The Good Ol' Grateful Thread

Okay friend. I’m a Grateful Dead rookie, only listened to Blues For Allah because my best friend gave it to me as a going away gift when I moved to LA in September. That album blew me away, want to get deeper into their discography but I have no idea where to start. Only other song I know by them is Ripple because I heard it on a shroom trip and blasted off into another realm. Would anyone be so kind as to make me a little starters guide?
For live, One From The Vault (it’s pretty much Blues For Allah live plus other songs, but it’s an amazing show), Europe 72 and Live/Dead (this will give you a feel of their earlier career.

For Studio, American Beauty for sure. If you like that, go Workingman’s Dead. If you don’t want the acoustic side, go Terrapin Station or Wake of the Flood.
 
If anyone was looking for a Nugs video of the recent incredible Morning Dew.



EDIT: Also shout out to Bill Walton at 17:00 getting his jam on in the crowd shot.
 
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What are everyone's favorite live shows available on vinyl?

I only have a few because they're so expensive but Cornell is amazing. I'd also recommend the Long Strange Trip soundtrack if you can find it at a decent price. There's some fire on there (I have the 6LP version). I've got Fillmore '69 and Capitol Theater '77 in order but cant comment on them until they get it. Most of the Dicks Picks are great, but the vinyl releases are pretty steep. And of course, Europe '72 is always a winner.
 
Bought the Cornell set. Looks like I won’t get it till July 5 or so, which is fine by me cause now that price has increased. Lucked out. Also I won’t have any time to spin until then anyway.
 
Bought the Cornell set. Looks like I won’t get it till July 5 or so, which is fine by me cause now that price has increased. Lucked out. Also I won’t have any time to spin until then anyway.
It’s an awesome set. I bought it when it was first released, what almost two years ago now...?, for $130 and I think it was worth it at that price.
 
Hey team! So I had my introduction to The Grateful Dead over the weekend in the form of a double album I picked up on a whim at a carboot sale, Grateful Dead ‎– Wake Of The Flood / From The Mars Hotel. I listened to them yesterday and think they are great! I gravitated more to the 'From the Mars Hotel' and have had 'Unbroken Chain' in my head all day. Im going to start a deep dive and stream a load of albums and have a question I hope one of you could answer.

Do the Grateful Dead have distinctive periods/albums of different sounds? I usually just start at the beginning and work my way through each album, but it seems like the Grateful Dead have an endless catalog when you include live albums etc. Would it be best for me to stick to some of their most well known albums, then listen to the more obscure ones after?

I know this seems like a bit of a silly request, but if we take Tom Waits' catalog as an example, 'Closing Time' is a vastly different sounding album to 'Bone Machine'. I wouldn't want a few poorly chosen albums to dictate my opinion on a band, especially when their discography is huge.
 
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