Search - Grateful Dead :: Dick's Picks, Vol. 18: Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, 2/3/78 & Uni Dome, Univeristy of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 2/5/78

My DESERT ISLAND Recording

Larry Fox | Houston, TX United States | 08/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're stuck on a deserted island, which ONE recording from your collection would you want? This is a remarkably easy one to answer. Without a doubt, it would be the Grateful Dead, 2/5/78 from Cedar Falls Iowa. The second set Scarlet Begonias/Fire On The Mountain jam is probably the single best piece of music in my collection. I searched for 20 years to find a soundboard copy of this show, after first being exposed to this recording in the summer of 1978. In fact, this show was my FIRST "dead bootleg" in my tape collection, and to this day, I've never heard a "Scarlet/Fire" that's better. Finally, after 20 years, the soundboard saw the light of day, and even better, the Dead eventually released this show as part of the Dicks' Picks series of live concert releases. This show was released as DICKS PICKS #18. If you've never heard this show, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up, as it doesn't get any better than this."

Underrated Hall-o'-Famer

Andrew Macgowan, III | Rochester, New York United States | 02/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This may be the biggest surprise of all the Dick's Picks and multi-track releases. Really, even stacked against the known al-time great shows (DP4, DP8, DP 16, Live/Dead, "Ladies and Gentlemen . . ." etc.) If you are a Dead Head, then the choice is simple: BUY THIS NOW! If you're not a Dead Head, DP 18 is actually a very good place to start. I've been a devotee for 30 years, a fanatical taper, bought nearly every release, etc., but I play DP 18 as much as anything since it came out a couple years' back.Just for the Record - As good a Scarlet>Fire as can be found - no kidding (that includes 5/8/77 et al). And my current favorite Eyes, right up there with 11/5/77, 3/29/90, etc. Actually, every track burns. Jerry's solos are at peak; they just stay with you. Even Keith, who was beginning his decline, plays very well here. And as for Phil . . .You simply cannot go wrong with this purchase."

I was there...

tppr | 07/18/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I attended this concert. It was my first Dead show and I didn't know any of the songs and yet I was spellbound. The concert was inside a covered ampitheater normally used for hockey. Since it was February, the rink was protected under plywood and the audience was left to wander about in a giant undulating mass - no seats, no rows, no mosh pits. Seemingly unknown forces moved us like waves across a tide pool. Sometimes we would be close to Jerry and then the next wave would move us past Bobby and Phil.So what? After listening to this CD I recalled the force which moved us around - the roadies were opening and closing doors to let in cold air. On the CD Mickey and Bill can be heard asking for air and the audience immediately cheers to the rush of frigid Wisconsin winter. The response is a welcome to giant gusts of sub-zero across our faces. The roadies did not time the cool downs to match song resolution and jam transitions and thus the audience can be heard cheering for nothing audible.This magical CD captures the nuances of wind, ice and audience and a memorable winter day with the Grateful Dead.P.S. It snowed during the show and when we left all our cars were under a foot of white stuff."