With half their original albums already live - which Grateful Dead archival release would you add?

I'm not a Dead/Live collector by any means. Only have the core LP's up to around 1975, including Live/Dead, Skull & Roses and Europe '72. If I were to add just one more live archival release - which one would you recommend?

 

damn.

you crazy.

lol

either 'one from the vault' or the recent 'cornell ....'

https://www.discogs.com/The-Grateful-Dead-One-From-The-Vault/release/5155966
full album
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lI6V7id3mqQpVPH2yFwRrLMSJeUeSahpo



https://www.discogs.com/Grateful-Dead-Cornell-5877/release/10232301
full album
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nZMSDq6tUeZxhNjbL16_nReJBNpnS98Tk

i'm not a massive dead collector, but i do love them .... and have BOTH these as well as the ones you've mentioned. i feel they are essential for sure. they always make me happy when i spin them !

give em a listen !!

 

I'm sort of a Dead dilettante as well, a dabbler as opposed to a full-blown Deadhead. I too have their core catalog, and have opportunistically grabbed various live sets as they are released, e.g. the 3 "Vault" sets, Sunshine Daydream (since I live in Oregon) a couple of early (late 60s) sets. But I don't buy everything that comes out, and have ramped down in buying much more live Dead. If I see Buffalo 5-9-77 for a decent price I might grab it, but otherwise think I'm pretty set unless something truly classic comes out.

The two recommendations above are good ones from different parts of the cost spectrum. One From the Vault was recently repressed and is currently available at an affordable price. That might be a good one to grab before it goes OOP again. Word on the street is that Two From the Vault and Three From the Vault will be reissued as well and are also good.

Cornell 5-8-77 is great but going for big $$ nowadays.

 

Does it have to be on vinyl or is CD okay too? Your options would be a lot wider with the latter.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Grateful Dead
Fillmore East, New York City, April 1971

 

Eventually, every live set will get recommended. Of the sets that are readily available, i would point you to the three disc 73-74 PacNW set, Believe It if You Need It, which has big chunks of the sublime Vancouver 73, the giant Seattle 74 Playing in The Band and other tasty nuggets. Pound for pound, ounce for ounce, one of the very gratest live releases.

 

Well, I think you'd need these two: Pacific Northwest '73–'74: Believe It If You Need It and Cornell 5/8/77.

 

If it has to be vinyl, go with Shrine ‘67.

 

I'd say Veneta, Oregon on 8/27/72. The vinyl sounds terrific. The mix and mastering is one of Jeffrey Norman's best. You need the CD version, too, because that also gives you either DVD or Blu-ray video of a good portion of the show. The video the final version of a famous and for decades unreleased Grateful Dead movie, Sunshine Daydream.

For completist's sake, we even have the New Riders of the Purple Sage warm-up set from Veneta. It's mixed down from the multi-track tapes and out on both CD and vinyl.

It may be the best documented show in the history of the Grateful Dead. It's fitting that their playing was stellar that day.

 

This would have been my answer if the OP’s good with CDs

Or:
Europe ‘72 Vol. 2
Veneta, Oregon ‘72
Cornell ‘77

But we’re only allowed one, so....

 

Sure, CD is OK. That Veneta '72 is sounding pretty good.

 

All of the above are great - your set does not include any good acoustic live. Not archive, but Reckoning is good for that.

 

Would consider adding a handful. Another great 70’s set is the Red Rocks set from 78. Hartford 77 is a doozer too. I would think about looking at 89/90 too. Lots of terrific shows available from that stellar period. Crimson, White and Indigo is a good one which also gives the benefit of the whole show on DVD. And the Saints of Circumstance set from 91 is a good later era show.

 

I was going to suggest this or the 2/14/68 carousel ballroom release. Gotta have at least one primal show in the mix.

 

The Creamery show (Veneta '72) is a very outstanding choice. Be forwarded that it is likely to be a "gateway drug" to a wide world of very fine shows that are available and very worth hearing.

The band evolved from year to year and improvised to such an extent that shows from the same run offer listeners great riches. It is an amazing legacy.

Best wishes on your journey of discovery!

Bill

 

Dylan and the Dead

 

Hey man I like that damn record! I’ve posted in other threads my fondness for it and how underrated I think it is. But that’s a discussion for another time.

 

Does it really has to be only ONE release ? There's no answer to this question. An impossible task.

If it has to be one, than grab Sunshine Daydream Veneta, Oregon on 8/27/72.

Some other top tier candidates that should be readily available:
- Ladies and Gentlemen, The Grateful Dead
- Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72
- Europe '72: vol 2
- Fillmore West 1969 3CD compilation
- Dick's Picks Vol. 8 (or 3/4/10/11/12/14/15/18/28/29/31/36)

If you want to test a bit later eras, than Cornell '77 or Red Rocks '78 are some obviously very strong candidates.

Don't know about vinyl though.