Sweet Show, Sucky Sound

Not every show has a Soundboard download, like yesterday.

And unfortunately, not every show is good sound quality.

Why put them up then? Why the heck not? They're shows, aren't they?

Grateful Dead -- April 25, 1977
Capitol Theatre, Passaic, New Jersey
SBD mp3 320 kbps download
1st Set: Minglewood Blues, Deal, Mama Tried, They Love Each Other,
Looks Like Rain, Peggy-O, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication, Ship Of Fools,
Estimated Prophet, Brown-Eyed Women, The Music Never Stopped

Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Samson & Delilah,
Terrapin Station/, /Playing In The Band-> Drums-> Wharf Rat->
Playing In The Band

Encore: U.S. Blues

The sound quality of this show is not great. There's a lot more from '77 that's easier to listen to. By putting this up now, it means there's more that's better still to come. While some would disagree with this method of doing things, I feel that if I put up only the best stuff, that would leave not much to look forward to. Ya know what I'm sayin'?

Anyway, the following review was written and published before the Soundboard of this show came into circulation...

transcribed from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume II: An In-Depth Guide To The Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1975-1985 [out of print] While any of the shows from this era are better known and more easily found, some of the shows that are only circulating as audience tapes are well played and well worth seeking. This night at the Capitol Theatre is also a good example of the how the first set can be the energetic part of the show. The musical train known as the Grateful Dead was charging full steam ahead down the track from the opener. Both "New Minglewood Blues" and "Deal" are played with the fires well stoked, and it is worth noting that "Deal" often benefited from being played in a spot other than first-set closer. They slowed the pace down considerably with "They Love Each Other," "Looks Like Rain," and "Peggy-O," but it'd be an uphill struggle to ask for three prettier songs in a row. Having both "Ship of Fools" and "Estimated Prophet," both of which were relegated too soon to staid second-set slots, in set 1 built the energy back up to that "The Music Never Stopped" is played at a derailing pace and with an apropos title for this long and well-played set. The second set opens with the kind of silky "Scarlet Begonias" that has you wiggling to the rhythm and smiling in anticipation of the transition before you are aware of it. The "Fire on the Mountain" that follows bubbles with energy. It is not as long as many others, but it is full of sparkling leads and delivered with punch. The "Terrapin Station," like most of these early versions, builds in intensity as a runaway train until the screaming last chorus and crescendo refrain melt into a "Playing in the Band" that is not so much spacey as bouncy. This energy carries over to a perfect "Wharf Rat" as well. It is one of those versions that is all the song can be. It is defiant, hopeful, and redemptive, as the power of it lifts both the revisited "Playing in the Band" and the breakneck "U.S. Blues" encore. ANDY LEMIEUX

4-25-77 aka 04-25-77 aka 4/25/77 aka 04-25-77 aka 77-04-25 Cap Theater

Source: Soundboard> Master Reel> ???> DAT> CDR> SHN Audio Quality:	4/25/77 Passaic @ the Internet Archive: an AUD for downloading and the SBD for Listening Only
Download The SBD Here Set One -- 4/25/77 4/25/77 -- 2nd Set