I found a great site with some of the very best shows ever played, and links to the best sounding available versions. gratefuldeadprojects.com/Top_100.html

a top 15:

68-03-17
68-10-12
69-02-27
69-03-01
69-11-08
70-01-03
70-09-19
73-11-17
74-06-18
77-05-18
76-06-09
78-04-16
81-03-09
89-07-19
91-10-31

i won't dispute that each show on the above mentioned list is a good one, but i can't take it seriously as a "best of" list without s single show from 1985. and with no shows between 1982 and 1988 the list is even less credible.

Blues_Power wrote:


I think Zeno is credible, and not a casual listener.

On neither list did I see some of my favorite shows, and I think they're particularly good. Having listened to them for going on 30 years and still holding that position means they've withstood the test of time. By the way, not sure how anyone could overlook 2/13/70 or 5/2/70 as they're totally solid from start to finish accoustic/electric smorgasbords.

Zeno is light on the Brent years, and let's face it the sound was quite different. The Keith years were certainly more jazzy and loose. Might be that's what he likes.

I went to almost exclusively Brent shows, and would put a few of them on my top 15, but again, that's me. I'd put a few of those on my top 15, but that's not to say they'd make the final cut in a consensus of 100 dead heads.

8/6/71 is by far the show I've listened to the most. The solo in Cumberland in on FIRE, and I can't listen to Casey Jones without going woo woo in my head because of the guy from that show

Blues_Power wrote:
That's fair, but it's also presumptuous. I was there in the 80s. If the experience hadn't left a mark on me, I doubt I'd still be listening to the music and chasing conversation. And Brent was core to many of those experiences because he rarely took a night off. He was more consistent and reliable than anyone else on stage. Nevertheless, the music [after the fact], as in the recordings, doesn't resonate well comparatively. I listen to few shows between '84-'88, and I find '87-'88 rather dull. If that makes my list a folly and me not credible, then I'm cool with that. It isn't likely our interests and focus overlap a whole lot, so it necessarily follows.

AcidTestGraduate wrote:
I didn't look at the other list yet, so maybe you aren't speaking to me. In case you are, 15 isn't 20, 25, or 30. Top shows will be cut. It's an exercise in decisions.

11/10/67
6/23/68 *
2/28/69 *
3/1/69
11/8/69
2/11/70
2/13/70 *
5/2/70 *
4/29/71 *
5/11/72 *
9/24/73
12/2/73 *
6/18/74
6/9/76
11/5/77
1/22/78
11/5/79
8/29/80
3/9/81
4/6/82
10/11/83
11/3/84
6/28/85
9/7/85
11/5/85 *
3/27/86
9/18/87
6/30/88
7/7/89
3/29/90 *
9/10/91 *
6/28/92
9/16/93
9/22/93
7/20/94
3/18/95

So many good shows, I am sure that I have forgotten a whole bunch. Probably didn't hear others that should be noted.
The * indicates (my) top 10. For right now. Favorite years (imho) 1973, 1969, 1970, 1972, shows with Branford.
There are some shows with either songs or jams that stand out, while some have either whole shows or sets that stand out. Is it the songs they play or how they play what they play. Let's not forget the X factor. There are all kinds of critera that can be used, mostly there is no right or wrong, it's about what we enjoy.

I would like to see a 'Best of List' for each year, say, 12 shows per year, or tour.

NYCDave I like your list. Hard for me to overlook '82, a really good year. 11/3/84...that was a killer BCT run.
Personally I couldn't overlook 10/12/84, an incredible show for an unlikely year, but world class never the less.
However, compared to the best years in the 60's and 70's the 80's don't hold up so well, but there are some shows here and
there that are still jewels in their crowns.