Flashback | Grateful Dead In Passaic April 1977

Many fans count 1977 as one of the best years in the history of the Grateful Dead and we’d have to agree. The band was firing on all cylinders, had a slew of fantastic new material and delivered exceptional performances nearly every night. On this date in 1977 Jerry Garcia and Co. performed at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey. Thanks to Music Vault outstanding, black-and-white video of the entire show is available for our listening and viewing pleasure.

While this show isn’t among the best of the year, it contains many highlights worth watching including a breath-taking “Sugaree,” a standout “Mississippi Half-Step” and a sweetly-extended take on “Estimated Prophet.” Then there’s the always-reliable, especially in 1977, pairing of “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire On The Mountain.” Keyboardist Keith Godchaux is especially on fire on this night as he switches between piano and a Moog synth. Let’s check it out:

Setlist:
0:00:00 -Introduction
0:01:49 -Promised Land
0:05:22 -crowd noise
0:07:06 -Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
0:15:05 -crowd noise
0:19:49 -Looks Like Rain
0:27:10 -crowd noise
0:29:19 -Sugaree
0:40:48 -crowd noise
0:43:02 -El Paso
0:47:43 -crowd noise
0:49:43 -Row Jimmy
0:58:42 -crowd noise
1:00:40 -New Minglewood Blues
1:05:46 -Banter
1:07:05 -Loser
1:15:36 -crowd noise
1:17:27 -The Music Never Stopped
1:24:33 -Intermission
1:35:44 -Estimated Prophet
1:44:04 -crowd noise
1:45:53 -Scarlet Begonias / Fire On The Mountain
2:07:00 -crowd noise
2:08:34 -Ramble On Rose
2:15:42 -crowd noise
2:18:32 -Samson And Delilah
2:25:34 -crowd noise
2:29:24 -Terrapin Station
2:39:50 -Morning Dew
2:52:00 -Banter
3:02:46 -Johnny B. Goode