Listen to The Grateful Dead Smoke The Boston Music Hall on this day in 1976

When A graceful death they were “on,” they were an unstoppable musical force. The band gained momentum in the mid-1970s, recovering from the loss of a founding member “Ronald”Pigpen” McKernan and finding new chemistry with Keith AND Donna Jean Godchaux. While the “Donna years” are controversial to some, there’s no denying that this version of the band truly found their heart and soul in the 1976-1977 era.

On this day in 1976, The Dead struck Boston Music Hall for an all round scorching hot performance. The band opened with “Might As Well” before jumping into the song Merle Haggard classic “Mama tried.” Songs like “Cassidy,” “Scarlet Begonias,” “It Must Have Been The Roses” and more highlight this great set, which ended with songs like “Brown Eyed Women” and “Promised Land.”

The second set brought even more heat thanks to the great “St. Stephen” to start. The band went straight into the funky “Dancin’ In The Streets” and continued the music into “The Music Never Stopped.” After the calming “Ship of Fools”, the Dead started swaying to “Samson & Delilah” and continued dancing to the great “Sugaree”. From there, the band launched into the classic “Sugar Magnolia,” but instead of the traditional ending of “Sunshine Daydream,” they released “Eyes Of The World.” They went from “Sugar Magnolia” to “Eyes of the World” to “Stella Blue” before taking home with “Daydream.” An encore of “Johnny B. Goode” had fans going home smiling.

Tune in to the recording of the entire performance below and enjoy.

Grateful Dead – Boston Music Hall – Boston, MA – 6/11/76

(sound: Jonathan Aizen)

Setlist: Grateful Dead | Boston Music Hall | Boston, Massachusetts | November 6, 1976

Set 1: Might as Well, Mom Tried, Tennessee Jed, Cassidy, Candyman, Big River, Scarlet Begonias > Looks Like Rain, It Must Have Been Roses, Lazy Lightning, Begging, Brown Eyed Women, The Promised Land

Set 2: Saint Stephen > Dancing in the Streets > The Music Never Stopped, Ship of Fools, Samson and Delilah, Sugaree, Sugar Magnolia, Eyes of the World, Stella Blue, Sunshine Daydream

Encore: Johnny B. Goode

(Originally published 6/11/18)