''Dave's Picks Volume 54'' is a three-CD live album by the rock band the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

. It contains the complete concert recorded on March 26, 1973, at the

Baltimore Civic Center CFG Bank Arena is a multipurpose arena in Baltimore, Maryland. This venue is located about one block away from the Baltimore Convention Center on the corner of Baltimore Street and Hopkins Place in downtown Baltimore. With a seating capacity ...

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

. It was released on April 25, 2025, in a limited edition of 25,000 copies. Some copies of the album include a bonus disc with songs from the March 31, 1973 concert at

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, colloquially known as The Aud, was a multipurpose indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. Opened on October 14, 1940, it was home to the Canisius Golden Griffins men's basketball, Canisius Golden Griffins (Nationa ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. ''Dave's Picks Volume 54'' debuted at number 2 on the ''Billboard''

Top Album Sales The Top Album Sales is a music chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine listing each week's top-selling albums in the United States. The chart has been published since December 13, 2014, although the magazine also retrospectively recognize ...

chart.

Critical reception

In ''Glide Magazine'', Doug Collette wrote, "Just past the half-century mark of entries in this ongoing archival series, the curators of ''Dave's Picks'' may have outdone themselves with ''Volume 54''. The bonus disc itself is a veritable microcosm of the main performance, a never-before-released show from Baltimore, Maryland, that is arguably the definitive release of the whole vault enterprise."

Track listing

Disc 1 :''First set:'' #"

Promised Land In the Abrahamic religions, the "Promised Land" ( ) refers to a swath of territory in the Levant that was bestowed upon Abraham and his descendants by God in Abrahamic religions, God. In the context of the Bible, these descendants are originally ...

" (

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

) – 3:30 #"Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" (

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...

, Robert Hunter) – 7:47 #"

The Race Is On "The Race Is On" is a song written by Don Rollins (not to be confused with the Don Rollins who co-wrote "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" for Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett) and made a hit on the country music charts by George Jones and on the pop ...

" (Don Rollins) – 3:35 #"Wave That Flag" (Garcia, Hunter) – 6:25 #"

Jack Straw John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretar ...

" (

Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...

, Hunter) – 5:02 #"

Sugaree "Sugaree" is a song with lyrics by long-time Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and music by guitarist Jerry Garcia. It was written for Jerry Garcia's first solo album '' Garcia'', which was released in January 1972. As with the songs on the r ...

" (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:41 #" Mexicali Blues" (Weir,

John Perry Barlow John Perry Barlow (October 3, 1947February 7, 2018) was an American poet, essayist, cattle rancher, and cyberlibertarian political activist who had been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He was also a lyricist for th ...

) – 3:46 #" Box of Rain" (

Phil Lesh Philip Chapman Lesh (March 15, 1940 – October 25, 2024) was an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he developed a unique style of improvised six-string bass guitar. He was their bassist throughout their 30 ...

, Hunter) – 5:05 #"Row Jimmy" (Garcia, Hunter) – 8:29 #"

Beat It On Down the Line "Beat It Down the Line" is a country-blues song written by Jesse Fuller and first recorded in 1961. The lyrics mention "Joe Brown's Coal Mine", which refer to Joseph E. Brown, four times governor of Georgia and president of the Dade Coal Company wh ...

" (

Jesse Fuller Jesse Fuller (March 12, 1896 – January 29, 1976) was an American one-man band musician, best known for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues". Early life Fuller was born in Jonesboro, Georgia, near Atlanta, United States. He was sent by his moth ...

) – 3:53 #"Brown-Eyed Women" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:43 #"

El Paso El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

" (

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American country and western singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular and successful singers of his genre for most o ...

) – 5:00 #"

China Cat Sunflower "China Cat Sunflower" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which was first recorded for their 1969 studio album '' Aoxomoxoa''. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. The song was typically sung by Garcia. The ...

" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:10 #"

I Know You Rider "I Know You Rider" (also "Woman Blues" and "I Know My Rider") is a traditional blues song that has been adapted by numerous artists. It has appeared in folk, country, and rock guises. Blues origins Modern versions can be traced back to Blind Lemo ...

" (traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) – 5:03 Disc 2: :''First set, continued:'' #"Looks Like Rain" (Weir, Barlow) – 7:16 #"Don't Ease Me In" (traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) – 3:57 #"

Playing in the Band "Playing in the Band" is a song by the Grateful Dead. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and rhythm guitarist Bob Weir composed the music, with some assistance from percussionist Mickey Hart. The song first emerged in embryonic form on th ...

