What was your favorite year of seeing the GD, Jerry or any offshoot.

1984 was a real good year for me with the band, but If I have to choose just one I'd have to say 1981, with '79 & '82 right there as well.

They only played 9 shows in the Bay Area in '81 and all later in the year, the first (and best) of the Greek runs, the 5 NYE shows at Oakland Aud. and the one stealth show in San Mateo. I only saw 6 of those, but every one was nothing short of amazing, and two of them rank in the top five GD shows I ever saw (the other three happened in '79 or '82).

For the JGB, I'd say '94. The entire era of the '90s was good for the JGB in the Bay Area; the band was tight and rehearsed, so when Jerry was feeling good the shows were almost always high energy and generally great, and they played the Warfield so often they became the defacto house band.

I pick '94 specifically because by that point I was able to be comped in or I could buy front row balcony seats, so I was at almost every show that year.

Those were good times.

1987 .... brought back many Garcia/Hunter tunes. Watchtower entered the scene and all the new tunes that would end up on In The Dark

First time at Red Rocks, saw all 5 MSG shows AND made it to work the next days .

Heady times!

1981 hands down for both the GD and the JGB

My favorite GD years were 1985 and the Fall of 1988-Summer of 1989.

I thoroughly enjoyed 87 and 89...

My fave shows were in 82 / 83...   81 and 84 had some great moments, but I only saw one show w/ Keith/ Donna (78), but that was a great show too!  By the late 80's I was playing too many shows to go see the dead, and the only local shows were at Autzen Stadium, which I've never been much of a fan of (but I loved the Hult Center years while they lasted).   

83-85 were my sweet spot for the GD.

Wow, tough question. So many peaks and some valleys. I'm gonna go with 1990 cuz I think it was Brent's 11th year with the band and they could turn on a dime, or space out as the music required...It was also the first year I accomplished an entire Spring Tour, 15 shows  from Hamilton, Ontario to Atlanta, GA. Branford sitting in along the way at Nassau made for one of my top 3 shows ever and my 1st Dark Star.

Later, during the Summer of 1990, I did most of the Summer Tour across the USA,

I'll say my favorite Jerry  year was 1991-92. I was new to SF but lived walking distance to JGB shows at The Warfield, where Jerry had a 40 night per year annual contract! . That was Church for us. Add to that, the amazing Garcia/Gristman runs! Lordy, Lordy thaat was awersome!

88, SPAC Rochester Maine. What a trip

did a couple whole tours with GD and Jgb but never rose to this led of fun

1980 RCMH did two shoes got me hooked, 82... great blow, awesome trips .... first RedRocks shows for me...New years too thats when I learned ya just gotta make it work 84 moved to Cali... Ventura greeks frosts.. from then on.....hard to put a favorite year on it Loved every minuit... still do!

All of em

73.

For me, 84 and 85 were the WORST!

Different strokes.

You don't seem to like much of any music made after 1979, Surf. 

I can't pick one

1982:

That year I caught Red Rocks and NYE, but it was the year I transitioned from seeing the dead to whatever you want to call what we do here. I remember the first Red Rocks show was my first show where I knew every song they played. That is when things started to shift from what the hell is this crazy circus to really starting to have a different appreciation for what was being played.

07/27/82
Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, CO

Set 1:
Jack Straw
Sugaree
On The Road Again
It Must Have Been The Roses
Me And My Uncle
Big River
Peggy-O
Little Red Rooster
China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider

Set 2:
Playin' In The Band
Terrapin Station
Drums
The Wheel
The Other One
Stella Blue
Playin' In The Band

Encore:
U.S. Blues

Of course I also caught one of my top 5 shows that year, and that was the same night I ended talking to a girl who had been at NYE the year before and I realized that was something I could do. 

08/03/82
Starlight Theater - Kansas City, MO

Set 1:
Mississippi Half-Step
Franklin's Tower
New Minglewood Blues
Peggy-O
El Paso
Cumberland Blues
Althea
Cassidy
Big Railroad Blues
Man Smart-Woman Smarter
Might As Well

Set 2:
Shakedown Street
Samson And Delilah
To Lay Me Down
Let It Grow
Drums
He's Gone
The Other One
Stella Blue
Sugar Magnolia

Encore:
Casey Jones

82 also had this crazy show at Portland ME that kicked off the Touch era although we didn't know it at the time. The spontaneous Phil chant during Spanish Jam into the other one, and then of course the Morning Dew.

