[st stephen]

whats your favorite dead era. pigpen years, keith and donna, Brent or vince.

[hesgone95]

Personally, I look to years. My favorite is '76-'77 followed closely by '74. And you can't leave out '72 either. So I guess that would be mostly Keith for me.

I have favorite shows in other years, but IMHO, '74,'76,'77 are the most consistent, and the most burnin and groovin sound for my ears.

[strumminsix]

Here's an intersting set of answers:

Directly, 70s GD so that means Kieth.

However, I love 60s shows and the passion of the energy and if I could go back in time to see one show or one month it would be the 60s.

However (#2 for those keeping score), I love the 80s GD for Brent.

However (final), Vince holds a special place since he's the only man on keys I ever saw with the GD.

[nedcat]

Definatly, without doubt 1972-1977. I saw my first show in 1977 at Palladium NYC, but still infatuated with the sound system, instruments, entourage, etc from this time frame.

[tigerstrat]

The eras just don't divide that cleanly along personnel lines. Early ('71-'74) Keith era is one of my absolute favorites, while later Keith ('76-'79) holds far less interest for me than many other definable eras.


I'll say:
#1: tie between '68-69 and '71-'75
#2 '70-'71
#3 '79(Brent)-'83
#4 tie between '87-'90 and '66-67
#5 '76-'79(Keith)
#6 tie between '90(post-Brent)-'91 and '84-'86
#7 '92-'93
#8 '94-'95

[caspersvapors]

1. 73-74
2. 87-89
3. 77
4. 71-72

[Shaggy]

1965-1995.

[FretfulDave]

Pigpen, Keith and slightly later, Donna

1. 71-74
2. 76-79

[whitelacestrange]

well i love pigpen, so i'd have to stick with his era, which intertwined with keith and donna a bit in the 70's

yea 65-73, those were by far the most expirimental years with the dead, and personally i think the dead peaked in 72 as their greatest year. and even the years following were amazing, all through the 70's i love.

but i do love the 80's and 90's, im not a big mydland fan, but there are definitly some shows in the latter years than i prefer over older shows, just not many. i really admire jerry in his latter years, he devolopes this powerful voice of wisdom and emotion, if god ever spoke to me directly, he would have jerry's voice from the 90's.

he also developes a new guitar style, but his guitar style always changes so thats no surprise, i love every dead era.

[HOWEYMAN]

70-77 for me, with 70-74 being my most favorite.
Europe 72', I feel showcases the Grateful Dead most as the Grateful Dead. Isn't it amazing how if you take a show from the 90's and one from the 70's, how differently alike they sound? Different feel sometimes, but still Dead. I know all you people realize this. Hey, but thats why were and forever will be the greatest rock and roll band ever, right? lolololo!!!! The Dead is proably the only music I could listen to 24-7 till I meet my maker, and some people think they suck. Hey, but them thinking that only makes it that much better for us! Peace.