Album of the Day

From the first show the Grateful Dead played in St. Louis in 1968, local fans knew that the Gateway City’s rich musical heritage had a unique way of coaxing the best out of the band. Now available as a 3-CD or 5-LP set, FOX THEATRE, ST. LOUIS, MO (12/10/71) features the original Grateful Dead lineup of Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Bob Weir, plus newcomer Keith Godchaux on piano. While the previously unreleased concert includes such Dead classics as “Casey Jones,” “Sugar Magnolia” and “Truckin’” (as well as a Christmastime tip of the hat to native legend Chuck Berry on “Run Rudolph Run”), the jamming is the real treat here, ebbing and flowing like the mighty Mississippi River. FOX THEATRE, ST. LOUIS, MO (12/10/71) shows an inspired band eager to grow and take their fans along for the ride.