It's tough competition for any one show to stand out in Spring '77, especially held against 5/8, 5/9, 5/17, 5/21 & 5/22. This one's rougher – for a May '77 – but like 5/5, the other average May '77 show, with such fine highlights the lesser moments are forgotten (as Xpanding Man said below, "There can only be so many great shows in a row"). This was their first-ever show at the original Civic Center.

First Set. The set first raises its head with a nicely-paced Big River – when Jer takes another measure the excitement starts to ramp. They coast through Loser but, as others have pointed out, Looks Like Rain is hot. The '77s are hard to distinguish; it takes a well-played version. Here there are a few extra figures from Jer & Keith to make Bob's clunky ballad work, and Donna is in her element. Ramble On Rose has a patchable cut. The OFF cuts to 5/19 @4:57 for 1:34. The next few are average, though with Keith tapping fine barrelhouse flourishes on Jack Straw, until it all converges to a walloping Deal. Keith was giving preference to his Moog on this tour, but it sounds like he's using his Hammond on Lazy Lightnin'. The set's final floating fantastic is Sugaree, and it's up there with 5/11 & 5/22 (though not quite 5/28).

Second Set. Samson is the set's powerful primary punch, and the continuing nice tempo improves Brown Eyed Women. Estimated is average (which is below average for this tour, since it was played every night!). Making up for that is a Scar>Fire that gets better, and better still, until you have one of the month's best Fires, matching 5/13, 5/17 & 5/21 – at least in the last five minutes. The rest is perfunctory for spring '77, dipping to an Uncle John's with nobody (save the back line) on the same page. The crash into Wharf Rat is a moment, though, and Donna is an improving element on Brokedown. Wharf has a patchable cut. The OFF has a 20sec patch @2:50, playing 5/25.

1st Set:  C+
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¼ Stars

Highlights:
Looks Like Rain – great ensemble playing +Donna
Deal – almost always great in '77
Sugaree – long enough to re-peak
Samson & Delilah – powerful
Fire on the Mountain – sinks into the lava, sizzles

SOURCES: Charlie twice fixed glitches to present the miller_83196 SBD. Most of the show is in the May 1977 OFFicial release, with altered versions of Ramble and Wharf. Now there is the 151618_aud_lamarre AUD to patch, but it runs extremely slow in the first set, needing +3.5% pitch correction at Ramble; and running fast in the second set, needing -2% at Wharf.

this show is fucking fantastic. keiths moog sounds soo dope on loser and all night. one of if not fav llr, ror, jack straw is banging, first reall good one of the tour. ll/sup is super groovy and fun. fantastic sugaree set close.
2nd set has a bangin samson. love 2nd set bew, one of the best. best scarlet fire of tour so far. bobby comes out more on good locij, estimated has legs (best of tour so far). rest of set is excellent as other have noted
im doing a straight listen thru of 1977 start to finish and so far this is my favorite show. grateful fuckin dead five stars

I'm sure you've heard the saying "Opinions are like assholes everybody has one & usually everyone else's stinks." Well that isn't always true but I will just simply say this. It's a Grateful Dead show from May of 1977. The famous Cornell show was 3 days earlier. So wouldn't you want to hear it for yourself & form your own opinion? What's the worst that could happen? You get to hear a band you love play a bunch of songs that you love to hear, and then form your own opinion? Wow. That could be just awful, right? First you enjoy something & then you form your own opinion about it? Ya know, people may start thinking that you have a brain & can think for yourself. Wow. That might be awful too. Right? Here is my entire opinion of EVERY SHOW the Grateful Dead played before August of 1995. Jerry was there & he played that night. It was a 5 star show. Ok, maybe he wasn't feeling well one night or whatever, but he loved to play, and he put everything he had into playing because he loved to play & he loved the people he was playing with & the people he was playing for! So was it a 5 star show? If Jerry was there, it was a 5 star show. Its been 25 years since we lost Jerry. And when he passed I lost the desire to do anymore tours. I did do a few more tours, idk if it was just out of habit or just a way of saying goodbye to a scene that I had grown to know & love very much. Or if was my way of mourning the loss a man I had heard play for many, many hours. Don't get me wrong either, I seriously applaud Bobby & Bill & Micky & Phil for going Further & keeping the scene alive. But I stand by my claim, if Jerry was there, it was a 5 star show. And I will never regret listening to any concert the man ever played. Happy Trails. And lots of Love to all!!!🎶🎵🎶💞🎶🎵💞🌈🌙🤪😃

P/S People are always badmouthing Donna & I'm guilty of it as well. But I really must say she does a really great job harmonizing with Bobby on "Looks Like Rain." Her voice does add some beauty there. So now I can honestly say that I didn't ALWAYS talk bad about her. And any show that they play Sunrise she does a fantastic job singing that one! I'm done.✌

Ol' Mind Wonderin be wandering in the wilderness. As all of the other 5-star reviews note, this is a gem, though admittedly of a different timbre than its more famous May brethren. This is a true Jerry show, more akin to a '77 JGB gig. He is wholly locked in with perhaps his best vocal performance of the tour - strong leads with nary a warble on the lyrics and totally there when contributing on a harmony or a chorus. And his licks, oh my! Looks Like Rain is an all-timer as is the Sugaree to close the first set and the Brokedown encore. And put your headphones on to do justice to the jam which links UJB to Wharf Rat -- as another reviewer noted, the rest of the band just dwindles away so they can listen in awe as well. There's a reason this was put in the recent May '77 box set . . .

