The latest installment in the Grateful Dead‘s All The Years Live archive video series is available now on the band’s YouTube page. This entry highlights the Dead’s performance of “Row Jimmy” at the Giza Sound And Light Theatre underneath the Great Sphinx in Egypt on September 16th, 1978.
This week’s video release comes as the first from the band’s famous trip to Egypt to perform for three nights under the Great Pyramid. What began as a hair-brained, half-baked idea by the band years before was brought to fruition with help from rock impresario Bill Graham September 14th—16th, 1978 when the band played a three-night run in the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza. While the Dead took a bath financially on the feat, and they’ll be the first to tell you that they didn’t play their best, the shows are a remarkable piece of rock music history for fans and non-fans alike.
Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux notes in the video’s description,
Acknowledged by Jerry as one of his favorite songs to play live, Row Jimmy was a complex, interesting, and dynamic song played more than 275 times. This wonderful version from Egypt features some beautiful interplay between everyone in the band.
Watch the Grateful Dead perform “Row Jimmy” under the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt on 11/16/78.
Grateful Dead – “Row Jimmy” – Giza, EG – 11/16/78
[Video: Grateful Dead]
Previous installments of the Dead’s ongoing All The Years Live series have included: