I like to think Ho Chi Minh would have been proud of that Peggy-O.

Other than that, insert generic comment about how great May 77 shows are and end it with "this more than meets the standards."

A show sitting in between several all-time greats, in possibly the greatest month, is going to be an unlicked cub. But it has its fans, and has a couple way-serious highlights. Even if not one of my usual suspects for May '77, I find I go back to this one sometimes. The show had been postponed from 4/20 (...pre-significance).

First Set. The opener doesn't launch statim-strato like some shows from this month, but Keith is nice (and heard more clearly on the SBD). Well, this Sugaree has been much-discussed and almost defies non-Einsteinian consideration; like the speed of light for separate observers. A behemoth, with nooks and crannies of its own, it slows, it builds back, it breathes. The massive trip that occurs pours into the El Paso, and even the next two are above average. Row Jimmy is a bit sluggish, and a sloppy Passenger gets tighter halfway and feels safe-on-the-rails by the station (even sated). Just the third one, it's still getting wired up. Loser is a paragon, and when Dancing gets frothy it over-delivers.

Second Set. Aside from highlights, the whole set is delish as played in context. P-l-a-y-e-d played. The opening sequence is cream May '77, finishing with a Samson that's the only song repeated from the night before. Terrapin & Playing aren't the best examples from the tour, if still quite good. Uncle John's is the show's low point. Keith provides the rectification for Jer to jump-start from the coda back in time to the intro, but they get a little lost a couple times. Drums are rarely exciting in this era, but as they resolve to The Wheel X factor re-emerges. This is only tight in a relaxed way, but that gives it individual charm. Some members test going back into Playing, but Jer starts teasing China Doll. The first since 10/74, there's some rust until it picks up for a great ending. The official release has an odd cut of 48secs @0:55 (because Jer kept slowing down, it causes an abrupt tempo change at the edit). At first, the Playing reprise is just Jer, Bobby and one drummer. It ends up sounding like a '72. They did not encore so it's a unique show-ender, but a bit of wandering through the desert before tidying up.

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: B
Overall = 4 stars

Highlights:
Sugaree - behemoth
Loser - paragon
Dancing in the Street - gets frothy
Samson & Delilah - so good
Ramble On Rose - cracklin'
Estimated Prophet - better than night before? Discuss
The Wheel - individual charm

SOURCES: The 139377_sbd_latvala is an upgrade; remastered and pitch-corrected. Except, weirdly, Dancing in the Streets is way too fast and needs -3% pitch. Or use bertha_9394 for that. Balanced and EQd, it has a better sounding 2nd set - unless you hold to the accuracy of the original tape. Dick's 29 has almost the whole show, and has a wider image than the SBD.

The Promised Land, Peggy-O, LLR. Estimated. Terrapin all were coming together nicely for Englishtown in Sept of that year.
Great matrix. D. Latvala-> Charlie Miller is solid gold. PITB is scorching and tribal. Gigantic Sugaree!!

While later I came to prefer earlier shows, this had a bunch of A+ versions of the 77 sound. Sugaree is a 3 jam movement masterpiece that has all the best of what they can do with that sing. And the short Estimated solo is the tightest nailing of it I ever heard Garcia do on that song. George Harrison would be proud. More to add another time.