The latest installment in the Grateful Dead‘s All The Years Live archival video series is available now on the band’s YouTube page. This Halloween-time entry highlights the Dead’s performance of “Ripple” from Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY on October 31st, 1980.
Seated in as the first-set closer during this three-set show, this rendition of “Ripple” sees Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir donning their acoustic guitars while Brent Mydland strokes the ivories. The snappy, 4-minute runtime started off with a modest pace and and a wave of cheers as Garcia began the first verse. Weir added backing vocals throughout, and the band even got a bit of help from fans as the song came to the ending section. Released almost exactly on its 40th anniversary, this All The Years Live installment serves as the perfect springboard to get into the Halloween spirit.
Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux said in the video’s description,
One of the most-loved Grateful Dead songs, Ripple was one of the many standouts on American Beauty. It was played 11 times 1970-1971, and then dropped until it returned in 1980, played as the set-closing song every night during the Dead’s acoustic sets. It made one final appearance on 9/3/88 in Landover, MD, before being retired for good.
Watch the Grateful Dead perform “Ripple” at Radio City Music Hall on October 31st, 1980 below.
Grateful Dead – “Ripple” – New York, NY – 10/31/80
[Video: Grateful Dead]
Previous installments of the Dead’s ongoing All The Years Live series have included: