Grateful DeadGrateful Dead Live at Giants Stadium on 1978-09-02 (September 2, 1978)

This audio is available in streaming format

Collection: GratefulDead
Band/Artist: Grateful Dead
Date: September 2, 1978 (check for other copies)
Venue: Giants Stadium
Location: East Rutherford, NJ

Source: Soundboard
Lineage: 1st Set unknown gen reel>CD with some aud patches; 2nd Set SBD:MC>Cas>DAT>CD
Keywords: Live concert

Description

Jack Straw, Friend Of The Devil, Minglewood Blues, Dire Wolf, Looks Like Rain, Stagger Lee, I Need A Miracle, Peggy-O, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication Good Lovin', Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain-> Estimated Prophet-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> Sugar Magnolia, E: One More Saturday Night

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Reviewer: Zaorish - - June 26, 2008
Subject: Good God!

The eyes! THE EYES!!!!

Hey Teabag, we seem to have similar tastes--I too just love the 2-5-78 and 4-24-78 Fires. Have you heard the AUD of 12-16-78? It's a keeper.

Reviewer: TeaBag69 - - June 1, 2008
Subject: Chill Tough Guy

hey RFKROX,

I like your being positive butyour tone is annoying. I have seen other reviews fo yours, always the same stuff. And please, we don't say "LOL' here, got it? That ior kids under 30 who listen to Eminem and Everclear, not a Grateful Dead forum.

How many Dead shpws did you catch? Ironically I grew up in Northern VA, that was home base for my 118 shows, 90% of which were between 1982 and 1987. Like may hardcore Heads, I simply could not deal with the tour scene once In the Dark was released and the Touch heads started showing uip and acting like idiots everywhere - trying to gate crash and thinking it was cool to sneak-in, getting all wasted oin nitrous and acting like a child, that sort of garbage. We also don't say things like "peace out" in here. Again - that is the hip hop crowd, not the intelligent and serious music freaks that make up the Dead crowd. Thanks!

This is a good show, not great, no way on the level of 1/22, 10/21 or 7/8 from '78. I had this board back in '83 and have always loved this show, a solid 3, maybe 3.5 star show. And please, enough of the gizzing at the mouth over Cornell '77 guys. A killer show absolutely but all this "best ever" crap is ridiculous. That Fire is not as good as a few from '78 in my book, including Cedar Falls 2/5 and Normal 4/24 - now THAT is a must-have '78 show!

Have a grateful day.

Reviewer: timmmyk - - March 28, 2008
Subject: My First show

This was my very first show and I never looked back. This event completely changed my life and I am still overjoyed to just listen to the great experience it was. I got shivers and have sat here smiling lke a Cheshire cat at my desk. Sigh.

Reviewer: sfsueny - - February 14, 2008
Subject: My First Show...thank you John S.

My first live show after returning from a year in Europe. This was a completely new experience for me & Giant Stadium is such a HUGE place. I bought my first Dead t-shirt (which I wore until there were more holes than shirt) - and I never looked back. 100 shows later...I still get blown away by this show & the memories of my virgin experience. My friend John and I scalped tickets for $18...doesn't that sound incredible now???

Reviewer: RFKROX - - January 27, 2008
Subject: This Show Rocks!!

Cnick, 2 stars for this show? Dude, you must definitely be on drugs! And what board did you download? Obviously, not this one... Get a clue!! This show rocks!!

Okay, now that weve established that freaks were walking around in the parking lot searching for shoes, and lunatics were jumping off the top of Giants Stadium, has anyone actually taken the time to review this amazing show?? Believe methis one will take your breath away! Aside from DP #18 (which is really a combination of 2 shows from 2/3/78 and 2/5/78 in Wisconsin and Iowa), this is the best show Ive heard so far from 1978. One could make a case that this show is certainly as good as some of the Winterland shows in October. And yes, its even better than the Red Rocks shows in July and August of 78.

The vocals in this show are absolutely incredible, not to mention Jerrys mind-blowing guitar playing, which may be some of the best Ive ever heard. Even Keiths keyboards are totally in sync with Jerrys blazing guitar (just listen to Lazy Lightning > Supplication)! The Scarlet > Fire just may be as good as Barton Hall, 5-8-77, although Ive yet to hear a better ending to the Fire from 5-8-77 (nothing compares to Garcias out-worldly guitar in that one). And then going straight into Estimated Prophet > Eyes is ridiculous! Scarlet > Fire > Prophet > Eyes is what dreams are made of! Garcias guitar just doesnt let up, people!!

