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 “Sugaree” from Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA on October 1st, 1980.
This rendition finds the Dead playing outdoors in Northern California and, despite the recent seasonal change to fall, Bob Weir is donning a Hawaiin shirt. Weir’s playing more closely aligns with the band’s playing than with the change of season, as the Grateful Dead are hot during this rendition of the fan-favorite, highlighted by Brent Mydland roaring into action on the B3 organ. Despite some initial buzzing in the audio mix, the kinks are soon worked out for a great late-stage telling of “Sugaree”.
Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux notes in the video’s description,
Played more than 350 times since its debut in 1971, Sugaree was played every year of the 25 years it was around, 1971-1995, and was always standout. Whether it was shorter, mellow versions 1971-1974 or the longer, more jammed out versions that started to take shape from 1976 onward, it was a song Jerry always delivered with passion.
Watch the Grateful Dead perform “Sugaree” at Shoreline Amphitheatre on 10/1/1980.
Grateful Dead – “Sugaree” – Mountain View, CA – 10/1/1980
[Video: Grateful Dead]
Previous installments of the Dead’s ongoing All The Years Live series have included: