• 1,184 replies
    clayv
    Default Avatar
    Joined:

    Hold on to your hat, we're coming in strong with one from the Windy City that'll have you movin' and shakin' from start to finish. DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 signals a true rebirth of the Grateful Dead, reimagining classics and foreshadowing their 80s sound. This is as much in part due to freshly-minted member Brent Mydland bringing the organ back in as it is to Jerry finding new vivacity with his custom Wolf guitar. New guy, new guitar - it all makes for a heck of a good time!

    Set One rolls like never-ending thunder with one standout after another - truly epic versions of "Brown-Eyed Women," "Ramble On Rose," "It's All Over Now," "Althea," and "The Music Never Stopped." Set Two hits with a crack of not-so-lazy lightning, barreling through an outrageous 28-minute "Scarlet>Fire" to a unique “Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance” and wrapping with a "blow the roof off the place" version of "Truckin'" and a rippin' "Johnny B. Goode." Ready for some quiet after the storm? You'll have to wait a just a little bit longer - we've filled in the gap on Disc 3 with a sprinkle of 12/4/79 - "Estimated>Franklin's Tower>" and an incredibly improvised “Jam.”

    Limited to 20,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 has been mastered from Dan Healy's cassette recordings to HDCD specs by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering.

    GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • rambly
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    UPS blues again

    Hello Marye
    Hoping you can point me in the right direction on this. I live in Canada and received a shipping invoice related to DaP 31. I emailed Dr. Rhino 3 times in August but no answer. UPS told me it was resolved when I called them in September, but then I just received a collection notice. I've emailed UPS again and Dr. Rhino again, but anything you can do to help would be gratefully appreciated! Thank you!

  • fourwindsblow
    Joined:
    DaP31

    Not a bad show the band really gets going by wharf rat which is typical for a first night of a three night run.

  • wissinomingdeadhead
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Anticipating the…

    Anticipating the announcement for Daves Picks 2020 subscriptions any day now it usually coincides with the Grateful Dead Almamac. Better warn the wife to have her cc ready since the second year this is my Christmas present from her, she hates it because she doesn't have to go shopping for it. I know the 2020 calendar is available for sale Michael DuBois is the artist for next years calendar. All I can say BIO & PD
    BRING IT ON
    PLAY DEAD

  • outpost
    Joined:
    DaP32 3/24/73

    Just seen it along with the cover art on Ebay !

  • alvarhanso
    Joined:
    LoveMyGirl new source

    Makes me think Rex tape on 10 inch reels like 4/2/73. But Betty or Rex or Kidd doesn't make any difference to me. Looks to be a very good show on the back end of a very good tour.

  • Lovemygirl
    Joined:
    32 New

    Source

  • unkle sam
    Joined:
    over 32 minutes

    Trucking>Jam>Spanish Jam then the shortest dark star ever less than 4 minutes. DaP 32 is going to be a sweet one, can't wait to hear how they are going to clean up that Bertha start and some of those tape flips. Good luck Mr. Norman. Do a good job, take your time, we will all appreciate it.

  • cub
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    '73 Betty Board's

    As I am listening to a soundboard recording of 3.24.73 at https://archive.org/details/deadhead
    There are two Betty Boards listed. The 2nd listing has the complete show with 5134 views
    Bertha
    Beat It On Down
    Don't Ease Me In
    The Race Is On
    Cumberland Blues
    Box Of Rain
    Row Jimmy
    Jack Straw
    They Love Each Other
    Mexicali Blues
    Tennessee Jed
    Looks Like Rain
    Wave That Flag
    El Paso
    Here Comes Sunshine
    Me and Bobby McGee
    Loser
    Playing In The Band
    (set break)
    tuning
    Promised Land
    China Cat Sunflower
    I Know You Rider
    Big River
    Stella Blue
    Me and My Uncle
    He's Gone
    Truckin'
    Dark Star
    Sing Me Back Home
    Sugar Magnolia
    Johnny B. Goode

    Wow 31 tracks, Thank you

  • alvarhanso
    Joined:
    Betty Board or Rex

    Could be either one. Rex taped 4/2/73 DaP 21 (one of, if not the best sounding tapes in the Series), and a lot of his tapes were in Betty's collection as they were married. I think Kidd taped 3/28/73 DaP 16. Guess we'll find out in 3 weeks. Looking forward to this one, and love the artwork!

