Where Every Note Comes From the Stage
The Grateful Dead were never meant to be confined to studio walls. Their true legacy lives in the moment — in the spontaneous turns, extended improvisations, and communal energy that only happens when the band is playing live. The Grateful Dead Live exists for that exact reason: every song played, every hour of the day, comes directly from the stage.
This is not a highlights reel or a nostalgia playlist. This is a 24/7 immersion into live Grateful Dead history, broadcasting the band as they were meant to be heard — evolving setlists, unrepeatable jams, and performances that turn concerts into cultural events. From pristine soundboard recordings to deep archival treasures, The Grateful Dead Live is a continuous celebration of the live experience.
A Live-Only Radio Universe
The Grateful Dead Live is more than a station — it is a fully realized ecosystem built around the extended Grateful Dead family. Every show, every program, and every feature is rooted in live performance:
- JGB Radio – Live Jerry Garcia solo performances
- Ace Radio – Live Bob Weir shows and solo projects
- Phil & Friends Radio – Exploratory live collaborations led by Phil Lesh
- Music Plays The Band – Live performances from Grateful Dead cover bands
- Fare Thee Well – Post-Jerry Garcia bands and projects
- Don’s Pick – A hand-selected live show spotlighted weekly
- Planet Drum Circle – A full hour devoted to rhythm, percussion, and “Drums”
This is a living archive — one that never stops moving forward.
Dave’s Picks Volume 57
Uptown Theatre – Chicago, IL | February 1, 1978
One of the crown jewels currently in rotation is Dave’s Picks Volume 57, capturing the Grateful Dead at the Uptown Theatre in Chicago during a ferocious early-1978 run. This performance showcases a band in full command of its powers — tight, adventurous, and emotionally expansive.
Performance Highlights
The first set moves with purpose and confidence, blending storytelling with momentum and closing on a soaring “Sugaree” that exemplifies the band’s ability to stretch a song without losing its emotional core.
The second set opens with a commanding “Samson and Delilah”, then dives into a deep improvisational sequence that reflects the band’s late-’70s exploratory peak. Each transition feels organic, each jam unfolding naturally into the next. Longtime fans will also appreciate the legendary Chicago anecdote from the night — a man outside the venue repeatedly yelling “lunchmeat,” a detail that has become part of Deadhead lore.
Release Details
- Original recording by Betty Cantor-Jackson
- Mastered to HDCD specifications by Jeffrey Norman
- Includes the entire second set from January 31, 1978 as bonus material
- Limited to 25,000 individually numbered copies
- Available exclusively through the Grateful Dead Official Store
Complete Tracklist – February 1, 1978
Set One
Jack Straw
Friend of the Devil
Mama Tried > Me and My Uncle
Ramble On Rose
Cassidy
Sunrise
Sugaree
Set Two
Samson and Delilah
It Must Have Been the Roses
Estimated Prophet >
He’s Gone >
Drums >
Jam >
The Other One >
Wharf Rat >
Sugar Magnolia
Encore
Around and Around
“Homecoming” Memorial
A powerful reminder of the Grateful Dead’s cultural impact came with the “Homecoming” Memorial, a free public gathering held January 17 at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza. An estimated 20,000 fans attended, honoring the enduring legacy of the band and its community.
The memorial featured a funeral procession up Market Street and heartfelt eulogies from figures including John Mayer, Joan Baez, and Nancy Pelosi, underscoring how deeply the Grateful Dead’s music transcends genres, generations, and geography.
Bob Weir Forever in the Live Ether
Bob Weir was never simply a guitarist or founding member. He was — and remains — a rhythmic architect, a storyteller, and a connective force. His playing shaped the Grateful Dead’s sound as much as its philosophy, turning songs into shared experiences and audiences into communities.
Weir’s dedication to live performance never wavered. Decade after decade, he stepped on stage chasing the same thing: connection. That commitment lives on through The Grateful Dead Live, where his music continues to breathe in real time.
The Ace Radio Show — Tonight
Five Hours of Live Bob Weir Music
A cornerstone of the station’s weekly programming, The Ace Radio Show is a deep dive into Bob Weir’s solo universe. Drawing exclusively from live recordings, the show explores his distinctive fusion of rock, folk, and Americana — music rooted in tradition yet constantly reinvented on stage.
- Five hours of live Bob Weir solo performances
- Featuring material from across his solo career
- A weekly journey through evolving interpretations and extended jams
Every Monday Night at 9PM EST
Weekly Live Radio Programming
Phil & Friends Radio Show
A rotating, exploratory celebration of Phil Lesh’s post-Dead projects, highlighting his collaborative spirit and boundary-pushing bass work.
Every Tuesday Night at 9PM EST — Five Hours Live
Music Plays The Band
A showcase of live performances by Grateful Dead cover bands, keeping the music alive through interpretation, reinvention, and reverence.
Every Wednesday Night at 9PM EST — Five Hours Live
Fare Thee Well
A tribute to the music created by surviving band members after Jerry Garcia, capturing the evolution of the Dead’s spirit in new forms.
Every Thursday Night at 9PM EST — Five Hours Live
Don’s Pick This Week
McArthur Court – Eugene, OR | January 22, 1978
This week’s selection highlights a winter 1978 performance that bridges eras — folk-rooted storytelling, mid-’70s looseness, and late-’70s ambition all colliding in one inspired night.
Don’s Pick Radio Show
A weekly deep-dive into the vault, featuring rare and unavailable live performances selected for historical importance and musical excellence.
Every Saturday Night at 9PM EST
Planet Drum Circle
A focused, rhythm-forward hour led by Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, exploring percussion as a universal language.
Every Sunday Morning at 11AM EST
JGB Radio Show
Five hours dedicated to live Jerry Garcia solo performances, spotlighting a side of Garcia’s artistry that deserves its own stage.
Every Sunday Night at 9PM EST
The Grateful Dead Live Merch Stand
From apparel to collectibles, the Grateful Dead Live Merch Stand brings the spirit of the lot into the digital age. Exclusive items rotate regularly, giving fans new ways to represent the music that never stops moving.
The Grateful Dead Live
Where every song is live.
Where the music never settles.
Where the journey continues — one show at a time.
