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    What's Inside:
    • 60 page hardcover Smyth-Sewn book featuring essays by Dennis McNally, David Lemieux, and Blair Jackson and photos by Jim Anderson & Mike Laurentis
    • 25th Anniversary Tour Program
    • Official Band Letters
    • 6 Ticket Stubs
    • 6 Cloth Sticker Backstage Passes
    • 1 Tour Laminate
    • Official 1990 Band publicity shot
    • 6 complete shows on 18 discs
          • 3/16/90 Capital Center, Landover, MD
          • 3/19/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
          • 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada
          • 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
          • 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
          • 4/2/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

    Box Dimensions: 12-1/8" x 3-1/8" x 12-1/8"
    Recorded and Mixed Live by John Cutler
    Mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD
    Original art by Wes Lang
    Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

    Introducing The Next Box: Spring 1990!

    And now for something a little different. This year's box set - Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 - offers six complete shows from the epic spring '90 tour, one concert from each city the band played, personally selected by Dead vaultmeister and archival release producer David Lemieux. The sizzling six are: 3/16/90 Capital Centre (Landover , MD), 3/19/90 Hartford Civic Center, 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum (Hamilton, Ontario), 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena (Albany, NY), 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) and 4/2/90 The Omni (Atlanta, GA).

    In his "Producer's Note" in the beautiful book that is part of the box, Lemieux, who attended the first 10 shows on the tour, states, "To my ears this was the last tour that was consistently great, where every show is excellent, not a dud in the bunch." And Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's comprehensive and informative insider's essay in the box is titled "The Last Great Dead Tour." These guys know what they're talking about.

    Basically, the band had been on an upward trajectory since Garcia's return to the road in the spring of '87, following his near-death the previous summer. Of course, 1987 was a trip in itself, what with the unexpected mega-success of In the Dark and their first hit single, "Touch of Grey." But the momentum just kept building with each subsequent tour, as Garcia got back up to full speed (and then some!) and the group as a whole was as unified as they had ever been since Brent joined the band in the spring of '79. New original tunes were popping up and the old favorites were imbued with a freshness and spirit that was so uplifting and inspiring. The band was having fun again, and it was downright infectious.

    The group's fall 1989 shows-as documented two years ago on the Formerly the Warlocks box (two shows from Hampton, VA, 10/8-9/89) and on the 2001 release Nightfall of Diamonds (a single night in NJ, 10/16/89)- kicked the energy level up another couple of notches, as the band reintroduced such loved classics as "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!," "Attics of My Life," "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and "Dark Star."

    And when the band hit the road in mid-March 1990, they had a bunch of other cool tunes to lay on their unsuspecting crowds, including the return of "Loose Lucy" (last played in 1974; it's not on this box), Brent's "Easy to Love You" (missing since 1980), a rollicking cover of the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," The Band's "The Weight" (with all four singers taking a verse each) and a lyrically retooled "Black-Throated Wind" (absent since 1974), which elicited huge cheers every time it was played.

    Over these six shows, most of the cornerstones of the Dead's repertoire from the era appear-splendid versions of "Scarlet Begonias" > "Fire on the Mountain," "China Cat Sunflower" > "I Know You Rider," "Playing in the Band," "Uncle John's Band," "Eyes of the World," "Estimated Prophet," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "The Other One," "Terrapin," "Stella Blue," "Feel Like a Stranger," "Bird Song," "Let It Grow," "China Doll," "Box of Rain," "Morning Dew"; you name it. From the fall '89 breakouts come "Help-Slip-Frank," "Attics of My Life" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy." Among the still newish tunes are "Picasso Moon," "Blow Away," "Foolish Heart," "Just a Little Light," "Victim or the Crime," "Standing on the Moon," "We Can Run" and a couple that would get their final plays from the Grateful Dead on this tour-"Built to Last" and "Believe It or Not." There are stirring renditions of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Black Muddy River," rockin' takes on "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Iko Iko" and the only version of the full "Hey Jude" the band attempted in the modern era. And the "Rhythm Devils" and "Space" jams at the heart of each second set are as noisy-beautiful-scary-funny-intense-mysterious-wild as you'd expect/hope for.

    Of course, we understand that some of you may have other favorite shows from this tour you wish were included on this box. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them. But at 18 discs, this is still the second largest Grateful Dead box (after Europe '72: The Complete Recordings) that's been released, and the non-inclusion of any other shows from the tour definitely does not preclude their future release! But this seemed like a more manageable way to go, while still giving a sense of the tour's amazing depth and breadth.

    Besides the discs themselves, Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 has much to offer, including: a gorgeous 60-page hardcover book containing copious color photos by Jim Anderson and Michael Laurentus, unique artwork by Brooklyn-based fine artist Wes Lang, fascinating business letters and communications related to the tour, a detailed historical essay by Dennis McNally, a Producer's Note by David Lemieux and individual show descriptions by Blair Jackson; a reproduction of the Dead's 1990 tour program (printed and sold later in '90, for the fall and Europe '90 tours); tickets and backstage passes of all six shows; a band publicity photo from 1990 by Ken Friedman; Dennis McNally's tour laminate; and reproductions of the colored 8x10 sheets GDTS sent out with hotel, food and other information for each city on the tour.

    With recordings made by longtime Grateful Dead recordist and producer John Cutler, mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD, you just know it's gonna sound great-and it does!

    So, that's the skinny this time 'round. This box is limited to just 9,000 numbered copies - please note, this is the only time these shows will ever be officially available on CD. There will not be an All Music Edition and single shows will not be available physically. Due to ship out August 31st, we anticipate that this extraordinary set will sell-out, so order your copy today!

