Grateful Dead

I think it's universally known by now that dead.net get their CDs made by the world's worst company, which is a great shame considering how much effort Rhino put into tape restoration, packaging etc. It seems self-defeating to spoil what would otherwise be a fine product just to save a few bucks. It defies logic.

just realized it was 29 years ago this month that we got in the old van and tripped up to the first Furthur festival after our Jerry made the trip up to heaven. Quite a show with Bruce and Mickey and Bobby all there with their new bands. I remember J. Johnnie Johnson on the piano during a killer Big Boss Man that moved right into that tune "Drink Tangueray" that Johnnie sang and played a mean piano lead on. That great rendition of Bobby's Throwing Stones and that great encore Knockin on Heaven's door. Hot Tuna was, like their name, hot but Jorma seemed a bit out of place during the ending all star jam, all ways used to think that he would have made a great replacement for Jerry in the band, but after this show, not so much.
good times.
Just got an email from Robin Trower showing off his 50th anniversary offering of "For Earth below" 4 cd release with new stereo cut of original, original studio release, cd of outtakes and rarities with a bit of a show from the BBC in 75 plus the 75 show from LA. Check out his site for set lists and more details, one of my favorites. He's touring right now in the midwest and will be out west in October and November.
Just want to shout out for Mick Ralphs, another of my guitar heroes. Mott the Hoople and Bad Company both so good. There were 2 or 3 good Mott lp's before all the young dudes, they just did not get the air time or the record company promotion that they deserved. If Mott had been with swan song from the beginning like Bad Company was, they might be more well known and appreciated.
Been checking out ETR box and at first I did not like the concept, now, I get it and some of these shows probably would not have seen the light of day except for this box. Like the mega box before it, this box has some great hidden gems that I have discovered and some I have yet to find. Onward or if you prefer, furthur on.
I dare not check the news as I can't stand what they are doing to our country, music helps.

....one reason why I love them. I bet I get it by Monday.

Ordered this morning, got shipping notice.

By the way, the 1978 show from the box is really good!

....3.1.69 Fillmore West vinyl. A recent addition to my humble collection from someone here.
You will never regret being kind.
New Potato Caboose with complimentary Phil Bombs will always get my juices flowing.

I haven't gone back through all the comments, so forgive me if I'm being redundant here. I find the cassette to be a bit of a novelty, kind of like the stickers and backstage passes and keychains, etc.

But, it is a show or most of one anyway. I found a company online (and this is not a plug, there are many) but I went with Nostalgic Media out of GA. It was about $50 and change, I sent them the cassette, they digitized it onto cd and mP3 and returned to me. I burned into iTunes and now it resides in the hallowed halls of our Grateful Dead listenable library.

The quality is alright (it sounds about like a cassette!) and the show is meh, but I couldn't stop myself.

Cheers!

\m/

....Klipsch is good.

Very interesting show? Got check out again!

PS I get my ketamine right from the tap!

Really Nice, He Was A Friend...

6/7 Star!!!

A very good friend, you might know him, did me a solid on the cassette. PM me if you are cassette deck challenged and/or need a solid on the cassette. It's worth a go.

listened to that 6/7 Dark Star yesterday and it goes places!! Really dug tha 6/7 slice Dire Wolf > Duprees > Mountains of the Moon > Dark Star . . . .

Grahame Lesh and Friends (The Heart of Town) looks like some nice SF shows. Lots of nice musicians. Three nights at Pier 48 July 31 - Aug 2. August first and second are after the D&C shows which means an 11 pm start. Wish I had the strength to travel like that. Last Bay Area trip was 1989 Greek shows.

Fallen behind again hope to catch up this weekend as summer now on us makes it some time to relax indoors.

Peace to the family!

G

Mars Hotel was released 51 years ago today. What a great record from beginning to end. I sure wish the Dead would have played Pride of Cucamonga live.

.....arriving tomorrow.
Dead dot net. Take notes from RGM!

HOT

I got through the Avalon cassette and then life happened. By life, I mean a one year old. Anyway, he’s off with his mother this weekend which frees up some time, put on the ‘89 Deer Creek show and it’s a good one.

But I also stumbled into a 30 trips box, minus a couple discs, priced at the original dead dot net price so I feel like it’s a win. However, a few of the shows were previously loved a little too hard and looked like they’ve been skipped off the pavement, so I had to put on the GGP 1975 show to make sure she played okay, made it through disc one with no issues. Will have to pick up the rest in the morning.

One thing about RGM’s DP4 reissue is that the dark star and TOO are both split up. I can’t do it anymore with vinyl, unless it’s a one or two LP, I think I’m passing on their future releases. CDs and streaming are made for the dead. Hope everyone is enjoying their ride so far. Can’t wait to get back into it. I think I’m going to the Fillmore 1969 next!

Take me to the Promised Land, Via The Spaceship!!!

Has anyone bought the "broadcast" boxes they have of dylan on amazon.

Worth it?

Looks like a great new series. I bought the first one that popped into my field of view, which is Journey 1976-1983. The computer mind has since started populating my feed with other ones. Have to listen to Journey first, will not receive until July 18th, I think.

The complete show is available.
Listening to

gd1969-04-05.136650.sbd.reelmaster.dat.sirmick.flac16

and it sounds good.

I also have a Miller copy but haven’t yet compared sound quality.

Being that all 3 nights are available, with my copies of the 4th and 6th being from FM, this would make a grate mini Box.

Did 800 miles in the car this past week so I had some solid, uninterrupted time to listen.

8/12/79 - first listen ever. Surprised me repeatedly. Passenger to close set I? Don't Ease in middle of Set II? Lost Sailor without Saint? Yeah!! And that NFA groove was outstanding. Lot of goodness there.

3/14/81 - can't remember who posted here about it - Bluecrow? - but I brought this one along, too, and I was NOT disappointed. I have the MSG shows from a few days earlier, and I'll have to go back and listen to those for a fair comparison. But my takeaway was that this show was the hottest of those three. An arbitrary threesome, but there it is.

3/1/69 - Vguy, I love that show so much. It always makes me happy when others are enjoying it, too.

30 Trips - Charles, that's a nice find. I went at that box piecemeal, and it was a mistake to do so. BITD I was picking up those shows for roughly $40 each. But when I added in the box itself + book and scroll (at $200) plus some of the later shows purchased at higher price points, I realized I'd spent a solid $1500 (!) and I'm still missing 5 of the shows. Now that individual shows rarely sell for less than $80, I will just live with the set being incomplete. This is why I bought Enjoying the Ride without hesitation. Even if I never listen to some of the shows, it will still be cheaper than trying to piece together the stuff I truly want to have.

6/5-6/8/69 - this has been hot. I got stuck on it for awhile when the box first came out. I need to finally get to that Avalon cassette.

Closed the trip with some of Spac 6/27/85 and Set II of Hershey 6/28 because, hey, "it was 20 AHEM no, 40 years ago today..."

This is the third of the three 1973 cds in the Pacific Northwest 73-74 box set. Overdoing the "third" word inadvertently, but the third cd of this show is phenomenal. Particularly "The Other One", which for some inexplicable reason drifts into "Me and Bobby McGhee" after about 6 minutes. Phil's bass is maybe the loudest instrument in the mix - sounds awesome. All the 1973 shows in this box are excellent. I think I prefer them to the more celebrated ones in the HCS box.

Yes, it can add up quickly. I was resigned to never finding this one without shelling out a small fortune. Even lost out on one when I was outbid for $1,200. It sold for a little over $1,300 if my memory serves me. Now the box I have is pretty beat up, but I’m okay with it because I don’t display the boxes. The book and scroll were included, as was a backstage pass (8/21/93) and ticket stub (10/30/91), didn’t know if that was original to the box set or someone threw them in as a bonus?

I am missing first discs for the 1972 and 1985 shows. If it had to be a disc I’m glad it’s the first discs in both shows. What shows are you missing?

