Below was my first post - and I messed up and it somehow ended up here instead of for the King Biscuit Flower Hour show from Nassau - May 15 / 16 1980 - where it belonged. I didn't see this January 1979 concert in person, but I listened to this version the other night - and it is STELLAR. Most of what I wrote below applies here as well. "The Music Never Stoped" / "Shakedown Street" / "Dark Star" / "Wharf Rat" / "St Stephen" were super high points (for me) - but everything from "TMNS" on ("Bertha" & "Miracle" especially ) is just superb ... I saw many shows in 1979 - so catching up with this one was really nice!!!

I had an extra ticket to the show and offered it to one of my best pals who turned it down because we were going the next night and he was tired, etc... So I told him how our other buddy heard that this musician guy had gotten past security and knocked on Jerry's door at the Sheraton in NYC and Jerry answered it. The guy said he wanted to show Jerry a song he had written and handed him the chart. Jerry looked at it and said he'd check it out. Before he closed the door, the guy asked, "Would you play Dark Star tomorrow night, for an old 'Head?" Jerry winked and said, "We'll see." Meaning yes?

Well, I didn't necessarily believe this even though it came from a good source. And my friend didn't believe it either and said he'd see me the next night (another very good show, as it turned out).

Anyway the boys were in a good mood (I'm guessing some good NYC blow) and had a lot of energy, as did the crowd. Love that Tennessee Jed. Weir is hilarious ("everybody polka?").

And that second set? Maybe not the best performance of all the songs ever, but St. Stephen and Wharf Rat and of course Dark Star in one set? The place almost came off the foundation.

I see that someone said Jerry gave it a "C." Not sure where that came from but I saw the Dead about 100 times and JGB a bunch, and Jerry was the last to walk off the stage that night, and he was waving to the crowd with a huge grin on his face. He usually wasn't into showing much emotion on stage. That's what I remember most from the show, him walking of, smiling and waving and basking in the applause for a job well done.

So, it's probably a 4-star show, but for the set list, the energy, and that Jerry smile, I bumped it up to a 5. Also, having heard a lot of audience tapes, this one is pretty clear and the audience sounds aren't too annoying, so you get a real feel for the show.

To this day, I tease my old friend for not taking that ticket (it was probably 12 bucks). In fact, I just sent him a link to this tape!

It takes me until Mexicali to adjust to the sound. Personally the sound is distant but it is pretty obvious that this was one of those over the top shows.
I was at the Branford show 10 years later just happened to have a bed sheet that read LAST NASSAU DARK STAR 1/10/79
little did I know they would be playing it that very evening.
But I was so blown away that I didn't remember to break out the bedsheet until after the concert which was funny but anti-climactic.
I don't pick up Donna until JED.
To each their own but give me a pristine board any day. It is cool to hear this but the reason I gravitate towards boards is because if possible I would have been side stage every single show and a good board does that in spades.
Also I find it much more intriguing to hear the banter between the band rather than audience chatter.
Oh well better than seeds and stems or smoking banana peels.
5 for the show
less for no soundboard.
opinions are like butt holes, we all got one.

Although this contains a fantastic Dark Star, Saint Stephen and Music Never Stopped, statistically I don't think it's more than a good show in general. To date, this is the clearest recording you can find here: all other AUDs sound very muffled.

The show was rocking, I was 12th row w/out a ticket. The Shakedown was incredible. I swear Jerry was crying on stage literally during Wharf Rat. This St. Stephen was not a St. Stephen like on Live Dead, but surprisingly I was the only time I seen them play St. Stephen! For that reason along I give this a 5 star. Jerry was really emotional on stage.

This is one of those shows I wish I attended. Not great but better than average. 4 stars.

Well I havent listened to the entire Dark Star but I think its safe to say that the New Years 78-79 dark star most certainly trumps this one. This version has the length by a few minutes, but i dont think it has the intensity or emotion of the new years performance. I guess its hard to say when the sound quality is so much worse, cant hear it like you would with a perfect SBD... Also... I think that L. guy was saying that the New Years Dark Star is better than many from 71-74, if thats what hes saying he would be CORRECT! Trust me, I love dark star, its the only reason i checked this show out. I personally love the 72 dark stars the most but I enjoy them all. But the DS from new years 78-79 is flame, its excellent playing, unique DS sound. And i am positive you could find at least one, if not 20-30 DS that are worse from 71-74 than the new years 78-79 DS.

WOW…. It really was a great show… I thought so as it was happening but it was my very first Dead show so I was kind of like WOW the whole night. Nice recording. I agree, the audience is not a problem but a background energy positive here. Great versions of Shakedown Street, Miracle, Around & Around, Dark Star, St. Stephen, Row Jimmy, Music Never Stopped. I remember the Coliseum was shakin a lot that night- the opening Shakedown BOMB was really, really cool. It was the only show I saw with Keith and Donna. I remember really loving watching Donna on stage, great backlighting. She does a great job singing at this show. I got on the bus and stayed on ... next gig was Lafayette College in May 79 to begin my first Road Trip (with my brother O) – covering Lafayette, Binghamton and U. Mass Amherst shows (rather than covering a weeks worth of classes at Oswego State!) It all worked out
Peace and gratefulness…..

this Dark Star is decent at best and though it may be apples and oranges to compare eras, if you think this one is great, someone needs to strap you to a chair dosed with about 200 mics and throw on 12/6/73 or basically any one from 1969 - gimme a break!

L. Roseley said: " better than many of the Dark Stars from '71-'74"

You must be doesd right now because while it does not suck to compare it to anything from '71-74 is laughable. It may have been great to see, but it wasn't near anthing from the ealry 70's.

and he's deaf as well...

I was completely blown away over this shakedown st. and for an audience tape it sounded PRETTY FUCKIN GOOD!!!

Yeah the crowd noise is a little up in the mix ... but the more you get into just listening to and diggin on the show ... the less you notice or mind at all.

Don't turn your back on this EPIC 2nd set because of a little crowd noise. 5 min into Shakedown and you'll be thanking yourself already

I love evpaco's review. An actual story about something important.

"Everyone was screaming for a song called Dark Star so I screamed for it too"

who wouldn't want to hear Dark Star? haha thats a great first time story. Thanks for sharing!

great show, but the audience clap-along with almost every song drove me crazy.

Just the right amount of crowd--not distracting but you know they're there. Agree Shakedown is 5 stars. Also, 5 stars for Passenger--my favorite version, so far.

'79 is somehow overlooked as a stellar Dead year. This show is one of the best from that year.

My favorite Shakedown ever. (I didn't say 'best', just my favorite). Intricate Jerry notes and a killer sustained and gritty solo before the coda.

Outstanding DarkStar, killer Miracle (featuring a looooong and hard rockin' Jerry guitar jam), and an overall brilliant show. The following night was my first show ever. Not as good as this one but no slouch either.

Sound quality, especially for an aud, is 4 stars at least. Show is an easy 5. DL highly recommended.

The reviews to date are right on; this show Rocks!! Enjoy

good performance all the way through, my favorite is shakedown street. jerry's solo is flawless. not bad sound for an aud.

This is a great show - I agree w/much that has been said. The stagger Lee is just incredible and this may be my favorite dark star ever. The way the band builds up to the last dark star theme is so damn good!

Does anyone know why this and some other AUD's are now stream only. I'm lucky I downloaded it a week or two ago!

5 for performance, 4 1/2 for sound

I like audience recordings much better than soundboards when they are of good quality,
like this one. Being able to hear the crowd
cheering, clapping and singing along really
helps transport you to the show.

Awesome quality for an aud, and good playing
throughout.

This is a nice version of Dark Star here, as is much of the second set. The 12/31/78 Dark Star was the first in 4 years, and is better than many of the Dark Stars from '71-'74. Also one of the last St. Stephens for a few years. St. Stephens was revived in 1976, and here it is one of last in the '76 style.

The playing throughout the whole show is excellent, and the boys are sharp. Jerry's voice is a little off, something that become more and more common as the years passed. I thought the very first reviewer here had good comments about the end of an era, as one of Keith and Donna's last shows, and last good shows.

I was lucky enough to be at this first Nassau show since '73. The first set was a nice prelude to what was about to happen. Moved behind the lower bowl seats stage left for the second set and got a nice buzz on as the opened Shakedown, then ripped through the I Need a Miracle->Bertha->Good Lovin' trifecta. Listening to the tuning before the next tune, I thought I heard something special about to happen and I nudged the guy next to me and said Dark Star! Of course he said no way, dude, they don't do it anymore. No sooner did those words leave his mouth than out from the stage came the opening notes of Dark Star and the place went nuts. In the end that very nice first set gave way to a crusher of a second set that left me completely spent and very fried.

My kudos to the taper who managed to make a superior aud (I tend to prefer boards since my hearing has aged) in a building that is notorious for bad acoustics. The show is a definite 5. The recording is worth a 5 or better just for getting a nice sounding recording in that concrete tomb!

this Dark Star is so sweet. Jerry's playing after the 1st verse - wow. Makes you sad to think they could have done it all the time in this era, it sounds so effortless and unforced. This one SMOKES 12/31/78, for sure. 1/20 is good, too, but this one is it. Awesome show!!