    If you're looking for more of a bite-sized taste of the '90s, Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It, a 2-CD set featuring a handful of favorites, will be in stores on September 18th.

    -Blair Jackson

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  • italiandeadhead
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    Joined:
    oversea postage & taxes included
    Q. who buys a 18 cds bulk all at once? A: cd junkies!
  • rrot
    Joined:
    Overpriced!
    Overpriced? Only compared to the bargain that was the E72 box. Compared to other dead boxes, not overpriced. Warlocks box? More expensive per disc than this. Beyond Description? More expensive -- and it's a re-release! Basically same price structure as Winterland boxes, only this one now has a seemingly more lavish production -- so value for money has gone up, not down. Don't give a damn about the doodads? Me either, but the point remains: pricing same as Winterlands. So, weren't the Warlocks and Winterland boxes overpriced? Not a chance, if you judge by the prices of archival boxes from other artists. Here's a very typical (but awesome) example; Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton, released on Mosaic, 10 CDs, $136. "I can't afford it" and "it's overpriced" are not the same thing.
  • Underthevolcano
    Joined:
    i'm in
    Grate choice, David. Consistently entertaining late period run. The sound system and electronics were top notch and the Dead were having a blast with the technology available to them. A welcome addition to the collection, in my opinion. A healthy band with a smiling Jerry was always a good thing. Is a video release from these shows on the horizon? as no DVD is included in the box as an extra? BTW, the doodads will be fun-good response to those who felt that there weren't enough doodads in the Europe 72 box-I know i kept lookinh for "the hidden steamer trunk drawer on that one"-never did find that drawer though.
  • katky111
    Joined:
    When you're ready to become your parents...meh
    "...hope I d-d-die before I get old..." Thank you David, GD.net & Rhino! Great work (again)...
  • italiandeadhead
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    Joined:
    if this shop
    will be the only source to buy this utterly overpriced box set than... I am out!gladly!
  • rdevil
    Joined:
    listening party
    Anyone else notice the pauses between songs in the listening party? This raises a big red flag for me. Do the songs on this release have the same pauses in between? That would be a deal breaker for me. I"m not sure about this release anyway, but if there are pauses between each song, each transition and each jam then that devalues this release considerably. WTF?
  • rdevil
    Joined:
    tough choice
    First of all, there's no need to complain about "whining" or "bitching" about this release. People are just communicating their preferences.This release looks great and it's from a really good year (although I'm among those who would have prefered more 70s). The dilemma for me is the price. My first reaction was that it was overpriced but after giving it some thought it's not terribly overpriced. If eliminating the "goodies" would drive the price down I'd be all for that. I don't need a replica backstage pass, it won't do me any good now--I just want the shows. Mainly, though, for my wallet, this box is just too big. A three show box at half the price would be a no-brainer. And why does this tour get a six show box? Yes it was very good but certainly not in the same category as any tour from '73 or '77 and the two Winterland boxes were smaller and much more affordable. I might still go for this, there is a lot of great music here but I'm on the fence because it's a lot of money to shell out at one time. And quite honestly, I don't reach for 80s/90s Dead all that often when deciding what to listen to. I hope future boxes fall into the $100 and under price range. Also, very interesting choice to choose six shows from six different cities. My first thought was to prefer full runs of cities but this might work out pretty well.
  • poetry420
    Joined:
    busted 3/17/90 cap center
    its been a long time since i thought about these shows or even that year.cant remember how many times before this show i seen the dead or should i say expericed the parking lot.i was 18 years old and had only started to experiment w/lsd. so i bought 2 sheets of lsd and shortly after met a cute girl and we were in the process of dosing when this long haired wanna be hippie comes up to me and asks to buy some of what he seen us eating.i said no that i dont sell.after hassling me to buy some cause he said he wanted to head in and didnt have time to look for his own.long story short-i gave,not sold,5 hits to him.next thing i know,he puts 20 bucks in my flannel shirt pocket and pulls a badge and says your under arrest.they were calling me the rabbit after what happned next.i jumped and ran through the lot, in and out of cars while people were watching all this and urging me to keep running!LOL.you all might not believe this,but suddenly all the hippies that were undercover cops came out of nowhere and they tackled my ass.they(pigs)were all laughing afterwards saying nice try and calling me a rabbit, that i just up and tried to get gone.this is funny reliving this now.they busted so many people at this show we were put in school buses and taken to jail.i seen at least 2 buses that night filled.another thing that sucked for me that night was i just turned 18 a few months earlier,so when they came on the bus,they said anyone under 18 off the bus,calling your parents,the rest of us went to jail.did 5 days then made bail.had to fake a rehab stint and then 3yrs probation.one more thing,when i was cuffed with my hands behind my back and just waiting with all these hippies around me,which were all cops,(cops dressed like us,heads)but if you had just showed up from another part of the lot and did not just see what happened you would think we were a bunch of heads just hanging out,anyway this dude comes up to us and he is like,whats up everybody whats going on.just bullshitting.but i know he is swinging and (so do the pigs) and before he incriminates himself,i swing my back around to show him that i'm cuffed.we look at each other,i say nothing,he says,right on,man.and walks away.they did try to pursue him but he said nothing incriminating and he just kept walking.i felt great to save a fellow headhead,if only this nite. watching the olympics now,playing shine on you crazy diamond for the balance beam,awesome!! -- the bus came by and i got on,thats when it all began,for the next 22years for me and still going. i love you so much grateful dead,thank you.you all helped me to change my life for the better. 420- i say pigs but i do have respect,don't kid yourself.
  • antonjo
    Joined:
    multi-tracks, multi-shows, multi-smiles
    Yeah, when Terrapin Limited came out, I thought it was about the best sounding release I'd ever heard ~ and we'd always considered that the weak night of the three! It cleaned up very nice (and our seats weren't the best for sound.) Very psyched that one of the "other" nights ~ my favorite of the stand ~ is being released. "Black Throated" was a particular joy, as Bob never resurrected his classics once he put them away, and my friend Dean and I had just debated before the lights went down whether we'd rather see him bring out "Lazy Lightning" or "Black Throated Wind." Then, of course, the church version of "Blow Away," where Jerry himself enticed us to clap along, even he was that moved. Earlier that same evening in the parking lot, Dean had the bright idea to trade our extras for 3rd night Nassau (hated to lose the chance to "miracle" someone, but it sounded like a good train to catch). Our boss graciously supported the idea, so up we went. I still remember Dean's crestfallen face when he saw what they'd played already, the previous two nights. He needn't have worried. I, for one, am utterly psyched that David chose 3/30, much less heralded than the Branford-flavored previous night but what a gem. First set could've been louder from the rafters, but opened with my first Help On the Way (finally!); Dire Wolf was always a treat; and another was Phil singing "going back to New York City" in NYC : ) We scored VIP seats for the second set, with the Playin -> China Doll -> Uncle John's and a fully realized Standing On the Moon (complete with guitar solo unlike '89 versions, Jerry bestowing it with the mark of his classic ballads).....sweetness indeed. And the sweetest sugar was to come ~ the Attics encore left us speechless. The harmonies, and music, were impossibly tight. The last time I'd see Brent, as it happened : ( Can't wait to tell my brother ~ who made the Hamilton trek ~ that one of "his" Copps shows is finally being released! Maybe these aren't the sickest shows ever, but they were solid, the energy couldn't be beat, and in my own personal trajectory this was the last tour I dropped everything for ~ kind of the last bloom of my "golden" show-going years, where the band mattered to me more than anything else going on. I'd never do a Dead road-trip again (well, not till New Year's 2003). Anyway, sorry for the novella. I LOVE this box format of a show from each stop ~ I think it's just the right amount to document such a tour. Wish they'd have squeezed 3/14's Crazy Fingers -> Playin' set opener onto disc 3 of 3/16 (a la the Albany bonus filler), but hey we could always wish for more and I think it's great that there's bonus filler on one of them. (For the piece-mealers, Estimated from 3/21 Copps is released on Weir Here, hadn't heard that mentioned below.) Thanks, people. Fun release, and I love those 60-page hardbound coffee table books.....
  • redemption searcher
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    Joined:
    spring '90!
    This is sweet. Thank you! David Lemieux for choosing the 3/30 show; all my deadhead friends always disagreed with me, but I always thought this show was the killer of that run, (if not the whole tour) even better than the great Branford show. I remember taping it live off WNEW FM in NYC at Manhattan College all those years ago and just being blown away at how HOT and TIGHT Jerry sounded in the slipknot and the dire wolf. We were having a raging kegger in our dorm and I had a tape running off a cheapo boom box playing the radio broadcast, but the tape came out great. Those were glorious times! The 3/28 show which I went to turned out to be my last Brent show, was awesome (and awesomely psychedelicized), AND was STILL probably the weakest of the three at Nassau. That tour was KILLER. Maybe not Europe '72, but still friggin' great! Also, cool that they're including the Help>Slip>franks and Loser from Albany; I remeber endlessly bitchin when Dozin' didn't have those. BTW, Messr. Lemieux, you mention the calaypso jam after Women r smarter in the Landover show; another show that has a cool post WrS jam from that era is the previous fall Meadowlands show from 10/14/89, which is a really good to great show that has always been overshadowed by the legendary 10/16 show. Not to mention being overshadowed by the goonish brendan byrne security that run, that night which a guy from my high school died at that show. Those east coast tours were getting crazy by '89-'90, but damn the music was sick!
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jq171(document).ready(function (jq171) { jq171("h2.product_title").each(function(){ var title = jq171(this); var new_title = title.text().replace(' - SOLD OUT', ''); title.text(new_title); }); var covertArtDownloadMarkup = 'Looking for the digital cover art? You can download it here.'; setTimeout(function() { jq171('#digital_cart').append(covertArtDownloadMarkup); }, 500); });

