Grateful Dead – Stronger Than Dirt (Orange Marble Vinyl)

The Grateful Dead had officially retired from performing after their five-night stand at Winterland in October, 1974, so it was quite a surprise when they appeared in concert and on the radio at Kezar Stadium on March 23, 1975. The band played entirely unheard and partly improvised new material, joined by guest keyboardists Merl Saunders and Ned Lagin. This became one of the most extraordinary sets of the Grateful Dead’s entire career by them playing a lyric-less, melody-evasive jam that draws on material from their 1975 Blues for Allah album. The “Johnny B. Goode” closer, coming in just under four minutes, wraps up the set with a rock n’ roll burner.