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Great video, Dave! You have improved, or at least in my humble opinion, and at least on this one there is very little wind noise. Good information on the return of these tapes. Thank you again.

My guess is that is Phil; that's his brand of humor. I think he is shushing the audience because it is the quiet introspective part. You can hear the crowd getting a bit rowdy in that part.

And now I'm signing off until the first day of the next announcement, be it a DaP or another box because things don't get better around here with time. Though highly unlikely, peace again and very much looking forward to this box and two DeadandCo shows at Fenway Park! Oh, and Phish the week before in Mansfield! Peace and sweet!

Have the infamous betty boards from the storage locker auction, been returned? I thought that guy wanted insane money for them, and the dead were not ever going to "buy" whats rightfully theres....has anyone heard anything about this? I certainly have not, and it seems it would be huge news!!! Any truthful insight would surly be appreciated!!! "The kids, they dance, and shake their bones."

the bear is out of hibernation

Since this box is being released in May, I wonder if there will be a 2nd box released later this year? If so, perhaps it may be "MAY 1977, part 2" The New Haven, Boston, Ithaca, & Buffalo shows. Or the Ark 1969 shows. Time will tell ...

I was thinking the exact same thing Cross Eyed. Maybe a June announcement for a September release.

This set looks great. I agree with Dave 100% (go figure) ...the 77 box is great but its hard telling one show apart from the next. Its nice when each show has that much more character. For the Spring 90 boxes...there were very few repeats so its very easy to remember the feel of a certain show even though the energy level was similar. For the 30 Trips box...well, every show being from a different year, gave each show a tremendous amount of character. Personally, I'd like to see more releases like the 30 Trips. I know several people have always requested something like a Red Rocks Box (probably not gonna happen now) but I think something like that would be really cool...either way, I'm sure I'll greatly enjoy whatever they release.

BCE I was under the impression from one of Daves SSC's that there would be more than one box coming in the near future...which would be cool.

Story as of two years ago by Dean Budnik, Relix: http://www.relix.com/articles/detail/whats_become_of_the_bettys

So does Betty get a cut?

Now i know what Rodins' The Thinker is all about. To postulate: Will i finish listening to 30 Trips Box before this one lands on the doorstep? mmmm I wonder.

This looks like it will be a lot of fun. Hopefully with this release we will start to learn more about the status of the Betty's and which of the three groups this is from. And maybe what else is in that group that has been acquired by the Dead. Three previously unavailable SB's from 78 - big smiles. Tying two threads together, when did I get on the bus? It was in a couple phases. In 78, I had a friend in high school who turned me on to a few Dead songs during my junior year. That summer I bought "What a long strange trip its' been" (Best of GD) on cassette. It got almost all my play in my car daily on my way to and from work after school. I really loved a lot of the songs on that compilation (Ramble On Rose, Cosmic Charlie, Brown-Eyed Women, Tennessee Jed). Thanksgiving 78 we had the chance to see them live at the Cap Centre during my senior year. They only played about three songs I knew (T Jed, Brown-Eyed Woman, PITB) but it was magic. Probably was on the bus and not gonna jump, but still more to learn. The very next night, they were live on FM from Cap Theatre in Passaic, NJ. I made my very own (and first) bootleg that night off the radio. I only had one blank, and after the first set, I had used most of both sides. Never mind, something else I had taped off the radio was soon taped over as the second set began. That tape sealed it, as if there was ever a doubt, despite still not knowing much of what I was hearing (Shake it Sugar Bee). I played those two cassettes far beyond any reason to expect them to survive, but one of them is still in my old tape box. I was on for good, but still absorbing anything I could. Eventually, I found a path to bootlegs from other people (there is a lot of this stuff, from shows that weren't over the radio? Oh my. I found my way to a few ill sounding bootlegs, always falling back to my own show from Passaic. Then somebody gave me a copy of 7-8-78. The first honest-to-God real bootleg from the underground world in good quality. The Ramble on Rose from that show had a beat that was so different from the official releases it was almost a different song. It bounced, it rolled, it was alive. The Terrapin was an encore? They played Werewolves of London? Looking for bootlegs was no longer something to do and hope it was ok, clearly there was a world of access out there far deeper than I realized, and I had to have more. I had been on the bus, but I found out it had been the local (show to show when they came to town, albums, the odd radio show). Now I was on the long-haul bus, get everything possible to listen to, as there are gems undreamed of. So that ties the two threads, how I got on the bus, and this release. 7-8-78 means a lot to me, but I imagine it means much the same to many of us. Happy days!

