Grateful Dead: Shortlist - March 16-21, 1994 (Chicago & Richfield)

In March 1994, The Grateful Dead were playing and singing “small” songs beautifully and jamming big songs enthusiastically. The month included the final two performances of “Dark Star.”

For reasons explained in this post, the Save Your Face blog originally presented the music below as three separate mixes, over a year’s time. After I posted the final one, I retagged my own files to create the unified, 4-LP album set that should have been.

This post presents the retagged version, which operates as a single album with one title, four discs, and 26 consecutively numbered tracks.

Seventeen tracks come from three Chicago shows (March 16, 17, 18) and seven come from one Richfield, OH show (March 21). The Richfield show on the 20th doesn’t circulate on soundboard, so it is not included.

Additionally, I have included, near the end, the “Playin’ > Dark Star” sequence from 3/30 in Atlanta, so that you can listen to the last two performances of “Dark Star” as portions of the same mega-jam.

Put into their proper relationship, the first two discs provide a beautifully-executed, fantasy first set. The second two discs provide a giant, all-jam second set.

3h 20m mp3 mix zipped up here

LP 1 (47 minutes - originally posted as “Shortlist: March 16-21, 1994” disc one)

Don’t Ease Me In (3/16/94)
Beat It on Down the Line (3/16/94)
Bertha (3/21/94)
Ramble on Rose (3/19/94)
Stella Blue (3/21/94)
Queen Jane Approximately (3/21/94)
Looks Like Rain (3/16/94)
High Time (3/16/94)

LP 2 (53 minutes - originally posted as “Shortlist: March 16-21, 1994” disc two)

Peggy-O (3/21/94)
Wharf Rat (3/18/94)
Around and Around (3/18/94)
Deal (3/18/94)
Standing on the Moon (3/16/94)
The Wheel > (3/17/94)
All Along the Watchtower (3/17/94)

LP 3 (50 minutes - originally posted as “Dark Star Flashes” bonus disc):

Feel Like a Stranger (3/18/94)
Scarlet Begonias Jam > Fire on the Mountain (3/16/94)
Eternity Jam (3/17/94)
Playin’ in the Band > UJB Jam Conclusion (edit, 3/17/94)
Eternity Jam (3/21/94)

LP 4 (52 minutes - originally posted as “Dark Star Flashes”:

Dark Star (3/16/94, verse removed)
Victim or the Crime Jam (3/21/94)
The Other One (3/18/94)
Playin’ Jam > (3/30/94)
Dark Star (3/30/94)
Jamming Down the Road (3/21/94)

13 responses

Really excited to download this. I saw a great show on that spring tour (3/28/94, Nassau). There's good stuff in Spring '94-- the 4/1 show has a fun "Deal" as an unexpected song two of the first set. And the "Morning Dew" from 3/27/94 is epic.

— DC

DC, all those tunes are included on my other Spring '94 mixtapes! Click on the tag near the top left of this page: "GD 1994 Spring Tour"

— John Hilgart @4CPcomics

Terrific. Thanks. I just found that post and am downloading now.

Thanks again John.

— Gren Nation

These shows were my freshman year college spring break. 3rd row in front of Jerry first night in Rosemont. 10th row center first night in Richfield. Sadly had to sell my tix for second night of Richfield as our ride had to get back to school for a test. The one that got away. Makes that Stella Blue even more bittersweet. A bit surprised you didn't include the Lovelight that bookends it, as it was likely the last great moment of spontaneity in their career. The Eternity jams really stand out on relisten. Appreciate all your great work.

— Mitch

That "Stella Blue" really is something. One thing I learned listening to the mid-90s is that sometimes Jerry finished it with a guitar solo and sometimes with with a vocal solo. (Don't know what caused the Lovelight to be left off; I'll have to listen to it again. I'm sure I omit some good stuff, but I try at least not to include and bad stuff!)

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