Set 1



Promised Land, They Love Each Other, Cassidy, Tennessee Jed, Loo



Set 2



Eyes Of The World, Happiness Is Drumming, Wharf Rat-> Dancin' In The Streets-> The Wheel-> Around & Around

Notes:



-- Disc change is seamless



-- Patch source recorded with mics placed at soundboard



-- Thanks to Digitalrbb for the supplying and digitizing the tapes



-- Thanks to Joe B. Jones for his help with the pitch correction

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Reviewer: Inspiration1965 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 20, 2019

Subject: Scootrerscootross.. aka. "Fry Brain" Brother.. its ok to forget.. shit.. I forgot a whole show. that I barely made it out of... but it comes back to you.. that night the show played over in my head LOUD AND CLEAR.. just like the tapes I recievd.. 3 weeks. later..EXACTLY AUD. RECORDING.. I you got juked that night in "76 bro...

- June 20, 2019Scootrerscootross.. aka. "Fry Brain"

Reviewer: Halfway There - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 5, 2019

Subject: The missing second encore This was THE show for me, and listening to the tapes doesn’t capture what it was like to sit in the audience that night. It sad that it’s so, but I think the Dead would agree. The show is of a moment.



This was the tour after the hiatus. No one knew what it would be like once the Band regrouped. Would the magic still even be there? Of course we know the answer now. But there was a hill of uncertainty to climb. The excitement. The electricity. Faith was restored. Now do you understand what NFA as an encore meant? They asked for our love, and we gave it joyfully, receiving theirs joyfully in return.



But NFA didn’t feel like the end of the show. No one wanted to leave. This was a time when the Dead did one encore and nothing more. But not this night. I, like everyone, screamed as loud as I could for another song. At that moment, it felt that there was a magical connection between wanting purely and making it happen. The house lights came on and the doubters gave up. The tapers put their equipment away. That’s why when the rest of us yelled louder, began banging on the chairs, screaming ourselves hoarse with no sign of stopping, the house lights went back down, and there was a second encore, it was recorded by no one.



Every few years I sears the lists to try and find someone who was at the concerts and remembers what was played. I don’t. I only remember Jerry singing a slow, mournful tune that calmed the house and ended the show. When he finished, the show was over. We all said good-bye, and left into the night.



So if anyone remembers what that song was and can post it... - May 5, 2019The missing second encore

Reviewer: mcgrupp216 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 25, 2018

Subject: Night 3, Su76 Chi Sounds like this was another great, fun night dancing in Chicaaago, summer 76. Highlights include an excellent Scarlet Begonias (wrote Mind Wondrin: "Big and jammy, it's pure GD and a tour best"), High Time (featured as a bonus track on Download Series Vol. 4), and really the whole sequence from set two's eyes opener through happiness is drumming->drums->wharf rat->dancin'->the wheel->around and around. Set two just don't stop! But I especially like the eyes. It's nearly 16 minutes, it's fast -- notwithstanding mellow '76 -- and just pure jam (no vocals) for the first 6 or so minutes. Happiness is drumming (proto version of fire on the mountain) is neat and worth listening to, if you haven't heard it before. - March 25, 2018Night 3, Su76 Chi

Reviewer: Mind Wondrin - favorite favorite favorite - November 25, 2017

Subject: Fancy digs

The third night of the '76 run at the fancy Auditorium Theatre, in the Chicago Loop. The following night, the last of the tour, is possibly the best show of '76, pulling acclaim from the rest of the run; but this show is still RIYL the '76 sound. It's known for High Time and Happiness is Drumming.



First Set. The Promised Land opener sounds like a '74, if not as solid as inferred. They Love Each Other is snoozy (6/9 is the winner), but the Cassidy takes off - as it did on this tour. It's striking how different the Chicago shows are from the Tower shows (eg. 6/22), but Jer's slow approach is great here, too. Solid month for Cassidy. Not so for Tennessee, which is very sluggish - not a trainwreck, but just never wakes up. Looks Like Rain is still too sleepy, but Jer does some magic. This leaves them ready for a full-scale, First Set Scarlet. Big and jammy, it's pure GD and a tour best. The High Time has been considered the best of '76, and was released on Download 4. Almost letter-perfect, Donna is great as well. After a Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, they smoke a Music Never Stopped - though it was great almost every night of the tour.



Second Set. The sets starts with a jammy, uptempo Eyes, but it's also vampy and not as crazy as the 22nd. It's fun, though, when Phil leads it into a Bass and Drums jam that turns '68 briefly before re-evolving into Happiness Is Drumming. Though the latter had been played as part of Playing on the 22nd, this is the first wholly distinct, proto FotM version. Embryonic, they feel their way through, a bit unsure. Wharf Rat is much better than elsewhere on the tour. Bobby and Donna aren't near as smooth on Dancing in the Street as they became in '77, but when Jer takes the reins it gets weavy. The Wheel was placed all over the set, after premiering on this tour, but the next night is best. Around threatens to trainwreck and just manages to hold on. Everybody is very liberal with the beat, stretching it out in attempts to solidify. Not Fade Away is an uptempo version with some nice sections.



