• https://www.dead.net/features/release-info/wait-over-winterland-1973-box-has-arrived
    The Wait Is Over… The Winterland 1973 Box Has Arrived!

    Sherman, set the Wayback machine for the second week of November, 1973. The Grateful Dead are on a roll…yes, again! The summer had seen the band playing triumphant mega-shows with the Allman Brothers at RFK Stadium in D.C. and at Watkins Glenn in upstate New York. With their popularity seemingly still escalating by the month, fall tours took them to various East Coast haunts and all over the Midwest. On October 15, they released Wake of the Flood, their first album on their own independent record label, and copies were flying out of stores coast to coast. So the mood in the band was WAY UP when their incredibly busy schedule brought them home for three shows at Winterland in San Francisco November 9, 10 and 11—before they set off again for points East.

    Winterland always brought out the best—and the beast—in the band. Located across Geary Boulevard from the Fillmore Auditorium, the one-time home of the Ice Follies had hosted dozens of amazing rock shows since Bill Graham started putting on shows there in the late ’60s. It’s where the top tier of Bay Area bands would get together occasionally for marathon shows, and it’s where the most popular out-of-town acts—from The Doors, to Hendrix, to The Who, to the Rolling Stones—would play in the era before faceless sports arenas became an unfortunate fact of concert-going life. But nobody played Winterland as often as the Dead. By the time they’d trucked their ever-expanding sound system to the venue for their November ’73 shows, they’d already logged 31 concerts there—and there would be another 28 eventful Dead nights at Winterland before the old place was closed after the Dead’s New Year’s Eve show in 1978, and eventually reduced to rubble to make way for condos. Sure, the 5,000-capacity hall was acoustically challenging and a little frayed on the edges. But with its narrow open floor, shallow lower balcony that encircled the entire venue, its deeper back balcony chill zone, and serpentine walkways between floors, it was a tremendously fun and entertaining place to see a show—especially a Dead show.

    Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings captures the Dead during one of their peak years and absolutely at the top of their game. Spread over nine discs, it includes every note of three complete consecutive shows (save for the encore of November 9, which was not recorded), so there’s plenty here to satisfy every fan: magnificent jams on “Dark Star” (which sprawls to 35 completely compelling minutes!), “Playing in the Band,” “Eyes of the World,” the still-new “Weather Report Suite” and more; kick-ass rockers of every variety (“Sugar Magnolia,” “Casey Jones,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Truckin’,” et al); haunting ballads including “China Doll,” “Stella Blue” and “To Lay Me Down”; a truly spectacular “China Cat”; and the first of just three versions ever of the dazzling sequence of “Playing in the Band” > “Uncle John’s Band” > “Morning Dew” > “Uncle John’s” reprise > “Playing” reprise. (For a complete listing of the contents of the nine discs, go here.)

    All the music here was drawn from Grateful Dead crew member Kidd Candelario’s crystal clear and wonderfully present 2-track soundboard reels of the shows, and enhanced by the mastering work of the always reliable sonic wizard Jeffrey Norman, who used all sorts of arcane processes to bring it all into the glorious world of HDCD sound. This stuff will rattle your bones! The beautifully designed box also comes with a colorful booklet containing scads of great photos and a fine essay by Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally.

    We like to think of Winterland 1973 as being part of the noble tradition established by the ecstatically received Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings, and as a precursor for other complete-run boxes to come. So clear out a chunk of space in the ol’ CD case, ’cause this mutha’ is a BIG ONE!

    Don’t delay! You can order Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings right now by clicking here !

    (To help get you in the mood, you can preview some of the music on the Winterland 1973 box by clicking here. And to give you a little glimpse of what Winterland was like, check out this video montage with audio from the ’73 shows and visuals from The Grateful Dead Movie, shot at Winterland a year later!)

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  • Hazlenuts
    13 years 3 months ago
    Right On!!!!!!!!
    Can't wait to get this. Over 10 hours of Dead music sweet!!!!!!
  • stone jack baller
    15 years 6 months ago
    Commercial Re-release ???
    Road Trips V2#2 [2/14/68] is released as Catalogue #GRA2-6006 and Hartford 77 is released as GRA2-6008. So where is GRA2-6007 ??? https://www.redeye.com.au/answer.asp?preOrder=yes&reion=YEN&offset=120&…
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    BeigePeter
    15 years 8 months ago
    WOW
    When i was reading the Deadhead's Taping Compendium 1965-'75 (by Dwork, Getz, and others), the description of these Winterland shows made me practically PRAY for their release on CD. Too good to ever be true, though!*****Years later (last week) it was indeed a revelation to find out that the COMPLETE RECORDINGS of ALL 3 SHOWS were released in a 9-CD deluxe package! I am psyched to hear that the Complete Recordings series will continue, apparently with entire runs of shows, mini TOURS! Many people were saddened that the Dick's Picks series came to an end, and some were downright frightened by the thought that Latvala's archival tradition was to be carried on only in the form of Road Trips compilations! Which is pretty neat by the way. I see each Road Trips--as it exists so far, anyway--as having 4 major functions: 1) as a sampler of a tour from which you have never heard a show; 2) as a way to introduce a new deadhead to what different "eras" of the Dead were like--i.e. Pigpen vs. Keith vs. Brent vs. Vince/Bruce; 3) as a GREAT way to introduce a new deadhead to the point of it all, to what each of these legendary "tours" really was: an adventure, shared by many friends, in pursuit of a living, breathing, moving, improvising, never-the-same-song-twice musical treasure. I can still remember a time when i hadn't yet experienced the majesty of one of their shows, but i WAS getting familiar with the chord structures from listening to studio albums, and so eventually was ready to get into Dick's Picks and tape trading, and of course going to current live shows! But there was a time...when the perfect music purchase to help me make the leap to serious deadhead...would probably have been a Road Trip. The COMPLETE RECORDINGS, however, is really where it's at for serious fans, along with their trades, and the already-existing Dick's Picks series. Many Picks are actually not COMPLETE shows, but the songs are indeed all from the SAME show (or two...or...) They are still far from being compilations. Volume 14, for example, representing the best music from the best 2 shows out of a 3-show run in late '73 at Boston Music Hall, is a joy to own--a real unique and multidimensional experience, from the cover artwork..to the liner notes...to the superintelligent saloon music contained on the discs. I have no gripes about the release not including the 3rd show (supposedly an "off" night)--the Experience was probably better for that! It is still a document of a real Dead Concert Experience. And that brings me to the last reason for Road Trips: 4) as a way for someone who has been a deadhead faaar longer than i have--and has heard a lifetime's worth of complete shows already--to experience a synthetic distillation of a whole tour into a single night's experience! This WOULD be a real trip, especially if it were a tour one had actually experienced live! ...oh God, this comment was originally about...what?? Oh YEAHHHH, the new Winterland box!...ohhhhhh, i want it more than anything. BeigePeter (ryan)
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17 years 7 months

Sherman, set the Wayback machine for the second week of November, 1973. The Grateful Dead are on a roll…yes, again! The summer had seen the band playing triumphant mega-shows with the Allman Brothers at RFK Stadium in D.C. and at Watkins Glenn in upstate New York. With their popularity seemingly still escalating by the month, fall tours took them to various East Coast haunts and all over the Midwest. On October 15, they released Wake of the Flood, their first album on their own independent record label, and copies were flying out of stores coast to coast. So the mood in the band was WAY UP when their incredibly busy schedule brought them home for three shows at Winterland in San Francisco November 9, 10 and 11—before they set off again for points East.

Winterland always brought out the best—and the beast—in the band. Located across Geary Boulevard from the Fillmore Auditorium, the one-time home of the Ice Follies had hosted dozens of amazing rock shows since Bill Graham started putting on shows there in the late ’60s. It’s where the top tier of Bay Area bands would get together occasionally for marathon shows, and it’s where the most popular out-of-town acts—from The Doors, to Hendrix, to The Who, to the Rolling Stones—would play in the era before faceless sports arenas became an unfortunate fact of concert-going life. But nobody played Winterland as often as the Dead. By the time they’d trucked their ever-expanding sound system to the venue for their November ’73 shows, they’d already logged 31 concerts there—and there would be another 28 eventful Dead nights at Winterland before the old place was closed after the Dead’s New Year’s Eve show in 1978, and eventually reduced to rubble to make way for condos. Sure, the 5,000-capacity hall was acoustically challenging and a little frayed on the edges. But with its narrow open floor, shallow lower balcony that encircled the entire venue, its deeper back balcony chill zone, and serpentine walkways between floors, it was a tremendously fun and entertaining place to see a show—especially a Dead show.

Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings captures the Dead during one of their peak years and absolutely at the top of their game. Spread over nine discs, it includes every note of three complete consecutive shows (save for the encore of November 9, which was not recorded), so there’s plenty here to satisfy every fan: magnificent jams on “Dark Star” (which sprawls to 35 completely compelling minutes!), “Playing in the Band,” “Eyes of the World,” the still-new “Weather Report Suite” and more; kick-ass rockers of every variety (“Sugar Magnolia,” “Casey Jones,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Truckin’,” et al); haunting ballads including “China Doll,” “Stella Blue” and “To Lay Me Down”; a truly spectacular “China Cat”; and the first of just three versions ever of the dazzling sequence of “Playing in the Band” > “Uncle John’s Band” > “Morning Dew” > “Uncle John’s” reprise > “Playing” reprise. (For a complete listing of the contents of the nine discs, go here.)

All the music here was drawn from Grateful Dead crew member Kidd Candelario’s crystal clear and wonderfully present 2-track soundboard reels of the shows, and enhanced by the mastering work of the always reliable sonic wizard Jeffrey Norman, who used all sorts of arcane processes to bring it all into the glorious world of HDCD sound. This stuff will rattle your bones! The beautifully designed box also comes with a colorful booklet containing scads of great photos and a fine essay by Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally.

We like to think of Winterland 1973 as being part of the noble tradition established by the ecstatically received Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings, and as a precursor for other complete-run boxes to come. So clear out a chunk of space in the ol’ CD case, ’cause this mutha’ is a BIG ONE!

Don’t delay! You can order Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings right now by clicking here !

(To help get you in the mood, you can preview some of the music on the Winterland 1973 box by clicking here. And to give you a little glimpse of what Winterland was like, check out this video montage with audio from the ’73 shows and visuals from The Grateful Dead Movie, shot at Winterland a year later!)