What's Inside:
• 60 page hardcover Smyth-Sewn book featuring essays by Dennis McNally, David Lemieux, and Blair Jackson and photos by Jim Anderson & Mike Laurentis
• 25th Anniversary Tour Program
• Official Band Letters
• 6 Ticket Stubs
• 6 Cloth Sticker Backstage Passes
• 1 Tour Laminate
• Official 1990 Band publicity shot
• 6 complete shows on 18 discs
      • 3/16/90 Capital Center, Landover, MD
      • 3/19/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
      • 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada
      • 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
      • 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
      • 4/2/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Box Dimensions: 12-1/8" x 3-1/8" x 12-1/8"
Recorded and Mixed Live by John Cutler
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD
Original art by Wes Lang
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

Introducing The Next Box: Spring 1990!

And now for something a little different. This year's box set - Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 - offers six complete shows from the epic spring '90 tour, one concert from each city the band played, personally selected by Dead vaultmeister and archival release producer David Lemieux. The sizzling six are: 3/16/90 Capital Centre (Landover , MD), 3/19/90 Hartford Civic Center, 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum (Hamilton, Ontario), 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena (Albany, NY), 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) and 4/2/90 The Omni (Atlanta, GA).

In his "Producer's Note" in the beautiful book that is part of the box, Lemieux, who attended the first 10 shows on the tour, states, "To my ears this was the last tour that was consistently great, where every show is excellent, not a dud in the bunch." And Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's comprehensive and informative insider's essay in the box is titled "The Last Great Dead Tour." These guys know what they're talking about.

Basically, the band had been on an upward trajectory since Garcia's return to the road in the spring of '87, following his near-death the previous summer. Of course, 1987 was a trip in itself, what with the unexpected mega-success of In the Dark and their first hit single, "Touch of Grey." But the momentum just kept building with each subsequent tour, as Garcia got back up to full speed (and then some!) and the group as a whole was as unified as they had ever been since Brent joined the band in the spring of '79. New original tunes were popping up and the old favorites were imbued with a freshness and spirit that was so uplifting and inspiring. The band was having fun again, and it was downright infectious.

The group's fall 1989 shows-as documented two years ago on the Formerly the Warlocks box (two shows from Hampton, VA, 10/8-9/89) and on the 2001 release Nightfall of Diamonds (a single night in NJ, 10/16/89)- kicked the energy level up another couple of notches, as the band reintroduced such loved classics as "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!," "Attics of My Life," "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and "Dark Star."

And when the band hit the road in mid-March 1990, they had a bunch of other cool tunes to lay on their unsuspecting crowds, including the return of "Loose Lucy" (last played in 1974; it's not on this box), Brent's "Easy to Love You" (missing since 1980), a rollicking cover of the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," The Band's "The Weight" (with all four singers taking a verse each) and a lyrically retooled "Black-Throated Wind" (absent since 1974), which elicited huge cheers every time it was played.

Over these six shows, most of the cornerstones of the Dead's repertoire from the era appear-splendid versions of "Scarlet Begonias" > "Fire on the Mountain," "China Cat Sunflower" > "I Know You Rider," "Playing in the Band," "Uncle John's Band," "Eyes of the World," "Estimated Prophet," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "The Other One," "Terrapin," "Stella Blue," "Feel Like a Stranger," "Bird Song," "Let It Grow," "China Doll," "Box of Rain," "Morning Dew"; you name it. From the fall '89 breakouts come "Help-Slip-Frank," "Attics of My Life" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy." Among the still newish tunes are "Picasso Moon," "Blow Away," "Foolish Heart," "Just a Little Light," "Victim or the Crime," "Standing on the Moon," "We Can Run" and a couple that would get their final plays from the Grateful Dead on this tour-"Built to Last" and "Believe It or Not." There are stirring renditions of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Black Muddy River," rockin' takes on "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Iko Iko" and the only version of the full "Hey Jude" the band attempted in the modern era. And the "Rhythm Devils" and "Space" jams at the heart of each second set are as noisy-beautiful-scary-funny-intense-mysterious-wild as you'd expect/hope for.

Of course, we understand that some of you may have other favorite shows from this tour you wish were included on this box. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them. But at 18 discs, this is still the second largest Grateful Dead box (after Europe '72: The Complete Recordings) that's been released, and the non-inclusion of any other shows from the tour definitely does not preclude their future release! But this seemed like a more manageable way to go, while still giving a sense of the tour's amazing depth and breadth.

Besides the discs themselves, Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 has much to offer, including: a gorgeous 60-page hardcover book containing copious color photos by Jim Anderson and Michael Laurentus, unique artwork by Brooklyn-based fine artist Wes Lang, fascinating business letters and communications related to the tour, a detailed historical essay by Dennis McNally, a Producer's Note by David Lemieux and individual show descriptions by Blair Jackson; a reproduction of the Dead's 1990 tour program (printed and sold later in '90, for the fall and Europe '90 tours); tickets and backstage passes of all six shows; a band publicity photo from 1990 by Ken Friedman; Dennis McNally's tour laminate; and reproductions of the colored 8x10 sheets GDTS sent out with hotel, food and other information for each city on the tour.

With recordings made by longtime Grateful Dead recordist and producer John Cutler, mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD, you just know it's gonna sound great-and it does!

So, that's the skinny this time 'round. This box is limited to just 9,000 numbered copies - please note, this is the only time these shows will ever be officially available on CD. There will not be an All Music Edition and single shows will not be available physically. Due to ship out August 31st, we anticipate that this extraordinary set will sell-out, so order your copy today!

If you're looking for more of a bite-sized taste of the '90s, Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It, a 2-CD set featuring a handful of favorites, will be in stores on September 18th.

