Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Loser, Beat It On Down The Line, Sugaree, Jack Straw, Next Time You See Me, Tennessee Jed, El Paso, Big Railroad Blues, Casey Jones Good Lovin', Brokedown Palace, Playin' In The Band, Run Rudolph Run, Deal, Sugar Magnolia, Comes A Time, Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Sitting On Top Of The World-> The Other One-> Not Fade Away-> China Cat Sunflower Jam-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: One More Saturday Night

MR> DAT> Latvala's Cassette> D> CDR (slightly updated lineage); EAC/SHN, Ben Yerys; seed via Seth Kaplan, Jared Minkoff

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Reviewer: jccody - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 18, 2020

Subject: Sound Love the fox, the best sounding hall in town. I'd always heard the dead wanted to buy it because they thought it was the best as well. They sound great here, of course I wasn't there I would have been still in my mom's belly. Great show, thanks for the time to get it up on here for me to enjoy! - June 18, 2020Sound

Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2018

Subject: - Excellent! - December 10, 2018

Reviewer: mrjohnhell - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 23, 2017

Subject: Firing on all cylinders Having been a Deadhead since I was 12 in 1982 and having been trading tapes since 1985, I thought I'd heard it all. For some reason I shied away from 1971. Maybe I thought without Mickey they would have lost something. How wrong could I be?!?!? It may have taken a while but I have dived head first into a stellar year! And this December run is no joke! This show in particular stands out for too many reasons to note in this review. TOO->SOTOTW->TOO is brilliant. But I think it's the NFA->China Cat Jam->GDTRFB->NFA with Pig backing Bobby that has me seriously dancing so hard my shoes are melting. Thank you Grateful Dead for continuing to reveal yourself to this Head after so many years. Let the lovelight keep on shining! - May 23, 2017Firing on all cylinders

Reviewer: chris phillips - favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 27, 2014

Subject: Fox shows! finest Big Railroad ever - with a stellar Truckin'

Black Peter from 12/9 rules.

CM's 1st set upgrade brings it to 5 stars. - May 27, 2014Fox shows!

Reviewer: Dylan M - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 12, 2013

Subject: Classic Show, Keith + Pig Quite a transitional time for G-Dead.



Great to have Pig back with the band. Keith's settling in on keys more, not trying so hard to hammer the lead melody all the time, getting real jazzy with Garica and Lesh, hinting at greatness to come. It really isn't until 72' that Keith gets fully into his groove with the band, but these December shows are all really strong powerhouse playing energy wise.



Miller's transfer of the 1st set is much better sound imho, but this is fine. A little distant and hissy at points, but totally forgivable especially considering the quality of the performance.



The transition from Other 1 into Sitting on top of the World is phenomenal. I know they did this sandwich a few times and this version is just killer. Other 1 hits all the familiar themes that they were doing historically, getting further away from the raw-stready psychedelia of 69-70 and closer toward the avant guard acid attacks of 72-73.



Great renditions of all the then new material. Comes A Time finds Garcia in fine vocal form. Even the classics, such as Big Railroad, are really expanded upon from the versions you heard on Skull-Fuck.



NFA->GDTRFB combo is hot.



Just check out all the stuff that looks good because it is good.



5 stars for the performance

3.5 stars for sound



round it off to 5 because we love Pig+Keith shows! - December 12, 2013Classic Show, Keith + Pig

Reviewer: kneadles1 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2013

Subject: Hidden China-Cat Gem Wonderful show, Fantastic Recording. Thanks so much to the tapers and those who put these up. Listen to the hidden china cat riffs in Not Fade Away....hmmm....complex for those days eh?



Great show from begging to end! - December 10, 2013Hidden China-Cat Gem

Reviewer: Deadahead Fasso - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2013

Subject: Fantastic Ill say it once again, the best lineup in GD history.

The addition of Keith just 2 months before added a whole different dimension to the already great band. Keith just added that one key piece that is indescribable. The band was really starting to hit a good stride warming up for their European run.

This is a real Gem. - December 10, 2013Fantastic

Reviewer: doug_the_dude - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 10, 2012

Subject: -- This is, I think, one of the best shows I've ever heard. It's really a candidate for desert-island status - everything is a little golden nug and deserves a listening - I'll even forgive Jer's omission of the entire first verse of Jed in this case, they're so on fire.