The 1st set is mind-blowing! Jack Straw, Friend of the Devil, New Minglewood Blues, Dire Wolf, and Looks Like Rain are nothing short of spectacular! And lets not forget about Peggy-O. Looks Like Rain is right up there with 2/3/78 (Madison, WI), which may be the best one of all time, IMHO! Good Lovin is unique because Bobby jams in the middle of that song like Ive never heard him jam before. Check out Good Lovin from 11/1/79, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (top 3 of all time)! 11/1/79 is definitely my overall favorite Good Lovin to date! Bobby and Brent are off-the-hook in that one, as is Jerry!

Anyway, I consider 9/2/78 a diamond in the rough (Night Full of Diamonds? -- LOL), because 78 is known for some awesome shows in the beginning of the year, and towards the latter part of the year. Download this show now! You wont regret it! Oh yeah, this may be the best Estimated Prophet > Eyes combo Ive heard to date! The Eyes is as good, if not better, than the one on Without A Net from 3-29-90 (Nassau Coliseum) just absolutely sic! Garcia and Weir were on another planet this night. And this isnt a short show. 1st set is almost 70 minutes, and the 2nd set is over 90 minutes.

Danny from Northern Virginia outside of Washington, D.C.
East-Coast Deadhead
rfkrox44@hotmail.com

PEACE-OUT!

Reviewer: Cnick - - January 26, 2008
Subject: Sbd yes ... great recording no

Good setlist, but a really poor recording. The sound is thin, a lot of hiss, and the vocals are scratchy. Look for a better one.

Reviewer: austin nyc - - December 12, 2007
Subject: This is a soundboard

I think not.

Reviewer: tomg1960 - - October 13, 2007
Subject: Got any shoes

This was my first show and therefore my first experience among the Deadheads. Tailgating before the show, a barefooted, long-haired hippie-type (no offense!) was wandering through the parking lot pleading aloud: "Does anyone have any shoes? Does anyone have any shoes?" And off he went among the crowded parking lot in search of footwear. Some time later he re-appeared, this time with a slight limp and with a slightly amended entreaty: "Does anyone have a shoe? Does anyone have a shoe?" Looking down at his feet, now only one foot was bare; on the other? An over-sized football cleat.

Reviewer: Show Companion - - September 3, 2007
Subject: Energy vs. Magic

This 9-2-78 Scar.>Fire has energy/noise, 5-8-77

has magic/perfection. So don't forget that in

your search for the elusive better/same high,

you already had your highest high. You can't

get it back. It's the same situation with you

people endlessly searching for something better

than the music on LiveDead. It's just not

there. You've got it already, stop searching

for more.

Although, I've got to say, while I was typing

this stupid message the last solo in Fire got me

really high. Now the Estimated solo is making

it hard for me to concentrate. Later.

Reviewer: ronzoid - - June 11, 2007
Subject: 15 dollar

a very hot and sweltering day indeed....jer.. 'took my fifteen dollar bill and vanished in the air' a very stella show. thanks for the dozes...whomever you are

Reviewer: neilg - - May 5, 2007
Subject: first show

This was my first show.I was hooked after this show.

Reviewer: Liamfinnegan - - January 4, 2007
Subject: VERY underrated show- Brilliant Scarlet-Fire

Please listen to this show- I have found a new top 3 Scarlet-Fire! It is awesome- Jerry just flies into the outer cosmosphere- than settles back with some runs calmly into Fire- I do not hear this one mentioned with the greats- it should be. Sound quality of this board is pretty darn good too.


Edit: Upon 2nd listen, I declare the first solo in scarlet to be the best first scarlet solo ever. I think it is that good.

Reviewer: StaggerRaggin11 - - December 29, 2006
Subject: wooo

Excellent show! thanks a lot !

Reviewer: mrhellatubbydelux - - November 24, 2006
Subject: best show ever

good quality lots of fun smoke a joint and let it run

Reviewer: astoriadead - - September 7, 2006
Subject: man killed at this show!!

i was 18 and this was
my 2nd show. sometime during the
show a guy was dancing on the upper deck
of Giants Stadium, and he fell to his death!!
does amybody remember this??!!

Reviewer: airag - - July 6, 2006
Subject: Yes, this is awesome.

I'm not sure why no one has mentioned this yet, but this was Dick's favorite Scarlet-Fire--ever. After giving it a listen, Dick was certainly right. The rest of the show is great too.

Reviewer: chirodead - - July 5, 2006
Subject: Nothin' left to do but smile smile smile...

NRPS for breakfast, Willie Nelson minus Waylon Jennings for lunch, and a good ole Grateful Dead early bird dinner, what more can I say? Oh yeah...$10 bought me my ticket, but the first show is priceless...jumped the wall and had a classic estimated into eyes OOB experience, didn't come down for days, didn't want to, 7/10/89 with the weir-d lightning during Music Never Stopped runs a distant second for magic, but the magic of my first show 9/2/78 will always light my way...thank you for the intrepid trips!

