Forty-seven years ago today, the Grateful Dead began a new chapter in their 30-year run as they returned to touring following a nearly two-year hiatus from the road beginning on October 20th, 1974. Following 1975 when the Dead only played four hometown shows in San Francisco throughout the year, the band regrouped at the Paramount Theatre in Portland, OR on June 3rd, 1976 with newly-re-added Mickey Hart on drums for their first out-of-town performance since September 1974.
The Dead’s 22-song performance, which opened up a two-night run at the Paramount, treated Deadheads in attendance to the live debuts of songs including “Might as Well”, “Lazy Lightning”, “Supplication”, “Samson & Delilah”, and Jerry Garcia‘s “The Wheel”, along with their revamped cover of “Dancing in the Street”.
Other songs played during the two-set performance that night also included “The Music Never Stopped”, “Scarlet Begonias”, “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot” > “Franklin’s Tower”, and “One More Saturday Night”.
Relive the Dead’s 1976 comeback show in Portland, OR below.
Grateful Dead – Paramount Theatre – 6/3/76
[Audio: Jonathan Aizen]
OTD in @GratefulDead history the band played their first show of 1976 at the Paramount Theater in Portland, Oregon. This night saw the live debut of “Might as Well,” “Lazy Lightning,” “Supplication,” “Samson & Delilah,” and “The Wheel.” pic.twitter.com/FNvFfs5jnJ
— Mickey Hart (@mickeyhart) June 3, 2020