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17 years 5 months
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this will make many people very happy.
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17 years 4 months
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Guys, come on now, more compilations! Just kidding, this is great, although I have enjoyed both releases of RT's as well. That was no joke when you said it would be a tidal wave of new releases, thank you much. Looking forward to this under-appreciated year in the band's history.
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17 years 4 months
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What to complain about.... let's see... WTF Rhino! Just three whole nights in November?!? Whar's Denver? San Diego?!? :) Great stuff, can't wait to get these. THANK YOU! This looks awesome. Love the artwork too.
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17 years 1 month
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wow this is something i have been waiting for i attented all 3 of these shows and was totally out of my mind these were some GREAT shows they really pushed themselves on these shows i got the tickets for my birthday for all 3 shows i have already placed my order cant wait for the end of april to gst this set WOW great stuff masters of the reeland boards THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES loaves and fishes,dont give up dont ever give up!
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16 years 11 months
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I've already placed my order, but I'm confused...my invoice is marked "pre-ordered," but (unless I'm missing something) there is no indication on this site of when it actually gets released. I know you get the bonus disc if you order before April 30, but is this when it is released? All I see is "the wait is over," "buy now" (but not "pre-order now"). Does someone know the answer?
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I think I just soiled myself. --------------------------------- I'm not Beethoven
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17 years 4 months
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Friday is my fave of that run SWEET www.gdradio.net Streaming Grateful Dead and more
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17 years 4 months
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This is the latest outrage perpetrated by the clueless suits at Rhino who have stolen our music! Everyone knows '73 is *so* overrated and.... and.... wait a minute... what was I saying? :)
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17 years 4 months
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Thanks for the box set, but the 12/4/73 Ohio show circulates (you may wanna change that comment)
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Full shows, of course kick ass set lists, classic cover art... why should I continue to state the obvious? This set will seriously blow some minds! It'll go down in history as being one of the greatest Grateful Dead releases ever sold! Are you kind?
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So GOGD release an album which has cover art featuring an eye in the middle of a rose, aka an eye-rose. Perhaps the album should have been released in a week's time, on Easter Monday: "I rose from the dead", geddit? CJ
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A good vintage year ... 1973 ... perhaps the best Dead-year of the early 70's ... along with 1970, 1972, 1976 and 1977 my favourite years of the glorious 70's ... 1973 and '77 being on the top of those years ... =) Thank you, thank you ... thank you kindly ... Micke
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'73 was one of the greatest years from the 70's. Along with '71, '72, '74, '76, '77 and '78. '70 was also good as was '79. And '75? Well.....that was great show. I'm glad it only took the PTB 35 years to figure it out. Peace, Richard
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17 years 3 months
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This is what I'm talkin bout. Cool idea guys, I'd like to know what date it officially comes out? 1973 is one of my favorite years. I like it more than 74' but i have more 73' than 74'. Right on. On my own personal note, does anyone know if the Grateful Dead played anywhere between January 14th, 1980 - February 27th, 1980. If you do please post a comment on this page. Peace
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Let me start by expressing my excitement both for the fact that these are complete shows, which I want and it SEEMS that most but by no means all heads want, and that these shows are killer. I already have these shows but am looking forward to the sound quality upgrade. The points here are that I hope Rhino releases more complete shows and less compilations and that Rhino should continue to allow the trading of non-officially released shows, as many if not most of us will purchase the officially released version, too. The only problem here is the price. $100 + tax/shipping/handling is pretty expensive, even for 10 discs. The price is very close to becoming a deterrant to purchasing the set. Please, Rhino, do not assume from the fact that this set will rapidly sell out (if indeed it is "limited," which is not exactly clear) that heads will pay any price for great music. The next set should be cheaper.
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This is good. I am very excited. It's great that they have a listening party aswell, letting us preview the material. I saw a while ago on a european website that it was set for an early may release so I'm glad to see a pre-order up for it. I just ordered it and while going through the purchasing process it is clearly stated that this is a a pre order and that the box would be shipped by the end of april. I can't wait. I also agree with dstache that it is pretty expensive. I would buy one of these box sets per year if they were released that way. I did also like the road trips and thought that they were priced well, I hope the road trips series keeps coming.
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thrill me! bring it on, my people! it will be a grand way to welcome summer- yeah- the price is steep- may price some folks out- but i suppose parcing it out in smaller batches would have been even more expensive--so it is like going to the costco and buying bulk- as much as i love it, i am sure that i will use it all! merci! caroline
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17 years 3 months
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Too bad you couldn't have had this one ready for Christmas. Don't care much if you release whole shows or gem segments/songs from runs. Too much of everything is just enough.
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This has all the appearances of being another fantastic box-the Fillmore Box was a fantastic achievement, I'll be very much looking forward to the Winterland release. Boxes of 'famous runs' are always welcome. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Eric J
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Yea, I just noticed...This IS a preorder? When is it comming out? Is it ready or are you just getting seed money to produce it? I did order the set, but when can I expect to get it? SunshineDel
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Halle-fuckin-lujah
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The trailer posted to "preview some of the music on the Winterland 1973 box" contains a segment of "The Race is On" Um, that tune wasn't played at 73' Winterland. Well, it must be on the bonus disk then........nope not there either. Hmmmm. It was played in February 74' at the Winterland Ballroom. Not to be an ass or anything, it's a very cool tailer and all, I just assumed the music in it was actually from the shows. Is the other music on the trailer from the 73' Winterland shows ?
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This box set promises to be a step in the right direction for CD releases. While I appreciate the attempts of the "Road Trips", this is much more like it. On a side note...shipping for this 9 (10 with the bonus disk) CD set was the same as my last Road Trips? Hmmm...
