The Grateful Dead celebrates its diamond 60th anniversary this year with ENJOYING THE RIDE, a sweeping 60-CD collection that maps an epic cross-country road trip along the "Heady Highway" with stops at storied venues where the music, the moment, and the magic of the Grateful Dead reliably converged.

Spanning 25 years of legendary live performances, this expansive collection spotlights defining shows from 1969 to 1994 at 20 venues that consistently inspired the band to new heights—Winterland, Frost Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden, and Hampton Coliseum, among them. Whether playing the intimate confines of Fillmore West or beneath the open skies at Red Rocks, the Grateful Dead never played the same show twice. ENJOYING THE RIDE is a thrilling testament to that adventurous spirit.

With the exception of a few tracks from earlier releases, virtually all of the music on ENJOYING THE RIDE is previously unreleased, spanning more than 450 tracks and over 60 hours of music. Of the 20 shows in the collection, 17 are presented in full, with some featuring additional material from the same venue. The remaining three—Fillmore West, Fillmore East, and Boston Music Hall—are curated from multiple performances at each venue, capturing key moments on those legendary stages.

ENJOYING THE RIDE will be available exclusively from Dead.net on May 30. This 60-CD boxed set is limited to 6,000 individually numbered copies. Pre-order HERE. ALAC and high-res FLAC downloads will also be available on the same day. 

Unreleased versions of "Scarlet Begonias," "Touch Of Grey," and "Fire On The Mountain," recorded live at the Greek Theatre on July 13, 1984, are available today digitally. Listen HERE.

For those seeking a concise itinerary, THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED distills Enjoying The Ride into a shorter route through the band’s diamond anniversary celebration. Featuring at least one song from every venue in the deluxe set, it offers a briefer—but no less illuminating—journey through the music that shaped the Grateful Dead’s live legacy. It will be available on May 30 from Rhino.com on 3CDs, 6LPs, and digitally. Pre-order HERE.

Rhino Records President Mark Pinkus discusses the band’s legacy and his personal connection to Enjoying The Ride, "I truly believe that Enjoying The Ride captures both the spirit of following the Grateful Dead and the magic of their live performances at these storied venues. The collection David has curated is even more meaningful to me because it includes the official release of my first-ever Dead show - July 13, 1984 at the Berkeley Greek Theatre - with its epic 'Dark Star' encore. This show marked the start of a lifelong journey for me, and I'm willing to bet there are many shows in this fantastic set that will resonate with fans who also found community on the road. I am forever honored to work alongside David and the Grateful Dead to keep this long, strange trip alive."

Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager David Lemieux says narrowing the list to 20 venues wasn’t easy, but the final selection represents places where the band always brought their A-game—destinations that drew Dead Heads from far and wide, all hoping to witness something transcendent.

Beyond the extraordinary music, he says Enjoying The Ride is a celebration of the journey itself. "On these 60 CDs, you’ll find music spanning more than 25 years, from 1969 to 1994, with the venues and the millions of journeys to get to them, making an essential part of the story. Going to see the Grateful Dead, following them from city to city, was likened to the modern equivalent of running away and joining the circus. These 20 venues are where the circus took us, and the show was something we never wanted to miss."

The collection is housed in a custom keepsake box inspired by the experience of traveling from city to city to see the Dead at legendary venues across America. Inside, a beautifully detailed tour guide features liner notes by Jesse Jarnow (author and co-host of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast) and a producer’s note from Lemieux, an essay by the Owsley Stanley Foundation, and more. The set is richly illustrated with photos, including many taken at the shows featured in the collection.

These performances were originally recorded by Owsley "Bear" Stanley, Betty Cantor-Jackson, Kidd Candelario, Dan Healy, and John Cutler. David Glasser and Jeffrey Norman restored and mastered the performances, with select ones using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction for optimal sound quality.

Like the music itself, the Grateful Dead was never static, and that constant reinvention can be heard across Enjoying The Ride, which reflects the band’s evolution across multiple eras. The performances featured here include contributions from Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Keith Godchaux, Donna Jean Godchaux, Brent Mydland, Tom Constanten, and Vince Welnick.