Reviewer: mardon - - February 17, 2006
Subject: Footnote

As far as I can tell, this is the first Fire on the Mountain that has 3 verses, not 2 (the verse beginning "almost ablaze...").

Reviewer: L. Rosley - - January 23, 2006
Subject: My first show, too

I think one of the reasons so many Archivers were at this show is because there were so many people there. A huge stadium, and our seats were awful, at the oposite end of the football stadium from the stage. "To hell with this," we said. It proved impossible to get onto the field, so we found ourselves in the deck right behind the stage, looking down at the back of Donna's 4-foot-long train of hair. We had a much better time here than our original seats.

Most people here give their first shows a 5-star rating, but having listened to over a hundred shows here at Archive.org, this rates a 4, regardless of my fond memories. Though enjoyable, it's not a remarkable show in any way.

Highlights include the jam in the middle of Lazy Lightning/Suplication and the jam between Scarlet and Fire. These are ensemble efforts.

Reviewer: robpongi - - September 8, 2005
Subject: THIS WAS MY FIRST SHOW!!!

This was my first Grateful Dead show when I "thought" I knew their music and "who" the THE GRATEFUL DEAD really were! (I must have been joking myself!) Oh My Buddha! I was so young and dumb as I clearly remember getting my head ripped off by Mr. Jerry Garcia's absolutely supernatural guitar and the entire band's overwhelming (and I mean ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMING!!!!!) performance all the way throughout the concert!!!! I was still only a teenager in high school and I had listened to many GD albums and live tapes faithfully and knew all the songs, but what I didn't know is what they would do to me when they were first "brought to life" in front of my eyes and ears! Indeed, my life was changed forever and I'll never forget this day. Never.

And yes, I too remember when the guy jumped to his death from the top of the stadium inside one of the gigantic cement circular stairways. And, yes, indeed, that was a very big bummer when I found out about it the next day in the newspaper. And I remember when it happened during the second set as many security guys in yellow shirts and windbreakers started running up TOWARDS OUR SECTION!!! And I was really scared as I thought WE were going to get massively busted for smoking or something, but they kept running past and I found out the tragic news in the paper the next day.

But that did not diminish the absolutely amazing experience and life transformation that I went through upon seeing THE GRATEFUL DEAD for the very first time in my life. And I went on to see many truly amazing and landmark Grateful Dead shows after this for years, but of all the Grateful Dead shows that I saw, this one short show, by far, had the biggest impact on me.

And, IMHO, highlights include a very cool and very slow "Friend of The Devil" and an AWESOME "Peggy-O" in the first set. Later on the Good Lovin'-Scarlet-Fire and The Prophet-Eyes were totally magnificent performances that just burned down the stadium. And, despite all that happened and all that we went through to get there and back: FIVE STARS!!! It was really a very special experience for me - it was a clear turning point in my life in so many ways. And I thank the Internet Archive very much that I could finally find this show.

Reviewer: gddave - - September 8, 2005
Subject: bad 1st set sound

unlistenable (headphones) 1st set sound quality, but I gave it 5 stars anyway for the Good Lovin->Eyes. I think this scarlet->fire smokes 5-8-77's. Jerry goes off again and again, the segue climax is mindblowing, the instensity is scary.

Reviewer: gddave - - September 8, 2005
Subject: bad 1st set sound

unlistenable (headphones) 1st set sound quality, but I gave it 5 stars anyway for the Good Lovin->Eyes. I think this scarlet->fire smokes 5-8-77's. Jerry goes off again and again, the segue climax is mindblowing, the instensity is scary.

Reviewer: Street Pig - - July 29, 2005
Subject: Jersey Dead

It had been a year since the gathering at Englishtown,78 was a heavy tour year for us, this was the east coast gathering prior to the Egypt trip. We were allowed to enter the lot very early. We had a keg, couches and an abundance of Mr Natural. This was a great lot scene, we missed Willie and my Brother had his first dose/show. The only true bummer was the one who jumped to their death from the top of the stadium, my Brother never discussed this show since. I had a blast dancin round and round the inside of the stadium. Solid performances in the first set, althought the list seems like a carbon copy for 78', they delivered with conviction. FOTD, Jack Straw were on time. Yes the Scarlet>Fire still brings back the festive feel of this day.Estimated>Eyes was the Summer theme ever since Englishtown. Once again we were not disappointed.This recording is once again an upgrade of previous cassettes, I do like how there is no interruptions, taper dude just let it roll. The Band was set up on the field and you felt closer than usual to them.Someone mentioned how Jerry appeared to be not into it, I never judged a book by it's cover, the Dead were famous for looking one way yet blowing your doors off (10-12-84), I came for the soundz and vibes, that is what the Dead were about. No costumes or gimmicks, just gettin' the music to the massess. We all came down in a Friendly Ice Cream Palor which was a trip for locals to watch a bunch of grinning hippies devouring Ice Cream!

