Welcome to Dead Set Live, your Saturday night sanctuary where we drop the needle on full Grateful Dead shows—all live, all the time. This week, we’re putting a bright spotlight on a first-time venue appearance that turned into a hidden gem in the Dead’s vast live legacy. For this Live Jam edition, every song we play is the live version, just how it was meant to be experienced.
Tonight’s Don’s Pick is the Grateful Dead’s debut at the Zoo Amphitheatre in Oklahoma City on July 5, 1981—a hot summer night show that packs energy, soul, and some underrated early-’80s magic.
🌕 The Scene: Oklahoma City, 1981
This was more than just another summer stop on tour. July 5th, 1981 marked the Dead’s very first performance at the Zoo Amphitheatre, and like most first encounters, it came with the thrill of something new. The venue, tucked into the rocky hillsides of Oklahoma City, created a natural amphitheater with incredible acoustics—and the band came ready to test its boundaries.
This was the heart of a new era. Brent Mydland was now firmly settled in on keys and vocals, bringing a new vocal dimension and synth-driven edge to the band’s sound. The early ’80s were loud, lean, and often unpredictably electric—and this show is a prime example of that dynamic in full swing.
🎶 Set One: Straight Into the Groove
They wasted no time getting down to business. The show opens with a deep-pocket “Shakedown Street” that wastes no time turning the crowd into a swaying sea of groove. It’s funky, loose, and full of improvisational pockets, stretching out before slamming straight into a fiery “The Promised Land.”
From there, they flow into a “Brown Eyed Women” that shows off Garcia’s warm vocal tone and some tight lead runs. A syrupy “Candyman” drips with emotional weight, and the band stays in the pocket with “Cassidy” and a high-octane “CC Rider.”
Set one wraps with a mix of storytelling and strut, finishing strong with high-effort playing and a charged-up crowd. It’s tight. It’s energetic. It’s the sound of the early ’80s Dead, breaking ground—both literally and musically—in Oklahoma.
🔥 Set Two: Exploratory Energy & Improvisation
The second set explodes open with a bold and raucous “Samson & Delilah” that has Bobby flexing his preacher-man energy. It’s one of the strongest versions from this year, and it sets the tone for a set that keeps shifting between song-based storytelling and freeform exploration.
We roll into a carefree “Don’t Ease Me In,” which lightens the mood before launching into “The Music Never Stopped”—where Brent’s vocals and keys really shine. This version is punchy, confident, and layered with that ‘81 sound fans either love or learn to appreciate.
The emotional core of the second set lies in the “Lost Sailor” > “Saint of Circumstance” > “He’s Gone” sequence. It’s a reflective, expansive stretch where Garcia’s voice gets just gravelly enough to punch the heart.
Then the real ride begins:
- “Drums” melts into
- “Space”, which gives way to
- A thunderous “The Other One” that turns the amp up on cosmic chaos.
And just as you’re lost in the sound universe, the band offers up a stunning “Stella Blue” that slowly gathers your soul back in.
The final send-off? An “Around and Around” > “Johnny B. Goode” double-shot that puts pure rock ’n’ roll adrenaline back in your bloodstream—followed by a flag-waving “U.S. Blues” encore.
📻 Why This One? Why Now?
Not every show in ’81 gets the flowers it deserves. Some say it’s a transitional year, some call it inconsistent—but this Zoo Amphitheatre performance bucks that trend. It’s tight, emotional, and forward-driving. Sure, there are moments where the energy dips briefly in the second set, but the peaks are pure Dead gold.
What makes this show stand out:
- Brent Mydland’s rising influence in the mix
- A first-time venue freshness in the playing
- A “Shakedown Street” that will live in your brain rent-free
- A “He’s Gone” > “Space” > “The Other One” segment that bleeds into “Stella Blue” like only the Dead could pull off
High-quality recordings of this show exist, and the fidelity is clear enough to feel like you’re right there on the lawn, watching the band light up the Oklahoma sky.
🔊 Tonight on Dead Set Live: The Zoo Comes Alive
So let’s roll it back to July 5, 1981. Grab your headphones, crank the volume, and let’s go live-only with every note, every solo, every transition from that night in Oklahoma City. Live Jam rules apply—every track aired tonight is straight from the board or the crowd mic, as it happened.
Whether you’re a long-time Deadhead or just tuning into the early ’80s era, this show delivers the grit, soul, and spark that only a live Dead performance can give.
📍 Don’s Pick: Grateful Dead – Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City – July 5, 1981
🎙️ Dead Set Live: Only Live GD All Night Long
📅 Airing Tonight on Dead Set Live
See you on the rail,
Don & the Dead Set Live crew
🌀 “Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.”
