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If November 1973 is considered one of the best months in Grateful Dead history and 11/17/73 is widely considered one of the best shows of the month - if not the year, then DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 5 is sure to score major points. DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 5, or as liner note scribe Bill "Grateful Red" Walton put it - "a three-CD package of life, love, and hope, with over three hours of glorious music, and a set and song list to dream about," is major heavyweight Dead. A stunner of a show, the band come out blazing with phenomenal renditions of new material from the recently released Wake of the Flood, unconventional set starters and some of the finest playing of the year.

The first set features one of the hottest, most inspired versions of "Here Comes Sunshine" ever - widely regarded as one of the Top 3 versions of this song ever, and a "China>Rider" that's up there with the best of 1973-1974, and that's saying something. The second set shines the spotlight on the best of the three "Playing>UJB>Dew>UJB>Playing" musical palindromes (the 2nd of 3 times they did this sequence), with every second of it exciting and interesting. And they top that off with a late-show "Eyes Of The World" that is remarkably hot and energetic. To the ears of many, this is a top-25 Grateful Dead show of all time. And the sound quality of this one is perfect, full, clear, great bottom end, and overall terrific.

Mastered for vinyl from the original analog tapes Grammy-winning engineer David Glasser, with fabulous cover art by Grateful Dead Comix artist Tim Truman and first-hand insight and wisdom on that very day from UCLA Basketball Center and student Bill Walton, this one is, by all accounts, incredibly satisfying.