Grateful Dead Selects Santa Barbara 1974 Show For ‘Dave’s Picks Vol. 61’

The Grateful Dead will revisit their Wall of Sound era with the release of their May 25, 1974 concert at Campus Stadium on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus as Dave’s Picks Vol. 61. Due to ship on January 29, the collection kicks off the archival series’ 16th year as 2027 subscriptions go on sale.

Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux revealed the selection during a new installment of Office Hours. “It sounds as good as any Wall of Sound recording,” Lemieux said of the Santa Barbara tapes.

The concert had previously been earmarked for a different archival project. Lemieux explained that Santa Barbara was part of the original concept for what became the Pacific Northwest ’73–’74: The Complete Recordings box set. The plan initially centered on a run of consecutive 1974 shows before shifting to a geographical approach encompassing two years of Pacific Northwest performances, leaving the California concert on the shelf.

The box set released in 2018 ultimately featured six concerts recorded in Vancouver, Portland and Seattle during 1973 and 1974. Now, the Santa Barbara show that followed the May 1974 Pacific Northwest dates will receive its own release.

The May 25 concert opened with “U.S. Blues” and featured first-set versions of “Scarlet Begonias,” “Sugaree” and “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider.” The second set included “Truckin’” > a jam > “Let It Grow” > “Wharf Rat,” followed by “Sugar Magnolia” > “Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” > “One More Saturday Night.” “Casey Jones” served as the encore.

Early-bird 2027 subscriptions cost $99.98, with regular pricing set at $119.92. Subscribers receive all four numbered, limited-edition releases, a subscriber-exclusive bonus disc and free U.S. shipping. The subscription promises a minimum of 13 CDs, and each volume will be limited to 25,000 copies.

Lemieux also teased the bonus disc accompanying Dave’s Picks Vol. 62, saying it complements the main selection “more than ever” and that “the bonus disc alone is really hot.” The concert selections for the remaining 2027 volumes have not been announced.

“Vol. 62 is unlike any Dave’s Picks/Bonus Disc combination we’ve put together,” Lemieux wrote in the subscription announcement. “More on that in early 2027!”

Following Vol. 61 on January 29, Vol. 62 and its bonus disc are scheduled to ship on April 30. Vol. 63 follows on July 30, with Vol. 64 completing the year on October 29.

Watch David Lemieux discuss the Santa Barbara selection and 2027 subscriptions below: