Dave's Picks Volume 23


Dave's Picks Volume 23 is a three-CD live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It contains the complete concert recorded at McArthur Court at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon on January 22, 1978. It was released on August 1, 2017, in a limited edition of 16,500 copies.
Dave's Picks Volume 23 was released as a five-disc LP on April 28, 2023, in a limited edition of 5,000 copies.

Critical reception

On AllMusic, Timothy Monger wrote, "Long-running Grateful Dead archival series Dave's Picks delivers a true gem on Vol. 23, featuring what many die-hard Deadheads claim to be one of the best shows of 1978... Emerging from the wild and jazzy cosmos of 'Space', Garcia and keyboardist Keith Godchaux deftly segue into a particularly spirited 'St. Stephen', which could have easily closed out an already epic show, but instead sets up a relentlessly energetic half-hour finale of 'Not Fade Away', 'Around and Around', and 'U.S. Blues'.... The newly uncovered Betty Cantor-Jackson recordings from this night finally put all the sonic pieces together on this excellent release."
In Glide Magazine, Doug Collette said, "... it was during this performance Jerry Garcia quoted the theme of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Titillating but ultimately ephemeral as is that reference, it is representative of the element of surprise pervading this show.... All of which, of course, comes through with equal punch and depth on this recording of Betty Cantor-Jackson’s.... With additional official releases of this era, this period of Grateful Dead history elevates further in their canon of work."

Track listing

Disc 1
  1. "New Minglewood Blues" – 6:20
  2. "Dire Wolf" – 4:35
  3. "Cassidy" – 5:08
  4. "Peggy-O" – 7:23
  5. "El Paso" – 5:21
  6. "Tennessee Jed" – 9:06
  7. "Jack Straw" – 6:08
  8. "Row Jimmy" – 10:37
  9. "The Music Never Stopped" – 8:08
Disc 2
  1. "Bertha" → – 6:52
  2. "Good Lovin'" – 6:26
  3. "Ship of Fools" – 7:33
  4. "Samson and Delilah" – 7:48
Disc 3
  1. "Terrapin Station" → – 11:08
  2. "Drums" → – 7:51
  3. "The Other One" → – 16:57
  4. "Space" → – 3:52
  5. "St. Stephen" → – 7:39
  6. "Not Fade Away" → – 14:09
  7. "Around and Around" – 8:57
  9. "U.S. Blues" – 5:53

Personnel

Grateful Dead
Production