Dick's Picks Volume 8


Dick's Picks Volume 8 is the eighth live album in the Dick's Picks series of releases by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded on May 2, 1970, at Harpur College in Binghamton, New York. It was released in mid-1997.
The album contains the entire concert, except for one song — "Cold Rain and Snow", which was played between "Good Lovin'" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World". The first two verses of "St. Stephen" are also missing. The first set of the concert was acoustic, and was recorded in stereo. The second and third sets were electric, and were recorded in monaural.
In a 1993 poll of Grateful Dead tape traders, the 5/2/70 show was ranked #6 on the list of all-time favorite Dead concert tapes.

Caveat emptor

Each volume of Dick's Picks has its own "caveat emptor" label, advising the listener of the sound quality of the recording. The label for volume 8 reads:

Enclosure

The release includes a single sheet folded in half yielding a four-page booklet. The first page repeats the cover art from the packaging. The second page provides the track list and credits. The third page reprints a stream-of-consciousness-style review of the show by Richard Walinsky originally published in the May 5, 1970, issue of the SUNY Binghamton Colonial News . The fourth page shows a small photo of the band.

Track listing

Disc one

  1. "Don't Ease Me In" – 4:38
  2. "I Know You Rider" – 7:51
  3. "Friend of the Devil" – 5:57
  4. "Dire Wolf" – 4:56
  5. "Beat It on Down the Line" – 3:13 →
  6. "Black Peter" – 7:02
  7. "Candyman" – 1:43 →
  8. "Cumberland Blues" – 5:47
  9. "Deep Elem Blues" – 7:30
  10. "Cold Jordan" – 2:35
  11. "Uncle John's Band" – 6:28

Disc two

  1. "St. Stephen" – 3:23 →
  2. "Cryptical Envelopment" – 1:54 →
  3. "Drums" – 3:28 →
  4. "The Other One" – 13:56 →
  5. "Cryptical Envelopment" – 8:59 →
  6. "Cosmic Charlie" – 7:23
  7. "Casey Jones" – 4:45
  8. "Good Lovin'" – 15:10

Disc three

  1. "It's a Man's World" – 10:04
  2. "Dancing in the Streets" – 15:42
  4. "Morning Dew" – 12:40
  5. "Viola Lee Blues" – 16:35 →
  6. "We Bid You Goodnight" – 4:59

Personnel

Grateful Dead

Additional musicians

Production

  • Bob Matthews – recording
  • Dick Latvala – tape archivist
  • Jeffrey Norman – CD mastering
  • John Cutler –
  • Gecko Graphics – design
  • Morris Zwerman – band photo
  • Richard Walinsky – CD liner notes