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From the website details: (italics) Special Offer—Until April 30th, order the Winterland 1973 box through dead.net and we'll send you a special BONUS DISC of previously uncirculated material recorded at Cincinnati Gardens on December 4, 1973. Orders are expected to ship by the end of April. Have a grateful day!
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I'm taking advantage of a rare double post to enter this comment. Back then, we were complaining when pricing broached $100. Have we become inured to the inflated prices or what?
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I have been waiting for this for many moons. Glad to know my order is in. I'm really looking forward to jamming to this collection. Keep it real America. Coconut Phil, living Free.
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Man, I love that free form jazzy dead. I drive a lot for work and 73-74 dead while driving through the mountains approaches a religious experience at times.... (around a mountain early in the morning, and BAM! there's the sun, popping over the next line of mountains. Colors in the sky and fog lies in the valley below. Right then comes "Wake now discover that you are the song that the morning brings"). You just can't plan that kind of thing; it just seems to happen a lot.
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very excited about the new release. I agree it is a bit pricey, but every penny is worth it in the long run. Love the RT series too, hope to see more of them in the future! cheers! ~littlebri p.s. Thanks for the preview too!! Currently enjoying the magic right now :)
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I may have to resort to panhandling to buy this one, but I'll do whatever it takes. My first reaction is to bitch about the price. I mean, c'mon, we're used to buying 4 disc Dick's Picks for 25 bucks, so this does seem a bit steep. However, there's been enough whining in this space lately, so instead I'll praise those that are making this release possible. Wooohoooo! Late '73 is one of my favorite eras! The DP from Boston 12/73 is one of my favorite Dead releases, and the one from OK 10/73 is fine as well. To hear an entire run mastered by Jeff Norman is exciting. Can't wait until May! (Now I just have to figure out how to break it to my wife that I blew another $100 on Dead CDs. I'm sure I'll figure something out). Jeff VanderVeen "May the 4 winds blow you safely home."
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Geez, this set is really overpriced. Will there be a condensed version with two or three CDs that has, say, less than two versions of WRS?
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What a great set! Like many here, I have these shows, but am over the moon thinking about the sound upgrade and the packaging. One of these a year would be wonderful. I love complete shows, but I also LOVE the Road Trips format. I feel like I'm in the minority but I think there is room for both. I love my GD both raw and unfiltered as well as lovingly curated. Thanks for listening to the fans, but keep pushing us too! Thanks!!! P.S. 12/6/73 = weirdest Dark Star ever. Release it!
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"The only problem here is the price. $100 + tax/shipping/handling is pretty expensive, even for 10 discs. The price is very close to becoming a deterrant to purchasing the set." In that case, they could offer it as a series downloads in the future too. There is no cost for raw materials, packages or shipping charges either. It should cost several dollars less in that case. "Please, Rhino, do not assume from the fact that this set will rapidly sell out (if indeed it is "limited," which is not exactly clear) that heads will pay any price for great music. The next set should be cheaper." Terrapin Limited was supposed to be a one time pressing only at $40.00 each; but it sure didn't turn out that way either. I bought one of those first editions and damn well know that it cost twice as much as any other commercially released Dick's Pick etc. The fisrt Fillmore West 69 boxset was limited to 10,000 copies. One too many were purchased by non-heads and resold on EBAY for as much as $500.00 each. Such stupidity only encouraged CD piracy...
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Does anyone know? I bought the fillmore set, and if I knew that was limited I woulda bought two!
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Ive been looking forward to this box set since word of it leaked out a few years ago. I hope the listening party samples suck because of the format (mp3). To my ears they sound cold and hollow.
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16 years 11 months
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This sounds sweet really want it maybe tax return but sweet cover art
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I am thrilled to see this release, and have my pre-order in. The best night of that entire year was the end of the first tour that began in the beginning of 1973, and ended with the last show at the BOSTON GARDEN: April 2, 1973. I would trade these 9 discs, for the 3 from that night. Fortunately, I have a sound-board of it, and my memory of that night is spot on. Having seen the dead since 1970, there are many special shows that stand out, but a few of the absolute best was the Fillmore East on April 28, 1971 with TC as a guest, and April 2, 1973, the last show of that tour at the Boston Garden. Peace -EW
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11/11/73 Dark Star raised me. "She has no pain, like a child, she is pure, she is not to blame."
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$100 for three shows? A Benjamin for only 9 cd's? Are you kidding me? The Dick's Picks series was attractively priced, but this is not. I guess too much money had to pass through too many hands to work out the Rhino leasing deal, and now it's the fans who end up paying for it. I have purchased every last scrap of officially released Grateful Dead material that there is, but no more. This is a sad day for me. P.S. Phish releases their complete shows at 40% less than this (and I'm talking about remastered cd's, not downloads.) Go ahead and make a joke about Phish's music, rich 70's heads, but I'm not laughing.
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Sorry you feel that way Will. These shows were unusual, in that each one was three sets, and hence three CD's per show. The entire set, plus bonus, equates to $10 per CD. One CD typicall sells for more. Box sets can be pricey because of the amount of material, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be offered for those of us that want it. Peace -EW
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Come on! If I've said it once I've said it a million times; whole tours! Har har.
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I was giving my credit card details for the final step of buying when I discovered they were being passed to a non protected web page..so of course i had to renounce buying my CDs from you!!!what's wrong with the security from abroad? can you fix it? it's a shame! i'll have to wait for the local retailer, buying them in euros instead of dollars, much more expensive! and maybe i won't even get the bonus disc!!! SIGH! SIGH!
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I can't understand how people can complain about the price of this set: sure, the cost of ten CDs does add up, but it's still hardly expensive, and this is the product that people have been clamouring for, so give thanks. (I do hope that the set's limited, but I'm guessing that they were so badly burnt by the limitation on Fillmore that they decided to scrub 'round that.) One thing I will say: I don't mind buying a box like this once a year, but I wouldn't want to see a constant stream of boxes and RTs until the market is completely diluted.
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Winterland 73 is finally released and we have assholes out there complaining. They sound just exactly perfectly like that flaming one in The Movie.....you know, the complainer about cameras on stage and royalties.