, and is a seminal version to rank with the best. This 'Terrapin Station' is, without a doubt, my favorite version...so well-executed, with just the right emotion.
The guys rocked this show. They played their traditional covers, like 'Johnny B. Goode' & 'Mama Tried,' nearly perfectly, and the music is just plain fun. However, emotion was good on these nights too; 'Loser' is terrific, and the only time I have ever absolutely loved Donna Godchaux is when she harmonizes on 'Looks Like Rain.'
Mostly by dumb luck, this was the first Grateful Dead music I ever purchased, just as I was growing to appreciate their music. Now I'm pushing about 40 Dead CD's, and I don't think that it's entirely coincidental that the floodgates were opened by my acquisition of such a great recording. This show, like I said, might be their best ever.

As the very excited Michael Nash states in the liner notes "Nuances were not admitted in the door; the band played with the subtlety of a sledgehammer"
Plenty of dropped cues, forgotten lyrics, and stumbling drum fills. This is a show of brute force. not the subtler approach of years previous. However, it is packed full of energy and excitement. Not the best place to start because it is not representative of the subtlies that made the Dead's music so magically beautiful. Try Harpur College, 5/2/70 (D.P. Vol.8), or your local tape trader for something a bit more balanced, like Cape Cod 10/27/79.

This is my new favorite Grateful Dead concert. I lost my tapes years ago, but I've been able to pick up legal soundboard concerts, good concerts thanks to Dick and some local independent music stores.

This is an unbelievable concert. I would choose it as one of my favorites for two reasons: Jack Straw and Bertha. Don't get me wrong. I'm mean, St. Stephen..well, yeah. But listen to the crescendo on these two songs. It's a sample. If you had a 14 year old brother who hated the Dead, you would (hopefully not forcefully) make him hear these. It's universal; whereas something like China Doll is more personal.

Buy this concert. The power and love tear that old house down.

This show is about passion and energy, not subtilty or nuance. Not that there is'nt any delicate playing on this cd but the energy level which the Dead achieve at peak moments is as close to heavy metal as they ever got. Jerry almost loses it when he screams the chorus for "I Know You Rider" The band gets so caught up in the energy that they nearly burst apart. I can't imagine what it was like in the audience but I'd hazard to guess that it was an unforgettable if not life changing event. This is one of the most intense sets by the Dead they've ever released and is filled with a fire and passion that warrants their reputation as one of the great rock live acts. The Dead were really feeling their oats during this show, rolling thunder indeed. The extra tracks on CD 3 from the following night are equally as impassioned. Great Dick's Pick, one of the best.

There has been alot written about this show by dead heads in it's reguards to legendary statis. So it was with great anticipation to put in on and let it rip. WOW the opener of Jack Staw is tremndous. the drummers have never sounded better on this number, a force that will blow you away. The other highlights of the first disk are Loser and Sugaree. The set list is the big disapointment however. There are too may run of the mill selections like, Tenn. Jed., They Love Each Other, and, Promised land, all ho hum selctions, sure they are played great but standard stuff. The second disk has two songs missing from the show Must Have been The Roses and Sunrise. The Version of Not Fadaway is short for the time, but a good version none the less. The real joy here is the Playin-China -Rider-China Doll pure excellence. The add on of Eyes of the World-St. Stephen is worth the price alone. Did it ever get better than this for the Dead? Maybe, Though for the most part you would be hard pressed to find it. While the song selection in the first set is average at best you will find the rest of the stuff here is awsome.