Grateful Dead – Dead Set (1981)
Album Review
Released in November 1981 alongside its acoustic companion Reckoning, Dead Set captures the Grateful Dead during their 1980 tour in full electric mode. While Reckoning showcased intimate acoustic performances, Dead Set emphasizes the band’s improvisational prowess, high-energy jams, and signature electric sound. Recorded at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco and Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the album highlights the Dead’s skill at translating studio material into electrifying live experiences.
Musically, Dead Set balances concise, song-oriented performances with extended jams that highlight each member’s virtuosity. Jerry Garcia’s lead guitar shines with fluid solos, Bob Weir’s rhythm work provides harmonic structure, and Phil Lesh’s bass lines drive melodic exploration. The dual drummers, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, create polyrhythmic textures that are both powerful and intricate. Brent Mydland’s keyboards and vocals add warmth and harmonic depth, complementing the core lineup.
Standout performances include “Estimated Prophet”, a live staple with a distinctive 7/4 rhythm, “Fire on the Mountain”, which had become an audience favorite by 1981, and “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain”, a pairing that demonstrates the Dead’s seamless improvisational interplay. Dead Set is not just a collection of live songs—it’s a snapshot of the band at a time when their live performances were as iconic as their studio work.
Tracklist
Disc One
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Feel Like a Stranger
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Samson & Delilah
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Candyman
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Friend of the Devil
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Let It Grow
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Deal
Disc Two
7. Playing in the Band
8. Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain
9. Around and Around
10. U.S. Blues
Note: The album pairs with Reckoning; both albums were recorded during the same tour.
Fun Facts & Trivia
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Dead Set captures the Grateful Dead in full electric mode, complementing the acoustic Reckoning recorded from the same tour.
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The album features one of the earliest recorded versions of “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain”, a sequence that would become legendary in live shows.
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Brent Mydland’s debut era contributions on keyboards and vocals are showcased extensively throughout the album.
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“Estimated Prophet” demonstrates the band’s mastery of odd time signatures, performed flawlessly live.
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The album cover features a stylized skeleton, continuing the band’s tradition of psychedelic and iconic artwork.
Did You Know?
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Did you know Dead Set and Reckoning were released simultaneously as a pair, highlighting the band’s acoustic and electric versatility?
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Did you know the live versions of “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain” became a template for countless 1980s Dead performances?
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Did you know “Deal” on Dead Set features one of Jerry Garcia’s most fluid and lyrical electric guitar solos?
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Did you know the album preserves the energy of the Warfield Theatre and Radio City Music Hall shows, two iconic venues in Dead history?
Album Grossing and Commercial Performance
Dead Set reached No. 80 on the Billboard 200, a modest charting compared to other live albums, but it achieved Gold certification in the United States over time, selling over 500,000 copies. Its enduring popularity is due to the exceptional live performances and the introduction of Brent Mydland’s sound to the live Dead catalog.
Legacy
Dead Set remains a definitive live electric album, capturing the Grateful Dead’s improvisational peak in the early 1980s. Paired with Reckoning, it showcases the band’s full versatility and solidifies Brent Mydland’s place in the lineup. Today, it is celebrated for its energetic jams, iconic live pairings, and representation of a band thriving in both acoustic intimacy and electric exploration.