1st Set : B

2nd Set : C+

Overall = 3¼ stars



Highlights:

Scarlet Begonias - jammy and tour best

High Time - considered one of the greats

The Music Never Stopped - always good on this tour, here great



SOURCES: The miller_112296 is best and has seamless AUD patches. The seamons_112676 matrix, like the minches_18388 AUD, is great for a '76. High Time is on Download Series Volume 4. - November 25, 2017Fancy digs

Reviewer: c-freedom - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 6, 2017

Subject: Woke up HIGH over Albuquerque.. After having listened to most of this tour I would say that each night they played they were fairly consistent with the major differences being the quality of the recordings.

I do think they stretched out a little more each show as they got more familiar with the material ("It is possible to get too familiar with vegetables")

That said, some nights are going to appeal to each of us more than others. I can remember after the Brandford show at Nassau, i ran into a head who complained the show was too jazzy?

Be that as it may I have been able to listen to each night without skipping much material.

There is always the 'what is going on around the house factor' If I am getting constant interruptions it makes it challenging to get into the flow of the show.

I am sure the Dead felt that way themselves many times between technical difficulties or aggressive heads (should be an oxy-moron)

So i find myself in Chicago the Promised opener was cool, the separation of the instruments was pretty interesting as the sound folks work on the levels.

T.L.E.O- Great tune no way they can match the 73 version of this tune but a great happy dance song.

I really like Jerry's noodling between songs this tour, just cool to listen to him sometimes a phrase other times just running free.

Cassidy- pretty interesting to hear these compact versions of this tune. Truthfully, I thought this song went FURTHUR back in the bands history.

Glad to see somebody else offering up compliments for Donna Jean. To me she is a big part of the Dead's history and it was pretty weak that she was not offered a part in the 50th anniversary shows.

Anyway, I dig sisters who sing and a sister that can sing the Grateful Dead --I will take a double dose in any case!

Ramble on Rose? No Jed. They have been working TJ pretty hard this tour.

LLR- super nice with Donna in the mix.

Scarlet- A noticeable drop in sound quality.

Interesting how Scarlet never made the Second Set

until it hooked up with Fire.

Soundboard back for Lazy Lighning!

I want to put in a good word for this tune.

I personally think this=one of the coolest Dead tunes ever.

They jammed it harder in later years but the interplay between Weir and DJG along with Phil and Jerry just makes this so laid back.

And by the time they work thru the jam and Weir brings the Supplication lyrics- Powerful Stuff!!!

High Time-No possible way to go wrong here.

Donna adds an interesting element to this tune

because a duet changes the whole perspective.

"We could have us a HIGH time

living the good life, well you know!"

MUSIC- They don't extend out in 76 with this tune.

(Perhaps it is a little stronger in the opener slot -this tour.)

This song is already classic with one tour under the wing.

(Anytime they played it in the 80's I was stoked!)

Set Two

The Eyes by itself is smoking but then the FIRE (hapiness) jam just sets me ablaze.

Wharf Rat even has a little drumming

Dancin played pretty regularly yet check out the transition into the Wheel.

Umm just finished this show and it easily is in the top tier of shows on this tour. After so many standard encores they blow the doors off with that NOT FADE..

In fact I will go out on a limb and say that is one of the best versions of NFA I have EVER heard. (Check out Donna singing on this. I hope the Band and Keith got her some Roses after this show!) - April 6, 2017Woke up HIGH over Albuquerque..

Reviewer: grasshopper's nipples - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 29, 2014

Subject: a good year '76 is probably my favourite



do people even play music anymore? i'm not sure, seems like that's quasi legal, if not medicinal, but who can afford to do the proper which used to be standard but is now sublime?



wouldn't it be great to go hear a band like this at the Orpheum, ah, like the run of shows in '76 they played , definitely one of the great apex runs from before the snow all melted in the sun grasshopper's nipples -- June 29, 2014a good year

Reviewer: chris phillips - favorite favorite favorite - February 15, 2014

Subject: 20/20 Chicago '76 shows are lively like the Passaic and Beacon shows. - February 15, 201420/20

Reviewer: thewaymouth - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 15, 2011

Subject: Looks Like Donna Endless thanks to Mr. C and Company for this pristine bliss.



Like so many songs here, Looks Like Rain and High Time sound insanely beautiful to these ears. I hear my favorite band with my female-singer of all time, calling me on. I hereby declare The Dead had it right about her all along, and the Donna-haters are all dead wrong. Trust the art, not the haters. The rain of her reign will never end. And their hate will amount not to Jack Straw but Jack Squat! They will just have to hate it, and suck it.



Happiness Is Donna...The Music Never Stopped. - December 15, 2011Looks Like Donna

Reviewer: Dylan M - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 18, 2011

Subject: Great to finally have this show Of the Auditorium run, the last night (29th) is the standout. "Mission in the Rain" and Playin>Wheel>Playin are both instances of primal dead performed that night.



That being said, thank you Charlie Miller for getting the first and only soundboard copies up on the archive of the 27th and 28th shows.



The "Happiness is Drumming" sounds like they are playing in my living room. I have been looking for a sbd of this show for years.



It's great to get more quality boards from 76'.



Short show, but still noteworthy especially since this is the only sbd copy and sounds QUALITY! - March 18, 2011Great to finally have this show

Reviewer: amishman0002 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 13, 2011

Subject: 1976!!! What a great year & a great show. I really like the LL>Supplication here. Please keep em coming Mr. Miller. Is there a 9-23-76?? - March 13, 20111976!!!