Since opening on February 11, 1968, New York's Madison Square Garden has earned its moniker of "the world's most famous arena" by hosting some of rock's greatest acts.  The fourth venue to bear the MSG name, the arena at Penn Plaza welcomed the Grateful Dead 52 times - enough to break a record which has since been broken by Elton John (64 concerts) and his fellow piano man Billy Joel (125 shows and counting).  The Dead's shows in the heart of Manhattan were among the band's most memorable, both for the audience and for the musicians.  Bob Weir commented upon the Dead's 2015 induction into the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame, "This place was both horrifying and titillating with an audience that was discerning but ravenous. We had to rise to the occasion every time."

Now, some of the Dead's most famous performances at MSG are being preserved on a new 17-CD collection.  On September 23, Grateful Dead/Rhino will release In and Out of the Garden: Madison Square Garden '81, '82, '83, collecting six previously unissued concerts recorded during that three-year span.  The set, exclusive to Dead.net for $179.98, is limited to 12,500 individually numbered copies.  It will also be available from the site in Apple Lossless ($119.98) and FLAC 192/24 ($149.98) digital formats.

The Dead didn't play MSG until 1979 but quickly became regulars at the venue.  The six concerts in the box were recorded on March 9 and 10, 1981; September 20 and 21, 1982; and October 11 and 12, 1983.  The group's line-up during this period consisted of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir on vocals and guitar, Phil Lesh on bass, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart on drums, and Brent Mydland on keyboards and vocals.  1980's studio album Go to Heaven was the first to feature Mydland, and while the Dead wouldn't release their next studio album until 1987, they were testing new material on the road.  That 1987 LP, In the Dark, turned out to be wildly successful.  It earned the Dead their only top ten album and only top 40 Pop single with "Touch of Grey," a No. 9 hit on the Hot 100.  "Touch of Grey" can be heard on In and Out of the Garden, along with early versions of the album's "Hell in a Bucket," "Throwing Stones," and "West L.A. Fadeaway" as well as the related B-side "My Brother Esau." The Garden shows also gave them the opportunity to revisit past classics such as "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "Uncle John's Band," and "Me and My Uncle" as well as hidden gems including "Crazy Fingers" and "Dupree's Diamond Blues."

In and Out of the Garden has been restored and speed-corrected utilizing the Plangent Processes, and was mastered by Jeffrey Norman.  Dead archivist/legacy manager David Lemieux produced the set which is adorned with new artwork by Dave Van Patten.  David Fricke has penned the new liner notes.

Fans interested in sampling this era might also check out the 3-CD release Madison Square Garden, New York, NY (3/9/81) which culls the March 9, 1981 show from the box set as a standalone release.  "Feel Like a Stranger" from this show is currently streaming and available for download.  Both formats are available on September 23 and can be pre-ordered at the below links.  In addition, the band's official podcast, The Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast, will be exploring the MSG shows, and those who attended should submit a story at stories.dead.net.

Grateful Dead, In and Out of the Garden: Madison Square Garden '81, '82, '83 (Grateful Dead/Rhino, 2022)

17CD: Dead.net
3CD (3/9/81 Show Only): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Madison Square Garden (3/9/81)

1. "Feel Like A Stranger"
2. "Althea"
3. "C.C. Rider"
4. "Ramble On Rose">
5. "El Paso"
6. "Deep Elem Blues"
7. "Beat It On Down The Line"
8. "Bird Song"
9. "New Minglewood Blues"
10. "China Cat Sunflower">
11. "I Know You Rider">
12. "Samson And Delilah"
13. "Ship Of Fools"
14. "Estimated Prophet">
15. "Uncle John's Band">
16. Drums>
17. Space>
18. "The Other One">
19. "Stella Blue">
20. "Good Lovin'"
21. "U.S. Blues"

Madison Square Garden (3/10/81)

1. "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo">
2. "Franklin's Tower">
3. "Me And My Uncle"
4. "It Must Have Been The Roses">
5. "Little Red Rooster"
6. "Don't Ease Me In"
7. "Lazy Lightning">
8. "Supplication"
9. "Brown-Eyed Women">
10. "Looks Like Rain">
11. "Deal"
12. "Scarlet Begonias">
13. "Fire On The Mountain">
14. "Lost Sailor">
15. "Saint Of Circumstance">
16. Jam>
17. Drums
18. Space>
19. "The Wheel">
20. "China Doll">
21. "Truckin'">
22. "Sugar Magnolia"
23. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction">
24. "Brokedown Palace"

Madison Square Garden (9/20/82)

1. "Shakedown Street">
2. "New Minglewood Blues"
3. "Candyman">
4. "El Paso"
5. "Dupree's Diamond Blues"
6. "It's All Over Now"
7. "Never Trust A Woman"
8. "Row Jimmy"
9. "Throwing Stones">
10. "Keep Your Day Job"
11. "Scarlet Begonias">
12. "Fire On The Mountain"
13. "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)"
14. "Terrapin Station">
15. Drums>
16. Space>
17. Spanish Jam>
18. "Truckin'">
19. "The Other One">
20. "Stella Blue">
21. "Sugar Magnolia"
22. "Touch Of Grey"

Madison Square Garden (9/21/82)

1. "Playing In The Band">
2. "Crazy Fingers">
3. "Me And My Uncle">
4. "Big River"
5. "West L.A. Fadeaway"
6. "Beat It On Down The Line"
7. "Loser"
8. "Looks Like Rain"
9. "China Cat Sunflower">
10. "I Know You Rider"
11. "Touch Of Grey">
12. "Samson And Delilah"
13. "High Time"
14. "Estimated Prophet">
15. "He's Gone">
16. Drums>
17. Space>
18. "Throwing Stones">
19. "Not Fade Away">
20. "Black Peter">
21. "Good Lovin'"
22. "U.S. Blues"

Madison Square Garden (10/11/83)

1. "Wang Dang Doodle">
2. "Jack Straw"
3. "Loser"
4. "Me And My Uncle">
5. "Mexicali Blues"
6. "Bird Song"
7. "Hell In A Bucket">
8. "Keep Your Day Job"
9. "China Cat Sunflower">
10. "I Know You Rider"
11. "I Need A Miracle">
12. "Bertha">
13. Jam>
14. "China Doll">
15. Drums>
16. Space>
17. "St. Stephen">
18. "Throwing Stones">
19. "Touch Of Grey"
20. "Johnny B. Goode"

Madison Square Garden (10/12/83)

1. "Cold Rain And Snow"
2. "New Minglewood Blues"
3. "Ramble On Rose"
4. "My Brother Esau"
5. "It Must Have Been The Roses"
6. "Cassidy">
7. "Cumberland Blues"
8. "Looks Like Rain">
9. "Might As Well"
10. "Help On The Way">
11. "Slipknot!"
12. "Franklin's Tower"
13. "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)"
14. "He's Gone">
15. Drums>
16. Space>
17. "Truckin'">
18. "Black Peter">
19. "Not Fade Away"
20. "Revolution"