Dead of the Day: 05-22-1977
Sportatorium
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Though there is a very good ’82 show on this date, back in 1977 the Dead put up one for the ages. A cool little Funicili Funicula opens the show before the band heads into a solid Music Never Stopped. The Sugaree that comes next is positively epic with an intense jam in the midst of Jerry’s sonorous vocals and some loose and bright, but plaintive playing. Bobby’s vocals are just as impressive on El Paso, which is so crisp and lively. The rest of the set continues to deliver with a nice Lazy Lightning> Supplication before ending with a raucous Dancin’ in the Streets. That closer is a whole lot of fun, punctuated by Jerry’s ever so funky picking and Phil’s massive bombs.
Sugaree
El Paso
Peggy-O
New Minglewood Blues
Friend Of The Devil
Lazy Lightning >
Supplication
Ramble On Rose
Dancing In The Street
Slipknot! >
Franklin’s Tower
Samson & Delilah
Brown Eyed Women
Good Lovin’
Sunrise
Estimated Prophet >
Eyes Of The World >
Wharf Rat >
Terrapin Station >
Morning Dew
Encore:
Sugar Magnolia
Jerry Garcia – Guitar
Bob Weir – Guitar
Keith Godchaux – Keyboards
Phil Lesh – Bass
Bill Kreutzmann – Drums
Mickey Hart – Drums
Donna Jean Godchaux – Vocals
The second set opens up with a Help> Slip> Franklin’s that is masterfully scorching, an ultimate version if there ever was one. The boys keep the power turned up on the Samson that follows. And the Good Lovin’ a bit later is all that you would expect out of a ’77 version, rocking with great drums, awesome fills by Keith, the perfect level of Bobby cheese, and Jerry’s sweet guitar. A song later things change gears a bit with a terrific Estimated, leading into Eyes of the World. The Eyes opens with a beautiful segment as Bobby provides a lovely canvas on which Jerry sketches an intricate picture before going into the first verse. The rest of the song continues to delight before transitioning into a purposeful and morose Wharf Rat. The tenor of that song inflects the short Terrapin that comes next, making the whole tale more definitively tragic despite the majestic music. Still, despite all the tremendous playing, the highlight of the entire night might be the Morning Dew closer, which gives the feeling of languor while still being face-melting and exploratory. A Sugar Mags encore provides a necessary, extraordinary emotional release after the intensity of the show.
The Dead released most of this show as Dick’s Picks Volume 3.
Podcast about this show:
- Heads’ Tales – S1 E3 Chris Todt – The Sportatorium show from this day in 1977 is legendary. And on the Heads’ Tales podcast, Chris Todt talks about trying to find the original location after moving to south Florida.
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