Jack Straw, Peggy-O, Cassidy, They Love Each Other-> El Paso, Row Jimmy-> Little Red Rooster, Brown Eyed Women, Let It Grow-> Deal Samson & Delilah, It Must Have Been The Roses, Estimated Prophet-> Franklin's Tower-> Drums-> The Other One-> Stella Blue-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Don't Ease Me In

Audience recording by Jim Wise (Sennheiser 421>D5) set up loge center; Master Cassette (playback on Nakamichi Dragon) > A/D Conversion via Sony R700 (no DAT gen) > COAX to ZA2 > Soundforge > Master CDR > CDR(1) Via Tascam cd-d4000mkII > EAC in secure mode(see below) > Soundforge > CD WAV > SHNv3 w/seek tables appended; A> D> CD Conversion by Jim Wise; CD>SHN by Jamie Lutch; QC courtesy dankseeds

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Reviewer: Kreutzbear - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 26, 2017

Subject: Ah, Pittsburgh in the Late '70s / Early '80s. Pittsburgh in the '70s had two outstanding venues: Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts and the Stanley Theater. They were eerily similar: both were done in white plaster, gold gilt and red velvet and, because both served as concert and opera houses, both had great acoustics. The Stanley, however, was much more intimate. I didn't truely appreciate how intimate until the

Spectrum and Madison Square Garden became my GD homes.



This was my fourth show (the first three being also at the Stanley) and I was definitely spoiled in my ignorance. I mean, doesn't everybody get a He's Gone > Gloria Jam > CC Rider (a la 12/1/79) and an Other One > Stella Blue (like this one), or even a Peggy-O in an absolutely gorgeous venue? It was not until several years later, after moving to NYC, that I realized how special a place and a time the late '70s / early '80s were in Pittsburgh and how magical a band the Grateful Dead were during this period. Hell, it was this show where I learned that I could drive, and drive well, on acid! Luckily, perhaps, I only had to get back to Shadyside.



I have loved this show for the past 24 years, having scored an audience copy different from this one only a few days after the show. This one is exemplary, however, and blows away the SB posted here. It has everything: gorgeous tone, big bass, crisp high end and enough crowd noise to place you in the venue.



As Bobby might say: Get this show now. Don't even think about it, just do it. You won't be disappointed -- Stella Blue alone is worth the effort. Although not note perfect, Jerry's pathos is palpable, and the whole show is very well played.



NOTE TO Early 80's Meltdown:



After all these years I believe the sign to which you refer sported Bill Graham's "They're not the best at what they do, they're the only ones who do what they do." But 36 years after the fact I could very well be wrong. - May 26, 2017Ah, Pittsburgh in the Late '70s / Early '80s.

Reviewer: JamsOnly - favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 20, 2015

Subject: Pittsburgh Highlights: Little Red Rooster - May 20, 2015Pittsburgh

Reviewer: brentmydland7990 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 9, 2015

Subject: Brent on his Moog during Rooster solo With an amazingly accurate clavinet patch. And yes, he fucking obliterates everything in his path. And the crowd.... - March 9, 2015Brent on his Moog during Rooster solo

Reviewer: N Hoey - - November 23, 2012

Subject: @ sonicgardenplaysdead Who knows if you'll ever see this but the solo you refer to is a keyboard solo by Brent. So yeah, not Jerry, but not a guitar solo by a guest either. - November 23, 2012@ sonicgardenplaysdead

Reviewer: gordon hensley - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 23, 2012

Subject: killer jackstraw jerry just kills on the jackstraw opener. '81 severely underrated. dynamite show - November 23, 2012killer jackstraw

Reviewer: sonicgardenplaysdead - favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 7, 2012

Subject: QUESTION-who is soloing on Little Red Rooster? who is sitting in on guitar on Little Red Rooster?

Listen to the 1st solo before Bobby's solo. No way is it Jerry! - March 7, 2012QUESTION-who is soloing on Little Red Rooster?

Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 6, 2012

Subject: Not a bad recording, and a hot show, especially the Estimated thru Sugar Mag suite. - March 6, 2012Not a bad recording,

Reviewer: The TRUE Bucky - favorite favorite favorite - August 17, 2009

Subject: The Other One Yes, it's long. Y

Yes, Phil does his legendary '13 bass riffs' to open the song - believe it or not, that was big talk after the show that night & next day in MD. I guess the folks who count the opening beats to BIODTL were out in full force, lol.



But, this TOO reminds me of late 80's/early 90's - more ensamble play carrying it than peaked out Jerry madness we were used to in the early 80's. Jerry is really running on fumes on all 3 songs after the drums & they're all sub-par versions.



We left sorely disappointed.



The Franklin's before the drums was a higlingt in the days where Eyes or He's Gone followed at least 80% of the Estimated (which may be the first version Bob cuts Jerry off in mid-jam during the instrumental).



Somebody called the Franklin's redundant, but with 5 instrumentals, most are somewhat.



The 4th instrumental gets inspired & the jam out cooks, then check for that little hint of Dar Star-ish playing heading into the drums. - August 17, 2009The Other One

Reviewer: Bzl - favorite favorite favorite - September 4, 2007

Subject: ragin' Franklins Franklin's *is* the highlight of this show, imo. 12+ minutes (then a few minutes of spacey jamming), all at a breakneck tempo. Some of the Jerry solos, toward the end, are wild. Next highlight: Let It Grow > Deal. That Deal and the next night's Deal in College Park are a peak for the end-jam.

So-so audio quality... sounds fairly distant to me. I'd love to hear a sbd or an up-front tape of this. - September 4, 2007ragin' Franklins

Reviewer: L. Rosley - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 29, 2006

Subject: A pleasant evening Good show, with solid vocals and consistant playing. Highlights include Let It Grow, Samson, Estimated Prophet, and Stella Blue. Franklin's Tower is not a highlight. Yes, it was fast, but it didn't seem to go anywhere and sounded repetative.



This show was nowhere near as good as the previous night, 3/5/81, however. Go check it out. - December 29, 2006A pleasant evening

Reviewer: early 80's meltdown - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 6, 2006

Subject: I agree Kreutzbear Peggy-o-,Row Jimmy and Stella in a small intimate theater(velvet ropes and all)

thats so awesome. you were very lucky to have had seen the Dead in '81 at the Stanley. btw what was that sign out in front of the theater that someone made? Ive seen it over the years in Dead books or Relix-it has the styf logo with a sentence under it. maybe "nothing like a Dead concert"? just currious oh I think it said the comment about "not the best at what they do there the only ones who do it".

As far as these venues go you also have the Fox,the old Uptown (in my neck of the woods) but I think the most orninate palace I've ever seen pics of was probably Shea's. That would of been something to have attended that one.

nice review early 80's meltdown -- April 6, 2006I agree Kreutzbear

Reviewer: gphishmon - favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 3, 2006

Subject: Good 81 show, decent sound This is an outstanding 1981 show. The first set song selection speaks for itself. Very solid playing throughout, especially on Let It Grow, which features some very melodic playing by Jerry. Franklin's is extremely fast - not chipmunked, just played at a ferocious tempo. The Other One is a real standout and segues into Stella Blue with a patience and smoothness rarely heard in later years.



I'm glad to hear a decent sounding audience recording from this show. Not as crispy as some, but much better than my old multi-generation cassette. Playing = 4+, sound = 3. - February 3, 2006Good 81 show, decent sound