Closing of Winterland, Play Until 7AM, Dark Star Returns, "Best New Year's Ever" December 31, 1978

40th birthday of what many think is the best New Year's Eve show ever.
This is considered one of the most important Grateful Dead shows ever, the last show at Winterland, December 31, 1978 when the Dead broke out a dream third set of  Dark Star>The Other One>Dark Star>Wharf Rat>St Stephen>Good Lovin' to cap an outstanding show.  Here are the tunes

There is also a nice midnight first set opening with Sugar Magnolia>Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain that sandwiches back into Sunshine Daydream.

There is a lot written about this show and many beautiful photos and official DVD release.
The Blues Brothers and the New Riders opened the show and the Dead were on the radio and the TV

Amazing this show is only rankled #2 for 1978 behind the July 8 show at Red Rocks.  While I saw six New Year's shows from 1980-1985, this is the one I wish I could have seen the most and it's usually ranked top 12-31 show in informal polls.

I was at a party in Portland, ME that evening trying to get an update from my gf in Marin, but since the Dead didn't even start until 3AM east coast time, I'd didn't get the Dark Star info until sometime in January.

The bonus disc included with the 2003 4 CD release is here

Blair Jackson's great New Year's eve blog post

The Golden Road to Limited Dark Stars 1975-1988

There was an awesome piece on Deadessays in 2013 called Dark Stars 1978-1984 Roundtable
http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2013/05/dark-star-1978-1984-roundtable.html

It reminded me that my era of seeing the Dead, 1976-1987 (with one 1994) was virtually a deep space void for Dark Stars.

1975 None
1976 None
1977 None
1978 None until after midnight at Winterland 12-31-78
1979  Two   1-10 Nassau and 1-20 Buffalo. Rats I saw Jan 14, 15, 17, 18, my first 4 show run and where was mine Phil? Bobby?  anyone?
1980 None
1981 None during the "Calender Year"

I was beginning to think I'd never get one.    51 shows, no Dark Star for me.

Finally, on the 52 show, past midnight, past a great second set of

Iko Iko*, Playin' In The Band-> Terrapin Station-> Playin' In The Band-> Drums-> The Other One***-> Not Fade Away***-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad***-> Morning Dew;

A third set emerges. And folks, this wasn't your Daddy's Dark Star (ranked next to last  in the 14 years from 1975-1988 in the DeadEssays piece above), and it did go into Bertha and Good Lovin, they must have already played Miracle that night (duh, not). But it was still my Dark Star. And I love it to this day.

The Flac thanks Joani etc

The Video (cool huh rare 1981 my only Star and a video)

Ok the lossy files if you really really need them

1982 None 

1983 None

1984  The Greek (rumored ro be DP#17)  Missed it again rats, first greek I missed.  Did see the great

7-15-84 Why Dont We Do It In the Road Indeed Opens with Dancing -> Birdsong!!

1985 None

1986 None

1987 None

1988 None

Guess Bruce Hornsby made up for in 1989, playing it like 10 times on 6-17-91 at Giants.

Thanks for the Digital Board Charlie Miller



12/31/78 Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA
Set 3: Dark Star [13:38] > The Other One [2:40] > Dark Star Jam [0:57] > Wharf Rat [11:14] > Saint Stephen [7:52] > Good Lovin' [9:43]

1/10/79 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
Set 2:  Dark Star [18:30] > Drums [8:#20] > Space [5:35] > Wharf Rat [10:32] > Saint Stephen [7:23] > Around And Around [7:46]

1/20/79 Shea's Theatre, Buffalo, NY
Set 2: Estimated Prophet [12:37] > The Other One [8:19] > Drums [10:#01] > Space [2:14] > The Other One [2:30] > Dark Star [9:17] > Not Fade Away [5:02] > Sugar Magnolia [8:17]

12/31/81 Oakland Aud, Oakland, CA
Set 3: Dark Star [15:16] > Bertha [6:32] > Good Lovin' [10:03]

7/13/84 Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA

Encore: Dark Star [16:05]  why didn't i go? why didn't i go? why didn't i go?

Here's my only one, 12-31-81