Grateful Dead shares remastered ‘Big River’ performance from ‘Steal Your Face (50th Anniversary)’

Grateful Dead recently unveiled a remastered version of their iconic performance of “Big River” from the album Steal Your Face in celebration of its 50th anniversary. This release follows the earlier unveiling of a reimagined rendition of the song “Black Throated Wind.”

According to Dead archivist David Lemieux, “Big River” has always been a crowd-pleaser for the band. He praises the version included in the album Steal Your Face, noting that the Grateful Dead truly captured the essence of the song during that performance, which is widely regarded as one of the best renditions of “Big River” from 1974.

The 50th anniversary remaster of Steal Your Face is set to be released on June 26, exactly 50 years after its original launch. The album will be available in a two-LP set that features The Dead’s official Pantone colors, Grateful Red and Stealie Blue, with a unique half-and-half color split and black splatter design. In addition to the vinyl release, the album will also be accessible for streaming and digital download.

Originally recorded during The Dead’s farewell tour in 1974, Steal Your Face captures live performances from a five-show stint at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The tour marked a bittersweet farewell for the band as they announced an indefinite hiatus following the concerts, which eventually ended in June 1976 with the release of the album.

Fans can already preorder Steal Your Face (50th Anniversary Remaster) ahead of its official release date. This remastered edition offers listeners an opportunity to experience the magic of the Grateful Dead’s live performances in a new light, showcasing the band’s legendary sound and energy from the iconic 1974 concerts.