First off, skip disc one. It is of no consequence whatsoever. It was included solely for the purpose of appeasing those people who will not buy a release unless it's a complete show. Disc One has annoying sonic problems all over it and the music goes nowhere.

Now here is where this release becomes great. In my opinion, Disc 2 and Disc 3 of Dicks Picks 16 are the two best discs in the entire Dicks Picks series (which goes up to #24 now). Also the sonic problems of disc one disappear.

From slightly after the first verse of Dark Star all the way through to the end of Disc 3 this is phenomenal Grateful Dead. The Dead at their best.

Phil and Jerry are all over this release. It's a rare occurence when one of the Grateful Dead's best shows of all time actually becomes an official release. Dicks Picks 16 is one of those occurences.

I will say this though..... no, this release isn't for everyone. If you aren't much of a fan of 1968, 1969, and 1970 Grateful Dead then this cd will probably not convert you, as it will still be too heavy. If you prefer the sing-along AIko-AIko Grateful Dead of the middle and later years then this isn't the release for you.

The music on this Pick gets wild and wooly, beautifully thunderous and melodically caucophonous. In other words, if you tend to gravitate more towards tame, polished releases such as Without A Net then you may not like this cd. The band just really goes for it on this Pick, there is no holding back and obviously they blew alot of minds that night. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the people who were actually at this show still consider it to be the best Grateful Dead performance they ever attended.

Oh one more thing, the Lovelight at the end of Disc Three is from the previous night, 11/7/69. This Pick is an epic Grateful Dead release.


Definitely one of my favorite of the DP series   February 9, 2002
Glenn Fink (Arlington, VA United States)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

I have 17 of the Dick's Picks sets, and this one ranks first or second for me. I am a fan of the 1960's version of the Dead, and their sound began turning a corner only months after this show, when they became more acoustic and Bob Weir started in more with the "cowboy" songs.

Forget what the last reviewer said about Disc 1 - the beginning of the show has many great things going for it. Pigpen is in top form on Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. Casey Jones CRANKS in this version that came before the studio release of Workingman's Dead. The other songs from that upcoming album are a little sluggish, but China Cat / Rider is very interesting in that it includes Tom Constanten's keys. Good Lovin and Cumberland Blues end the disc on a high note.

The last two discs don't need a breakdown; it's all the Dead in top form.

All in all, this is peak Grateful Dead in its 1969 incarnation, and if you like that era, you can't go wrong. I also highly recommend Dick's Picks 22, Kings Beach Bowl in February 1968, as the earliest and possibly most energetic form of the Dead ever captured on tape (though that one really does have some technical anomalies, but I don't care).


Here you go!!   March 1, 2002
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Here my friends is what we have been waiting for. Between the late sixties and early seventies the Grateful Dead could be as good in concert as any rock band. Dick's Picks Vol.16 is an example. CD 1 is a stumbling run through of mostly new songs that clearly were a work in progress. CDs 2 and 3 are non-stop high voltage crackling dangerous rock and roll that veers very close to Varese and Stockhausen at points and Coltrane like open ended jazz at points but is always good old Grateful Dead and that ain't bad. This one is killer.


Classic Grateful Dead.   April 17, 2005
Philip Gossett (The South.)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I must admit the first time I played this I was not to impressed, then I played it again 3 years later and was blown away. As the years went by I collected all 34 Dicks and all other releases. This is great music, I love CD 2 the best. This set fully demonstrates the bands ability to blend songs easily, as they would continue to do for 35 more years. Anyone slamming Vol. 16 needs to listen with a great pair of headphones and remember that this was in 1969. This is also a historical must for any true Dead Head. Look for more releases from the flower power years in the future. Above all keep an open mind when playing this slice of history. Keep Jamming.
Dead Head Phil on the East coast.


Along with Vol 4, this may be the best Dick's Pick   April 22, 2004
Muddy Moe (Plano, TX United States)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

Ah, primal Dead. Pigpen. Constantin. "Dark Star" and "The Other One." This is it! I like some of their best work in the '70's, '80's and '90's, but it seems the Primal Dead era continues to hit me the hardest. You'll love it or you'll hate it.

Seriously, this is one of the most legendary of the traded bootlegs and to finally have it on a Dick's Pick with decent sound and no tape generation worries is a great thing. If you can't hear the magic in this set, particularly disc 2 then perhaps you're just not a Dead fan, or at least not a fan of their '60's pre-Working-Man's-Dead sound.

If you are a fan of that era and don't already have a good copy of this performance, then fear not. You'll love it.