Grateful Dead it Must Have Been The Roses

So much more than just the archetypal jam band, the Grateful Dead grew to become and artistic and cultural institution that existed entirely on their own terms. While the band initially came out of a psychedelic revolution in the Bay Area's musically and chemically exploratory mid-'60s, they quickly evolved from their acid rock beginnings, incorporating elements of Americana and Bakersfield country into gently majestic albums like 1970's American Beauty.

Dave's Picks Volume 45 is a four-CD live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It contains two complete concerts recorded on October 1 and 2, 1977 at the Paramount Theatre in Portland, Oregon. It was released on January 27, 2023, in a limited edition of 25,000 copies.
The album is one of many Grateful Dead live releases to feature performances from 1977, widely considered a peak year for the band. Material from the band's October 1977 shows was previously documented on Road Trips Volume 1 Number 2.

The four albums gathered here were released by the band's own label, Grateful Dead Records: Wake of the Flood (1973), From the Mars Hotel (1974), Blues for Allah (1975) and the much-maligned live compilation, Steal Your Face (1976). The three studio albums, even if they suggest songs really different from what they have become later, are enjoyable. This is the album "live" that benefits most from the remastering, which it well deserved.

“Welcome to the unique, enduring phenomenon of the Grateful Dead in New York City, a mutual devotion, forged in concert, that ran for nearly as long as the band itself—from June 1, 1967, a free show in Tompkins Square Park on the Lower East Side (ahead of the band’s official, local bow at the Cafe Au Go Go), to the Dead’s last Garden run, six nights in October 1994… the Dead’s affinity for New York City… was instant and arguably their most profound with any city aside from San Francisco.” - David Fricke

The Grateful Dead played a Bay Area New Year’s Eve show every year from 1976 through 1991 (and several more in the early 70’s). Among Dead Heads favourites is the gig presented on this new Three Disc Set, their 1981 effort. Joan Baez opens the show with the Grateful Dead as her backing band. If you like Joan Baez, you’ll dig this performance. If you don’t like her, this show isn’t going to convert you. Her set isn’t included herein anyhow! The Dead’s first set starts with an incendiary Shakedown Street that gives one a pretty good indication of where this evening is headed. Even the short songs are booming tonight, ‘Cold Rain and Snow’ and ‘Beat It On Down The Line’ being good but not exhaustive examples from the opening set.

It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit …. April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit Sportatorium - April 7, 1978 when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net. Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978 This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'… It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk

It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit …. April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit Sportatorium - April 7, 1978 when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net. Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978 This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'… It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk

It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit …. April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit Sportatorium - April 7, 1978 when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net. Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978 This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'… It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk

It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit …. April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit Sportatorium - April 7, 1978 when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net. Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978 This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'… It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk