Grateful Dead To Issue Never-Before-Heard Acoustic Set On Vinyl

Considering how many Grateful Dead soundboard recordings both circulate among fans and have been officially released by the band, it isn’t often there’s talk of a “never-before-heard” set. Yet as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday promotion, the Dead will release a set from 1970 on vinyl which for over 40 years was thought to be unrecorded.

The Grateful Dead played an 80-minute, 17-song acoustic set at the intimate Great Highway in San Francisco on April 18, 1970. Recently, long lost tapes of the show were discovered leading to the release of FAMILY DOG AT THE GREAT HIGHWAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 4/18/70 as a 2-LP set on Black Friday (November 29). According to Rhino, the band works through a mix of original songs (“Friend Of The Devil,” “New Speedway Boogie”), covers (“Mama Tried,” “Wake Up Little Susie”), and traditionals (“I Know You Rider”), followed by six solo acoustic songs from Pigpen.

Only 7,500 copies of the 180-gram vinyl with lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering will be put up for sale. The 2-LP set also includes artwork by Scott McDougall. FAMILY DOG AT THE GREAT HIGHWAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 4/18/70 will be available at participating independent record stores on November 29, with a suggested list price of $39.98.