-Blair Jackson

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I know better than to get them replaced! You're just trying to shut me up!!! "Better late than never" HAH! I'd rather cry forever than let you fix it now. WWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
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Are there going to be any more spring 90 T-Shirt designs put up for sale? I know each design is one run, but what about other designs? Two of the shirts have already sold out and the skeleton in top hat has sold out of my size (large). Wes Lang's album art for each of the individual shows looks really cool, especially the reaper and rose one (3/22/90 I think). They're selling stickers and patches with that one, but stickers and patches aren't quite as much my thing.
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...69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 77, misc 80 and 81....all far superior in every way to the late brent era.. by 1990, jerrys leadership is diluted by self absorbtion on the part of all band members, and technical staff, most concerned about 'their sound'....group and collective consciousness is quite weak compared to earlier eras, and perhaps, as always with the dead, the band was simply a reflection of the crowd that was hanging around the scene at the time. no choice but to be disconnected from each other. so as we all marvel at the advent of the age of digital technology and sampling, clean mixes and sharp separation, higher highs and lower lows, six string basses and fun space/drums/jam toys to beat on, think about the extent to which ensemble improvisation had all but disappeared by this time, leaving us to have little debates about how many 'blow aways' there were recorded during the era, or how great the 'new material' was...yeah yeah yeah...the best of the worst of any particular artist is not necessarily something to run home and shout about from the rooftops...
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Ok, I have fussed enough. I'm sure this Spring '90 business will sound fine. I'm not a 90s fan but there will be gems in there of course. Meanwhile, how about that Dave's #3?? The version of Comes a Time knocked me out. Did that song peak early or what? Damn. I'm only halfway through listening to DaP3 and it is already my fave by far. Off topic for this thread, I know. I'd rather rant about the 70s anyway. Speaking of off-topic in the 70s, the version of Minglewood from 12/26/70 is playing in my headphones as I write this (from the first 30 Days of Dead freebie). Way to insert the odd verse, Bob! Makes me want to check out the rest of this show. Good night from Atlanta. All is well. Please fuss on.
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11 years 10 months
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I like to think that in the late 80's and early 90's the grateful dead were on fire, they all sounded tight and happy and you can see that they were all having fun. The years that you gave are quite fantastic but give those years a listen and you will see that they were ion fire more often then not in the late 80's and early 90's personally those are my favorite times that and early 70's. Either way give those years a good listen before jumping to any conclusions.
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re: audio quality:Some people listen to a recording for the production values; others listen for the music actually being made. I'm kinda on the music side of the spectrum, myself. If you can't hear the music for the production, well, my sympathies extend to you... re: phish: It's great that they are so digital-media savvy. Unfortunately, there's nothing of theirs that I would ever care to download or listen to. Given the choice, I'm prepared to wait a bit for the good stuff. re: 90's dead: I'm a fan of early '70's dead, but enjoyed shows from the late 70's through '93. Thanks, Dave, for honoring all eras of my favorite band. re: whining: It's your money; keep it in your own pocket if the product isn't something that you want. It's OK to state why you will not be purchasing, if you feel the need, but be factual. If you engage in inane quesswork as to the motives of the folks engaged in production, don't be surprised if people think that you are whining.
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so i spent half the night on archive listening to the spring tour...there are some redeeming qualities to the energy level of the ensemble, but there is such little space in the music, its density is hard to listen to for extended periods...no one ever stops playing...everyone is always banging away, and as a musician myself, i just dont feel an ability to be listening if your are always bouncing off the ceiling, hands moving like hamster wheels...brent seems solid enough, but there is nothing to write home to mama about in his personal performances...i understand the nostalgia of having his last tour documented, and toward that end, i am happy that this box set is available for those who need to re experience their precious small piece of the dead, the late brent era...but i cant compare the two or three extended and lengthy eyes of the world cuts that i have listened to thus far with anything from may through june of 1974....apples and oranges...
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12 years 5 months
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First show was '89. Told my momma I was going to a friend's house. Old school heads should appreciate this...I came home 4 days later and 3 venues later. I believe anyway. Mom saw me and said, how were the colors? I had different clothes on. The next few years of tour happened to change my life. I'm one of the kids in the end that, by definition, had to explain to the even the younger generations that never had the opportunity to catch Jerry with the band that the early 90's were the best gig going at the time. Never Had such a GOODTIME in my life before. Thanx Dave!!!!
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I think this is fair for people who were going to Dead Shows then. I always wondered why They had all of those good concert videos in the late 80s, My fave is "Truckin Up to Buffalo". I bought 2 individual shows from the Europe 72 tour, Amsterdam and Paris May,3. Excellent Shows and good sound. As far as digital goes, everything live that is running out now, is available on the Downloads page in about 4 different formats . I remember buying tapes from the Dead, I really miss The GD Almanac, just a neat periodical to have lying around. JIm PS- Anyone know how many 90s sets are left? 9000 is not very many, I would imagine they are over half gone.
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Give or take.
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14 years 5 months
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I find it interesting for some to compare the eras that we at different times traveled with the band in body and or spirit. My begining was in '68 and I treasure the years following that, but to minimize the special Experiance that all permeable rocks known as "deadheads" were fortunate the have that energy flow thgrough them just does not feel good to me. I am glad that generations were able to be bound by the enchanting mystery we all were enveloped by. I see only unity and pure albeit colorful light shinning around us. May we all wear the halo the intimate knowledge that the miracle of kindness has place upon our heads.
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@ CT DP3 Subscriber I live in CT as well and received mine on the 3rd with the free shipping offer option. Good Luck !!! I can't wait till the end of the month for the Spring 90 shows....Woo Hooooooo :0)
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12 years 3 months
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Every time I open up dead.net Lang's indian freaks me out. WTF? Somebody said there is a link to an article explaining the symbolism to this motif??
