The boys began their now-legendary spring 1977 tour in the friendly confines of their home state, California. This show at the 'Swing' certainly got things rolling.
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First off, hello! It's been over a month since I've been able to get anything written for Sonic Opinion. This is mostly a result of schoolwork really heating up over the past few weeks and life getting in the way of things.
In recent weeks, I've embarked on a mini-project. That project has been to listen to every single concert from the Grateful Dead's spring 1977 tour. Let me preface; It's safe to say that I've been consumed with the Grateful Dead's music for the greater part of a year and a half now. I still really have only scratched the surface of their music, and i've found that I end up getting stuck in different eras. *end preface* Lately, that era has been the vaunted year of 1977.
There's not much that hasn't already been written about this incredible period for the Dead.
Simply, it's generally considered one of the groups best periods for a number of reasons. A primary factor behind the amazing stretch was the fact that the band had taken a year-long hiatus in 1976, after exhaustion from years on the road caught up with them. As a result, the group came back fresh and inspired with inventive new material from their then-upcoming album, Terrapin Station. From night to night, the boys were tight in a way they hadn't been before. There was certainly a new flavor to their sound, one that audiences couldn't get enough of.
A handful of the groups best-ever concerts came from this stretch. Most noticeably is the Barton Hall show from May 8, a performance that has its own official release, a book written on it, and a hefty amount of online debate as to whether or not it is the definitive Dead show. That's another debate for another time, but the point is that this was a very well-received period for the group.
This article will be the first installment of a new series, Grateful Dead Spring 1977 Rundown. The first show of the tour kicked off in San Bernadino's Swing Auditorum, on February 26. Let's get to it.
Link to show: https://archive.org/details/gd77-02-26.sbd.alphadog.9752.sbeok.shnf/gd77-02-26d3t03.shn
Highlights
Whew. There are a lot of highlights. This show marked the debuts of now-classics, Estimated Prophet and Terrapin Station. One thing is clear, too. The group had benefited from the time off, a period in which they refined their sound.
The Terrapin is a standout, as many regard it as one of the best the group ever played. Oh, and it's the shows OPENER! Imagine taking this in as an audience member? A few personal favorites from this show include a tight Sugaree, an up-tempo Estimated Prophet and a slower, smooth They Love Each Other. Estimated is played faster than usual, and it makes a noticeable difference when comparing it to later versions. We get a Help on the Way>Slipknot>Franklin's Tower in the second set, too. The 1975 suite from Blues for Allah is done justice here.
Jerry Garcia's guitar and Keith Godchaux's piano in TLEO are two beasts of their own, a sign of what was to come on the rest of the tour. An interesting moment comes in a combination of Eyes of the World to Dancin' in the Streets, where Phil Lesh's bass takes centerstage.
Rating
I gave this show four stars out of five. When it comes to judging particular shows, I don't like criticizing one or the other. When rating it out of five stars, it's more about which show packs the biggest punch across both sets. This show gave a lot of hints as to what the rest of the spring tour's material would end up looking like. Estimated, TLEO, Dancin', and a rocker of New Minglewood Blues are just a few of the songs that would become staples of the tour and the Dead's repertoire for the rest of their touring career.
Next show: 2-27-77, Robertson Gym
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