Because of the band’s open-recording policy, in their time, fans of the Grateful Dead could always be seen setting up elaborate microphone systems during shows. The tapes were then circulated privately amongst collectors and aficionados, with the strict agreement that the music would not be used for financial gain.
Now, one of the most legendary concerts in the Dead’s storied history is escaping from the vaults of connoisseurs and reaching the greater public. Thanks to Rhino Records, the Grateful Dead's Live at the Cow Palace: New Year's Eve 1976 is currently on record store shelves.
Taken from the original 16-track master tapes, this album is presented in crystal-clear HDCD format. The complete three-hour marathon show is here, including the collective countdown to midnight that opens the second disc. The overall quality creates a true intimacy and a sense that listeners are actually there, swaying along in the tie-dye tee-shirts of their choice.
Musically, the record encapsulates a unique moment in the band’s development, and shows the group at the height of their jam-band powers. The band's line-up at the time featured Jerry Garcia on guitar and vocals, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann on drums, Phil Lesh on bass, Bob Weir on guitar and vocals, Keith Godchaux on keyboards and backup vocalist Donna Godchaux.
As a result, the performance spans several distinct periods of the Dead’s sound. Recorded between 1975’s exhilarating Blues for Allah and the more introspective Terrapin Station of 1977, the group moves seamlessly from intimate blues to thundering rock to sing-along pop to round-the-campfire folk. It’s all here.
The Dead were known for their innovative cover songs, and this album contains several noteworthy performances. There is Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried,” Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land,” and the quintessential favorite, Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” At the apex of the show, Lesh treats the audience and now contemporary listeners to an inspired (and only the third performance ever, at the time) take on “Good Lovin.’”
However, the covers merely serve as well-chosen compliments to a night of Dead standards. “Bertha,” “Playing in the Band,” “Sugar Magnolia,” and “Scarlet Begonias”—all classics in either their live or studio manifestations—standout for their freshness and vitality. For those of us who never experienced the Dead’s musical power in-person, these renditions are probably as close as we’ll ever get.
While this is easily one of the best Dead live albums ever released, listeners must be made aware of one fact: this is still a Grateful Dead concert. Many of the songs last well over ten minutes. Few tracks are lumbering, but unless you are mentally and physically prepared to immerse yourself in a 15-minute Jerry Garcia guitar solo than you might first look elsewhere in the Dead catalog before purchasing this latest edition.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of impeccable musical craftsmanship (and possess a free evening and a bottle of wine), this record may be the perfect evening of entertainment for you.