  • Mytime
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    could be a betty board

    this one

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

6 years

Hold on to your hat, we're coming in strong with one from the Windy City that'll have you movin' and shakin' from start to finish. DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 signals a true rebirth of the Grateful Dead, reimagining classics and foreshadowing their 80s sound. This is as much in part due to freshly-minted member Brent Mydland bringing the organ back in as it is to Jerry finding new vivacity with his custom Wolf guitar. New guy, new guitar - it all makes for a heck of a good time!

Set One rolls like never-ending thunder with one standout after another - truly epic versions of "Brown-Eyed Women," "Ramble On Rose," "It's All Over Now," "Althea," and "The Music Never Stopped." Set Two hits with a crack of not-so-lazy lightning, barreling through an outrageous 28-minute "Scarlet>Fire" to a unique “Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance” and wrapping with a "blow the roof off the place" version of "Truckin'" and a rippin' "Johnny B. Goode." Ready for some quiet after the storm? You'll have to wait a just a little bit longer - we've filled in the gap on Disc 3 with a sprinkle of 12/4/79 - "Estimated>Franklin's Tower>" and an incredibly improvised “Jam.”

Limited to 20,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 has been mastered from Dan Healy's cassette recordings to HDCD specs by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering.

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Sweet, this looks great! We are blessed, thanks Dave!

user picture

Member for

6 years 4 months
Permalink

Can't expect to never have a post-God release. Well on the bright side it does say ORGAN not plinko, and he was much less raspy and intrusive on the mic in 79/80. Set list looks great. I will give it an honest listen.

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Brent is my favorite keyboard player for the Dead. I enjoy his sound. Looking forward to having this show! I will be more excited when I finally pick a show that will be released. I'm 0-31.

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

This tour is LONG overdue. Breaking in the new kid, this tour is full of GRATE music. I was personally hoping for 12.1.79 Pitts, PA, but this suffice! Thanks Dave etc for this release, more from this tour please.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 3 months
Permalink

OH YEAH
let's preorder this, NOW

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Awesome! Best artwork and possibly best Dave's Picks yet. Heck yeah!

THIS is why I've subscribed every year.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 3 months
Permalink

The BIG question, how long before its SOLD OUT I say 3 hours. This is a good one!!!!!

user picture

Member for

12 years 9 months

In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

Permalink

There was a steady drum beat for 1979.. I guess someone was listening.

I am not fluent with this show, so it's new to me. Looking forward to it.

No idea how long it will take to sell out.. We should get VGuy to give us Vegas Odds and get MaryE to set up a little gambling forum. :D

Love the colors and the color art. No bearded skeletons. Like I said someone must be listening.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

6 years 11 months
Permalink

Excellent, LOVE the sleeve Dave.
Let’s get as far away from the skeletons as possible. Jerry hated them, and so do many of us, they’re embarrassing. But love this style.
Oh, ‘79 is rippin’ too, Brent’s on fire.

1979 works for me! Thanks....

I also heard a hint, just a sliver mind you, during Dave's long-winded synopsis of the 79 release. He may've touched on the box set yet to come....He said, "...I won't be coy..." or something along those lines. Garcia, during 6/5/70 at FW, made a similar comment to the audience....could it be a June 70 acoustic/electric box??? Actually, I'd rather hear an April 1969 box....so much in the cannon. Whatever comes will be appreciated....."time has come to weigh those things, you know this space is getting hot..."

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months

In reply to by JackstrawJay

Permalink

Awesome!
Nice to mix it up a little, thanks guys!
Also, like hearing how their going to keep trying more variety.
But ultimately, like Dave said, not about the set list or what they played etc, it’s about how they played it!
Personally, I’m not familiar with this one but ifs it’s anything like 11/9, 11/5&6, 12/1, or the New Years run I think we’re going to be happy!

Edit: nice cover art too! Look ma, no skeletons!

user picture

Member for

15 years 5 months
Permalink

1979>1981 were some fine years for the Grateful Dead, Brent was so good back then, when he was just the colour man, just in there at the right times to make a big difference in the sound, I loved those years, especially 1980, but 79 was a good year for me too. Good to get some filler on the third disc, but it's a shame that that second set gets chopped up, it's a good one. The third night 12/5 is a real cooker, hot, hot hot show with in my opinion one of the best second sets on the year. Bring that one on next Dave, a real good Norman remaster of that show would make so many of us so happy.
Is this a Betty board? sure hope it sounds better than the last Brent show released on this series, that one didn't do much for me.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

I couldn't call the show, but I called the year. Really interesting and fun setlist and the elapsed times for many tunes tell me they jammed out. If you look at Jer's first set songs, there are no slow ballads -- so the pace looks brisk and rocking. My only '79 shows were Aug 12-14, one at Red Rocks, two at McNichols, and those rocked big time, so I'm looking forward to this release.