09/17/82
Cumberland County Civic Center - Portland, ME

Set 1:
Bertha
Promised Land
Candyman
C.C. Rider
Althea
Me And My Uncle
Big River
Dupree's Diamond Blues
It's All Over Now
West LA Fadeaway
Throwin' Stones
Deal

Set 2:
Touch Of Grey
Man Smart-Woman Smarter
High Time
Estimated Prophet
Eyes Of The World
Drums
Spanish Jam
The Other One
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
Morning Dew
Sugar Magnolia

Encore:
U.S. Blues

Then 1982 ended with 5 nights in Oakland which was my first trip to the Bay Area which lead to living here eventually, and another top 5 show. 

12/31/82
Oakland Auditorium Arena - Oakland, CA

Set 1:
Cold Rain And Snow
C.C. Rider
Cumberland Blues
Far From Me
Cassidy
Ramble On Rose
Looks Like Rain
Day Job

Set 2:
Sugar Magnolia
Sugaree
Man Smart-Woman Smarter
Ship Of Fools
Playin' In The Band
Drums
Not Fade Away
Deal
Sunshine Daydream

Set 3:
Turn On Your Love Light
Tell Mama
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Hard To Handle
In The Midnight Hour

Encore:
Brokedown Palace

1988:

Kicked off with the three nights in Hampton where you could really start to see where things were going to go in 89-90. Night 2 with the So What that eventually got wrapped up in a few years later in Nassau.

03/27/88
Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA

Set 1:
Iko Iko
Little Red Rooster
Stagger Lee
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Cumberland Blues
Me And My Uncle
To Lay Me Down
Let It Grow

Set 2:

So What Noodle
Sugar Magnolia
Scarlet Begonias
Fire On The Mountain
Estimated Prophet
Eyes Of The World
Drums
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
I Need A Miracle
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Sunshine Daydream

Encore:
U.S. Blues

Then that summer was probably my all time favorite few weeks of dead music SPAC > Oxford > Greek shows. Only to be outdone by the Fall MSG run only those shows are mostly a blur of memory.

89-90

I was trying to do more adulting that year so didn't see many shows, but got convinced to go down to Hampton at the last minute, because my friend had heard from Blair what they had been rehearsing for the tour. So I went in with super high expectations and probably the only time in my life that they were exceeded. That show really felt like a pay off for all the years. Another top 5 show.

10/09/89
Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, VA

Set 1:
Feel Like A Stranger
Built To Last
Little Red Rooster
Ramble On Rose
We Can Run
Jack-A-Roe
Stuck Inside Of Mobile
Row Jimmy
The Music Never Stopped

Set 2:
Playin' In The Band
Uncle John's Band
Playin' Reprise
Dark Star
Drums
Death Don't Have No Mercy
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Hey Jude Reprise
Throwin' Stones
Good Lovin'

Encore:
Attics Of My Life

Then in 1990 kicked off at Knickerbocker and it started with a bang.

03/24/90
Knickerbocker Arena - Albany, NY

Set 1:
Good Time Blues
Help On The Way
Slipknot!
Franklin's Tower
Walkin' Blues
Loser

and then in my opinion the wheels came off. So it was on to Nassau for what is my top show. 

03/29/90
Nassau Coliseum - Uniondale, NY

Set 1:
Jack Straw
Bertha
We Can Run
Ramble On Rose
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Bird Song
Promised Land

Set 2:
Eyes Of The World
Estimated Prophet
Dark Star
Drums
Dark Star
The Wheel
Throwin' Stones
Turn On Your Love Light

Encore:
Knockin' On Heaven's Door

It is hard to convey how high everyone was on the dead after those shows. It just seemed like we were in for an extended era of amazing music. The Europe tour was going to be that fall, Jerry was mostly sober and the second chance at life energy could be felt at every show. And just like that it all changed. 

Saw my first show in 1986 (Metrodome, please don't laugh) at 16.

