Grateful Dead - 1978-12-17 - Atlanta. GA (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1978-12-17

Fox Theater

Atlanta. GA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Jack Straw 

02. They Love Each Other

03. Mama Tried > 

04. Mexicali Blues 

05. Peggy-O 

06. tuning 

07. Passenger 

08. Stagger Lee 

09. New Minglewood Blues 

10. Brown Eyed Women 

11. The Music Never Stopped 

2nd Set:

01. tuning 

02. I Need A Miracle > 

03. Bertha > 

04. Good Lovin' 

05. Ramble On Rose 

06. From The Heart Of Me 

07. Estimated Prophet > 

08. Eyes Of The World >

09. Drums > 

10. Ollin Arageed Jam > 

11. Shakedown Street > 

12. Sugar Magnolia 

Encore:

01.  Johnny B. Goode

Grateful Dead - 1978-12-17 - Atlanta. GA (SBD)

1978 - In the lore of the Grateful Dead, 1978 has always been a year that receives mixed reviews. As regular readers of this blog know, 1977 was THE YEAR for the Dead with a run of shows that may be unmatched in the band’s history. So, 1978 has always founds itself in the “tough act to follow” position. In truth, the Dead’s playing in 1978 wasn’t quite at the same level as the prior year. For example, their 3 shows at the Pyramids, while historic in terms of the setting, did not feature the band's finest musical moments. Their performance at Winterland on New Year’s Eve, however, is the stuff of legends. My own Dead experiences from 1978 reflect the same dichotomy. On the one hand, I saw them on May 10 and 11 in New Haven and Springfield, 2 shows that were so good they were officially released as Dick’s Picks Volume 25. On the other hand, I attended their September 2 performance at Giants Stadium, the last show before they headed to Egypt, and the band was clearly not firing on all cylinders. That said, when the Dead were good in 1978, they were very good, maybe as good as they were in 1977. This soundboard recording from December 17, 1978, 43 years ago today, captures the band on in fine form at the Fox Theater In Atlanta, especially in the 2nd set with a great triplet of I Need A Miracle > Betha > Good Lovin' to open, a wonderful Estimated > Eyes before the drums and a rare combo of Shakedown Street > Sugar Magnolia to close it out, By the way, the band was back on the road in December after having to cancel 5 shows in late November as Garcia was suffering from laryngitis, which had first reared its ugly head during a nationwide radio broadcast of their concert from the Capitol Theater in Passaic on November 24, 1978.  I had missed out of tickets to that one, but called the box office day of the show to see if ant last minute seats were available.  The guy who answered the phone said no, but told me if  could come up with some "coke" (not the kind you drink) and bring it to the box office, he'd find me a seat!  Needless to say, I wound up listening (and taping) the show on the radio!