Amen to the artwork and burying the skeletons (pun intended).

Now... let's see if my box set prediction for fall '72 comes through. DL said Rhino would announce it, but no hint as to whether that means before or on Aug. 1 at MUATM. Either way, I'll be floating into that theater....

user picture

Member for

10 years 9 months
Permalink

1) Great show! An under-represented era in the vault (for a reason - we'll get to that...)
2) Thank you for some original art - refreshing.
3) HORRIBLE recording. I believe this was mastered on a low-fi cassette - sounds like you're listening through a keyhole form the next room. Similar to the RT from 4/6/82... You HAVE to represent all eras, right? But some eras just have VERY compromised recordings compared to the crystalline splendor of the earlier 70's recordings. Dave had to walk this cassette master past scores of thick, juicy reels on the way to handing it to Rhino - I bet he avoided eye contact as he did so. I can only imagine the trash-talk that doinky little cassette had to endure walking that gauntlet...

user picture

Member for

16 years 5 months
Permalink

I've always really enjoyed the Road Trips from a similar timeframe and this will be a great addition to those two releases. Some really interesting playing at this transition. Not sure about this being the BEST Dave's pick yet, there's been some mighty fine shows released so far, but I'm game for sure. Artwork is cool but a little cheesy for my taste, how about some abstract art or fractals? Have Bill K. do some more "1000 Mics" style art for a few releases? Eh?

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

6 years 4 months

In reply to by unkle sam

Permalink

12/5 is my favorite of that uptown '79 run. but this show is hot, love it!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

8 years 3 months
Permalink

This date -- down the road a ways in Cincinnati that night, eleven died at Riverfront Coliseum just before the Who show. Stupid arena only opened three doors at first, for festival seating on a freezing night by the river. Can't believe it's been 40 years. Looking forward to hearing this Chicago show and thinking of more pleasant memories...

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Dave eluded that they have been working on it since last December and several months of the audio elements. He also mentioned outdoing boxes in the context of E72 and 30 Trips, both massive.

He also eluded to variety and the next announcement is the Meet Up movie affair and that the '91 Giants Stadium shows were the only recorded onto 48 track analogue....which could take several months to mix and master....and thinking the video elements might be included as well.

Whatever it is it'll amazing. Hope it's in my budget to afford.

user picture

Member for

13 years 4 months
Permalink

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was at every single GD Uptown Theater show, and it was an amazing place! Cannot wait to travel back in time....

user picture

Member for

11 years 2 months

In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

Permalink

Glad I have a subscription...ordered an extra for one of my online buying challenged friends...rock on all!

user picture

Member for

9 years 4 months
Permalink

...BOOM SAUCE!
Nice pick. Not familiar with this one but looking forward to it.

Happy to have that extra 30 mins of meat on disc 3 also; the Estimated > Franklin's from these months were H.O.T.

Sixtus

"12/3/79 has been mastered from Dan Healy's cassette recordings to HDCD specs by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering." I wonder if this got some plangent processing to make it sound better???

Looking forward to this release - can never get enough Althea's!!!

user picture

Member for

6 years 1 month
Permalink

It sounds like somebody recorded this from the next room through a keyhole or something. I think Betty boards died out of existence at some point in November of 1978. There are a few good recordings from that month but they're also many really bad ones. There's nothing good from December or January and February of 1979.

I like the colors of the artwork. I'm not sure why the dragon was chosen, anyone?