Reviewer: zzzboxofrainzzz - - June 21, 2005
Subject: ...A Grate Time Was Had By All

Perfect day. Great music. Amazing how many people I bumped into that day from various walks of life. High school folks I hadn't seen in 2 year, college friends I didn't know were trekkin' up to NJ for the show [and who my parents were soooo grateful to have camp at their home after the show]. The last Keith and Donna show I saw.... and the last show I dosed at. Ah yes, it twas a grate day!!!!

Reviewer: Geoffsky - - May 17, 2005
Subject: Hey Now I remember !

I was at this one. I never really remembered this one for the music but this recording sounds really good. Must've been part of the reason I had such a good time. Must be part of the reason I love listening to these recordings. We were kind of disappointed that after the drums was so short but I guess they had a camel to catch. We all decidsed it must've been the band's idea of a joke to set us loose on the Turnpike while it was still light out. Now I remember selling Dead Roses for $1.00, locking the keys in the trunk, and bringing about 5 gallons of Mongo juice into the stadium. People around us took one look and said noooo thanks. As the afternoon wore on and it got hot they ate a little booze fruit, then it got really hot and they drank the juice. Gotcha ! Great party. One year after Englishtown.

Reviewer: sperry - - April 2, 2005
Subject: this is a doozie

Hang on to your hat listening to this one. I didn't even know this show existed. This is one hot performance.
The second set just blazes with energy!The Scarlet>fire is hotter than hell as is the good lovin and estimated>eyes.It also has good sound.
This is a fine download and undoubtedly a show worth listening too at high volumes in altered states.
Special Thanks goes to those on the archive forum who referred this to me.


sperry

Reviewer: sperry - - April 2, 2005
Subject: this is a doozie

Hang on to your hat listening to this one. I didn't even know this show existed. This is one hot performance.
The second set just blazes with energy!The Scarlet>fire is hotter than hell as is the good lovin and estimated>eyes.It also has good sound.
This is a fine download and undoubtedly a show worth listening too at high volumes in altered states.
Special Thanks goes to those on the archive forum who referred this to me.


sperry

Reviewer: Sachin78 - - March 25, 2005
Subject: Scar > Fire

Listening to this ScarletFire you'd think Jerr and Phil shared the same brain. We're all well aware of the great S>F's out there - 5/8, 11/1, etc. But this one, while not necessarily BETTER, is perfect in its own right, and definitely no worse. I got Good Lovin>Eyes on one disc and discarded the rest of the show. This is all you need. Furthermore, this is what Jerry meant when he said "Magic is what we do. Music is how we do it."

Get it.

Reviewer: adamamps - - October 13, 2004
Subject: 2nd set wonders

I was at this show my buddies older brother took us and we did to much in the parking lot for me to remember much but... the tape I had stood the test until I down loaded the SHN's. Scarlet fire is it. THis is the finest example i've ever heard being there or on tape end of discusion. You will be taken up the ladder 3 times and bigger sets of chills each time Jerry is on another planet. Put down the mouse and down load do not pass go. THe rest of the show really shines as well but... Did I say scarlet fire.

If you don't have it get it. THe quality is great by '78 standard. This second set compares with anything in '77 in my opinion. First set is great as well but I find my self putting on Good Livin' and going for the ride again.

Reviewer: fireonshakedownstreet - - September 6, 2004
Subject: Simply Put: Good Lovin'>Scarlet>Fire

I couldnt believe this when I first heard this. The Second Set pre-drums is out of this world: Good Lovin'>Scarlet>Fire>Estimated>Eyes!?!?! UNREAL. The Good Lovin' is my favorite of all time along with 4-13-83. Bobby's raps are so beautiful and brings my immense joy. Then we have the Rhythm Devils. Their drum rolls during Good Lovin' are unreal; Mickey and Billy are unconscious. Scarlet Begonias is Jerry at his finest. He takes 4 HUGE turns on Scarlet getting higher and higher each time. The Scarlet>Fire transition is probably the best and most inventive ever; Jerry is blistering. Fire is ridiculous. Estimated and Eyes is nuts.
Mandatory Download.
Last show before Egypt.

Reviewer: TERRAPINCANE - - June 21, 2004
Subject: incredible Fire

unreal transition into an amazing version of Fire....notes are melting out of Jerry's gutiar throughout
this version of Eyes is a favorite of mine as well...

Reviewer: Peacefuljon - - April 29, 2004
Subject: Scarlet Fire

One of the more famous Scarlet Fire's around these parts.....New York-New Jersey

Good sound Fun show

Notes

1st Set unknown gen reel>CD with some aud patches, see info file for details;
2nd Set SBD:MC>Cas>DAT>CD; via Yubah with thanks to Jools