
July 31, 1974
SOLD OUT

Subscriber's Only
Bonus Disc Cover.
Dave’s Picks Volume 2 is officially SOLD OUT.
Stay tuned for an upcoming seaside chat with David Lemieux as part of our Dave’s Picks series.
ABOUT VOLUME 2
We warned you. We said there was a chance that the limited edition Dave’s Picks releases could sell out. And sure enough, Volume 1 is a goner. No copies left. (OK, even we were a little surprised it sold out so quickly.)
Which brings us to Dave’s Picks, Volume 2. The thousands of you who bought the full-year Dave’s Picks subscription have nothing to worry about. Your CDs (and the bonus disc that comes with this one for subscribers) will be winging their way to you shortly. But NOW is the time when all you other good people who are interested in purchasing this potent slice of Dead history can submit your orders.
The show in question is a three-set wonder from Hartford’s Dillon Stadium during the heart of the Wall of Sound era, July 31, 1974, four days after the release of the Dead’s fine Mars Hotel album. Dwarfed by the Wall’s irregular columns of speakers on a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon, the band thrilled the sold-out crowd of 20,000 with a far-ranging collection of tunes and jams that showed how far they’d come as musicians, songwriters and interpreters of others’ songs in their decade together.
The 12-song first set kicks off with the still-new “Scarlet Begonias” (opening a show for the first of just three times in the Dead’s entire history), and includes such other early ’70s favorites as “Jack Straw,” “Brown-Eyed Women,” a pairing of “Mississippi Half-Step” and “Must’ve Been the Roses” and “Row Jimmy.” The '73-’74 versions of “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” have a unique character, and this one exemplifies that nicely.
Things start to open up a bit more in the second set. An expansive “Eyes of the World” is partnered with a particularly fragile “China Doll” mid-set, and the concluding take on the complete “Weather Report Suite” is filled with impressive shifts in dynamics and purposeful jamming during a 12-minute “Let It Grow.” That set also has a good “Big River” and an excellent “Ship of Fools” (another new song that year).
Set Three starts with a couple of short selections, hits an early emotional peak with one of the better versions of “To Lay Me Down” from that era, and then really goes into gear with the onset of “Truckin’,” so often a gateway to wondrous possibilities. This one rumbles and wanders and flits and crashes and dashes all over the place during a half-hour exploration that includes what is popularly called the “Mind Left Body” jam and a full-blown Spanish jam, before eventually winding up at the docks for a deep “Wharf Rat.” The set closer, “U.S. Blues,” was one of the anchors of the Mars Hotel album (and an FM radio hit at the time); a perfect summer anthem.
All Dave’s Picks releases are mastered to HDCD specs from the original vault tapes by Jeffrey Norman, and include a booklet containing an essay about the show and period photos. The Digipak is made of 100% recycled and PCW materials on heavier paper stock due to high demand. The limited edition consists of 12,000 numbered copies.
— Blair Jackson
DAVID LEMIEUX ON VOLUME 2 & MORE
David Lemieux sits down for a seaside chat about his favorite moments on Dave's Picks, Volume 2: Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT - 7/31/74 and sheds a little light on how Dave's Picks are selected. Watch the video here:
dead comment
Well Looky There...
Cool, I'll have to get this.
Bring it on!
Great cover! I hope there will be a t shirt!!
The Gift that keeps on giving!
Bonus disc cover!
Seastones (Phil Lesh and Ned Lagin)
Great show
Oh Yeah!
question
Can't Wait!!!
All right....
Stone the crows
are those Canadian Geese?
Toungue-in-cheek humorous cover
YES YES
Bonus Disc...
bonus disc
Bonus Disc
Wondering Why
bonus disc
Dave's 3
Man, I was sure there was
10-30-1977
Box Set
Is this the complete show
No Seastones
Seastones
And, by the way, this
A promising volume
Thanks for No Seastones
dp56
Seastones
Personally...
rolling stone blurb
Seastones
Seastones via Optional Download???
"Moans Of Terror": Phil & Ned (Seastones)
Phil & Ned (Seastones)
Seastones cont...
Seastones cont...
Seastones via Optional Download
My oh my
A cascading stream
Limited Edition Of Unknown Content
'74 Sound and GD Movie
WOS Road Trips
It is just one idea
The best Seastones on cd
I agree