Re: Enjoying the ride, the 1989 deer creek show was a fun one. Some highlights for me: candyman, Peggy-o, queen jane, and bird song. Crazy fingers is good, kind of a sloppy transition into truckin, but after that pure gold. The china doll>watchtower>stella is great.

I put my last post, about 6/26/73 in the wrong place - it was supposed to be in the one about what we are listening to now, not comments on the Box Set. Must be the heat.

Wowza! 42 minutes of dark star on disc 2, both very good. But the 6/7 acoustic dire wolf>duprees>mountains is phenomenal. The playing on he was a friend of mine (6/5) is superb better than 6/8 I think. The 6/8 china cat is outstanding. It leads into a great new potato caboose. Jerry is on fire throughout. I may listen to all 3 discs again before I move onto Port Chester.

I haven’t heard this issue but they have been repeatedly issued since GWW. A lot has also been issued by the Bob himself. If you don’t have it I would get it. Nice historical stuff pretty good quality and the price is right

I always enjoy reading how people like to collect, what they prioritize, how they evaluate and valuate, etc. It's endlessly fascinating!

I went and checked after I saw your post, and I found that my memory has played tricks on me. For one thing, I'm actually missing 6 of the shows: 1980, 1983, 1986, and 1993-1995. And I spent just over $1600, not $1500. But I have all 30 of these shows as FLACs - the entire box circulates as a torrent. I was mostly just collecting the CDs because it was such a lovely box and I wanted the liner notes easily available.

Now then - each 30 Trips box did come with one ticket and one pass. (Which I believe are originals...? Unlike the Spring 1990 set, where the stuff was reproductions.) I think there was a range of dates, too, with at least half a dozen tickets possible (from '91-'93 iirc). Not sure how many different passes were used. My ticket is from 10/27/91. My pass is the same as yours, Autzen 8/21/93.

Glad you posted here since I might have missed it otherwise. I happen to agree with all that you said. I also prefer that show to most of the HCS shows. (Now, a factor may be that I've had years to savor and replay the PNW shows - familiarity may be part of it.)

Talking about this makes me want to play that show again! Thanks for the nudge :)

Another fine pick by DL and company. I love these He's Gone from 80-81, and the jams/songs that follow. This He's gone>Other One is a prime example!!

I'm doing the box in reverse and I look forward to the jams from the early years. I'm extra excited for the Boston 72 portion, as 72 is a major fav of mine!!

Rock on, gang!

Cheers, my friend. I like to check out the different sites looking for recommendations and interesting points of view. Always good to read your posts, and glad you're enjoying the box. 8/12/79 looks good.

In recent years I've bought a lot of GD stuff via the discogs website, in part because they give you the opportunity to set up a 'watch list,' and then they email you when items on your watchlist come available. These email show the prices that sellers are asking, so you get a pretty good sense of how prices are trending. And I'm here to tell you: they're not going down.

There are items like, say, DaP 9 just for example, that I've wanted for years. When I first started tracking it, copies were going for about $120. Wish I had pulled the trigger then, because now you're lucky to find one for $180. Same with the Winterland '77 box: you used to could get those for $350, now it's $475 for a mere VG+ copy. Or $400 if you don't want the bonus disc, but shee-it, you got to have the bonus disc, don't you?

The moral of this tirade is clear: If you want something, just buy it now. Sell the kids, mortgage the car, if you must, but buy now. Because the price ain't coming down, and you need more shows.

Speaking of which, I was able to place my order for the DiP 4 vinyl while out of state on vacay via my phone, even though this required furtively poking at it while pretending to be breakfasting with friends. Hated to be one of "those people" who can't put down the phone long enough to have a nice meal with actual humans, but you gotta do what you gotta do. My order's confirmed, but no shipping now even 3 days later, which is unusual for Real Gone. I'm not worried. Yet.

You don't need the bonus disc as the whole show is in the May 1977 box
However I do have it ripped as wavs if you're desperate!

My wife and I are cleaning up the "library" room and dumping a ton of books. If you know my cd collection it's on that scale!