What a great set! The size, price, era, all good! as is the Flac/Alac option. I hope they release a lot of 3 to 5 show boxes across the eras, so people can pick what they like. FOr some of the 80's, where tape quality and performance quality are purported to be inconsistent, I'd be happy with a 10 or so disc set of highlights compiled from a tour or a year, but for 78, the shows were great and the recordings are supposed to be good as well, (I have a couple of these on pirated CD already) so i'm happy to order my box right now!

As my first show was Syracuse in May of '78, I'll be interested in hearing this. FWIW, people should watch the video. There are a lot of comments in this thread that would be cleared up by watching David L. And, it's entertaining as usual. No surprise Spacebro prefers an '87 Red Rocks show. Anyone who has read these boards for a while knows what he tends to like. His review of it makes me want to check it out. I got rid of my 1000 CDRs of live Dead years ago when we moved, since there is now so much officially released. But I recall that the 7/8/78 show was pristine. I do wonder how much better a remaster will sound. I haven't really found that there is a giant upgrade between official releases and good soundboards like virtually all of Betty's are. We'll see. My guess is that there will be at least one more $100-$200 box this year. Based on how much was spent last year, I imagine TPTB will want to put out as much as they think people will buy. And they now think people will buy more than they thought a few years ago. My opinion.

Sing me back home a song I used to hear. Make my old memories come alive.Release The Ark. and turn back the year. Sing me back home before I die

Sweet cover, too. And like someone else said, I, too will exit the comment boards until the next release announcement. I love the first day of comments, but not the eventual (day 2?) "best era" bickering and the incessant whining about not getting the show/era/cover art that was hoped for. Now the question is whether I slow down my 30 Trips listening to incorporate DaP 18 and this box. I'm just finishing DaP 17, and then could get back to 1975, but that leaves a long time before the June '76 release shows up . . .

Ordered HAPPY TUESDAY, DEADLAND!!!!!!!

I believe these three are only available in audience 7/1/78 Arrowhead Stadium: Kansas City, MO • 7/3/78 St. Paul Civic Center Arena: St. Paul, MN • 7/5/78 Omaha Civic Auditorium: Omaha, NE plus first red Rocks shows I am happy David gratefulseconds.blogspot.com

I checked my copy of 7/8/78 against the "official" release copy of Wharf Rat they have up. My copy claims to be "soundboard". The "official" is a hair better, vocals a LITTLE cleaner, sound a LITTLE more focused. I agree and have been saying it for awhile, that all they've done is download a Charlie Miller soundboard and polished it up a bit, but I buy them anyway :-) The good thing is if the buck is tight in your life, you can get the stuff at the archive and not be left out. Some of the other shows in this box though are WAY better than the copies I have. Basic audience with somebody yelling Jerry thru the quietest part of Stella Blue :-) I further like it because it a solid chunk release, you can now cross ALL of 7/78 off the need list, like having all of 75 or all Europe. Just a nice affordable set. Thanks TPTB. I guess no reason now to worry about the Ides of March :-)

Red Rocks 1978. Holy Grail, Batman!

since dave lemieux took over the reins has there been one '78 release that featured a shakedown street? i am aware the first shakedown street wasn't performed until the final day of august at red rocks almost 8 weeks after these red rocks shows. i just don't understand why we always get the same repetitive stuff. there really isn't anything in this box we haven't heard a thousand times before with the exception of: werewolves of london, lazy lightning --> supplication, passenger & it must have been the roses. ----

Yes, repetition in Deadland is a real kill joy. lol And here we go... (so much for waiting until Day 2)

