To mark the 40th year of Relix_, we are going to run a series of Relix 40 lists in the magazine and online that cover a variety of topics. Here’s a list of 40 notable shows by the Grateful Dead, and the group members’ other bands, from 1974 to the present (For more Relix 40 lists Click here).

_12/31/78

6/18/74: Grateful Dead, Freedom Hall, Louisville, Ky.
A fan favorite from The Wall of Sound era, a portion of this show appeared on Road Trips Vol. 2, No.3.

5/21/75: Legion of Mary, Keystone, Berkeley, Calif.
During a period of limited performances by the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia focused some of his live energies on this wonderful combo, which also included Merl Saunders, Martin Fierro, John Kahn and Ron Tutt.

7/16/76: Grateful Dead, Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco
In June, the Grateful Dead resumed touring after a two year hiatus and delivered this gem that blends the band’s exploratory side with raw energy and some sterling material.

5/8/77: Grateful Dead, Barton Hall, Ithaca, N.Y.
Despite the occasional backlash, it’s tough to quibble with a classic. Of course, plenty of Deadheads will make compelling cases for 2/26/77, 5/19/77 and 9/3/77.

12/31/78: Grateful Dead, Winterland Arena, San Francisco
Until the passing of legendary concert promoter Bill Graham in 1991, New Year’s Eve was a tradition for the Dead, and this performance, which coincided with the closing of Graham’s Winterland, offered three stellar sets and two encores.

3/8/79: Reconstruction, Cabaret Cotati, Cotati, Calif.
While there are many Dead highlights from this year (some of which appear on Road Trips, Vol. 1 No. 1), 1979 also marked the debut of one of Garcia’s least-known side projects, the horn-infused jazz-funk sextet Reconstruction, which would perform solely for eight months that year.

10/31/80: Grateful Dead, Radio City Music Hall, New York
This Halloween show concluded the famed run of three-set acoustic/electric shows that were recorded for Reckoning and Dead Set.

5/6/81: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y.
A favorite of late Grateful Dead archivist Dick Latvala (who released it as Dick’s Picks, Vol. 13), this show documented Brent Mydland’s coming into his own with the group.

4/10/82: Jerry Garcia, Capitol Theatre, Passaic, N.J.
This night featured two rare Jerry Garcia solo sets. He felt so uncomfortable that for the next “solo” gig, he tapped John Kahn to join him on bass.

2/4/83: Bobby and The Midnites, Hammersmith Odeon, London
The last night of a brief European tour was also the final show for this iteration of Bob Weir’s band, which featured two renowned fusion players, Alphonso Johnson and Billy Cobham.

10/9/89

7/13/84: Grateful Dead, Greek Theatre, Berkeley, Calif.
A fine show beneath a full moon on Friday the 13th became an epic evening, thanks to a “Dark Star” encore.

6/30/85: Grateful Dead, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Md.
Two gigs that originated from the same region battle for top honors as 6/30/85 and 11/1/85, from the Richmond Coliseum, vie for the year’s best.

12/15/86: Grateful Dead, Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
The show was a poignant return to the stage for Garcia following his coma earlier in the year. The crowd reaction to the “Touch of Grey” opener (and its “I will survive” refrain) still brings chills.

7/12/87: Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
This was a historic pairing, preceded by two sets of the Dead, proper, even if the most moving Tri-State Area Dead moment might be the “Morning Dew” at MSG on 9/18/87.

7/2/88: Grateful Dead, Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine
It’s a longtime fan-favorite from this era that many think merits an official release.

10/9/89: Formerly The Warlocks, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Va.
Some people left after the previous night’s “Help” > “Slip” > “Franklin’s” bust-out, and missed the big ones: the first “Dark Star” in five years and the first “Attics of My Life” since 1972.

3/29/90: Grateful Dead, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y.
A guest appearance by Branford Marsalis (his first, with more to follow) surprised and thrilled Long Island Deadheads.

3/31/91: Grateful Dead, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C.
The evening demonstrated the verve and vitality that Bruce Hornsby contributed during his tenure. The “Samson” > “Eyes” made its way on Dick’s Picks Vol. 17, which presents another such night, 9/25/91 at Boston Garden.

5/8/92: Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, The Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
The second of a five-show Warfield run showcased the marvelous interplay of Garcia and Grisman along with Joe Craven on violin and Jim Kerwin on upright bass.

9/22/93: Grateful Dead, Madison Square Garden, New York
This show featured another special guest sax player in New York as David Murray appears with the group (while James Cotton adds harp to a couple songs).

8/3/02

9/24/94: Phil Lesh & Friends, Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, Calif.
Marking the first time Lesh used the Phil & Friends moniker, this benefit for the UCal Berkeley Music Program featured an acoustic set from Lesh, Garcia, Weir and Vince Welnick.

