I am a bit biased...
Dead Show Good start here would me IMHO the May 5 1977 Barton Hall, Cornell Univ- Ithaca, NY Shows. (5/8/77)
one of the most circulated shows, and for good reason. Listen to both sets in order, that way you will have been there too.
Jerry Radio On this site, the gem to listen would be 10-31-92 set II JGB (Jerry Garcia Band) as a first stop.
The Shining Star that opens the set is perfect. Jerry wails and it is incredible. Need to get this streamed set on a disk so I can jam it on my home system its that good.
Hope these provide some insight into the music that was made and captured, lest it be lost forever, a mere memory.