I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE ONE LUCKY DEAD HEAD ! I HAD BEEN TO 11 SHOWS BY THIS TIME. SHOWS TO INCLUDE CORNELL '77 AND RPI '78 AND OTHERS. THEY WERE GREAT, BUT THIS ONE WAS SPECIAL FOR ME. MY TRUEST FRIENDS AND I SCRAMBLED FROM THE NOSE BLEED SECTION TO THE FLOOR THE INSTANT DARK STAR WAS YANKED OUT OF THE BAND LIKE A TUG OF WAR, LIKE ECSTASY. ACTUALLY MDMA. THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST AMAZING QUALITY I'VE EVER HEARD SINCE THE SHOW. DOWNLOAD WITH A KIND SMILE AND JUST SIT BACK. THE BAND AND THE CROWD TAKE CARE OF THE REST ! I GIVE 5 STARS, 4 IF I HAD NOT BEEN THERE !! THANKS, JERRY, AND FELLERS !

2nd set is an absolute monster kicking off with a hot Shakedown jam and a blistering triplet following it. I was in the loge and I swear i saw the entire floor section levitate when they broke into only the 2nd Dark Star in 5 years. Listening to it now, it sounds a little stiff, played almost like a march rather, almost like the drummers forgot how to jazz it up like the old days. If there was a board of this show it would rate much higher.

I had Skeletons From the Closet plus Shakedown St. and St. Stephen was my favoite song on the albums. I was in 9th grade and had been to a few concerts at the Coliseum so I thought I knew what to expect. This show changed my life! It has a country twang through the first set and then then it takes you to new place altogether and ends with my hit and rock and roll. They needed no pyrotechnics (which were very populart then) and they blew me away.

Everyone was screaming for a song called Dark Star so I screamed for it too then a guy leans in to me and says "dude their doin' it" I was baked and had no idea when this new song started but I did know this was the start of my love affair with the Dead that would last over 200+ shows.

I think the quality is great for an audience tape. I like the energy and knowing this was my first show **********.

I haven't heard too many shows from 79' but this one is a great one for sure. Definately worth the download. God bless the Grateful Dead!!!

Although I have never heard this show before, I have always wanted to get it. I based this on two factors: First, this show took place shortly after the closing of Winterland and the band was on a roll. Second, I took a look at the set list and it was tantalizing, particularly the second set. I know it is not always good to judge a show based on a set list, but when the set list is combined with the way I thought the band was playing at that time, I thought I might as well try....Success! This show not only met my expectations, it exceded them. It sounds like it was a high energy show for both the band and the crowd. I know there is lot crowd noise, but I actually like that. Many of the tapes that I had in the past sounded similar to this and it transports you into the audience, as if you are actually there. This is especially enjoyable if were to young to be concerts at that time (like myself). I hope more people (especially ones like me)download this to get a small taste of the experience.

there is no way to describe this download as great quality unless you want the feel of standing about 100 rows away in the coliseum. The instruments were picked up just fine but the vocals are very much missed.

Five Stars plus. I saw this show down on the floor, there were many of those among us that had all partaken and all witnessed the spaceship that came down during the jam and scrambled our psychedelic souls to the core. I was 17 and this was probably my 20th show and it hooked me for good. If anyone can recommend a better space jam please advise. I had a tape of this show shortly after the show and then I lost it in about '82. I've searched for a long time to hear this again so thank you for the upload. I'm sure many of you can relate to the flashback goosebumps I felt hearing this show for the first time in 22 years. The Dark Star has a beautiful crescendo, Bertha's got that awesome rhythm/keys/lead tradeoff going in the second part of the break, and check out the Miracle, with Jerry riffing the whirlybirds and the crowd goin bananas. Other reviews on this show are right on. Don't miss this one. Turn it up, sit back, and get ready to launch.

What more can anyone ask for than the first set opening with a Chuck Berry song, the second set closing with one and then an encore of a third. Great sound quality too.

This show is a great show and the sound is quite good. Download it. 4&1/2 or 5

I came out of this show a big fan...I remember it snowing in the parking lot...

This is a rocking show and one of Donna and Keith's last(2/17/79)2nd to last dark star of '79 and then zip until 12/31/81 and this was a rocking show - I was in 9th grade and my parents would not let me go to this prob for good reason.....

Whole first set is good but loser>music ripping.... Set II is a Winterland caliber show in Uniondale NY and presages the Wynton show 10 years hence. Donna is on and reminds us why she was nice to have around on shakedown, bertha, miracle, dark star is luminescent and Donna's last as she was not on stage when they played this in Buffalo 10 days later.

Not sure if anyone else agree but think it can be argued this represents the last of that legendary '76,'77,'78 era any doubters can consider that they shuttered St Stephen until 4 1/2 years later at the Garden 10/11/83 (352 shows).

One last thought, when shakedown came out alot of people were conflicted over whether or not is was heretical to like shakedown as this was a 'sellout' disco song... you can hear the muted response from the crowd and this was the height of the 'disco sucks' movement where they steamrolling disco albums - this version goes along way to winning over doubters - just got to poke around rap goes on forever....

This deserves a 5 as it is a superior show, great quality, and is a milestone whether they knew it or not.