I believe that whole shows is generally the way to go, and what I prefer. I also understand that my preferences are not necessarily appropriate for anyone else but me. And I do understand an artist's desire to edit and present what they consider to be their work worthy of greater dissemination. And that some people would prefer to only listen to the "best" performances, whatever that means.

The reason for the asterisk is that when shows which up until their "commercial release" were available in entirety (or at least as much of them as had been actually recorded) but are then culled from for compilation releases, we lose access to all of the material that doesn't get used for the compilation release. This can be very annoying for those of us who would rather make up our own minds about what the "best performances" from any given show are. And it just kinda sucks to have to lose access to something that we previously had.

Offering full shows (at a higher price) as downloads only for those shows which have been excerpted from to produce compilations is one creative (not to mention revenue-producing) solution which has been suggested by others.

Another (admittedly expense-producing) solution would be for Rhino to host and make available for streaming those portions of shows used for compilations that are not included in the "commercial release."

A third (possibly less expense-producing) solution would be to work with the developers at archive.org et al to provide for track-by-track suppression so that only those tracks which actually ARE "commercially released" become unavailable, instead of just slapping the padlock on the whole show.

Conversation is always more interesting than recitation, so speak your mind and not someone else's.

Rhino ears are really small ain't they?

whole shows, please.

and if for some reason, like tape flipping, whatever, the dude taping had to go fix something else, and the whole show ain't there, just say so... or shit, choose a different show to release.

I would rather not have such fancy schmancy packaging, and rather have a 4 CD set instead of 3 that ain't a complete show... if it is the cost involved in that decision making process.

but what I really want is DVDs...

peace.

complete shows, please.......or throw in a cookie or two (or 3)
in place of missing sets

I enjoy audience recordings the best. I don't mind losing a bit of the sound quality to be able to hear how the crowd reacts to certain moments or songs. When the audience is going nuts over a Jack Straw opener or a tear jerking Terrapin, it makes you feel like you are right there and it always sends chills up and down my spine and goose bumps on my neck no matter how many times I listen. Its hard to get that feeling from a compilation.

"Escaping through the lily fields, I came across an empty space. It rainbow then exploded, left a bus stop in its place. The bus come by and I got on, thats when it all began. It was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of the bus to never ever land"