The show was fantastic, starting with THE PROMISED LAND, every now and then I'd get a bump up and they'ed rock some more and end the show rocking with JOHNNY B. GOODE. The band was having a good time and the sound was clean. Strong medicine. The audience got a little restless waiting on the band in between songs until Weir made a comment that no one was complaining about the music and that is what really matters. What appeared to be cigarettes were twisted closed on one end and wedged in some guitar strings at the tuning end. They were untwisted and snorted before being lit and smoked. That takes some time in between songs. Anyway, like I said, clean strong rocking and having fun. Friday night 2 days after my 21st birthday.the time and place was just right. I wish that I would have brought cigarettes, I don't smoke 'em but there were lots of awkward moments keeping the energy up and rocking to the end. Did I say the band had a good time? So Did I, and I still am. Just imagine! Ain't no "GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN THE LADIES SAID PLEASE" if you get your rest, are in good health, and go have fun. My wife's grandfather Harley, 99 years old on Feb,1, 2017, still goes out in Athens,GA.

I was 17 years old and my parents let me drive their Plymouth Fury from Lynchburg to Blacksburg to see the show. It was assigned seating and we had just found our seats as the lights went down and first few chords of Promised Land rang through the auditorium. I froze dead in my tracks and stood watching in amazement. I had found my seat but apparently did not want to use it. Eventually the guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to sit down. For years I wondered if I actually saw Bobby and Phil "drumming" on the metal folding chair or if I just imagined it. Thanks to the the earlier posting for verifying that I really did see that!

I still can't get over this show. I'm surprised more people haven't dropped in to praise it's greatness! Five Stars!

I "second that emotion" of the last reviewer.

I am listening to this show now just sending out LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to all those Virginia Tech students, family, friends, and alumni tragically affected by a campus shooting that left 30 innocent people dead on 4/16/07. What a tragic contrast to how that campus must have felt exactly 29 years ago after this 1977 Steamroller of a show. Gone are the days..........Take it away, Peggy-O..................RIP

This was my inaugural show, and having grown up in Blacksburg (which is indeed in Virginia, not West Virginia) I was "Gratefully Challenged". So when the Dead announced they were coming to our town, which was a dot no bigger than this (.) on a map and not much bigger than that for real, I knew I'd have to go. The concert planners, in a move to keep the chaos at bay, decided it would be best to do away with festival seating, offering instead to sell tickets "first come first served, limit ten, choice of seats". Ironically this created even more chaos as it had the effect of creating a tent city in the downtown area (which, as I mentioned was this big (.)), as dead heads from all over the country converged to wait in line for their tickets. We camped out for nearly 3 weeks for tickets, and in that time I evolved from "Gratefully Challenged" to a human being, with a craving for the Dead. In the end we ended up on the third row, slightly left stage of center in front of Jerry and Donna, and to add to the incredible "coolness" of the situation: I knew everyone seated around us from our "tent city" days a few weeks prior!
Just a quick point of interest I had forgotten about: during Drums I managed to get to a vantage point where I could see backstage, and I caught a glimpse of Bobby and Phil goofing around. Bobby was holding a metal folding chair up to a micrphone while Phil wailed on it with drumsticks. So whenever I listen to this Drums I always try to pick out the sound of the chair!

This show's awesomeness is attributable, in part, to the unique circumstances surrounding it. If you can, imagine a tiny town in western VA in 1978 suddenly filled with deadheads and the spectacle of the tent city. I'd give the show a strong 4 stars for perfromance, and 8 stars overall!!!

If you were there I'd love to hear from you, murdilu9@hotmail.com.

VA Tech alumni here. This is an awesome show and I wish I had been there. The recording is of great quality and I have to agree that it is mixed well. In case you are interested, this happened on parents weekend and the lot next to Cassell Coliseum was shared between heads and parents. The Dead didn't play there again and the next big jamband show was SCI in '02.

with 4-12, 4-15, & 4-16 being sooo hot, i figured this had to be the dud out of the run, since it is not as well circulated in the past----WRONG.
They kept the same energy flowing through this whole run of my old stompin' grounds.
Seriously, this one has the goods, with the Dancin', other one, and the a Ssssick Black Peter(and i never thought i'd say that either about a blk peter)..."run and sEEE, ohhhohoHHHHO!-run and SEE!"...check out jerry, hot damn!
Quality is bangin' as well.
For some reason the betty boards from this run have some of the best mixing of any period, IMO.
Get It;
--slim.

I agree this is one of the best of the late 70's if not ever - very hot. This is a very hot first set prom, tenn jed, big river, rare dire wolf (for that time). THIS IS A GREAT SHOW FULL OF COLLEGE ARENA ENERGY - check out the duprees after all over now - its a full 4 more years till they play this again... For rarities alone this is a 5, great quality, energy A+. Longest post pig dancing ever++

How many post pig shows had any Smokestack Lightning licks? this did right after Sampson... The whole back end of this smokes - listen from drums on and I am sure you will agree this is easily one of the best of '78. Sugar Mag A+

show is not in west virginia...it is in virginia at virginia tech (blacksburg, va) good show..worth the download

Any show from West Virginia is a must have. The good old days indeed. I wish I was born 15 years earlier and would have been there.

here is the correct setlist
Set 1: Promised Land, Tennessee Jed, Me & My Uncle > Big River, Peggy-O, Looks Like Rain, Dire Wolf, It's All Over Now, Dupree's Diamond Blues, Music Never Stopped

Set 2: Samson & Delilah, Ship of Fools, Dancing In The Streets > Drums > The Other One > Black Peter > Sugar Magnolia, E: Johnny B. Goode

anyway this show kicks all sorts of ass. has one of the best black peters ive ever heard jerry sing. opening with the promised land i really loved, someone said best peggy-o ever i duno it was good but ive heard better, anyway great show get it.

No stand outs or duds???

Listen to the first set for the best "Peggy Oh!" of all times.

"Peggy Oh My God" is more like it.

A must down load for that alone not to mention the quality of the recording...

this setlist is wrong and the songs are mislabled
ie: whats labeled suger mag is really space

Not the greatest of shows compared to other '78 shows. No big standouts or duds. A very good Looks Like Rain. Being a Virginia Tech grad, this show is a must have.