From the introduction to the series by Blair Jackson:
With Road Trips we’re going to try something a little different. We want to plug in a few more pieces of the Grateful Dead puzzle by putting the spotlight on different tours and series of shows that have been neglected through the years. Take Road Trips Volume 1, Number 1, for instance. This two-disc set (plus a special Bonus Disc for a limited time only) was culled from the Dead’s blazing fall 1979 East Coast swing, when the band was just hitting its stride with new keyboardist Brent Mydland. You’ll find killer versions of “Dancing in the Street†> “Franklin’s Tower,†long exploratory jams on “Playing in the Band†and “Terrapin,†a rattle-your-brain “Shakedown,†and lots more, all pulled from the master tapes in the vault and expertly mastered in HDCD for maximum power and clarity by Jeffrey Norman. The Bonus Disc offers another hour-and-a-quarter of highlights from the tour.
Every Road Trips release will come with a beautifully designed booklet containing an essay about how the music on the discs fits into the Dead’s long history, plus many rare and never-before-seen photographs. We think you’ll agree it’s a pretty cool package. But wait, there’s more (as they say)! When each “edition†of Road Trips is announced on this site, we will also give you a link to an affiliated site devoted to the series which will include such goodies as articles and reviews from the tour (See one reviewer after another mess up Grateful Dead song titles! See the band savaged by cretinous critics!); additional photos; and any other weird/cool stuff we come across.
Here’s the track listing for volume 1 number 1 (Fall 1979):
CD 1
1 Alabama Getaway->
2 Promised Land Nov 10 Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, MI
3 Jack Straw->
4 Deal Nov 6 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
5 Dancing in the Streets->
6 Franklin’s Tower Nov 9 Memorial Auditorum, Buffalo, NY
7 Wharf Rat->
8 I Need A Miracle->
9 Bertha->
10 Good Lovin Nov 9 Memorial Auditorum, Buffalo, NY
CD 2
1 Shakedown Street Oct 25 New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT
2 Passenger Nov 10 Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, MI
3 Terrapin Station->
4 Playing in the Band Nov 6 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
5 Not Fade Away->
6 Morning Dew Nov 8 Capital Center, Landover, MD
Bonus CD
1 China Cat Sunflower->
2 I Know You Rider Oct 31 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
3 Lost Sailor->
4 Saint of Circumstance->
5 Jam Nov 8 Capital Center, Landover, MD
6 Althea Oct 31 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
7 Estimated Prophet->
8 He’s Gone->
9 Jam Nov 9 Memorial Auditorum, Buffalo, NY
Recordings by Dan Healy