Anyway, in cheap action genre I was into Mac Bolan, The Executioner. These books are shitted out by some cheap company, "bodice rippers" for men. Well I have the first 350 of them. Anyone have interest a good start on this series?

Let me know, good deal available.
Dennis

I sent you a PM.

Just saw these are in stock. Finally pulled the trigger. Heads up for others heads like me. Late to the Party but price seems fair. Meanwhile I continue deeply contemplating the ALAC files for the ETR Box. One of these days…..

Inspired by Crow Told Me…..

Love the MNS 3-CD compilation set from the latest box! Lotta listens and love.

....he went out to the back porch last night, laid down and never got back up.
Found him this morning.
Just turned 14.
You aren't tired anymore my friend. Go. Run!
He was a goodest boy. And we couldn't ask for a more peaceful way to say goodbye to him.
But, like Jim said, "he got to hear that DP4 vinyl Dark Star."

Sorry to hear about Frisco. Dogs are the best and they're family!!

The Sunshine Box versus the PNw Box, Daverock brings up an interesting analysis!

I am a bit biased and not impartial due to where I live in the Pacific Nw and that is clear from the avatar I use for this site. Though I must say, on a technical standpoint the HCS Box of mostly May and them two back to back June 1973 shows are really textbook 1973 (pre WRS~Let it Grow) Dead of it's era. The May shows seem more like expositions as they were all a week apart, had similar set lists, and were not connected to any tour per se. The June shows are a bit more stratospheric in my opinion, and the one night had the Allman Bros. join in with the Dead on stage but the May shows are no bunk by any means. {Even when Donna inadvertently exclaims in song about Abraham & Issac 'shitting' on a fence or a well! She would make up for it with the excellent GSET's at the Vancouver B.C. & Portland shows.}
Anyways, long ramble ebbed, I would fully agree about the June '73 mini tour of B.C., PdXs, & Seattle all in a row are a much better triad of shows than the May '73 run of Iowa, Santa Barbara, and Kezar Stadium. Kezar on its own may rival the PNw Box shows as an individual offering, but I still think it gets edged out by any of the "Believe it if you Need it" bunch.
Makes sense that the band was musically on an elevated level that particular summer with a trajectory that would keep becoming more dazzling as they would hit a peak there about the time of the Watkin's Glen shows.

Also to anyone getting the MsG NYc Brent Box, I applaud your purchase! That is one box that I have enjoyed thoroughly, and all these years later I still continue to make playlists with it. The box had sold out just recently for about a couple of weeks but they must've found a few more somewhere. So those lucky ones still able to grab it up, good for you! Hope you enjoy that early '80 ride the way I still do. The March 1981 shows fit in real good with the '81 shows from the ETR~60th~Big Box, as does Dick's #13 too from May '81 in Nassau, NY. Grate stuff indeed!

My condolences to the bereaved family & friends of Frisco the Dog. I still ain't over my pets passing, all these years later. Heartache & heartbreak, fuckin' damn!
Gotta get Grateful!

....that Frisco knew the time was short. We all knew.
So, he did the best thing he could do.
Went out the door, as he always did, and said goodbye.
I bet he was looking at the night sky, as he was known to do. Loved the heat.
Loved fireworks as well.
Ill shoot some extras buddy.

Yeah I defiantly got one of those going on my computer for Spring 1981, it's kinda spread out and not from all the same series. Unlike say the Dave's Picks Spring 1973 4 shows + a Bonus disc, they are all perfect in that sense. Although if you broke trend & added the Nassau '73 from the ETR~60th~Big Box it would be five. Anyways,...
I start with the two NYc March 1981 MsG shows from the Garden Box, then on to the Hartford show in March from this thread's Box. Follow that with the May '81 Hampton show from the same Box and end the trip with Dick's Picks #13 from Nassau, NY.

Kinda in the same theme from my last post about the HCS & PNW Boxes, one could take the Sunshine Box and tack on at the end all 1973 shows from the PNW Box for a pretty damn fine stealth mini box of some sorts. All 8 shows in a row as they originally toured it!

