Grateful Dead- “Review of Winterland 12-27-77 Show by Hal Masonburg”

As if this might be the last gig ever played, the members of the Grateful Dead took the stage at their ol’ familiar haunt, the Winterland Arena, on the evening of December 27th, 1977 and immediately burst into flames.

To put it more sensibly (and without conjuring up Spinal Tap drummer imagery), Jerry and gang came out of the gate with so much energy that they nearly blew the roof off the place with the first song of the night and they let the show snowball from there. The Bertha-> Good Lovin’ that opens the first set just sweeps you off your feet and it’s readily apparent that Garcia is in one helluva guitar-slamming mood. Every song reaches a scorching peak as if no amount of joy could be contained but must instantly be transferred to all in attendance, even those hiding in the farthest rows or standing outside the walls of the arena itself. The Brown-Eyed Women may well be the most energetic version you’ve ever heard. And while the entire show is wild with energy, it’s the first set that shines brightest with an excitable tightness that was 1977. Even mellower tales like Peggy-O and Friend Of The Devil have claws. One need only close their eyes and listen to see Jerry’s high-energy grin as he owns each and every chord.

The second set is a musical amusement park of swirling rides and exhilarating twists and turns, though it rarely attains the confident figure-hugging tightness of the first set. But that doesn’t mean it’s anything less than spectacular. Garcia’s still roaring and Bobby’s rhythm guitar is clean and sharp. The vocals are strong (if a tad lower in the mix than the first set) with terrific harmonies enhanced by an unusually beautiful and inspired Donna who never steps on any toes here and is, quite simply put, at her melodic best.

The Cold Rain And Snow opener will have you spinning with chaotic abandon, followed immediately by a rare second set Lazy Lightning-> Supplication that will leave you breathless. The remainder may not be unusual set-list-wise, but the rocking and rolling is at a fever-pitch, if not a tad imprecise in moments, but that’s mostly when compared to the flawless first set. By any other standard, this is one helluva second set!

I sat down to listen to this night’s pre-New Year’s Eve festivities with the full intention of simply whetting my appetite with a couple of choice songs. But as the evening wore on, I realized I was in for the long haul. There was no way I wasn’t gonna follow this show into its final notes.

Luckily for us, there’s a new Bertha SOUND BOARD remaster out there that is just stellar. The Samson & Delilah encore is sadly absent as, apparently, no decent sounding versions could be found.

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To View Photos from the Winterland 12-27-77 Concert Click on this Link:
Winterland 12-27-77 Photos by Ben Upham III
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GRATEFUL DEAD DISCOGRAPHY:
1967 The Grateful Dead
1968 Anthem of the Sun
1969 Aoxomoxoa
1969 Live dead
1970 Workingman’s Dead
1970 American Beauty
1971 Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)
1972 Europe ’72 (Live)
1973 History of the Grateful Dead (Bear’s Choice)
1973 Wake of the Flood
1974 Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel
1975 Blues for Allah
1976 Steal your Face (Live)
1977 Terrapin Station
1978 Shakedown Street
1980 Go to Heaven
1981 Reckoning (Acoustic Live)
1981 Dead Set (Electric Live)
1987 In the Dark
1989 Dylan & the Dead
1989 Built to Last
1990 Without a Net (Live)
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JERRY GARCIA BAND DISCOGRAPHY:
1971 Hooteroll? (w/ Howard Wales)
1972 Garcia
1973 Live at Keystone (w/ Merl Saunders)
1974 Compliments
1976 Reflections
1978 Cats Under the Stars
1982 Run for the Roses
1988 Almost Acoustic (Live)
1991 Jerry Garcia Band (Live)
1991 Garcia Grisman
1993 Not For Kids Only (w/ Grisman)
1996 Shady Grove (w/ Grisman)
1997 How Sweet it is (Live)
1998 So What (w/ Grisman)
2001 Dont Let Go (Live)
2001 Shining Star (Live)
2004 After Midnight (Live 1980)
2005 Garcia Plays Dylan (Live)
2009 Let it Rock (Live 1975)
2010 Ragged but Right