By the spring of 1981, the Grateful Dead had settled into a remarkably stable and powerful configuration. Brent Mydland, now two years into his tenure as keyboardist, had fully shed the newcomer jitters and was playing with real authority — his Hammond B3 and synthesizer work adding a muscular, soulful dimension that complemented Jerry Garcia's guitar in ways the band hadn't quite had since the peak Keith Godchaux years. Garcia himself was in solid shape during this period, and the band was deep into a productive stretch of touring that would see them crisscross the country through the year. The Go to Heaven album had come out the previous spring, but the Dead were, as always, far more interesting as a live proposition than anything a studio could capture. Glens Falls, New York is the kind of mid-sized upstate city that the Dead visited regularly in this era, playing civic centers and arenas that offered a step down in scale from Madison Square Garden but often a step up in intimacy and warmth. The Glens Falls Civic Center, nestled in the Adirondack foothills between Albany and Lake Placid, had that regional arena feel — not a legendary room by any stretch, but the kind of place where a tight, focused crowd turns up and the band sometimes rewards them with something special. Upstate New York always felt like genuine Dead country, and May touring in the Northeast could produce anything from loose, exploratory shows to tight, inspired ones. Of the songs we have confirmed from this night, Fire on the Mountain and C.C.
Rider are an interesting pair. Fire on the Mountain, the hypnotic Garcia-Hunter composition that grew out of the Drums space in the late '70s and became a setlist staple, is at its best when the groove locks in and Jerry's guitar lines unspool with that shimmering, meditative quality — it's a song that rewards patience. C.C. Rider, a traditional blues number that the Dead had been playing since the Pigpen era, by 1981 was typically a Brent or Garcia vehicle, a loose and swinging number that often opened second sets or served as a crowd-pleasing rocker. Together they suggest a show with both reflective depth and bluesy, energetic muscle. Recording quality for this show may vary — many Glens Falls recordings from this era circulate as audience tapes of modest fidelity — but don't let that deter you. The playing in this period more than compensates. Put it on, let the groove of Fire on the Mountain wash over you, and see where the night goes.