Grateful Dead

First one in the door.

nya nya

Khaaaaan!!!!!! Missed it by THAT much!

Foiled

No skeletons.

Yes! Finally no skeletons. The most stale album cover motif ever.... THANK YOU to the artist for not being lazy.

Great cover! Beehive hairdos on the turtles?

....what a travesty!

As every year.

I had just returned from six months in Germany with a pocketful of money. My friends and I left Glenmont in 2-3 cars, a bag of really good Colombian and some other goodies. When we got near the Calvert Whiskey sign in Baltimore the traffic slowed and this guy in a car next to me looked over, smiled, stuck his arm out the window and handed me a joint. The traffic began to move quicker and he went ahead. The Sugaree kicked ass. Little Feat played there a few days before if I remember correctly. Then Zeppelin played at the Capitol Centre in Largo, MD. a few days after this Dead show.

then mentions "different eras." My money is on an '80s box. So unless it's '80 or '81 or from Red Rocks, that'll give me a year to catch up on llistening to my collection...

Ah, the tea leaves. Whatever makes me think I can read them? (I'd be guessing 50 years of hallucingens...)

no, beehived!

wassup with that?

They've got the crabs. (Nice artwork!!)

Welcome to 2022!!!!!
PLAY DEAD
PLAY DEAD LOUD

Fancy meeting you all here...let's go! And yes to the no more tired skelly covers....and I'm just about completely recovered from my ice tumble from last month...thanks to all the well wishers here too...what a bunch!

....Dave scared me at 9:55 in. I thought a meteor was heading his way!
Bald eagle though. Carry on.

Dave's trivia:
Jack-A-Roe debuted 9 days earlier in Tuscaloosa. Similar intros; love that.
No summer tour with Mickey injured. Always wondered about that gap.
He's named the eagles.
And Baltimore Orioles on there too. Can I count that sighting?
Cheers

I wonder if they were tempted to play a few shows in summer 1977 after Mickey fell off his hoss. If that's what happened-I forget. Would have been interesting if they had.

and I agree on Big River

"two eagles hang against a cloud"

:)))

Interesting you mention that juncture when Mickey was hurt.
A fascinating hypothesis of author Blair Jackson is the
big what-if - being what if Mickey hadn't had that accident
and Jerry had presented the next batch of Hunter songs in
the pipeline (Cats Under The Stars) and THAT became the basis
for which the Dead would have started the follow-up to
Terrapin as opposed the varied array of songs that make up
Shakedown Street. Interesting notion ...

There were 60 shows in 77. By my count, including Roadtrips, this is the 31st '77 show to be released. So, it's not even in the top half of shows for that year? In comparison, there haven't been 30 releases from the entire decade of the 80's and that includes the 30 Trips box. Sorry. Not sorry that I'm passing. Maybe we need someone with a new perspective.

Nice nod to the ubiquitous Baltimore Hon beehive hair style from the 60s on the two turtles gracing the cover.The annual HonFest here in B'More has a beehive hair competition to this day.(Good food, funky vibes and lots of local music) I think the turtle on the right is sporting a John Waters mustache. Hairspray anyone...?

Wasn’t Jack-a-Roe debuted 5/13/77, and not 5/17/77, as Dave and others have mentioned? It’s a good one!

Def a Hohn Waters reference. Also, anyone notice the crabs chests? One looks like a wolf howling in the left and the right a bird/eagle mid flap?

Always love the '77 Shows, but have to say that, the 80's were much better than releases reflect, and are due some serious consideration for more releases. Perhaps the most overlooked show ever is Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN on December 5, 1981. UNBELIEVABLY hot show. Are you listening, Dave? If you are, give it a listen!! Space>Wheel>Playing>Stella Blue>Sugar Mags is still smoking in my ears 40 years later. The jam and transition from Stella into Sugar Magnolia is FLAWLESS. 12/6/81 in Chicago the next night is pretty good too . . .

....there are some awesome versions out there. Sweetener.
Gonna have to dig into these 41 cover references.
I have zero clue who Hohn Waters is. But I'm game.

I am not a great fan of the 1980s, myself, but that matters not - I do agree with L.MO. that it would be good if we had someone with a new perspective involved in Dead releases. In my field of work, it was unusual to have someone in the same post for more than about 5 years. Having said that, and for better or worse, I was in the same one for over 20 - but that wasn't typical. It was generally considered to be a good thing to have fresh eyes and minds involved.

I agree with Muffin. Definitely a howling wolf on the chest of the crab on the left. I see a crow on the chest of the one on the right. Did some Googleing last night and the tie ins to Baltimore they used on the cover are really cool. Thanks for those of you who posted about the connections.
I would have had no clue. That's what I love about catching up each morning. It seems that no stone is left unturned here. I am sure we all subscribe to DPs for different reasons. So far, the second release with the bonus disc has been worth the price of admission for me. Everything else is just added enjoyment. Some more than others. But they all bring enjoyment!

It would be nice if they could release a Dave's Picks from each decade each year, one from the 60s, 70s 80s and 90s.. They might not have enough material from the 60s to do that, but that would be the best way if it were possible.