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...says it all, and far more politely than me! Clean well recorded shows from the '90's can powerfully evoke memories of having been there, and these are, for many of us, very happy memories. This IS a good and important thing. But as documents of music, and when thought of against the massive output of the mighty Dead over their assorted eras and tours, there is little here that demands, or even really invites, hearing! So, crank it up, and transport yourself back to dancing in the halls, meeting that special friend, that moment of chemically assisted enlightenment, and all that, but I will go listen to something else!
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13 years 5 months
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I can't believe anyone is gettin rich from the material rhino is releasing. The numbers are quite small about 10,000 units of each relase. Between dave's picks and the new box if every thing is sold that is 3 million dollars before expenses. Rhino must produce 300,000 cds, market them and distribute. Once all expenses are paid and profits are split with the band and royaltys paid to the writers there is not that much to go around. The only reason so much has been released is some people doing this must really love the band. Yeah they are not doing it toally free but at a more than reasonable price for what we get. As far as the sound quality goes I still have nightmares about the hiss and distortion from casette tapes. The only questioin I care about is what is going to be next.
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14 years 5 months
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That was 250 sold, not left. My bad!
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12 years 2 months
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really there have only been 250 sold? are you positive? i feel like a lot more than 250 would have been sold at this point...
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12 years 3 months
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lets hate the artist because he wont do something for me-wahhhhhh
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16 years 9 months
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Are you just having fun with us, Anna? There has to be more than 250 sets sold. At least that many people seem to have commented on how happy they are about this release, or at least willing enough to purchase it. I would guess, as someone else did, that it is about halfway to being sold out, if not closer. I hope I'm wrong because I think the price is too high for the amount of discs, and I hope Rhino lowers the price per disc for the next box. I won't get into my argument or "whine" about it anymore, though. :) But I do agree with the comment that no one from Rhino is getting "rich" from this. 9000 x $200 = $1.8m, a good chunk of which is going to the band, engineers, employees, other costs. Definitely not a windfall leftover after everythings's been paid. Rhino, like everyone else, deserves to get paid. It just won't be with my money this time. Most people who bought this one will enjoy it though. These are very good shows from a very good tour, possibly the peak of late-era Dead.
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11 years 10 months
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I have emailed Dave Lemieux and he advised that the boxes were more than 50% sold as of Monday the 6th. His estimation is that there are 30% or less available at this time which would be 3000 boxes or so. I imagine it will be sold out befor the end of next week if not sooner. Get it if you are on the fence......cheers.
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Funny how many folks seem to "know" whether or not, and how much, Rhino might make from this release. Yes some of you have identified the expenses, but have NO IDEA what they might be! Production costs, well not much there. Promotion, I assume it is limited more or less to this web-site. Payments to technicians, producers, authors, the band----who knows?!? Given my experience in publishing and music production, and the production of art books, I would be surprised if total production costs were over $30-$40 a unit. Of course it is possible I am totally off base for some unforseen reason. Lets face it, if there were not profit in it, why would it be done, seeing that the product, in a sense, is already easily available. This is not a complaint, just a fact. My guess, but it is certainly just that, is that there is a healthy profit margin built in, as there usually is with "special" boxes that contain lots of stuff with very low production costs, and little residual costs (stickers, reproductions of material that the company owes the copyright to, and so on). Hey, if you want it, buy it!
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... ahh the elusive rationale behind the Skull with Indian feathers... Look no further than the cover of 'Without A Net'. Wes was just keeping a continuity. ;)
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Lemieux almost never says anything officially about the count sold, other than perhaps an update when they are close to selling out. That is not to say he doesn't answer people who ask him questions. I would really be surprised if 4500 units have been sold. I don't know how many of the 9000 produced are freebies for the band, promotional purposes, record industry & Rhinoids involved in the process and such. That probably is around 300. So, of the 8700 actually up for sale to the public, given the response here, I would be floored if there were 4500 actually sold. I think that a sell-out on 8/19/12 is wildly, wildly optimistic. I hope I'm wrong. I think this is an excellent product from a great period for the band. But the price is prohibitive and holding back sales. I stick by my estimate of a 90 day sellout. We'll certainly know as there will be a "SOLD OUT" update for this item. I think a 90 day sell out of 9000 units for a band that has not performed for 17 years is truly marvelous and testament to their enduring popularity. Having said all that, by all means, buy this thing now if you absolutely must have it. Somebody on this thread has said Grateful Dead CD packages are a great investment with a proven history. If there is a businessman out there with an Am-Ex black card he could buy every last unit and then have them up for sale on E-Bay on Monday morning for $500 each. Not likely, but it could happen. Don't say you weren't warned.... Where is my blackie anyway?
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Attempting to forecast the sales of this box set based on the posters in this thread would be futile. Most people do not feel the need to post a comment before purchasing and the negative posters only represent a very small portion of the Dead community. Spring '90 was incredible and this is going to be a nice size treasure for those who get it.
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16 years 11 months
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I have been a member of the Dead community for about 40 years. I usually just read the posts here, without saying much. But after reading what has been said here since the announcement of offering, I must say I am amazed! It is quite obvious, that whatever is offered, now, or in the future, there will be those that are unhappy with it for whatever reason.I saw many shows over the years and I have many shows on cd. Some are better then others but none are bad. The Dead on an off night, are still better then most bands on a good night. When the Europe '72 box set came out, some folks complained about the lack of doodads. Now the doodads are included here, and some people are complaining about that. Rhino has been releasing a lot of '70's show and people asked for something else. So now Rhino offers an excellent box of late Brent shows and some folks complain about that. I am a 70's fan myself, but I think this is a great set of shows from a great tour. Sure, some recordings are better then others, but look at Dick's Picks. They were marked "caveat emptor"., buyer beware, since they were not all prettied up. I love them all! Sure, I like some better then others, but that is just the nature of the beast. Rhino is a business, a "for profit" business. So I just wish folks would stop complaining about them making a reasonable profit. Who ever promised you that the Grateful Dead were all about giving you everything you want for free? I could not buy the Europe '72 box due to the fact that I just did not have the dollars at that time. I have since picked up 3 or 4 shows and I am very happy with that. If you do not like this offering, or you can not afford it today, ok, we understand. But don't slam Rhino or the folks who do like this offering and are going to buy it. There will always be more in the future so you can sit back and wait on the next offering. I myself am stoked for this one and I can't wait to get it. And anyone who trys to predict sales of this one are just deluding themselves. It will sell out for sure so who cares how long it takes? Eventually it will and that will be the end of your chance to get it at this price. Rock on Dead Heads and casual fans too! Just be happy that Rhino & the Grateful Dead are making these offerings for those who do want them and are happy to have them, like me! 9000 units for the world is a VERY small percentage.