Outstanding performance, great recording! Really, one of the best ever. All I can say, 5 stars isn't enough stars.

another great show from May 77. I'm surprised to see a board from this show still up since they just released the whole big May 77 package. Imo this show's 1st set blows away Cornell but Cornell's 2nd is better. Killer Loser here and also TLEO but the true reason I prefer this to Barton Hall is the Peggy-O can't recall a better one. Oh yeah don't sell the 2nd short though wonderful Uncle John's and top-notch Wharf Rat too in the 2nd. damn jumped to the 2nd without even mentioning the Sugaree which is 5 starred for sure.gotta give the boys their due another 5 in a month full of them. Oh yeah Charlie Miller production no need to say more.

Ce concert excellent mériterait d'être le 37è Dick's Picks!

Performance sans faille du Grateful Dead avec une prise de son au top!

Je recommande ce concert à ceux qui voudraient découvrir ce groupe, l'un des plus grands des années 68-95

Un grand merci à Charlie Miller !

I wonder at what point in May 1077 they realized that they were on a roll?

5 stars both for performance and recording.

The first s et was a bit slow for me but that second set... wow!That Scarlet->Fire easy rivals 5/8. Actually it may be my all time favourite Fire.

a great bass heavy mix with a hint of echo.

Deal, Sugaree, Loser, SG, Fire, Peggy-O, Brown Eyed and so on. For those that say the set doesn't matter I challenge your point of view. I can listen to him over and over. This was his night. I love his guitar and improvisation. I also love the vocals that came out of 72-74 time period and 1977. His voice could be near perfection on some nights.

plain and simple this show is classic A-1 77' more than words can tell!!~ :)

First off, very nice upgrade Charlie, much thanks. The sound on this is bristling with energy. It really highlights the best parts of 77 sound.

Energy packed Promised Land to kick things off, followed by a nice but standard 77 TLEO. very solid Big River is next, though there are some serious scorchers from this era, this one is still very well played. An average 77 version of Loser comes next, not entirely average, Jerry's voice is piercingly powerful. Good L.L. Rain, but lacks the powerful Jerry punch which makes it a worthwhile listen on most occasions. Pretty good Ramble, but nothing to write home about. Very aggressive pace early in this Jack Straw makes it unique from the outset. Not much in the solo, but double timed pace for much of this version makes it a lot of fun. A beautiful Peggy-O raises this set up. Jerry's solos are just right and his vocals are touching to say the least. Nice crisp El Paso. Real nice Deal for the era. A decent but standard Lazy Lightning>Supp. Though it's worth saying that standard versions of this from May 77 kick ass. I'm a huge fan of that pairing and May 77 was definitely its high point.

Absolutely EPIC Sugaree! Hands down one of the very very best. It stands right up there with 5/28/77, which is my personal favorite. Some very unique playing from Jerry gets dropped in throughout this version which really sets it apart from many of the other highly regarded 77 versions. Not that those aren't all great, but they are mostly great for the same reasons, this one, takes the next step. Strong Samson & Delilah, a short rest before jumping into very nice BE Women. A strong E. Prophet follows as the gateway to the meat of the show. The Scarlet here is very nice and the transition features some fast dancing picking from Jerry. The opening licks from Jer in Fire are great. This Fire does not disappoint. Perfect execution throughout with some tremendous moments from Jerry and Phil. The move briskly into Good Lovin' which jumps right off the recording. Their playing to this point in the set has been very aggressive and thoughtful. Up next is a perfectly time Uncle John's. Believe it or not 77 was sort of a renaissance year for this song. Played sparingly in 73 and 74, just 26 times in total, then once in 76, in 77 they would bring it back playing it 12 times before shelving it for all of 78, and just 3 performances in 79. In fact, 1977 and 1980 are the only years UJB was played in double digits between 75-87. This UJB is nice and laid back until the end of the 7th minute. There is a short spacey jam following UJB before they settle into Wharf Rat. Its really more of a jump into Wharf Rat. This Wharf Rat is very powerful. Jerry's singing shines through on the tape like its coming from heaven at times. His solo is equally angelic, although emoting a more devilish attitude. As they come to the end of Whart Rat, there is a moment when it sounds like they may be headed for Other One, but instead they jump right into Around & Around. Obviously, its no TOO, but this Around rips the doors off the place. Great set closer. The Brokedown Encore is perfect, nothing else needs saying far as that goes.

Sound: 9.5/10
Playing: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Very nice upgrade with great sound. Thanks again Charlie!