A Dead show from 1977, Volume 15 of the Dick's Picks live series documents a high-energy affair that delighted 100,000 folks at a New Jersey racetrack. While the routine set list won't turn any heads--the same tunes could'... more »ve been heard in much the same order 15 years later--the band produces a rather strong effort all the way through. Of particular note are the sharp readings of "Half-Step" and "Music Never Stopped" from the opening set, and the incredibly rousing finale of "Not Fade Away," "Truckin'," and "Terrapin." --Marc Greilsamer« less
A Dead show from 1977, Volume 15 of the Dick's Picks live series documents a high-energy affair that delighted 100,000 folks at a New Jersey racetrack. While the routine set list won't turn any heads--the same tunes could've been heard in much the same order 15 years later--the band produces a rather strong effort all the way through. Of particular note are the sharp readings of "Half-Step" and "Music Never Stopped" from the opening set, and the incredibly rousing finale of "Not Fade Away," "Truckin'," and "Terrapin." --Marc Greilsamer
CD Reviews
Since the End is Never Told
My Uncle Stu | Boston | 06/06/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a great all around show! I bought this back when it first came out, back then I was buying up the Dick's Picks as fast as they came. Now that I've entered the ipod era, it's nice to dig through the archives, pick out an old dick's pick at random and listen to it begining to end over the course of a couple of days of commuting and errands.
Can't go wrong with this one. First off, 1977, a great year for the Dead. Then you have a great show, all around high energy. I agree with other reviewers about the overall high quality of Jerry solos on this night, this is a show you can play with pride in front of fellow heads or critics.
The first set culminates with the best Peggy-O I've heard, then a nice Minglewood Blues, Friend of the Devil, and a high quality Music Never Stopped. The second set is great all-around, but particularly a great Eyes of the World. It silly to rank the different versions of these songs, but I'll go on the record as saying this Eyes of the World will be in anyone's top five.
Then comes the encore: Terrapin. Beautiful. Melty. Bewitching. Prodigious. Terrapin is a special song for me, with magical memories, well-cocooned in another times forgotten space, out-of-reach but I know they're good. I only saw the Grateful Dead live 15 times or so, but I got three shows with Terrapin, including my first and my last. No matter what mood I'm in, those relaxed opening cords instantly snap me out of it.
...if you get confused just listen to the music play..."
Dick's Picks Vol. 15 is one of the best, if not the best
D. Bowers | San Diego, CA United States | 09/15/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am quit confused by the reviews posted about this record. It's one of the best live grateful dead recordings to ever be released. I own pretty much everything the dead have put out and this is in the top three of anything recorded and released to the public. This is in the same catagory as dick's volumes 4 and 8 as being the holy grails of live recordings. They have very rarley reached the olympic heights of this caliber of live performances. This is something special which should be cherished. I would recommend this to old salty dead fans and any one who is testing the waters as far as purchasing dead recordings. This is the tightest playing I think I have ever heard from the dead. This is a MUST!!! get album. If I had to own only five dead albums this album would be my first choice, followed by Dick's picks vol. four and eight, American Beauty, Working Mans Dead, and Live/Dead. That's it, thats all you need. If you get these you are good to go. Ok throw in Europe 72 for good measure. And maybe the box set So Many Roads. This will give you a taste of peak performances."
New for $21.00 on http://gdstore.com/
Kenneth M. Goodman | 02/10/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Don't spend more than $21.00 on this here. New for $21.00 on http://gdstore.com/ the official source."
Heavens me-o-my!!!
M. McSorley | Los Angeles, CA USA | 02/02/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Pure DEAD delight. Every track is dynamite. A stellar show. Eyes of the world, especially...Thank you, Dick!!!!"
Super Fantastic
Kenneth M. Goodman | Cleveland, Ohio United States | 07/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For me, the key to enjoying Dick's Picks is to discover those
tracks which you consider the "definitive" version of songs...
and #15 is nicely loaded with soaring beauty. Everybody knows
(or should) that Jerry was/is an angel...when he plays, an
angel is playing. Anyway, I've now learned to separate Dick's
Picks selections into two categories: JAMS (where Jerry solos
with staggering beauty (no vocals) and SONGS (with vocals). So...
Dick's Picks #15 falls mainly under the Songs category. The first
CD is the best because of 4 tracks: They Love Eachother; Half Step
Mississippi Uptown; Peggy-O; and The Music Never Stopped....all
definitive versions. One bit of advice regarding The Music Never
Stopped: if you're a bit turned off by the vocal, you know, Bob
Weir singing, "Come on children clap your hands, etc." don't let
that cause you to skip the song. Once you get through
Weir's vocals...JERRY's SOLO IS GRRRRRREAT!!!!! Peggy-O is
perhaps the most beautiful ballad ever recorded.....Half Step
Mississippi Updown is nothing short of miraculous. And They Love Eachother is a great place to begin.
On CD 2: LOSER contains a relatively short guitar solo that is
absolutely staggering in its beauty. CD 3 has a very very very
good extended Not Fade Away. Ohhhh by the way, if you're wondering which Dick's Picks has the best extended pure non-vocal JAMS.........check out #12!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1