Certain venues weren’t just stops along the road—they were catalysts, places where the Grateful Dead discovered new heights of inspiration. That spirit is reflected in Enjoying The Ride with selections from an April 1969 performance at the Avalon Ballroom, a hub of San Francisco’s psychedelic underground. That night, Garcia and Weir opened acoustically with "Dupree’s Diamond Blues" and "Mountains of the Moon," leading into a spellbinding "Dark Star." Available exclusively on cassette, this recording pays tribute to the countless tapers whose grassroots recordings helped fuel the band’s legend.

A few months later, in June 1969, the Dead took the stage at the Fillmore West, a cornerstone of the band’s early years. Originally known as the Carousel Ballroom, the venue was briefly operated by the Dead and other San Francisco bands before Bill Graham took over in 1968, transforming it into the city’s premier rock hall. The Fillmore West recordings include the first live performance of "Dire Wolf," a song that would find its way onto Workingman’s Dead a year later.

In February 1971, the Dead staged a six-night run at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. The shows, originally recorded for the live album Skull & Roses (but ultimately set aside), delivered unforgettable moments. On February 20, the band played a rare electric "Ripple"—one of just three times the song was ever played that way. On February 24, they worked through early versions of "Bird Song," "Greatest Story Ever Told," and "Wharf Rat" before closing the residency with Pigpen leading a fiery 20-minute "Turn On Your Lovelight."

As the Godchaux era neared its end in May 1978, the Dead turned a Saturday night at the Spectrum in Philadelphia into an unforgettable party. The second set’s "Playing in the Band" built in intensity before giving way to "Drums," where the full band joined in on Hart’s developing Rhythm Devils concept. Even basketball great Bill Walton joined the percussive frenzy as the music spiraled into one of the Dead’s earliest delineated "Space" segments.

By August 1979, Brent Mydland had taken over on keys when the Dead returned to Red Rocks Amphitheatre under open skies, testing new material with early live airings of "Althea" and "Lost Sailor." That night, they also delivered a crisp, lyrical "Brown-Eyed Women," a swelling "Looks Like Rain," and an "Estimated Prophet" that flowed seamlessly into a fluid, up-tempo "Eyes of the World."

The ’80s brought fresh songs, new venues, and unexpected revivals, including the live debut of "Touch of Grey" on September 15, 1982, at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland—a song that would become one of the band’s most recognized anthems. Before that, in August 1980, the Dead arrived at Alpine Valley Music Theatre for the first time, beginning a love affair with the scenic outdoor venue that lasted throughout the decade. That night, Garcia’s solo on "Big River" rippled across the hillside, while Weir’s "Lazy Lightning" > "Supplication" crackled with energy. Unlike the Alpine shows that followed, this performance never widely circulated among tapers, making its inclusion in Enjoying The Ride a rare and long-awaited addition.

Two years later, on July 13, 1984, at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the band revived "Dark Star" for the first time in nearly three years. Under a full moon, the band slipped into the mesmerizing, cosmic jam, with NASA-sourced visuals illuminating the backdrop. The appearance of "Dark Star" was an increasingly rare event—one that wouldn’t happen again for another five years.

By fall 1985, the Dead were back in the Bay Area at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, marking their 20th anniversary—Twenty Years So Far—with a run that leaned into their Warlocks-era roots. They opened the November 21 show with "Big Boy Pete," a rarity not played since 1978, and closed with another throwback, "Walking the Dog," making its final appearance in the band’s repertoire. Along the way, they revisited other Warlocks staples like "In The Midnight Hour" and "She Belongs To Me." Now, with Sixty Years So Far, the journey continues.

Closing out the decade, the Dead made their first appearance at Deer Creek Music Center, a newly opened amphitheater in Indiana that instantly became a Midwestern hub for Dead Heads. With a smaller capacity than the stadiums they were filling elsewhere, the setting lent an intimate energy to the show. That night’s extended "Space" sequence took a surreal turn when Garcia summoned the Close Encounters of the Third Kind five-note motif for the first time in over a decade, sending a ripple of recognition through the crowd. 

By the 1990s, the Grateful Dead were at the peak of their popularity, playing to massive crowds while still finding ways to surprise even the group’s most devoted fans. In May 1991, the band returned home to Shoreline Amphitheatre with its biggest lineup in years, featuring Welnick on keyboards and part-time member Bruce Hornsby on piano and accordion. The expanded sound gave the band new depth, from the textural interplay of "Picasso Moon" to Weir’s "Black-Throated Wind," back in rotation after a 16-year absence. The second set featured a 24-minute "Terrapin Station" that drifted into an intimate jam between Garcia, Hornsby, Kreutzmann, and Hart before dissolving into "Drums" and "Space."

