Grateful Dead Music Forum

Wondering what everyone thinks is the hardest rocking, most rock and roll Dead show ever?

Good question. I would think it is one of the early years.

Some versions of US Blues come to mind ... Duke 77 vid ..... thats pretty rockin'

Most of 'em were at Madison Square Garden, in my experience. Jerry totally rips it up on Morning Dew like I've never heard.

http://archive.org/details/gd1987-09-18 ... y.394.shnf

The first set from Shoreline 87 is a smoker, too.

http://archive.org/details/gd1987-10-03 ... n.399.shnf

Tennessee Jedi wrote:Some versions of US Blues come to mind ... Duke 77 vid ..... thats pretty rockin'

you mean duke 78 right? that truckin and us blues are pretty damn rockin

8/6/71 is a pretty fuckin rockin show

late 77 is great for rockin:
10/29/77
DP 34
DP 10

Also great MSG show - 3/9/81. Phenomenal aud MOTB recording on the archive. Check out I Know You Rider > Samson for rockin

I like those late 80's shows. Stuff that goes deep, Black Throated Wind kinda stuff. I hear ya on the super early stuff being rockin, yet that crunchy edgy freeform sort of stuff isn't the only stuff that rocks me. A crispy clean piano sound, double drummers, Bob Weir doing his improv vocal shit...
Downhill From Here...soooooo good. (summer '89)
First Set
1. Let the Good Times Roll
2. Feel Like a Stranger
3. Built to Last
4. Me and My Uncle
5. Cumberland Blues
6. It's All Over Now
7. West. L.A. Fadeaway
8. Desolation Row
9. Deal

Second Set
1. China Cat Sunflower
2. I Know You Rider
3. Playing in the Band
4. Uncle John's Band
5. Standing on the Moon
6. Drums
7. The Wheel
8. Gimme Some Loving
9. Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
10. Not Fade Away
11. We Bid You Goodnight
12. Johnny B. Goode

Try on this one for size:
http://archive.org/details/gd1983-08-29 ... 523.flac16

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I'm surprised to see so much 80s suggested here. Personally I've never been a big 80s dead listener, but I appreciate this chance to give it another listen. Like paulinnc I usually think of the early period as containing the hardest stuff. One of my favs is Hard to Handle from Winterland '71 http://archive.org/details/gd71-03-24.s ... sbeok.shnf

Just listened to the morning dew from MSG '87. That is some hard Jerry. The rest of the band is relatively back though!

Providence 9-9-87

Hey Pocky Way, Jack Straw, West L.A. Fadeaway, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Friend Of The Devil, Cassidy, Althea, Greatest Story Ever Told-> Devil With The Blue Dress-> Good Golly Miss Molly-> Devil With The Blue Dress China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Playin' In The Band-> China Doll-> Drums-> Jam-> The Wheel-> Gimme Some Lovin'-> Throwing Stones-> Not Fade Away, E: The Mighty Quinn

A complete ripper start to end

How about the early primal shows? Pretty rowdy!

mk

Whatever it is, it's a Pigpen era show. That shouldn't even be up for debate.

9.19.90 at the Garden.

I'm not generally a fan of those 90's shows, but Jerry is rippin those first few songs.

Personally I think it would be 80's era as well. The 2 drummers really give them that full sound and when they rocked the place just shook. Be an East coast show-some people like that rockin' Jack Straw from Carrier Dome (not sure of year). Personally I saw many Hampton shows in the 80-s and they were usually the first stop on Spring tours. The boys had a nervous energy-most things were sped up, a little unpolished just yet. The high energy of the east coast crowd really got the boys jumpin'
Check out the Scarlet > Bucket here from '85

http://archive.org/details/gd85-03-22.o ... beok.flacf

Maybeck09 wrote:Personally I think it would be 80's era as well.

Exactly!

IMO, you don't have a "hardest" Dead show without a Hell in a Bucket and Other One.

tigger wrote:Whatever it is, it's a Pigpen era show. That shouldn't even be up for debate.

+1 without a doubt.

john in san diego