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People can't say or do anything I don't want them to and it really pisses me off that they do. People have to like what I like and if they don't they are all a bunch of losers who should have their privileges to make comments revoked until they are of the same opinion as me. Further, no one should make any conjecture at all on the intentions of Warner Brothers or offer any opinion about what any of their subsidiaries might produce and when it might become unavailable. I have been a member of the Dead community for OVER 40 years and no one has a right to differ with anything I say. I am the holder of the orthodoxy and My Word Fills The Sky With Flame!!! (%);~}} Like you said hbob, it's going to sell out so what does it matter?
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Hooray!!! Personally, it's releases like this that I look forward to the most. Besides the rest of this tour NOT included in this Spring '90 box (particularly 3/14 and 3/29), 8/27/72 Field Trip seems like the next big unreleased show that is traditionally listed among the the all time favorites. I wonder how many, if any of the early May '77 shows are in the vault? When and if 8/27/72 gets the CD/DVD/Blueray release nod, there will certainly be complainers on that one as well. It's like that one guy from the Grateful Dead Movie who complained about the Grateful Dead making a movie. I would have paid the price of 10 box sets just to see the look on the complaining guys face, seeing himself for the first time in the GD Movie. Priceless... edit- I'm digging the fancy post header font.
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SpaceBro - The early May '77 stuff is not in the vault, most notably 5/7-9/77. If they were there I have no doubts that all three would have been released by now.
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The big problem people had re: Europe 72 "accoutrements" was primarily because what was promised/advertised and what not what was delivered. Another thing that is different this time around is that the lead time is totally different. With E72 they wanted to be sure that they'd get the minimum 3,000 orders to get into production and all the packaging/etc. was preliminary with 7,200 being the the cap. Demand was off the charts and they caved-in to demand by going with the "All Music Edition." And we had to wait nearly 9 months to get it. With Spring 90 it seems that this thing is pretty much at the assembly stage and getting warehoused for delivery. The 9,000 copies is a given. No testing the waters, no preliminary artwork, no All Music Edition - what you see if what you're gonna get. And a point of debate regarding the playing between the eras... No one has mentioned that among the 22 shows for E72 there were about 60 distinct songs played. For Spring 90 we will be getting about 80 distinct songs among just 6 shows. I believe this concentration of songs in the repertoire has to be a factor in how well each show was played in the earlier years vs. the later years. Plus, there was no rehearsal discipline if I remember right. I appreciate the variety in the setlists and the looseness in the playing we'll get on Spring 1990.
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12 years 10 months
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I can't believe how excited I am about this release. This from a grouchy middle-aged Deadhead that has mostly ignored, dismissed, or outright poo-poo-ed the whole Brent-era for more that 32 years. I'm listening a lot to Terrapin Limited and if this release is on the same level we are really in for a treat! Live and learn!
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17 years
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I wondwer what i will get first DP3 or 1990 spring box
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I was aware that Cornell from the May '77 run was missing from the vault. In addition to Boston and Buffalo, I wonder if and what other master tapes from that particular tour are missing?
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12 years 6 months
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Indian boy wanna go dowtown, iko iko an nayIf you don't like what the big chief says, say jockomo feena nay
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15 years 11 months
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No doubt the sound on this set will be fabulous. I hope the packaging is deluxe.....not the flimsy paper sleeves that you have to tear open to remove the discs that are trapped inside that the Europe '72 set had!!!!! That would be a real shame........wouldn't it?
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15 years 11 months
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I just saw the pictures and this set looks like it has very nice packaging.......Please keep these box sets coming!!! The nicer the better. Thanks.
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13 years 4 months
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Thanks to all involved for another release. We are very fortunate for all the recent releases!! Please keep'em coming!!! g
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12 years 3 months
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Please read the following legalese carefully, as Unkle Sam has suggested: 4. Cancelling Your Purchase. Except with respect to Products consisting of downloads and/or tickets, you have a right to cancel your Transaction(s) and receive a full refund, provided that (a) such Product(s) are unopened (i.e., in original sealed packaging) and undamaged and (b) you notify us of such cancellation Contact DA 877-332-3638 or 610-491-2021 or via email to deadnet@custhelp.com within 30 working days beginning with the day after the day on which you received such Product(s). If you cancel a purchase pursuant to these Transaction Terms, you must return such Product(s) to us undamaged within 30 working days beginning with the day after the day on which we received your valid cancellation notice. Returned Products will be deemed to have been received by us on the date that is two (2) days (not including Sundays and public holidays) after the post-mark date applicable to such returned Products. We will not be responsible for any costs you incur in returning any Product(s) to us. If you fail to comply with the return obligations set forth herein, we will be entitled to deduct from any refund the direct cost of recovering the unreturned Product(s). Please note that if such cost is greater than the total refund amount, then no refund shall be given. All refunds will be processed at our sole discretion according to the condition of the returned Product(s). >>> You have no right of cancellation in the event that you have unsealed (i.e., opened) Products received from us. Tickets and downloads purchased are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. <<< 5. Defective Products. In the event that you receive a defective physical Product, provided that you return such defective physical Product to us within 30 working days following your receipt of such Product (as determined pursuant to Section 4 above), we will (on your election) either send you a replacement physical Product, or provide you with a full refund. We will cover the cost of any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage. Contact DA 877-332-3638 or 610-491-2021 or via email to deadnet@custhelp.com So, say you opened up you long anticipated box set and are psyched to play it but there is a problem. You have three disc 7s or a big scratch on disc 9. According to the terms listed above you have no recourse to remedy your problem. Once you have opened the box, that is all she wrote. Given the dead.net stores record for producing a mistake-free experience it is highly, highly unlikely they will have a perfect record and are setting up innocent people to take the fall for their own mistakes, Given this, I wouldn't go anywhere near this iron-clamp trap. I understand why this has happened, Because Rhino delivered an insanely inferior product with E-72 and never wants to take a hit ever again for the mistakes they have made. How sad. The rest of the professional business world does not work on this model and people willing to bet they will win a lottery where the product arrives in perfect condition really have great, if misguided, faith.
