Grateful Dead Download Series Volume 1
Download Series Volume 1 is the first in a series of digital download albums by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It was released on May 3, 2005. The album features the complete show from April 30, 1977, which was the second of a five night run at New York City's Palladium. In addition, in order to fill out the third disc, bonus material is included from the previous night at the same location. "Volume 1" was mastered in HDCD from original 2-track soundboard tapes by Jeffrey Norman. Like others in the  Download Series the music is available for download as 128Kbit or 256Kbit MP3s or lossless FLAC-files, all without any copy-protection. Critical reception. On AllMusic, Jesse Jarnow said, "Rivaling the spring of 1972 as the most-plundered season in the Grateful Dead's live catalog, the spring of 1977 found the Dead playing at their platonic best. It was during that period that the Dead struck what, for many, remains the perfect balance of tightness and energy of performance... The band's April 30th show at the Palladium – the first release in their downloads series, and the sixth extended  release from the spring of 1977, including one box set – has an advantage on the much revered show recorded in Ithaca on May 8th: an actual open-ended jam. A 15-minute "Not Fade Away" veers into deep, melodic abstraction before languidly seguing into Garcia's heart-wrenching ballad "Stella Blue"." Track listing. Disc one. "First set:" Disc two. "Second set:" "7 - 9 are bonus tracks from 4/29/77" Personnel. Grateful Dead Production