Start talking tours to any Deadhead you know and just say “Spring ‘77”—chances are a big smile will steal across his or her face. That’s because of all the road trips in the Dead’s long history, arguably the one that saw the most consistently high level of playing was the Spring ’77 tour the band undertook in support of its forthcoming Terrapin Station album. And that’s why, out of the 36 volumes in the Dick’s Picks series, only one, this one, is a 6-CD set (there isn’t even a 5-CD set)! Inside are two complete shows minus one encore (from the Florida show), plus some equally fantastic, unlisted bonus tracks from a 10/11/77 show in Norman, Oklahoma, all impeccably recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson. Highest among the many highlights from the Fox Theatre show are the version of Sugaree and the incredible segue from Playing in the Band to Uncle John’s Band (also don’t miss the unbilled, primal version of Not Fade Away). But the Lakeland show just may take the cake—two medleys, a breathtaking Scarlet Begonias/Fire on the Mountain and a jaw-dropping Estimated Prophet/He’s Gone/Drums/The Other One/Comes a Time/St. Stephen/Not Fade Away/St. Stephen/One More Saturday Night, are the icing. Comes with original slipcased packaging.