Search - Grateful Dead :: Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 12/29/77

Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 12/29/77
Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 12/29/77
Genres: Country, Pop, Rock, Classic Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #2
  •  Track Listings (6) - Disc #3

Here's one for the ages, the type of vibrant show that helped foster the Grateful Dead's reputation as the preeminent live band. To many, the year 1977 marked a peak in the band's history, the point when all of their dispa...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Grateful Dead
Title: Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 12/29/77
Members Wishing: 8
Total Copies: 0
Label: Arista
Original Release Date: 1/1/1977
Re-Release Date: 7/11/2000
Album Type: Limited Edition, Live
Genres: Country, Pop, Rock, Classic Rock
Styles: Folk Rock, Jam Bands, Rock Jam Bands, Country Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
Number of Discs: 3
SwapaCD Credits: 3
UPC: 078221403023

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Here's one for the ages, the type of vibrant show that helped foster the Grateful Dead's reputation as the preeminent live band. To many, the year 1977 marked a peak in the band's history, the point when all of their disparate influences came together to form the most powerful whole, an arresting blend of musicality and sheer force. This show comes from their year-end run at San Francisco's Winterland and it was a fitting conclusion to a triumphant year. Deep into their second decade, the Dead have something to prove here at this particularly intense show. Jerry Garcia's playing is fresh and inventive, the drums fierce, the various cogs in perfect harmony. That's not to say they lost all subtlety: listen how Garcia craftily begins his solo in the lower register on "They Love Each Other," how Bob Weir and Donna Godcheaux harmonize sweetly on "Looks Like Rain," and how the band bring things way down on the fragile ballad "China Doll" only to return to the stratosphere moments later. And Garcia's voice had taken on just a hint of creakiness that made it more expressive than it had ever been. Still, this night will be remembered for the wall-shaking intensity found in spots like the second-set-opening "Bertha"/"Good Lovin'" medley and the crescendo to end the fan-favorite coupling of "China Cat Sunflower" (played this night for the first time in three years) and "I Know You Rider." At the end, they return to their bread-and-butter boogie on "Not Fade Away" before signing off with two encores: a majestic "Terrapin Station" and a rousing "Johnny B. Goode," the latter a telling reminder that they were, after all, just a good old rock & roll band. --Marc Greilsamer

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CD Reviews

If '77 is yer favorite Dead year, boooooy oh boy...
Patrick G. Varine | Georgetown, Delaware | 10/08/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pure power. Seamless transition. A complete musical group-mind. All the pieces were in place a few days after Christmas in 1977, and the Dead were at their home, the Winterland in San Fran.



The rest is history.



In the annals of live Dead shows, this one is truly memorable. From the very first note, everyone is in peak form. Jerry's not stumbling on leads out of the gate, Bob isn't forgetting any words, and it seems even Donna is singing in tune consistently.



But it's the second set re-emergence of "China Cat Sunflower," in the middle of a mind-melting "Playing in the Band" that really cements this as a classic set. They hadn't played "China" in 3 years, and suddenly it emerges. You can hear people in the audience literally freaking out.



Obviously, this album is for Dead freaks like myself, but if you're looking for a totally solid live recording of them, this is a great place to start. Very little pretentiousness, mostly meat and hardly and filler. This is the sound of a rock band that had transformed itself into a psychedelic hurricane, unleashed on the California coast."
Dead Renaissance
PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 04/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"It certainly is all opinion when the subject is live Grateful Dead. There are heads that list their favorite year of Dead shows as 1969, there are many folks that tend to go for the jazzier/jammier 1973 shows, and 1985 was a popular year to find on trader's tape lists back in the late 1980's. Well, because of those tape lists, I was able to explore lot's of different years of live Grateful Dead music and for me THE year that has stood out as being my favorite is 1977. The reason that 1977 is my favorite is because of the SOUND of the band, and during this year the sound is rich & warm, and it transports to tapes and CD's (thank you, Dick} in very cool colors & texture. The playing of The group {for me, remember it is all opinion} of 1977 has that extra x-factor, that soars above most other great years of these special concerts.



The Most Popular Grateful Dead Show of 1977 is by far 05/08/77, the Barton Hall Performance from Cornell University. If we had a High Quality Tape of 12/29/77 way back in the 80's, this Wonderful Show from Winterland, {THE Place to see The Dead in the 1970's} would have been right up there with Barton Hall or Buffalo {05/09/77) or Englishtown, NJ {09/03/77}. But, Dick has brought this Gem Out of the Mists, and now we can drink this Great Night in!



From: "Jack Straw" thro to the Encore of: "Terrapin Station", this Show is ON, Jerry adds something Extra to the Music throughout the Entire Show, And if you don't know about Keith, and WHY he is so Special, then you need to start here to see what all the Fuss was about. The Piano is mixed right up front, {A Crime on other Dick's Picks, when it is not!} and Thank the Gods that is! Keith was having a Night here, as this Show features some of his Best Playing that I have ever heard...Well, anywhere. And We Shant Forget Bill & Micky, On this Night they are a Percussion Force of Might {Much like a Runaway Train, that is about to Jump the Tracks, but doesn't}.





The Second Set From the Smokin': "Bertha" thro to the rap up "Playing in the Band" Sequence is Pure Magic and Must Be Heard to be believed...This Music has the X-Factor Plus 10, it has been often said that you could have heard a pin drop in Winterland during this Famous Set of Music. Well, now you can hear it in all it's Glory, and you will know just WHY those Jaws were dropping during this Famous Second Set from San Francisco.



Yeah, I'm a little biased in my opinion of live Grateful Dead music {and after hearing 1,500 Hours of it, YOU would be as well}. But, when something stands out as special, your ears certainly take notice, and of this Winterland show, you will again realise WHY we are called: "Dead-Heads" in the first place.



This is some of the finest live Grateful Dead music, that you are gonna be lucky enough to hear....Buy this one...Nuff Said!

A 5-Star Show !!!"
The Compleat Grateful Dead
Ryan McNabb | Ooltewah, TN USA | 08/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This show is simply stunning. If a show has one or two powerful songs in it, we call it a good show. Every single song in here is a scorcher. It starts off strong and just goes up from there. It stomps, it roars, it kicks ass like a sailor on leave. The band is posessed - they seem unable to do wrong, and they're tighter than Dick's hatband (no pun intended.) The sound is as clear and crisp as a mountain stream - you can hear every single note. Sometimes the vocals are a little low in the mix, but only just. Driving home early this morning I was moved to tears as China Cat/Rider evolved into China Doll - the artistry was incredible. Maybe the finest, most accomplished show I've ever heard, from beginning to end. DP 3 has a stronger second set, but for a show that just kicks your teeth in from song to song, for one that grabs you and won't let go, this show is amazing. What a year 1977 was."