Learn more about this release in the Grateful Dead's Ready or Not announcement from October 2019 on jambands.com.

Ready or Not, pressed on double vinyl, compiles live Grateful Dead performances from 1974 and 1976—two of the band's most celebrated touring periods. The 1974 material comes from the Wall of Sound era when the Dead's concert PA system was so powerful and precise it became part of the music itself, while the 1976 recordings document the post-hiatus Dead with renewed energy and refined improvisational approach. Together, the two periods showcase the Dead at creative peaks separated by their 1975 year off, revealing how the hiatus affected their musical approach.

The compilation features extended versions of songs that defined mid-1970s Dead: "Eyes of the World," "Playing in the Band," "Scarlet Begonias," and deep improvisational explorations that showcase the band's telepathic communication at full strength. The 1974 performances emphasize the seamless flow that made that year legendary—songs bleeding into each other through improvised transitions, creating suites that lasted entire sets. The 1976 material shows the Dead post-hiatus with tighter arrangements and more focused improvisations, balancing spontaneity with refinement.

What makes Ready or Not valuable is how it provides direct comparison between two peak periods, showing how the Dead's approach evolved across their year off. The double vinyl format allows the performances to breathe across four sides, with selections that honor both the Wall of Sound era's exploratory freedom and the post-hiatus period's refined power. For Heads who consider the mid-1970s the Dead's creative zenith, this compilation offers essential documentation.

Double LP vinyl. Live compilation from 1974 (Wall of Sound era) and 1976 (post-hiatus). Two creative peaks compared.