Grateful Dead - Jack Straw @ Radio City Music Hall 10-31-80

Grateful Dead perform Jack Straw during the famed Halloween show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on 10-31-80.

[@kariaudar]

There´s never been a band on the planet which could rival the Dead. Absolutely magnificent musicians and songwriters!

[@pizzatherapy]

Nice version of Jackstraw! "..One man gone and another to go, my old buddy you're moving much to slow,,,"

[@aoxomoxoa88]

What a nice way to make a living, making so many people happy!

[@ZionForman]

forty years ago today, I was there

[@Beaujolady]

This was a memorable and stellar show. I remember it like it was yesterday.

[@epeterson711]

This whole show is pure greatness.....!

[@Thadmotor1044]

the dead are simply the greatest american band of all time , they have been recorded live more than all other bands put together , or so it seems , hey , we can share the woman , we can share the wine !!

[@richiemabie]

Agreed ! 100 % the song selections are endless and every version is different !

[@jacobnyer]

The greatest American rock and roll band ever... Nuff said...

[@JeffeyBarney]

ALL AMERICAN ROCK... GD IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS EVER. SO MUCH HISTORY, AN AMERICAN ICON. LIKE UR MOST COMFORTABLE SHOES, ALWAYS THERE. LOVE THEM, GOD BLESS GD.

[@bwanna23]

The most popular band to stay off the pop charts.

[@PattiCornell]

Thx for sharing your music

[@noelwebb7885]

one of my all time favourites

[@PatrickNM57]

One of my favorites

[@retrojim]

I miss these guys so bad.

[@sunsu1013]

Haven't heard the Rochester or Binghamton '77 shows... but 12/30/77 at Winterland's Jack Straw is phenomenal... Jerry's solos just burn...

[@PattiCornell]

Thx for sharing your music. From Patti Cornell

[@chasefukuoka61]

Thanks so much for uploading this.

[@jaycummings6252]

Lovin' this bit of American fiction. Bob Weir is such a smooth singer. And so is that other guy !!

[@spacedancer]

I love this song.

[@jonno63]

was at that show for something like 7 nites in a row ,remember losing my voice ,bring me back

[@bambu]

Wow.....I think Jerry was ready for another jam on that. It was a great run in NY. It was a bit of welcome for a West Coast who had 'discovered' the Dead only the year before...and had moved out to the East Coast. What a treat to work out what the shows, sets and community were like back East.....

[@deyoungparker]

My favorite performances of Jack Straw are the ones where the get to that final segment, the "Jack Straw from Wichita" part, and they just explode....go from groovin' to straight up rockin'. Like this one. Love when Bob gets so excited he does his little leg kick. Not exactly Pete Townshend, but great anyway!

[@npspec34]

As an aside, Europe 72 was a Classic Album from which much of the bootleg craze flowed. The Dead of the 80's would not have existed without the momentum that Europe 72 generated and the fact that people are not aware of that is disturbing and goes to show that anyone with a keyboard and a computer can post anything. "One man gone and another to go, my old buddy you're moving much too slow." Indeed!

[@verbenco]

after buying Europe '72 i thought i would never again buy a rock album, because nothing could be better. since then i have purchased albums, then cd's but it has been almost 4 decades and i am not sure any were better.

[@ROWDY1inc]

1 of my favs

[@LoloYodel]

Excellent.

[@phishinvan]

@osdotf Beautiful sentiment. I totally agree. I see the Grateful Dead as probably (for sure, in my humble opinion) as the best American or "Americana" band of all times. Even Robert Hunter himself said that one of his only goals in songwriting was to keep adding to the American music or Western music/songwriting repertoire. What a band!

[@jmarlo]

the 10-31 show was simulcast via satellite nationwide to theatres all over

[@stlyrface]

It's hard to believe this was thirty-two years ago now. Bobby was only 33 at the time, so this video is now almost as old as he was when it was recorded. No wonder he looks so young. (No wonder we all looked so young.)

[@porkfrieddylan]

Bob weir was awesome that song. He was energetic and obviously really into it.

[@JasonEmery9]

Saw the Dead in concert quite a few times, but never saw them perform this one. One of my favorite Dead tunes. I started playing acoustic guitar a few years ago, and bought a Dead song book. Most Dead songs are fairly easy, C,D, G chord combinations. This one is a bit more complicated.

[@cheffability]

just fuuuuuuucking awesome

[@rennyminou]

Tiger rocks-that is the guitar I heard most when going to see the Dead in the '80's. 13.5 pounds - that's one heavy unit!

[@nyclear]

I will check out that show. Have you heard 6/9/77 at the Winterland? That JS is great too. That whole set is one of my favs.

[@lazulitooth]

this is a musician's band!!!!

