Dick's Picks Volume Five by Grateful Dead (CD, Oct-1998, 3 Discs, Grateful Dead Productions)

Dick's Picks Volume 5, a stellar show from the Oakland Auditorium 12/26/79, nicely captures the direction the band took following the departure of Keith and Donna (who provided so much of the color for the SPECTACULAR live shows of the 1970s). Several of the songs are real stand-outs, notably the funky Shakedown Street and flawless Alabama Getaway. Disc 2 has some great jams (a fabulous the Other One), while several standards (Brown Eyed Women, Brokedown Palace, Dire Wolf) - though not without the usual flubs here and there - are really catchy: fun and playful. The band still has great energy, Jerry's voice is still smooth, and the sound hasn't gotten 'tinny' yet (as it would starting in the mid-80s). This disc turned me on to the '79-'81 period, and should be on your "want" list if you're interested in this period of the band's history.