Finally Box Vs. Box 1978! I only own one of these but what's the consensus or separate opinions of the April '78 Devils Box from last year compared to the Red Rocks July '78 Box from 2016?

Both April and July 78 box sets are fantastic! But to pick a winner is a tall order. April 78 finds the band riding high from the banner year 1977. The July box finds the band in full 1978 kicking ass and taking names mode. I know , April box kicks ass too, but as I sit here and type, I might have to give the edge to July 78.......Damn, this is hard!! LOL

Rock on, gang

Very sorry for the loss of your companion.

For me the June shows are the apex of this box too. Not to say that the May shows are unworthy - I think PF highlighted the 4th cd of 5/13/73 recently - and if so I agree - if not I'll highlight it myself. Mind blowing !

One major confession - if 5/26/73 hadn't been written about as one of the all time greats, then I would never have identified it as such myself. Obviously very, very good - but not in the same category as the June shows or the PNW ones for me. The balance between shorter songs and longer ones is just too much in favour of shorter ones for my liking. This is also the case with a couple of the Daves Picks shows from Spring 73.

Sorry for your loss, it's never easy. Dogs are truly special animals. It's amazing how much time passes and you'll still think of the dog and wonder. It's making me tear up typing this. Sorry again. As Phil once sang, "such a long long time to be gone and a short time to be there," maybe cliche, but nonetheless true.

To some of the other posts:

78 box: even though it's fewer shows, I'm choosing July 78--for some reason it speaks to me more. The two red rocks shows, hard to beat. And I really love the 7/1 show. Something about the Dead outdoors.

Tougher call on PNW v. HCS, and to totally contradict myself, give me PNW shows. Those shows are all grate (and indoors). I think it's just the vibe of the PNW and how the dead played there. Obviously the 6/9 and 6/10 RFK shows are grate too, but I also agree with Dave and the Kezar show was good, but I preferred the Iowa show over that one. I listened to them in chronological order and 5/26 fell flat to my ears in that context.

I always miss when they throw up the extras on the site, and it appears the Giants Stadium box was thrown up there too and I don't have that one--at the time I opted for the break out show only (6/17/91) and have regrets about it. I wish I didn't care about sound quality and could do as others do and simply live off streams and archive.org but I simply cannot--just need more shows.

DaP55 should be announced within the next week or two. Any guesses? I'm guessing a 1980 show--would love to see Lewiston, Maine (9/6/80) get the treatment--high energy show from the band and crowd! I believe there have only been 5 full show releases from the year, 8/23, 9/3 and 9/4, 11/28, and 11/30...plus all the dead set and reckoning material. Partial stuff from 5/6 and 5/7, and the Go to Nassau compilation. I think 1980 is due...

Got a little choked up yesterday but feel the need to send condolences today. As others have said, we will always remember our best friends. I had 17 years with my border collie Zooey. I think I remember a pic you had with the dogs on your avatar some time ago. The good times live on in our memories. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers to Frisco

As to the 1978 boxes, no contest for me. It's July for sure. While the Devil box is very good it just doesn't quite reach the level of growling swagger that July has. Full disclosure: I am biased. Just look at my name.

Yup, it's July for me too.

Thanks for being such amazing friends with Vguy for so many years. Sounds like you left him with plenty of warm memories to soothe his soul. Smiles, laughs and tears. Dogs are the best! Onward.

(July '78. . . or maybe not? Sheesh)

Sorry for your loss Vguy. Always hard to lose a member of the family, especially a dog.

Comforting vibes to you and the rest of Frisco's family. Always hard to read of a companion animal's passing, never a dry eye. This one no exception. Green meadows, cool clear water, and butterflies to chase, for Frisco.

MSG box...like the Candyman. Saw that come around, grabbed one, before it's gone again. Arrives Wed. Missed a couple times already. Been checking that availability daily since site issues last month, pleasantly surprised a few more turned up last week.

DaP 55 guess...I went with 8/25/93 Shoreline, on June 7 (54 thread) because I had seen a receipt for this years subscription in a reddit that appeared to leak the 3rd show of this year. I'll stick with that.