" (Weir,

Mickey Hart Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...

, Hunter) – 19:49 :''Second set:'' #

Wolfman Jack introduces the band – 1:19 #"Ramble On Rose" (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:01 #" Big River" (

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

) – 4:50 #"Here Comes Sunshine" (Garcia, Hunter) – 8:35 #"Greatest Story Ever Told" (Weir, Hart, Hunter) – 5:40 #"Candyman" (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:49 #"

Me and My Uncle "Me and My Uncle", often also written as "Me & My Uncle," is a song composed by John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas, and popularized in versions by Judy Collins and the Grateful Dead. It relates the journey of a narrator and his uncle from s ...

" ( John Phillips) – 3:09 :''Second set, conclusion:'' #

" One More Saturday Night" (Weir) – 5:06 Disc 3: :''Second set, continued:'' #"He's Gone" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 14:12 #"

Truckin' "Truckin" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album '' American Beauty''. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure.''Grateful Dead: The Illustrated Trip'' . Jake W ...

" > (Garcia, Lesh, Weir, Hunter) – 15:19 #"Weather Report Suite: Prelude" > (Weir) – 2:03 #"Jam" > (Grateful Dead) – 6:06 #"Wharf Rat" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 9:50 #"

Me and Bobby McGee "Me and Bobby McGee" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson and originally performed by Roger Miller. Fred Foster shares the writing credit, as Kristofferson wrote the song based on a suggestion from Foster. A posth ...

" > (

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...

Fred Foster Fred Luther Foster (July 26, 1931 – February 20, 2019) was an American record producer, songwriter, and music business executive who founded Monument Records and Combine Music. As a record producer he was most closely associated with Roy Orbi ...

) – 5:29 #"Eyes of the World" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 14:18 #"

Morning Dew "Morning Dew", also known as "(Walk Me Out in the) Morning Dew", is a Contemporary folk music, contemporary folk song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bonnie Dobson. The lyrics relate a fictional conversation in a post-nuclear holocaust world. Ori ...

" (

Bonnie Dobson Bonnie Dobson (born November 13, 1940, in Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)"Bo ...

Tim Rose Timothy Alan Patrick Rose (September 23, 1940 – September 24, 2002) (unofficial website by long-term correspondent of Rose's) was an American singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in London, England, and had more success in E ...

) – 12:40 Dave's Picks 2025 Bonus Disc :''March 31, 1973 – Buffalo Memorial Auditorium – selections:'' #"Playing in the Band" (Weir, Hart, Hunter) – 17:13 #"He's Gone" > (Garcia, Hunter) – 12:54 #"Truckin'" > (Garcia, Lesh, Weir, Hunter) – 9:56 #"Drums" > (

Bill Kreutzmann William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...

) – 1:42 #"The Other One" > (Weir, Kreutzmann) – 11:37 #"Jam" > (Grateful Dead) – 7:16 #"I Know You Rider" (traditional, arranged by Grateful Dead) – 7:24 #"

Sugar Magnolia "Sugar Magnolia" is a song by the Grateful Dead. Written by Robert Hunter and Bob Weir, it is one of the most well-known songs by the band, alongside such hits as " Truckin'", " Casey Jones", " Uncle John's Band", " Touch of Grey", and fellow su ...

" (Weir, Hunter) – 9:00

Personnel

Grateful Dead *

– guitar, vocals *

Donna Jean Godchaux Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux-MacKay (born August 22, 1947) is an American singer best known as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979. In addition to the Dead, she performed with the Jerry Garcia Band and the short-lived ...

– vocals *

Keith Godchaux Keith Richard Godchaux (July 19, 1948 – July 23, 1980) was an American pianist best known for his tenure in the rock group the Grateful Dead from 1971 to 1979. Following their departure from the Dead, he and his wife Donna formed the H ...

– keyboards *

– drums *

– bass, vocals *

– guitar, vocals Production *Produced by Grateful Dead *Produced for release by David Lemieux *Executive producer: Mark Pinkus *Associate producer: Ivette Ramos *Recording: Kidd Candelario *Mastering: Jeffrey Norman *Art direction, design: Steve Vance *Cover art: James Mazza *Photos: David Cornwell

Charts

References

{{Grateful Dead 54 Rhino Entertainment live albums 2025 live albums