Grateful Dead – Dead Set (2-LP Vinyl)

In September and October 1980, the Grateful Dead played two historic acoustic runs—one at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre, the other at New York's Radio City Music Hall—and recorded everything on multitrack. The plan was to release one double album, but the material naturally split into two: Reckoning (the acoustic set) and Dead Set (the electric companion), both released in April 1981. This double vinyl pressing captures the Dead at full electric power, playing tight 3-5 minute versions of classics with the precision that only comes from two decades of shared musical language.

Dead Set showcases the band delivering radio-ready performances without sacrificing their improvisational edge: "Samson and Delilah," "Fire on the Mountain," "Greatest Story Ever Told," "Feel Like a Stranger," and "Franklin's Tower" all clock in under five minutes, while "Dancin' in the Streets" stretches to nearly 13 minutes of exploratory jamming. Recorded during what many consider the Dead's tightest period—when Brent Mydland's keyboards added new textures and the band had refined their songwriting to its sharpest—these performances balance accessibility with depth.

Released alongside Reckoning, Dead Set proved the Dead could command both intimate acoustic spaces and electric arenas with equal authority. The Warfield and Radio City runs became legendary among Heads for their extended residencies where the band could relax into performances without the pressure of one-off shows. This pressing captures that comfortable confidence—the Dead playing like they owned the room, because for those weeks in fall 1980, they did.

Recorded: Warfield Theatre (San Francisco) and Radio City Music Hall (New York), September-October 1980. Companion album to Reckoning. Double vinyl LP.