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Most of the CS comments here have the negitive flavor of ..But I have had a different experience. The first time was not even a dead product but the Chicago IV box. Which came with two Disc 3's and no Disc 4. But Dr. Rhino fixed the problem with a new Disc 4 and I still have the extra Disc 3. Next The Beyond Description Box, The Shakedown Street disc was defective and they sent me a new Shakedown disc before I received the Box Set (was about two years after the release date that I bought the set) Next The 3rd Road Trips had glue on the edge of the second disc. Was replaced with in two weeks of the original shipping date. All the box sets Fillmore 69 Winterland 73 Winterland 77 Warlocks 89 E72 All the DicksPicks All The Road Trips All The Dave's Picks All the View From The Vaults All The Vault series (one from, two from, 2/11/69, Ladies and.., Dozin' at ..., Truckin' up.... Crimson, ... GD movie, Winterland 78) The Dead 2003 summer tour The Dead 2009 tour Furthur Shows from 09, 10, and 11 all these releases and every one a gem. So glad I have these as I continue to go back and listen again to such masterfully played songs So if you get confused, Just listen to the music play
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15 years 10 months
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fluffanutter wrote: "So, say you opened up you long anticipated box set and are psyched to play it but there is a problem. You have three disc 7s or a big scratch on disc 9. According to the terms listed above you have no recourse to remedy your problem. Once you have opened the box, that is all she wrote." That's not what paragraph 5 says; the reference to paragraph 4 is about the timing, not about the opening of the product. (You couldn't tell it was defective without opening it!) Paragraph five says you get a refund, or replacement. The only thing that says anything about opened items is cancellation of purchase, NOT replacement of defective items.
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>>> In the event that you receive a defective physical Product, provided that you return such defective physical Product to us within 30 working days following your receipt of such Product (as determined pursuant to Section 4 above), we will (on your election) either send you a replacement physical Product, or provide you with a full refund. We will cover the cost of any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage <<<. This would seem to indicate: A) Per paragraph 4, the packaging must be unopened to be leigible for refund B) If determined to be eligible for refund the amount will not be in any case larger than the amount to have originally sent it first class USPS standard postage. So, if you paud $13 in change for postage and it is found to be defective, and Rhino agrees, they accept responsibility for no more than !13 and change. The whole thing is purposefully unclear and meant to confuse. It boils down to: >>> If determined to be eligible for refund the amount will not be in any case larger than the amount to have originally sent it first class USPS standard postage. <<< Therefore, if your receive a defective shipment your recourse is never larger than $13 and change. Period, end of discussion
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My experience with Dead.net has been similar to Scott1129. I've bought all the boxes, except "The Warlocks", and all but a handful of the Dicks Picks, Road Trips, and now Dave's Picks. I've only had one missing or duplicate disc (can't remember) and a replacement was sent immediately. That was an early Dick's Picks, probably over 10 years ago. Everything else has been just fine. Just my experience...
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When you say, "Therefore, if your receive a defective shipment your recourse is never larger than $13 and change. Period, end of discussion," you're absolutely wrong. The sentence "We will cover the cost of any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage", I think it's clear that there was a mistake, and it means "We will cover the cost of SHIPPING any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage." The meat of Paragraph 5 says it will provide you with a **full refund**. It makes no sense to tie the "full refund" to the shipping cost -- the only way the shipping cost sentence makes sense is to read it as saying they will cover your postage costs incurred in returning the defective item, up to the amount of USPS first-class charges. (So they won't for example, cover overnight shipping fees.) And the reference to Paragraph 4 is about the calculation of the 30 days, not the "unopened" part. Sure, maybe you want a reason not to do business with Rhino, that's your prerogative. But don't be spinning tortured readings of the legal notices to scare folks away from buying. If Rhino were to argue your reading of the notice in court, they'd get laughed out of court. Hopefully, someone will read this and fix that sentence, but until they do, nobody should think that Rhino has somehow protected themselves from liability to replace defective items.
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16 years 10 months
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Good points, frampton, and nice catch on the apparent typo in the phrasing. Hopefully that will be corrected. I think and I hope that overall, the voices of reason on this forum pipe up often enough to counteract the fluffanutter effect that is so prevalent.
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16 years 10 months
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... double post. I'm a bozo, so sorry.
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15 years 5 months
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Such a great box set of later GD shows. And I LOVE this type of CD packaging, very nice and much better than just the slip pocket type. I have gotten so may sweet box sets in the past years and they hold up so well. Winterland 77 is constantly being abused, and it still is holing up perfectly. I also LOVE the little extras they put in the larger box set. The buttons that came in the Winterland box sets, the cool tickets and postcard photos from Formally the Warlocks box set, not to mention the wooden box it came in. Keep it up, we want MORE!
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Read it again: In the event that you receive a defective physical Product, provided that you return such defective physical Product to us within 30 working days following your receipt of such Product (as determined pursuant to Section 4 above), we will (on your election) either send you a replacement physical Product, or provide you with a full refund. We will cover the cost of any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage So either the single paragraph refers to wo separate things: Replacement or refund of the original cost of the product at your discretion. But then, full refund is further defined in the same paragraph as: We will cover the cost of any defective physical Product returned by you up to the value of standard USPS first class postage. THE COST OF ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT NOT THE COST OF SHIPPING TO YOUR DOOR ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (Nothing tortures there, they simply define their liability as to the worth of returned product) I rest my case
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