Happy New Year! Well close enough ;) that said I decided to bring out one of the band's famous NYE performances for this week's (and next week's) Deadpod. This is from 12/31/79 at the Oakland Auditorium Arena in Oakland CA. While many would argue that this was not the best show of this NYE run (after all 12/28/79 was released as Road Trips Vol 3 #1, and 12/26/79 was Dick's Picks #5) there is still something magical about these NYE performances. This week we will listen to set 1, then sets 2 and 3 next week. Set one starts off strong with a great Jack Straw (listen to what sounds like the reference to Clive Davis of Arista Records in the "We used to sing for silver.. line :) Jack Straw flows into a big Franklin's Tower, albeit Jerry blows more than one lyric here.. Other highlights in this first set include a very nice 'Looks like Rain' and a rockin' Promised Land which closes out set 1...

Grateful Dead

Oakland Auditorium

Oakland, CA

12/31/79 - Monday

Set One

Jack Straw [6:05] >

Franklin's Tower [16:53] ;

Mama Tried [2:36] >

Mexicali Blues [4:42] ;

Tennessee Jed [8:40] ;

Looks Like Rain [8:09] >

Alabama Getaway [7:04] >

The Promised Land [4:46]

You can listen to this week's Deadpod here:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/deadshow/deadpod122713.mp3

Thank you for listening to the Deadpod in 2013, and I look forward to the shows to come in 2014!

Thanks to those of you who have kindly contributed to the Deadpod that keeps us on the air!

Happy New Year to all my friends! Be safe and happy!!