[@MarkBrigham]

Wow. Just stumbled across this. Interesting to see others use the term 'Americana.' That's been my favored term for describing their vibe. Their blending of covers (Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, El Paso (Marty Robinson), and the list goes on) with their own originals is awesome, and Jack Straw succeeds on so many levels. Just a great tune. Hippy lovefest meets train song meets murder ballad. What is this song about, anyway? Great music!

[@donnieeacret1569]

excellent !!!!

[@JByrd029]

Spectactular!

[@JeffreyMW1]

CAN'T BEAT THE DEAD!!!!!!!

[@angelbndscumn]

you are right about hunter and - i'll just say "the Band" - quite insightful. cheers.

[@npspec34]

"(Dick's Picks 36) is off the hook." Ditto. And any Jack Straw on the 4th of July was a rocking good vibe!

[@rotolo]

allllllllllllll bobby is amazing!

[@patroutangler]

i love 80s deadb im 52

[@mijknahs]

@wobrien007 "Garcia couldn't play anymore..." There are shows from the early 80's that smoke anything from 77 as far as climactic intensity and pure Jerry chops!. I keep going back to 9-15-82, 9-21-82, 9-2-83, 4-1-84.

[@caspersvapors]

NICE!

[@osdotf]

@angelbndscumn appreciate the comments and that info is good to know. I always preferred Helm and Danko to Robertson; now I know why!

[@triple8dope0fresh3]

WOW!!!!!!!!

[@murphmanin]

I have 2 words to rival that statement "PINK" & "FLOYD" but i agree Gful D is totally sick

[@JFKnATL]

The best Jack Straw is from 1977-05-08 at Cornell. Hands down.

[@stephenhayesuk]

@frannyyo6 .....catch a Detroit Lightin' out of Santa Fe Gret Northern out of Cheyenne From sea to shining sea... best railroading song lines ever

[@CrazyFingers75]

@bicks00 Yes it's projected backwards. They were actually all playing left-handed on this particular night as a Halloween Trick. Just kidding, this is the older lineup, Jerry and Phil switched spots sometime in '81 or' 82 I think. Not sure, since I wasn't born yet.

[@golbis]

if i was on an island and was asked to choose just one band to listen to, i would choose the dead, but good for us we have the choice to listen to lots of good musicians

[@greenthumbguy1]

I can't believe someone said early Floyd sucked! Piper at the Gates of Dawn is a Masterpiece of psychedelia! Especially on vinyl, before they re-mastered it to digital.

[@giuliano1276]

The Floyd and The Dead are my two favorite bands from that era, hands down. Why compare or try to say one is better than the other? They were great for different reasons, with songwriting being one constant between the two. Live shows must have been sick in person (while I saw them both in '94 and '95 respectively it doesn't really count) seeing the vids is cool but not the same. Both have had more influence on my life than all other bands combined. I'll leave it at that.

[@buddhistjohn]

heard it outside the spectrum 1978 or 80 or so.

[@angelbndscumn]

@osdotf except according to levon helm and rick danko (RIP) he didnt really write all those songs himself, im not trying to pick a fight i just thought i would attempt to set the record straight, even though getting recognition for their brilliance and the feelings they evoke in their craft was never high on Helms and Danko list of things they needed to be comfortable - it certainly was w/ robbie. Thank you for recognizing the Band anyway.

[@srosiee]

@kariaudar Correct and i've seen everyone fro, AEROSMITH to Zepplin fi you saw any mid 70's shows on the east coast they didnt compare either although the STONES ZEPPLIN allman brothers were always great and rankewd up there they couldnt touch a 70's dead sho, it was so much more wilder than the 80' and 90's shows but th4e killer New Years eve shows from the dead were my fav

[@wobrien007]

@bobshenix Dude - your comment is right on the money. By this time, Garcia had been doing junk for 4-5 years and it was seriously taking its toll. My 1st show was in Nov 77, and by the 78 tours Garcia didn't sound so good, by 79 he was visibly weaker, and by 81-82 I stopped going to see them because the shows were predictable and Garica couldn't play anymore. Bummer it took falling into a coma for him to clean up for awhile, but he was never the same after 77 IMHO. Flame on, folks.

[@NACIJUK]

trading is not a function of demand or quality but rather a function of the growing number of heads asking for shows they know about on top of the fairly stable number of heads until 1980s.

[@RJNelson970]

@stephenhayesuk those lines came up as i was reading your comment :)

[@rainbowpagun]

i was the dose ghost @this one and my father told me i was wasting my youth hahahah better than a hartfort degre today ty poster good times seen trails till 4;00pm next day

[@SWAllen420]

Well said, Osdotf.

[@pinkfloydeffect]

@1NickDelle1 Gives us an effect to start with :)

[@canna_nymph]

pink floyd are amazing artists just as good as the Dead but the energy is so different that to say they don't or do beat the Dead is just impossible to judge

[@Parkyurkarkas]

Cowboy psychedelia at it's best. The Ox-Bow Incident on acid...