IMO, this is the nicest artwork I have seen on a Dead release in a long time. I like (and own a few of) the '60s style posters done by Wes Wilson, Alton Kelly, Stanley Mouse and the like. This is very reminiscent of that "style," at least to me. While I try not to come on here and bitch about stuff, as we all have a choice to buy/not buy, I haven't really loved most of the Dave's Picks artwork. It's a little too cartoony for me. All of it is at least a little cool, but most of it is not my style. This one looks to be very much my style.

eyes of the roll roll away the eyes dandelions come to mind this release is a classic. 6/10/73 for the next classic, please. then 7/18/72 mawr mawr mawr

repetition is a real killjoy. can you believe some people only listen to this repetitive stuff? thank god i have a comprehensive music collection i can indulge in. ----

Why all of a sudden must you buy something like this with a credit card? Same thing with Dave's Picks subscription. I was a bit annoyed about that but spent it anyway. I'm not into using my CC for a purchase like this. Anyone mind buying one for me as a gift and sending it to my place and ill paypal you right away.

Oroboros must be psyched! Wonder if the liner notes talks about the rain coming in for that Omaha show! Been away for a while - always tried to catch up, but fell farther and farther behind... Hope all is well!

I know that they used multi-track tapes recorded for the Warfield and Radio City Music Hall runs in 1980 and that those tapes were destroyed or reused after releasing Reckoning / Dead Set releases, but do we know if Betty had recorded any of those shows on two track? I know Betty's listed as producer on those two releases... Would be nice to see Betty get the recognition as a producer on this release and a "producer" percentage as well...

Pure speculation, but the way Dave talked around the issue, my guess is that the possessors of the stray Bettys made a deal where they get a cut of the sales of this box. Reading between the lines, it sounded like the return of more tapes would be conditional, perhaps on a percentage of another release (hopefully the trove of Spring '77). End of speculation. I couldn't be happier for this Pick. More versions of these songs from this vintage? Yes please. Can't wait to crank it up. (I say this despite a very deep and wide collection of music from unrelated artists. So there!) Granted, 1978 could be uneven, and Dick's 25 is at the absolute bottom of my playlist. But the highs of that year are very very high and I'm ready for more.

WTF difference does it make that these are individually numbered?

There's a "check out with PayPal" option just right under checkout. Try that.

Awesome -- I don't have enough good 1978! That's quite a statement from Dave that these surpass the spring 1977 box -- have to hear it to believe it. Am hoping that Huntington 4-16-78 will be released eventually -- best Peggy-O ever, Jerry's solo is truly inspired -- in high school, I cranked that when driving around the back roads of New Hampshire. Went to 2 Red Rocks shows for the first time last year (Death Cab For Cutie -- my girl friend's favorite band lol) and Mark Knopfler (one of my favorites). There's a free museum at the top of the stadium that is definitely worth checking out -- 2 interesting tidbits of info I learned there -- first, the Grateful Dead played the most concerts there of any band (24 times if I recall) and second, the Beatles played at Red Rocks in 1964, which I found surprising. Am seeing Bob Dylan there in mid-June this summer (on the drive home from the Telluride blue grass festival). Great timing for this box set coming out in May -- the 1978 Dead shows will be fresh on my mind and obviously played during the drive through Colorado enroute to Red Rocks . . . PS -- the other shows from early July look special -- can't wait to be properly introduced to them PPS -- also looking forward to Dead & Company in Boulder come July 4th weekend!

your combination of avatar and message have me laughing so hard. I agree: who GAF if they are individually numbered? Well someone does I guess. but not me. just gimme dat music.

Hard core collectors like numbered things. I learned this after selling my unnumbered Dave's Picks Vol 1 to someone expecting a numbered copy. I had no idea they HAD numbers until this bitch asked me for a refund. She wasn't a bitch for asking for a refund, she was a bitch for accusing me of trying to rip her off. Anyway, collectors like numbered things. Patagonian - Egypt 1978, released under Dave Lemieux's watch has Shakedown Street. Gary Coleman - whachoo talkin' bout woolus.

Carefull with that axe EugeneThese are the Rob Eaton restored tapes. Nothing more/nothing less. There may be some more in that vein but only Dark Star Rob knows. All Kudos to him.

These are treasured shows.. and like Syracuse, I am really digging the artwork after being lukewarm on the last few. Its got that Van Gough, trippy, Absinthe Orange effect. As for these being the Eaton restored tapes.. perhaps. .but Lemieux does mention Plangent is doing the transfer. Not that it would bother me if it was just the Eaton restored copies. I'm pretty sure that's where some of the AOM material came from. Works for me. I still suspect he's telling the truth and the masters were returned to the vault. We likely have ZuckFun and his group of thugs to thank for this. Thanks Zuck. Finally.. I could be wrong, but it looks almost like Lemeiux has a little buzz in this video. He has squity eyes and he's a bit less jumpy than in some others.

No hat, All cannabis?

..and a good way to escape camera anxiety.

Mission Accomplished On a more serious note, a big Thanks to Rob Eaton and those behind the scenes for fulfilling the mission. It does seem that if Plangent process is involved, then the Betty reels themselves were restored- and maybe a batch of the missing Betty's have found their way home. Green Chili Valverde- came through in the clutch and exploded those fire peppers in a moment of pure jalapeño triumph. What a glorious day for the Squadron of Breathing Dragons and troops of the Ghost Pepper Regiment. We now raise our banner- "Egg Roll Away The Dew!"

Yup. Numbered copies and bonus disks matter. A lot. Good luck trying to find the Academy of Music bonus disk for under $100. Most of you probably don't have cable TV, but if you do, they are showing the movie on VH1 Classic right now. Alternating between that and the play in round. And as always, it is so nice to hear from space and pfox within seconds of this release announcement. I relish the wit and insightfulness of their input. Repetition is crucial. Keep it up girls.

Had dinner with Rob last month when DSO was in town, dropped the word on these shows. Don't know how there can be any complaints of releasing these shows, I never even had heard the first 3, I don’t have many audiences from 78' and Red Rocks ranks with my all time favorite shows. Just the passion and joy that was present in Garcia, which kind of carried over from the Spring, just having too much fun. I'm very excited, now if we can get New Haven, Boston, Cornell & Buffalo, that would be another Great May 77' Part duo, Box Set.