8/9/95: RatDog, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H.
Weir decided to play on and ease some souls during the evening of Garcia’s death.

7/30/96: Mickey Hart’s Mystery Box, Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, Calif.
A blend of Planet Drum with a cappella vocalists, Mystery Box was an intriguing project, and Lesh, Weir and Sammy Hagar joined them on the inaugural night of their Furthur tour.

5/28/97: RatDog, The Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
This ForEverGreen Environmental Benefit marked the transition from Johnnie Johnson to Jeff Chimenti, with both keyboard players on hand. Guests included Bonnie Raitt, Stan Franks, Charlie Musselwhite and John Popper.

7/24/98: The Other Ones, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, Calif.
The first post-Grateful Dead collaboration of Weir, Lesh and Hart hit its stride along with Hornsby, Dave Ellis, Steve Kimock, Mark Karan and John Molo.

4/15/99: Phil Lesh & Friends, The Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
A 34-minute version of “Viola Lee Blues” set the tone at the opening of a three-show run with Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Kimock and Molo.

9/20/00: The Other Ones, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Va.
Bill Kreutzmann returned while Alphonso Johnson stepped in for Phil in this version of The Other Ones. The Hampton show opened with an extended six-song, segued sequence that included “St. Stephen,” “Rainbow’s Cadillac” and “Sugaree.”

4/20/01: Phil Lesh & Friends, Independence Hall–Cricket Arena, Charlotte, N.C.
All 4/20 jokes aside (although a “Rainy Day Women” jam opens the second set), this evening offered plenty of gripping improv from the lineup also known as the Phil Lesh Quintet (or The Q). Lesh, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Rob Barraco and Molo deliver a particularly riveting 45-minute stretch from “Dark Star” into “Blues for Allah” and back into “Dark Star.”

8/3/02: The Other Ones, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisc.
Weir, Lesh, Hart and Kreutzmann banded together for the first time since 1995 for the Terrapin Station Family Reunion, with Herring, Chimenti and Barraco completing the lineup.

7/10/03: The Dead, Red Rocks Ampitheatre Morrison, Colo.
Now known as The Dead, with Joan Osborne added to sweeten the vocals, the summer tour saw the group welcoming openers Bob Dylan and Steve Winwood to the stage; but it’s this night at Red Rocks sans guests that’s the keeper.

8/3/12

6/12/04: The Dead, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, Tenn.
Osborne has departed but Haynes steps in to lend a third guitar and voice. This Bonnaroo performance, delayed by rain, features a fully-segued second set that includes “St. Stephen,” “Dark Star,” “Morning Dew,” “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Help” > “Slip” > “Franklin’s” and “Lovelight.”

4/13/05: RatDog, F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre, Penn.
The band wore black armbands in memory of Johnnie Johnson who passed away earlier in the day. Before an emotional “Brokedown Palace,” Weir intones, “There’s the door, Johnnie. Follow the light.”

6/30/06: Phil Lesh & Friends, Tweeter Waterfront, Camden, N.J.
Phil’s Friends were Larry Campbell, Greg Osby, Osborne, Barry Sless, Barraco and Molo, with Anastasio joining for a stellar second set.

10/17/07: Global Drum Project, Highline Ballroom, New York
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Planet Drum album, Hart drew together Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo for a new recording and then took to the road, with this CMJ Music Marathon performance winning new ears.

2/4/08: Deadheads For Obama, The Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
On the eve of the Super Tuesday primaries, Lesh, Weir and Hart performed together for the first time in nearly four years in support of candidate Barack Obama (who welcomed everyone via a videotaped message). Two electric sets and an acoustic set also featured Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz, Mark Karan Molo and Sless.

12/11/09: Furthur, Chevrolet Theater, Wallingford, Conn.
A few nights into the group’s first tour, the latest project from Weir and Lesh hit some early highs, particularly during an improv-heavy second set.

7/25/10: The Rhythm Devils, Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City, Utah
Hart and Kreutzmann joined forces once again, enlisting Keller Williams, Davy Knowles, Adepoju and Andy Hess for this extended Utah performance.

12/31/11: Furthur, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco
A “Terrapin” encore put an exclamation point on this three-set affair in the venue named for the promoter so entwined with the Grateful Dead’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

8/3/12: Move Me Brightly, TRI Studios, San Rafael, Calif.
A fitting tribute to Garcia, shortly after the 70th anniversary of his birth, Weir orchestrated an evening of Garcia music performed by himself, Lesh, Mike Gordon, Neal Casal, Jonathan Wilson, Donna Jean Godchaux, Joe Russo, Chimenti, Craig Finn, Jim Lauderdale, Cass McCombs, Harper Simon and many others.

2013:
TBD
_What do you think so far?*