[@terrapinbobby]

Greatd video. I would rank the sound of Jerry's custom made, Doug Irwin guitars in the following order: 1. Tiger 2. Wolf 3. Rosebud In my view. Jerry was the greatest American electic guitar player that ever lived including, but not limited to, Jimi Hendrix.

[@hippie430]

If you flip a coin with the dead on one side, and pink floyd on the other, and jimi hendrix catches it, you've won rock n roll.

[@osdotf]

@marvinbrucefood I think we all hang on to that possibility, don't we Bruce?

[@sweetbeapeaches]

@jackstrawfrmwchta --you're famous! even with middle aged women on the east coast-hope you enjoy the ride!@

[@deanthorton]

wow :0 :)

[@wobrien007]

Both Rochester (11/5/77) and Binghamton (11/6/77) Jack Straws were red hot. Compare the Half-Steps, too....

[@pinkfloydeffect]

2:43-2:50 looks like Jerry had a brain fart or got lost in a trip haha

[@osdotf]

@l8on99 Thanks, I want "I Shall Be Released" at my funeral. While I can't personally guarantee it, I'll try to get the credit right!

[@slynye3]

AND enlightened songs like "Throwing Stones" Brotha:)

[@optionaxis]

I don't they should be compared, completely different. Floyd is my favorite band, but I love the dead. Both had massive influence in music.

[@jasonwalter9898]

Link me a better Jack Straw and I'll buy you your next beer in Pittsburgh.

[@joechavez108]

JACK STRAW FROM WITCHATAW!

[@verbenco]

@l8on99 interesting information and if it matters, i believe you. but of course most of us will never have the chance to ask bob dylan about anything,

[@cecilthegreat]

Makes me think of hitch hiking

[@findingjoyR1513]

This is a huge misconception because 70 tapes are tradded more offten... 82,83, 85*, and 88, and 87 were all epic. 85 is a huge Jerry year. Also if one checks out JGB tapes of the 80's they will see what I'm talking about as well. Don't judge the 80's by the set lists listen to the jerry licks!

[@xxxENTxxx]

@1NickDelle1 idont know bout that one buddy, im not putting down the dead i love them but i think pink floyd is just as good as the dead are both great to trip to

[@Gr4tefuldead]

man I wish these guys were still around, all these modern shitty bands with that lame auto tuning dont deserve anything, They maike millions off songs about going to a party and getting fucked up, thats not music, thats shit. Grateful dead, most loyal band to fans ever.

[@frog442]

@maxepadz1 LOL there's probably a veritable pharmacy represented in this video

[@CharredSoftware]

When I think of Grateful Dead, I really do think of peace, as I do when I think of the Beatles (more particularly John Lennon). What if both bands could have put together a peace-drive? All we are saying, is give peace a chance.

[@rainbowpagun]

@TTBluez me too

[@Bearses]

Does Bobby actually make contact with his instrument - looks like an endless series of phantom guitar strokes to me. And Brent, what a twitchy little junkie on the keys. Give me Keith anyday...Still, it all comes together despite my rantings about the individual performers.

[@eierpleier]

the lyrics are written by Robert Hunter as far as I'm informed

[@maxepadz1]

@laxskater49 really? idah no idea. thanks

[@wiznat10]

@RJNelson27 same thing happened to me

[@TonyJenRock1]

my buddy Ron had a boat called Jack Straw! I can actually play this song. I am goin to try to see these nutjobs Friday in Ablayn NY athet ARENA (it has too many names to rememerber)

[@alexthompson5726]

good as any murder ballad gets :)

[@adamwittig420]

europe 72 best J straw? i want what you're smoking. Best one is always tough/impossible to say. possibly one of the most rocking i know of is 1987-04-06. fucking insane! trust me. dead set, going to nassau and many others i've forgot about, but not europe 72 for crying out loud. i dont think the best j straws can be found in the early 70's, just not as rocking, hands down

[@greenthumbguy1]

You're right. Both bands have totally different vibes, neither any better or worse than the other.

[@DrBelser12]

Bruce Hornsby?

[@ktellr]

shanon ?

[@aga080]

haha i agree

[@l8on99]

@osdotf You are so right, who cares? That is what makes a song a myth, a tale, or even just a glimpse into something the storyteller is conveying. Though your comparison to Robertson is pure bogus. I grew up with The Band on the front porch, Manuel was friend of the family and Levon pushed me in my baby carriage. Robertson never wrote a word, he just stole the publishing rights from The Band. Thought you should know. Oh and another tidbit is Manuel actually wrote I Shall Be Released, ask Dylan.

[@tennisbumojai]

We can share the women, we can share the wine....

[@sweetbeapeaches]

@sweetbeapeaches sometimes they're on the pot, sometimes they get off;)