Good Lovin' - what a treat to see this one return to the lineup, complete with Pigpen's rap and Phil's funked-out backbone that drives this thing. Kudos, also, to Keith, who really was coming into his own in December of this year - I simply can't get enough of listening to him draw out those Other One jams to an elastic point of pure and utter lace-glass delicacy, Jerry finding the space laid down and responding in kind. This, boys and girls, is the groundwork being laid down for the Europe '72 run, right here.



I'm not one for doing a "best of all time" kind of thing, because the majority of everything the Dead ever played live I've never listened to. But I have heard a great many hundreds upon hundreds of concerts, and I have a special asterisk reserved for this smoking pistola of a show, right here. - December 10, 2012--

Reviewer: ms42466 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 23, 2012

Subject: sweetness the best. 71 top - October 23, 2012sweetness

Reviewer: rschwz28 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 7, 2012

Subject: All of December 1971 Just a note to hyperboy below: you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't include the five great shows they gave on December 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. (December 5 is my favorite.) - May 7, 2012All of December 1971

Reviewer: gratedude69 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 21, 2010

Subject: and we bid you goodnight the and we bid you goodnight outro of gdtrfb has a sweet china cat lick interlaced with it, very very cool! in addition to the china cat jam before it, also very cool - April 21, 2010and we bid you goodnight

Reviewer: SkyDawg - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 23, 2009

Subject: Great Shows At The Fox Oh man! I surely do love these December '71 shows that really ended in May of '72 when Pigpen ended his touring days. This is my favorite incarnation of the band; Keith & Pigpen on keyboards, plus Jerry, Bobby, Phil & Bill.. the original band plus Keith Godchaux. Most of the songs are new, the band is happy, creative and firing on all cylinders. They are also playing in a theatre that they like very much; the Fox in St Louis. At one time they actually looked into buying it. They played one show in 1970, (after their bust in New Orleans), plus three shows there in 1971, each one a classic, including this one. Shows like this, the Fox Theatre in St Louis in 1970 and 1971 are very special. This is one of the best of 1971. - October 23, 2009Great Shows At The Fox

Reviewer: elesde - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 17, 2008

Subject: Any chance? Could someone who has this recording contact me atsaberfiend@ gmail.com? I'd appreciate it more than I can say. - October 17, 2008Any chance?

Reviewer: monkeyarm - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 26, 2007

Subject: Pigpen on backup vox Check out Pigpen backing up Bobby on NFA. Didn't know that ever happened! What can I say that hasn't been said already? Glad I got this while it was still available! - August 26, 2007Pigpen on backup vox

Reviewer: Spotlight - favorite favorite favorite - July 16, 2007

Subject: out of tune Great show, I was there and have been trying to get this for 36 years. I was at this show. I was broadcast on FM and I had a reel-reel tape rolling at home. Unfortunately, the link provided by the phone company to the radio station was poor, resulting in a whisteling tape of the show. When I found the SBD here 2 yrs ago, I was psyched. I saved my money and bought a LaCie hard drive to download full resolution files from here. When I went back here on Thanksgiving, the soundboards were gone. Now I have software to record streaming audio...I finally have a "line copy" but has anybody else noticed that "latvalla's cassette" is running slow...playback ....it is out of tune. Better explained, there is a speed imbalance between the recording cassette machine and the playback cassette I'm guessing. Would people please upload things that are IN TUNE. This crap drives me crazy....mind twisting. You can play along with an out of tune tape. And this ain't what I call HiFi .... So...still on my quest for a quality copy. - July 16, 2007out of tune

Reviewer: majordomo - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 13, 2006

Subject: cowboy neal weird--i went to the archives looking for fall 73 stuff and STILL got a dicks pick. the other 1 is DESTINATION OU T.sittin on top of the world is just perfect what the f***. always had a hollywood/palladium tape around the house--need to get back to some more 71.this song--it aint never gonna end! - December 13, 2006cowboy neal

Reviewer: tamedturtle - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 26, 2006

Subject: dec 71 i have all the dec 71 and have had it for a while now yea it took me a while to get to reviewing this one but this show is impressive and powerful at times especially the second set i would not go as far to say that any of the songs on here are the best versions ever done about the best of anything but i would say this show is really impressive and the whole month is def deserves a spot in any collection the 1st set is well lets not say the best but gets it done the second set is where the show picks up and is where the real energy/magic starts other>sitting>other as mentioned and a sweet nfa>china cat jam>goin>nfa to cap off the night

stars: 3.5 (break down set 1: 2.5 set 2: 4.5)

sound: 5 - April 26, 2006dec 71

Reviewer: NZ deadhead - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 7, 2005

Subject: A Peak Performance Having experienced this incredibly fun show from the second row in a state of mind one would expect, The Dead mix rock n roll and psychedelia perfectly. Keith's first Midwest tour with the boys, sounding like he'd been there for years, Bobby emerging into his own, Jerry turning us on to those great new songs, Phil and Bill providing the perfect support, and Pig keeping it real. Thank you for making this now in New Zealand deadhead a VERY happy man,I haven't heard this recording in 30+ years. YEAH! - December 7, 2005A Peak Performance

Reviewer: DEADBUCK - favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 13, 2005

Subject: Weir am I? Not sure this time but I think I just landed a seat at a fantazmagroovical show. And am I glad I did! gotta say yet another one for the DL machine. And I must say that after I finish wakeing up Im gonna go to wally world to buy the biggest freaking CD case they have. There is just no way I can fit any more cds in my car without it. Its insane! the pure love of this is 5 stars. Ill give it a strong 4.5 - October 13, 2005Weir am I?

Reviewer: hyperboy - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 13, 2005

Subject: December 1971...WOW!!!!!!!!!! DAMN! This show, just like 12/7/71 (Felt Forum), is SMOKIN' from start to finish!! December 1971 is like a magnet right now. I can not get enough of it. From 12/7/71 to 12/31/71, it is nonstop perfect playing by the boys. And so many of these tunes are so fresh at this point...that's what I love. It is hard to believe that just a year later their sound will have changed so much without Pig.



Anyway this show gets 5 stars all around. Get it now. All of December 1971 is golden!! - October 13, 2005December 1971...WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Reviewer: StrawRider - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 3, 2005

Subject: Fox Theater 12-10-71 This second set may be the Dead's best of all time. That's quite a statement and I could shoot it down myself with probably a dozen other awesome second sets but from Truckin' all the way through Not Fade Away you'll be in for a hell of a ride. There's nothing like this one in my book. Very good sound (A-) and a herculean performance (A+) makes this download a must. I've had this one for a long time now and it's not going anywhere! Certainly a top five for '71, it's not one to be missed. - October 3, 2005Fox Theater 12-10-71

Reviewer: capn doubledose - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 9, 2005

Subject: Unbelievably Hot This other one is is lumpy. Whole show especially Pig shine. - September 9, 2005Unbelievably Hot

Reviewer: geronimo1 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 19, 2005

Subject: Nice!!!!!!! Great recording!Awesome performance! - August 19, 2005Nice!!!!!!!

Reviewer: japhyryder - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 13, 2005

Subject: Welcome Keith! The piano sounds really nice in this one! GET IT! In the top 5 of 1971 - this show is the definition of swweet. Although the setlist may look similar to a 72 show, the player-piano sound of Keith's early tenure with the band, and the freshness of the new tunes, set this one apart. - June 13, 2005Welcome Keith!

Reviewer: oceantree - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 30, 2005

Subject: fabulous! This show is lovely...Worth the download for the stunning 18 minute Good Loving- with Lovelight-esque Pig rap in the middle... just do it! - January 30, 2005fabulous!

Reviewer: yrekajohn - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 25, 2004

Subject: Amazing! This could be the best ever post-drums. The transition between Other One to Sittin' on Top of the World back to Other One is like nothing else you've ever heard. - August 25, 2004Amazing!

Reviewer: yrekajohn - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 25, 2004

Subject: Amazing! This could be the best ever post-drums. The transition between Other One to Sittin' on Top of the World back to Other One is like nothing else you've ever heard. - August 25, 2004Amazing!

Reviewer: dr. flashback - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 9, 2004

Subject: Top Ten! All of these Dec 71 shows are worth getting,BTW. Admittedly, there's many unknown 1971 shows just now being circulated, and hopefully more from summer 71. But for now, my highpoints are spring and December. This is a high energy show, with many standouts. An early Comes a Time, a hot Good Lovin and of course Brokedown. The Other One remains one of my favorites for the year, well jammed and mostly on the mellow side. Very visual and cosmic. Listen to this one, and the masterful version on 12/31/71, and see if you don't detect an influence from David Crosby's IF ONLY I COULD REMEMBER MY NAME which Jerry and Phil had just worked on. The rare seque into Top of the World may be the only time??

Add this show to your 1971 collection!

Dr. Flashback - July 9, 2004Top Ten!

Reviewer: velociraptor - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 8, 2004

Subject: and .. It sounds really good, too! - June 8, 2004and ..