not boards from Omaha and the first night of Red Rocks was mono-only. Tremendous that boards have surfaced. It reminds me of my old chestnut of a story, AND since I didn't get to write the liner notes, here is a preview for those few that haven't heard it. That summer of 1978, when the Dead did actually did circle back to Nebraska......... They played the Omaha Civic Auditorium, where the Dead played once before in 1973.. We got there and the venue was half full (about 4,000) but everyone was chomping at the bit in anticipation to hear them live. I took my Nak 550 into the venue and there was no hassle getting the deck in this time, but remember these were the days before ‘tapers sections’. And each venue or even staff may present a different challenge. But not here, thank goodness. Out in the hallway, the Hell’s Angels wandered about sporting full colors and big grins. They may have been transporting ‘party favors’ and decided to take in a show. Or maybe the Angels were just road tripping with the band (although I didn't see them at the next few shows). My buddy even brought his 68 year old mother to the show. She sat up in the stands “It is just too loud down there!” Anyway, I headed down to the floor with my Nak 550 to set up in front of the soundboard. When I started to get my gear set up and saw this guy beside me with a great rig. Luckily this kind stranger (I have since discovered he was famous taper Bob Wagner) then let me patch out of the back of his deck, which was wonderful as he had a great 8 ft. tall mike stand set-up. He had a Sony deck and mics, but with that high stand his mic’s were well above the crowd noise. We were about 15 to 20 feet in FOB. So Garcia treated us to a blistering Sugaree opener, the kind that drove the crowd wild. His leads mounted into a wave that crests, recedes, regroups, and comes back rolling in with such power and delight that adds a synergistic effect to our frenzied response as his rolling/soaring guitar work lift and subside with the band. Then Beat In on Down the Line, TLEO and now it was Bob’s turn in the spotlight with a Look’s like Rain. About halfway through the song, I suddenly noticed something shimmering in the air between the band and me. I thought “what a fantastic light show! Or have I have shifted into fifth gear just a little early that I scheduled?” I staggered towards that disturbance in front of me to investigate. People were dancing wildly in the middle of the floor as a waterfall played over them. It was about 25 feet in circumference. I put my hand in, water…hand out, no rain..I am standing in front of an indoor waterfall. what to do? I jumped into pouring rain that was INSIDE the middle of the auditorium! Then I stepped back and was out of it. I shook my head and then lunged back into the deluge and danced through Looks Like Rain & then during Direwolf as well and a delightful All Over now. (Complete with Donna in perfect pitch!) Then Candyman and Lazy>Supplication before Bobby informed us “We’re going to take a short break”. I staggered back to reload a new tape and then I did look for some validation of my experience. And I asked my friends if I was not in fact ‘soaking wet’ as I patted my soaked shirt. They grinned knowingly and affirmed that, yes, in fact I was “all wet”. And then this unique show continued, (nice indoor water-feature, boys !) with a killer second set complete with a transportive Estimated> Eyes> drums> Wharf Rat> Truckin> Iko Iko> Around. And then after a lengthy absence from the stage the boys returned to play us ‘Promised Land” as an encore. As I left the auditorium I noticed the water standing on the ground outside, a summer storm? Was this a case of a leaky roof or didn't the Dead just conjure up the forces of nature as they were so prone to do? But back to the important stuff, what were the Dead going to do next? Would Phil rev up his reverse gravity machine and pummel us with Phil-bombs at the next show? Would they levitate the crowd, and have us all dance while floating in the 'cool Colorado range'? I HAD to follow them to those Red Rocks shows in 1978. So a road-trip to Colorado it was. This was the Dead’s first Red Rocks jaunt (and my first as well, although my girlfriend (now wife) had seen Joni Mitchell there previously and raved about the venue) so my anticipation was so ‘high’. (In many ways.) So I packed my taping and camping gear and off we went. When we walked up to the Rocks entrance, the Feyline security crew (or were they the John Scher guys?) were stopping people and inspecting any 'carry in' bags. A security behemoth that I will call “BigBoy’ stopped me at the entrance to look through my Boy Scout backpack. He hefted my NAK 550 out of the pack and held it aloft with one beefy paw, exclaiming “Hey, you can’t take this in!” I gave him my best perplexed look and said “What? It’s just a tape player.” (first lie) Then the giant BigBoy instructs me to “take that back to your car”. I retorted “I can’t, I hitchhiked to the show” (second lie). Beefy Bruiser BigBoy points to my ticket and says “the ticket says no recorders on it, you can't take it in” and I tell him “look, I don’t have any microphones” (third lie) and hold up my arms to be searched (of course my comrades had the mics with them). Then I sighed loudly and popped open the back of the Nak deck and let eight D cell batteries drop onto the ground. “Look, I dumped out the batteries, it can't record”. (lie number four) BigBoy stood there with his arms crossed in front of me, but I could see a small crack in his resolve. So I pulled that thread “Look, I hitchhiked all the way here from Nebraska to see this show, would you hold onto this deck for me? It cost me $600 (which in ’78 was a lot of dough) but if you just hold it for me, and then I will find you after the show. You look like an honest guy.” (fifth lie, this guy didn't look trustworthy). I push the Nak towards him, and this deck is huge and weighs a ton, (a goddamn boat anchor). I really played my trump card here and was trying to hold my ‘gameface’, Suddenly all the heads waiting in line behind (and all my friends) erupt with yells at the BigBoy to 'hurry up' and started chanting “let us in”. BigBoy gives his mullet a shake and then he points into the venue and looks at me and exclaims “Go on, get out of here” and I dive headlong into my first Red Rocks show with a grin a mile wide(high)! Followed by Mary with my mics and my buddies with my fresh batteries (re: lie number four) and my blank tapes. The batteries that I dumped out for BigBoy were already ‘dead’ (pun intended). I again ran into that ‘kind stranger’ (Dr. Bob Wagner, FOB right side)) to plug out of his Sony again. Those two shows were stupefying, and the band obviously enjoyed playing there. Bobby's deer joke, and I remember Phil leading the boys through “Cold Rain & Snow” with his bass punching that tune into a triumphant ‘strut’ that evening.I recall Jerry broke a string during the Scarlet>Fire, which really didn't slow the pace of that perfect evening. On into Dancin' >NFA > Black Peter > Around & Around and then a dual encore of US Blues & Johnny B Goode. The next night was much the same. Each night we would watch the clouds chase each other in the sky as the band serenaded us. Until it became dark and then we looked out ‘over’ the Dead to see the distant lights of Denver sparking in the background. Second night second half, we were treated to a tremendous Estimated > Other One> Eyes of the World > drums> Wharf Rat > Franklin's Tower > Sugar Mag. The crowd was especially raucous as Wharf Rat wound to that tender quiet point and Phil (or was it Bobby) gave a "shhhhh" to quiet us in preparation for the wonderful 'launching' platform/crescendo that night. Those evenings the Dead's aural wonders were matched with the Red Rocks astounding visuals as we were perched in between those massive stony slabs jutting into the sky (and the Dead had a good view as well looking back at us from the stage). As the Dead those two evenings took us all on an astounding journey of Americana, myth, rock and roll, country, space, jam, fable, fun, roller coaster, and turn on a dime delights, it all 'rolled into one'. And then as the Dead finished us all off with “Werewolves of London” we were all crooning back to the dead with our own howl of “Aoooooo”. And Garcia was grinning ear to ear as he bid us all a “good night”. Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.