I'm pretty sure this is going to be a one-and-done just based on the sound quality alone. That would go for any era. I listen to the Music Never Stopped on the listening party and it just sounds lackluster without Donna. Yes, best Dave's Picks ever, wish the whole series was like this.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

8 years 4 months
Permalink

Looks like a good show. I've got a few good ones from this tour, and for fall '79 I was hoping for Cap Center. Never heard this one and after listening to Dave and looking at the set list I am sure I will be glad he chose this.

user picture

Member for

16 years 5 months
Permalink

God, I hope they dont just keep releasing larger and more expensive boxes than the 30 Trips. That was almost too meaty to digest if there is such a thing, a larger more expensive set would surely cost me a wife!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

10 years 6 months

In reply to by nappyrags

Permalink

This pick is...fine...but the video has me intrigued! Something so big it kept Norman away from mastering the Picks? Suggests a large multi-track release....since the RT he missed was the Spectrum '82 show which came out right before the Europe '72 box! That one was 22 multi-tracked shows....even 8 multi-tracked Spring '90 shows couldn't pull him away from Dave's Picks....so what's left? The '71 Skull and Roses shows and the 1980 Warfield/RCMH shows?

user picture

Member for

15 years 2 months

In reply to by Mr. Jack Straw

Permalink

In 2004 I started my association with Grateful Dead Productions working with the Dead’s engineer Jeffrey Norman on the DVD release of The Grateful Dead Movie. Jeffrey and I were introduced by the late Don Pearson, the Dead’s visionary sound system designer. Don liked what he heard when Sam Berkow brought him to the newly christened Studio C, and he thought it would a great place to work on the Dead’s surround projects. Since then, I’ve mastered a stream of Grateful Dead releases: the 73-disc Europe ’72: the Complete Recordings, Truckin’ Up To Buffalo, Sunshine Daydream, Formerly the Warlocks, the 23-disc Spring ’90 (the Other One), as well as remasters of all 13 of the Dead’s studio albums. What a thrill to hold the masters of American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead in my hands! Jeffrey and I have just completed mastering the 80-disc 30 Trips Around the Sun, a career-spanning concert retrospective.

Here's a link to the info from Airshow Mastering: https://airshowmastering.com/engineers-corner-spotlight-on-david-glasse…

user picture

Member for

9 years 2 months
Permalink

YES!!! Always a good vibe at the 4,300 seat Uptown! This was the week before I saw them for two nights at a 3,500 seat hall in Kansas City. It was a great period as "new guy" Brent was really coming into his own and they could still get away with playing small venues like this.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

13 years 4 months
Permalink

I saw 11/1, 11/2, 11/4 and 11/8 this tour. Some hot stuff, first Alabama/Greatest Story, I think the band was energized with Brent adding something new to the mix, and the set lists were more varied than Spring 79 when they hadn't rehearsed that many songs. Having said that, Brent's Fischer Price tinkly keyboard sound leaves me a wistful for Keith's grand piano. C'est la vie, add it to the collection!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

8 years 11 months

In reply to by jeffkerper

Permalink

I was only 2 days off from my prediction of 12/1/79. I love this tour - can't wait to get my hands on this!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

8 years 5 months
Permalink

i bet the warfield/radio city box is coming out!! can't think of any other runs long enough to rival Europe '72.

They've been maintained that the multi-tracks for these shows are missing...but with the release of the Warfield 1980 on record store day...the 2-tracks sound just fine. I might be wrong since they usually don't want to put out the same era one release right after another.

Any other thoughts on the box?

user picture

Member for

13 years 4 months
Permalink

Nice Scarlet/Fire Image on the cover.

user picture

Member for

6 years 8 months
Permalink

Just based on the setlist and song timings, I am excited to hear this!! Not every show can be my favorite era, but I can definitely dig in and get mucho enjoyment from this one!!

user picture

Member for

10 years 10 months
Permalink

Looks great and I bet it sounds great too! Nice to see 79 get represented in the series.

I’m thinking the next box is on the smaller side. There’s still copies of PNW left. Perhaps 1969, 80’s or 90’s.

Peace

user picture

Member for

14 years 2 months

In reply to by Coconut Phil

Permalink

My 16th birthday

I lived only 90 miles away

But live GD was not on my radar until 3.5 years later

Excellent choice y'all

And bonus material...sweet

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month

In reply to by narutlee

Permalink

I didn't listen closely and skipped ahead every time Dave waved his arms (spoiler: hyperbole!), but I never heard him say anything beyond "Jeffrey Norman was busy" -- no specific project mentioned, I believe. The possibilities include the upcoming box set, the upcoming movie, and/or DaP 32, but also recall that Norman works on the Owsley vault releases as well. No idea whether or what they might have in store at this point.

Also, I never heard Dave say that "topping" previous boxes alluded to the size of the upcoming box. He mentioned E72, 30 Trips and Fillmore West ("just" four shows). He seemed more focused on the content, as in an era of hot shows, etc.

