Birth

Grateful Dead -- February 26, 1977
Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, California

1st Set: Terrapin Station, Minglewood Blues, They Love Each Other,
Estimated Prophet, Sugaree, Mama Tried, Deal,
Playing In The Band-» The Wheel-» Playing In The Band

Set 2: Samson And Delilah, Tennessee Jed, The Music Never Stopped,
Help On The Way-» Slipknot-» Franklin's Tower,
The Promised Land, Eyes Of The World-» Dancin' In The Street

Encore: U.S. Blues

Happy Birthday, Terrapin Station! Well, that's what I mighta said had I posted this when I wanted to back on Feb 26th, a few weeks ago. There's only one or two known recordings, if I'm not mistaken, of a go at Terrapin which happened within a week or two before this first show of 1977. The album wouldn't be released until July so here on this night, at the Swing Auditorium in Southern California's Inland Empire, would be the very first public appearance of the wonderful Robert Hunter opus known as Terrapin Station. Also, I do believe this is the only time, out of over 300 performances, that the song opened a show. And what a beautiful version it is. It's forced, in a way, very studio like, and not very free... but gorgeous none-the-less.

What's also interesting about these first live Dead tunes of '77 is here's the debut of Estimated Prophet. In my book Terrapin gets the glory but Estimated sure did become a mainstay, a tune that was done consistently up to the very end. It also became a great vehicle for the band to launch into a bit of Spacey Jam Land before Drums so this is a significant First Time Played! (But Jerry still wins over Bobby.)

All-around this is an exceptional show to kick off what is thought by many (but argued by others) to be the Dead's best year of playing.

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] The Dead showed sheer balls by opening their first show of the year with "Terrapin," which they had been putting together in the studio during the weeks preceding this show. Although a bit tame by the standards of later versions, I can only imagine how the unsuspecting audience must have reacted to this opening salvo, but the Hunter-Garcia epic never appeared first in the lineup again. Rather than peaking early, the band went on to give a long first set that also featured the debut of "Estimated," and closed with a sublime "Playing" sandwich with "The Wheel" as the lunch meat. The second set was strange. Opening with solitary songs, a fine "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!" > "Franklin's" appeared mid-set. After a Berry break with "Promised Land," they finished up with a fine, if brief, medley consisting of "Eyes," disco "Dancin'," and "Around and Around," closing with a rather anticlimatic "U.S. Blues." by MICHAEL PARRISH

GD 2/26/77 @ the Internet Archive the SBD for Listening Only

Download The Show Here Audio Quality:♦ Source: shnid=93808 Lineage: SBD -» Master Reel -» DATs -» CDR -» SHN (w/Aud patches) GD: 2/26/77 - Part 1 Part 2 GD: 2/26/77 Part 3 - Swing Auditorium

2-26-77 aka 02-26-77 aka 2/26/77 aka 02/26/77 aka 02-26-77 Swing Auditorium