...there will be a second box of roughly this size later in this year!Bet it will be '80s too! I don't bet this next part, but I can dream: June '85 East Coast run (6/27-7/2, 5 shows)? Much like this leads to the 7/8/78 "cornerstone" show, the '85 run would feature a "cornerstone" show, 6/30/85. Also, boxes of this size are a decent opportunity to distribute more copies of the 30T CDs. As long as the 30T shows are part of a box, they can re-released on CD! (just not "individually", NEVER "individually"!)Since those shows are already mastered, etc, using them could actually reduce production costs for GDM. I.E., a 6/85 box could include the 30T show 6/24/85... Change is in the air...

Dave buzzed in the video? Perhaps. Certainly he was excited enough to play some "air piano" at 9:04. I love these vids. Great release (duh), three "new" soundboards and two long time favorites at an affordable price--that's just exactly perfect. I don't think I've listened to these Red Rocks shows since the old cassette days so it will almost be like hearing them new again. Oroboros--good to hear from you and thanks for the stories. They're worth repeating, especially now; in fact you've got me pretty excited to hear that Omaha show.

good call for that 85 box. everyone wins that one, too. GREEK BOX. I'd take out a second mortgage for that.

Oroboros - Great story!

maybe a subtle, or not so subtle hint to the wife will work ;) Not that it's very expensive, just that I've spent quite a bit on music this year already. And she doesn't quite get this obsession...

Oroboros, Didn't you give your statue to Jerry in Omaha? http://www.dead.net/show/july-5-1978 The shows that are essentially new to me are KC and St. Paul. I read about the Omaha show on Dead.net and picked up the audience copy. The soundboard will be a very welcome upgrade. I wonder how they did patch-wise with 7/8. The matrix will be very hard to top in my book, it fills in the missing places on the soundboard. It also incorporates the audience into the recording. The first track with the tuning and fooling around looks like it is missing here. http://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1978/7/8-4/getting-everything-just-ex… Is 7/7 mono or not? I seem to have missed discussion of that. Finally, the Wharf Rat on the listening party sounds great! Thanks Dead.net! Hooray!

Grateful Dead, and everything else. Zuck- brilliant pepper post. Oroboros- Thank you for your service to our country.