If they sounded good they would release them. I think the 1989-1990 shows and box sets demonstrate that there is a desire to release great Dead from any period. It's too bad the high quality reel to reel Betty Boards were on hiatus in the 80s, They appear to have lost interest or budget. It's not as though they have not tried. There are some horrific sounding shows that I think were released as crowd pleasers. Someone here described one of the 80s Dave's Picks sound quality as listening to them through the keyhole of a closed door. The show was all but unlistenable. It's a shame, but it's like the 2nd half of 1970. The shows just are not there in any sort of quality that can be called passable.

Happy New Year all!

I have not heard this show, but have a hard time imagining it holds up to 5/25 at The Mosque. That show is the gold standard of May 1977. In Dave I trust though. I will put in some time at Th Mosque before #41 hits my door mat. The smoothness and lack of warts on 5/25 was exceptional even for May 77.

Not seeing the howling wolf, but that doesn't mean it's not there. I like the crab (Maryland is for crabs), the Baltimore Oriole, the Terrapin (University of Maryland, home of the Terrapins), the beehive and the John Waters reference. One of the orioles even looks like it has a bit of raven in it.

The street scene has a Shakedown Street vibe to it too. Perhaps a nod to Gilbert Shelton (who does not appear to have much to do with Baltimore, but certainly the Grateful Dead).

I'm a fan of this show. Excellent recording, tight show. It works and is sort of on par with Dave's Picks 1.

Fire Lemieux? I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Yes, it was 5/13/77 in Chicago. In the first Spring 77 Box set.

Oh Dave why did you have to lumber us with 4 glasses again!?!?

Or, why not make the glasses like DaP's,,, sign up once and get all four?

But noooooooo, now every 3 months I need to watch for the release of the new glass and hope I don't get snookered on one of the glasses.

Thanks Dave!

:-) ( I like the glasses)

OK, maybe the axe was better.

Nice recording, the copy I got sounds great. This would be a good 81 release.

Hey rockers!!

I let TPTB know, in no uncertain terms, that should DL be fired, I would, on a strictly temporary basis, step up and assume the reins.

However, fans of post-hiatus shows might force my early retirement.................

Doc
Making tough decisions that may make someone unhappy is something to get good at doing......

....to Dennis' point, the frenzy to get a glass is a reminder that even for the stoudt hearted there still remains a challenge or two to overcome. These reminders are appreciated. I also dig this artwork, and I've hung out in Balti many a time (my younger bro used to live there for about a decade) so it's a nice reminder of good times.

This show is super tight as well, haven't listened in a while but do recall. I never rebuke an Estimated > Eyes.

Be Well People.
Sixtus

billfgrady and DV had it right. First Jack-A-Roe 5-13-77 and second one 5-15-77 so 5-26-77 is goin' down the line.
Dave, how do you remember all those dates and shows? K for close on that one.
Cheers

Does anyone know where to change your shipping address for Dave's Picks subscirption people since they will automatically get sent to us?
Thanks in advance!

Hey Now!

You can reach out to GD customer service via email with your updated info and they should be able to assist. I had to do this 2 years ago when we moved and it was pulled off without a hitch.

Sixtus

"leave Dave alone!"

There are certain jobs where you just have to accept it that you can't please everyone. President of the United States, Grateful Dead archivist, stuff like that.

Interesting to hear that this DaP marks the release of more than half (31 of 60) of all 1977 shows. But whether that glass is half empty or half full depends on how you slice the salami.

Just think how much better the GD would have been if they’d replaced the lead guitarist in 1976. I mean 11 years is enough for anyone. (/sarcasm).

77
77
77
77
77
77
77
77

With a little research I am seeing that John Waters’ Desperate Living was released in Baltimore on May 23 or 27, 1977. Not quite the perfect fit as found in the May 25 Richmond show coinciding with Star Wars but with this in mind, maybe Richmond was only selected for Vol 1 because of the all too perfect synchronicity for starting out the DaP series? And of the two, this is in fact the BETTER show???

I could give it much comparative thought when the release arrives…. and then my ears will remind me to simply enjoy.

Colin - I'm sure Dave would be chuffed at having his contribution to the overall scheme of things compared to Jerry's !
I wasn't trying to suggest that Dave should be "sacked", by the way - that would be unforgivable after all the great work he has done in preserving the Dead's legacy. Just that things could be refreshed if someone new was to have more input.
Having said that - 1977 may still be prioritised whoever is at the helm - its a popular year, and the main goal of Deadnet is to sell stuff. But to me it now sounds like very middle of the road Dead. As Todd Rundgren once sang - "You want the obvious-you get the obvious."

Hey rockers!!

If we get the obvious, where are the 1970 shows?????????

Just asking.................

Doc
It requires a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious.......

According to the crack customer service team at dead dot net, there is only one way to handle address changes. You must contact customer service and have the subscription address changed to:

JimInMD
Baltimore Civic Center, Box 1968
Baltimore, MD 21211

(or you could do as Sixtus suggests, up to you) :D

Just one song? Just the US Blues from 13 years later? And 45 min of blank space? Why even bother putting a US Blues on there? None of the 5/22/77 material that was left off of DP3 is usable? Makes no sense to me. The Jack Straw, Ship of Fools and Other One> Stella Blue 5/18/77 could have fit, unless that show is a potential DaP, but that's why I allowed myself to hope that some of the missing 5/22 material would be used. Shame.

The Sugaree from this show is fantastic, and I liked the 2nd set Jam. The Jack a Roe sounds fantastic in the listening party, and love Jerry's use of the Octave Divider and MuTron on Uncle John's, a great sound.

I concur both in reasoning and conclusions