By the summer of 1980, the Grateful Dead were operating as a remarkably tight unit, though one in a quiet period of transition. Brent Mydland had settled fully into the keyboard chair after joining in 1979, bringing a grittier, more soulful edge to the band's sound compared to the crystalline runs of Keith Godchaux. The rhythm section of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart — reunited after Hart's years away in the mid-70s — was locking in with a newfound confidence, and Garcia's guitar work was in a lean, focused mode that fans of this era prize highly. The band was touring steadily, road-testing material that would eventually appear on *Go to Heaven*, their 1980 studio release, and the setlists were carrying a handful of newer songs alongside the deep catalog staples. Folsom Field, the outdoor football stadium on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, offered something the Dead thrived on in the warmer months: open air, a Rocky Mountain backdrop, and a crowd with serious enthusiasm. Colorado had long been fertile ground for the Dead, and Boulder in particular drew a devoted regional following. Stadium shows in this era could be hit or miss acoustically, but there was a looseness and festivity to outdoor summer dates that often coaxed the band into extended stretches of exploratory playing.
When the setting clicked, the Dead used the open sky like a canvas. The song we have documented from this show, "Easy To Love You," is a relatively modest but charming entry in the Dead's catalog — a Brent Mydland composition with a soft-rock warmth that showcased his knack for melodic songwriting. It's not the barn-burner fans reach for first, but within a live set it served as a palette cleanser, a moment where Brent's earnest vocal style came to the front and the band settled into something genuinely tender. Hearing it in context — sandwiched among the bigger arrangements of a summer 1980 set — reminds you how much texture the Dead were weaving into their shows at this point. Details on the recording circulating from this date suggest an audience source, which for an outdoor stadium show means patience is its own reward — the ambience and crowd energy are part of the experience. Lean in close, follow Brent's voice on "Easy To Love You," and let the Colorado evening do the rest. This is a show worth sitting with.