March 17, 1993—St. Patrick’s Day—found the Dead at the Capital Centre, weaving in originals from a never-completed studio album. Among them were "Eternity" (co-written with blues legend Willie Dixon) and "Days Between," placed with intent after the night’s deepest psychedelic dive—a 44-minute jam linking "Playing In The Band," "Dark Star," and "The Other One." This was the last of only six times these three centerpieces ever appeared together in a single show. For the encore, the Dead winked at its own psychedelic past, debuting The Beatles’ "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

In the fall of 1994, the Dead returned to Boston Garden for what would become their final show in the city, a performance that captured the band’s still-changing sound. The night balanced old and new, with Lesh’s "Childhood’s End"—his first lyrics since 1966—standing alongside a luminous "Bird Song" and an affecting "Attics of My Life." For the encore, "Brokedown Palace" took on added resonance beneath the Garden’s crumbling ceiling, a poignant farewell to both the venue and an era. As always, the Dead embraced the moment, finding beauty in the impermanence of it all.

Premiering on March 13, the 11th season of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast opens with a two-part heartfelt tribute to Phil Lesh, who passed away last October, featuring archival interviews with Lesh, Phish's Mike Gordon, Dead & Co.'s Oteil Burbridge, and other collaborators. Then, beginning April 10, the season shifts its focus to celebrating the band’s 60th anniversary and exploring the music featured in Enjoying The Ride. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast uses immersive storytelling to bring the band’s legacy to life through rare archival audio, fresh interviews, and deep dives into its history. Listen and subscribe to the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast’s Season 11 here: https://www.dead.net/deadcast.

ENJOYING THE RIDE

Show List

Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA (4/5/69) – Cassette

Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/5/69)

Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/7/69)

Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/8/69)

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/20/71)

Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/25/71)

Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/27/71)

Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/15/72)

Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/16/72)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (3/16/73)

Winterland, San Francisco, CA (3/20/77)

Philadelphia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (5/13/78)

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)

Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)

Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (7/11/81)

Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (3/14/81)

Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (5/1/81)

Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (8/20/83)

Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)

Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/21/85)

Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/22/85)

Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (9/16/87)

Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)

Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA (12/27/89)

Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (5/12/91)

Capital Centre, Landover MD (3/17/93)

Capital Centre, Landover MD (9/15/82)

Boston Garden, Boston, MA (10/3/94)

THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED

6LP Track Listing

LP One

Side One

    "The Music Never Stopped" – Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (5/13/78)
    "Althea" – Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (3/14/81)

Side Two

    "Playing In The Band" – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (3/16/73)

LP Two

Side One

    "Hard To Handle" – Fillmore East, New York, NY (4/25/71)
    "Wharf Rat" – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (9/16/87)

Side Two

    "Doin’ That Rag" – Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (6/5/69)
    "My Brother Esau" – Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (8/20/83)
    "Deal" – Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (5/12/91)

LP Three

Side One

    "Scarlet Begonias" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
    "Touch Of Grey" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)

Side Two

    "Fire On The Mountain" – Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA (7/13/84)
    "Lazy Lightning"> – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)
    "Supplication" – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (8/23/80)

LP Four

Side One

    "Attics Of My Life" – Boston Garden, Boston, MA (10/3/94)
    "Estimated Prophet" – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)

Side Two

    "Eyes Of The World" – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (8/12/79)
    "Brown-Eyed Women" – Winterland, San Francisco, CA (3/20/77)

LP Five

Side One

    "Truckin’"> – Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)
    "Smokestack Lightnin’" – Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (7/15/89)
    "Big Boy Pete" – Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA (11/21/85)

Side Two

    "Bird Song" – Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (9/15/72)
    "Let It Grow" – Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (5/1/81)

LP Six

Side One

    "Black Muddy River" – Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA (12/27/89)
    "Days Between" – Capital Centre, Landover MD (3/17/93)

Side Two

    "Not Fade Away"> – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
    "Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad"> – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)
    "Not Fade Away" – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (2/24/71)