The 30 Best Grateful Dead Shows Ever

During Jerry Garcia’s lifetime, the Grateful Dead played about 2,300 concerts, so what better way to celebrate the band’s 60^th anniversary than focusing on their greatest live shows? Whittling that list down to the 30 best was no simple highway. Between ever-evolving set lists, lineups, and energy levels, no two Dead shows or tours were ever quite the same. But taking into account classic Dead-related venues, epic performances of their gems, and noteworthy additions to their membership, we decided to do it anyway. From out-of-the-way halls to stadiums, here are the 30 near-perfect shows that prove, as the bumpers sticker once read, “There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert.”