Favorite Year probably 1987 - saw 9 shows, all epic

The show I think about most often of the 60 I did catch w/ Jerry was SPAC - 6/28/1988

Probably the greatest Stella Blue ever, just a crazy ass show with fans crashing the gates during Candyman.

I was also super dosed out (shocker).

Best times of my life ever!

If i could go back in time I'd want to be a fly on the wall at any 1972 - 1974 show, more than anything 

Musically, I think that my favorite year was 87. They really were on fire. I think I saw 27 shows that year, wide-eyed, tie-dyed, and not yet jaded. It was groovy.

In 88 I did a tour or 2 with my first love, which made it super fun (mostly). She partied harder than me, which was a double-edged sword. It all got pretty hairy by Fall tour.

81 was pretty epic. Spring shows at MSG and Nassau. My first west coast shows. Seattle, Portland and Eugene followed by the Greek a month later. 

83 also. Spac, Merriweather, Boise, Park West, Red Rocks and Santa Fe. Fall East Coast too - Brendan Byrne with Stills, Carrier Dome. Good Times. 

>>>She partied harder than me, which was a double-edged sword. It all got pretty hairy by Fall tour.

All of my SO's were brakes except for one. I thought she was a big old brake when it started but then she turned into a huge accelerator. That did not end well.

1981 favorite for me

Well my first show was 1976 and interestingly, perhaps my least favorite year.  Saw them every year until the end.  I would say 1978 and 1979 were may favs (OK sure 77, may through year end--October was hot). 78 because I thought the band was spirited, playing well, even u until they canned Keith & Donna. 79 because Brent was such an earthquake--the B# sustain, the electric piano sound, his voice. A whole new era.  Then I would day 81, 83, 87 and 1990.  Not a whole lot of great things to say post Brent--some good moments and runs like parts of 91. Anything after 93 doesn't do much for me.

For JGB, 78 Cats Under the Stars tours--saw spectrum, Capitol in Passaic. 1980 was a great JGB year--so was 81. Not crazy about most JGB post 1990, arenas got to big and the music got swallowed up but still some decent nights 91 was OK.  I liked when Ozzie and Melvin where there together from a brief stint in 80 or 81--they was a tour with 2 keyboardist and that was interesting

For Weir, saw the Heaven Help THe Fool Tour-78, great.  I loved the Midnights--saw them many time from 80 through their end. 81 and 82 were great Midnights years. First year or 2 of Ratdog was OK, not so much afterwards

my first show was July 89 at Giants Stadium (also first time I dosed).  at the time, I did not fully understand what was happening around me but I knew it was for me.  I proceeded to see every Dead and Jerry show possible in the tri-state area and beyond from that point on - and being in the NE during that time period I lost count.  I think the 90-91 shows were best but even an average show was thrilling 

88-90 gd

89-91 jgb

>>>>>You don't seem to like much of any music made after 1979, Surf. 

Not sure how you get that. I like the 89-91 GD, though not as much as the 70s. Jerry band was good just about all years. I saw lots of great Hot Tuna, Zero, and DNB shows up until Covid, Bunch of PLF and Furthur shows that were pretty great  ABB shows throughout their career. Plus a whole bunch of other random shows throughout the years.

True, I don't find much to like, GD-wise, in the years when Jerry was laboring under a heavy cloud of the Persian. You know, 83-85, 92, and 94-95.

I still saw the GD during those years - it was just less enjoyable.

> the years when Jerry was laboring under a heavy cloud of the Persian

I was wondering when we would get around to a more nuanced answer here. I saw a lot of good shows in mid-80s, and the band was in fine form in many ways during that era. This was the time we saw the return of tunes like Lovelight, Smokestack Lightning, Saint Stephen, and Cryptical Envelopment, and the addition of a bunch of cool new covers like Wang Dang Doodle, Willie and the Hand Jive, I Just Want to Make Love To You, and Quinn the Eskimo, to name just a few. But like Surf said, there was that cloud hanging over the whole thing for the longest time. Said plainly, it was really hard to see Jerry deteriorating before our eyes, and there was always the thought that the whole thing could fall apart at any time.

1981