Grateful Dead Dick's Picks Volume Five: Oakland Auditorium Arena 12/26/79 Hand-Numbered Limited Edition 180g 5LP Box Set

Taken from one of the Dead's annual year-end runs of Bay Area concerts, Dick's Picks Vol. 5 marked five straight volumes of '70s shows selected by archivist Dick Latvala to start the series, and as it was from one of the very last days of the decade, it was the perfect way for Dick to complete his own mini "tour" of the '70s.

But Vol. 5 has a lot more going for it than just a convenient spot on the calendar; this is one of the rawest and most energetic Picks, a complete show anchored by a second set that is in essence one big medley that begins with "Uncle John's Band" and ends with it almost two hours later, with a supercharged "The Other One" and the first appearance of "Brokedown Palace" in two years among many high points in between. Set one is no slouch, either, with a great, Garcia-led rendition of "Alabama Getaway" four months before it appeared on record and a passionate vocal by Bob Weir on "Looks Like Rain" leading to a spirited, set-closing "The Promised Land." And throughout it all you'll hear Brent Mydland serving notice in one of his early shows with the band that he is fully up to the task of replacing Keith Godchaux.

For this LP reissue, Real Gone Music has given Dick's Picks Vol. 5 the usual Real Gone spit 'n' polish, starting with a fresh mastering job by Jeffrey Norman. Here is Mr. Norman's report: thanks to some technical advances, he was able to even out the bass and remove hundreds of clicks from Jerry Garcia's guitar (thought to be caused by the metal pick that he was using at the time). Add to that lacquer cutting by the Well Made Music team of Clint Holley and Dave Polster and a 180-gram black vinyl pressing at Gotta Groove Records, and you can rest assured that Dick's Picks Vol. 5 is going to deliver the same superlative sonic experience as their other Real Gone Dick's Picks vinyl reissues.