Obviously, with large boxes (Woodstock '69) and small boxes (July '78, PNW '73-'74) still on the shelves, GDP and Rhino are looking for a hot seller. I don't see that being some overly large box. I say that 4-6 shows is the sweet spot and "topping" previous boxes is about the prime music, not the number of shows. At least I hope it's under $200.

Okay, I think Thin has a very good (and, unfortunately, sobering) observation. That listening party SQ has me harkening back to cassette trading days. And you know what? If we were back there, I'd take this cassette board in a heartbeat. So my theory that the third release of the year may have a "meh" factor seems supported. But as is often the case, once the ears adjust to SQ, a good show comes through as a good show. So I remain quite happy with the DaP 31 news and plan to listen with pleasure.

user picture

Member for

10 years 10 months
Permalink

No massive box sets anymore....

It looks like the Uptown is in the news and getting a full body makeover.

Per Wikipedia:

The Uptown Theater has been closed since 1981.[2] While restoration was often discussed in the following decades, and several concentrated efforts were made to promote the Uptown's restoration, no such efforts were successful, leaving the theater in disrepair. However, on June 28, 2018, it was announced that $75 million had been set aside to restore the theater with hopes of reopening it within two years. Restoration work is expected to begin during the summer of 2019.[3]

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 11 months

In reply to by narutlee

Permalink

If Dave wasn't bsing us special big etc would point to a honkin' big set which would be ok with me and plenty of others here. I mean you can't very well ask for the Greek and expect 3 shows. For those that want a small box most likely they'll have a highlights set and download individual shows so everyone is a winner. Bring it on

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 6 months
Permalink

Necessarily. Dave mentioned SSDD, Spring 90, and Fillmore West 69 as well. Though the point that Norman was unavailable b/c he was working on the box is well taken.

As others have said, for a big one:
1) 80 Acoustic/Electric
2) 70 Acoustic/Electric
3) Big Video Box (multi-year).

Or there could be another multi-year thing focused on a region/area/venue. MSG. NYC. Fillmore's. He mentioned variety a ton. If I had to guess, a PNW style box is where my money would be.

As for '79:
Dick's 5: 12/26: 1st full show Dick's
RT V1#1: Fall 79: 10/25, 11/6, 11/8-10, 10/31
RT V3#1: 12/28 + 12/30
RT Full Shows: 11/5 & 11/6 (downloads)
30 Trips: 10/27
And now this one. First 79 Daves.

As for sound quality. I am much more of a show quality over sound quality guy. (see RFK 89). Though both is always nice. As long as I can hear Jerry I am fine. If the lead is buried, that is bad.

Listening party stuff sounded fine on my phone.

user picture

Member for

7 years 5 months

In reply to by snafu

Permalink

Super excited for our first 79 release for this series. Same thoughts on the cassette as others have, definitely some concern, but am hoping for the best! Glasser has always produced high quality work.
We are in for a mega box, DL did say Norman was too busy working on the box to work on this release. I hope we don't exceed the $500 mark. I will have the same marriage concerns as others.
I guess August 1 will be the day!

user picture

Member for

6 years 2 months
Permalink

“There’s a dragon with matches that’s loose on the town...”

user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Great show ! Wish it was the show before which was Stanley Theater which was a smoker. 12/1/79 great set list and the band was on Fire!

user picture

Member for

15 years 5 months
Permalink

IT must be from multi-track or Plangent would be doing the transfer.

Oct. 74 Winterland/Radio City 80/Alpine 89 with Video. Could be why their waiting for 8/1 announcement.

user picture

Member for

5 years 1 month
Permalink

I’m thinking 🤔 it’s fall 72 for the box! Radio city/ warfield 1980 doesn’t get me that excited but that might save me some money if they did

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

Hey peeps, you know that if the box is from an era that's my sweet spot, I'll buy the refrigerator-sized freakin' box! Don't get me wrong. I just didn't think Dave was talking # of shows as the criterion for greatness.

Hell, if he wants to put out a dozen late '72 shows, for a $400 box, tell me where to send the freakin' dollars.

I'm buying anything in the '66 to '74 range no questions asked, no matter the price. (Okay, hang on, could we limit the price to $300-$400? I mean, seriously!) Any other eras, I take a real hard look before humping it.

product sku
081227924300
Product Magento URL
https://store.dead.net/music/dave-s-picks/dave-s-picks-vol-31-1.html