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May 1977: Get Shown The Light (All Music Edition)
WHAT'S INSIDE:
Four Complete Shows on 11 discs
Four folios housed in a slipcase
5/5/77 Veterans Memorial Coliseum: New Haven, CT
5/7/77 Boston Garden: Boston, MA
5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
5/9/77 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Buffalo, NY
50-page book of liners and photographs
Sourced from the Betty Cantor-Jackson soundboard recordings, transferred by Plangent Processes
Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
Artwork by Grammy-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
Release Date: May 5, 2017
WHAT DEAD HEADS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT...
NEW HAVEN 5/5/77
"Here is a prime example of the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ … It’s called synergy and the Dead wrote the book on it.”
BOSTON 5/7/77
“The music they laid down brought me places I had not been before.”
CORNELL 5/8/77
“...the single best rock performance anywhere, anytime, by anyone.”
“There was just some kind of magical connection this night between the band members and the band and the audience - some texture, or some type of cosmic or celestial force is in the room.”
"This show is, was, and always will be Mecca.”
BUFFALO 5/9/77
"...an awesome display of the Dead’s captivating power"
If you've been following this site for quite some time, then you will know we are often flush with hyperbole when it comes to our releases. We can't help it, really - for we, like you, are Grateful Dead fans above all else. Just like you, we've spent countless hours debating the merits of show over show, year over year. We've kept a watchful eye on your wish-lists and carefully considered how to make - excuse the cliché - your dreams come true. And once we've made our commitments, we are steadfast in our determination to conjure up those dreams fully-formed and nearly perfect. Sometimes these heights cannot be reached without physical and cosmic elements aligning, and that, dear friends, is why it has taken so long for us to bring you THE ONE and the epic shows that surrounded it. No need for even the slightest embellishment here, 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, has for decades, been THE resounding favorite; you've said it yourselves - the "holy grail" of Grateful Dead shows. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of Dead Heads like you, we are beyond pleased to finally be able to present this show and its brethren, the fabled four of Spring '77, in sonically pristine condition.
MAY 1977: GET SHOWN THE LIGHT is a collection of what is unanimously believed to be the most sought-after previously unreleased complete shows the Grateful Dead ever played. Collected, traded, and debated for decades, "the beloved Golden Trinity" of Boston, Ithaca, and Buffalo, along with their New Haven prelude, have inspired fans to "get on the bus," converted critics, and even garnered national attention (Cornell was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry). But until now, you've never really heard them quite like this!
The Dead is in the details... how serendipitous is it that the notorious Betty Cantor-Jackson soundboard recordings were returned to the archive just in time for the 40th anniversaries of these shows? Lovingly sourced from these well-reputed recordings, we invite you to experience four utopian shows just like they happened, to "be inside the music" as engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson intended. Whether you listen to each night on its own or imbibe the whole lot at once, we suspect you'll hear why every note mattered. Much like we were, you will be hard-pressed to determine which of these fine documents - will it be the understated but nuanced New Haven, Boston's festive fantasy vibes, the monumental catharsis of Ithaca, or Buffalo’s dreamy exuberance - is truly "the best." Does it really matter? We think not.
4/22/78
also has a serious Not Fade Away. as well a serious Eyes Of The World, a fine Estimated Prophet, great Wharf Rat and a mighty fine Sugar Magnolia and It Must Have Been The Roses. I should've been listening to 7/4/89 today but why go the obvious route when I can take the scenic route through 4/22/78? also Kjohn let us not forget some of those Let It Grow versions on the 80's Trips 5/16/81 and 6/24/85 I share show notes with someone in here and those definitely got a mention in my notes of highlights.
Dead Singles Release Vol 1
Hey everyone, i'm just realizing that i never downloaded the mp3 files from the first Singles 7" release.. or maybe there wasnt a download offered..?
Does anyone know if there was an official release for the first singles roll out?
Dead Singles Release Vol 1
I believe I got the download when i placed the order for the subscription. Check the order confirmation email
I just confirmed, it was on the original receipt of sale
Siruis Grateful Dead on the 4th of July Weekend
My uncle and cousin think I'm some sort of idiot savant because I rattled off the year and sometimes the show of a streak of songs on the Sirius Grateful Dead station. They don't know how easy it is to pick the year on virtually anything. 1974 - lots of Fender Rhodes and tinny sound; 1978 - Weir on the slide; 1977 - smooth as can be and sounds great - can't be '76 or '78 because Keith is on the Moog synth; first half '72 - sounds great and there's Pigpen's organ and Keith's piano; and so on.
WRS
"This one doesn't have a name yet, but anyway, this is how it goes..." Checkout this link to an acoustic demo before Bobby had even named it!https://youtu.be/k7-4XirBj9A
Sketches of Spain
So the cool thing about listening to the Dead with "older" ears is the pull for me to try to understand more of what drew me in as a youngster. Thanks JiminMD for your direction regarding some of the early Dead jams. It's funny, for instance, I always recognize a Spanish Jam but in my younger years I don't recall ever calling it that. So when I was reading in Phil's book that it was based on some of the music from the album Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis, I was awe-ified. Phil is quite a good writer. I've enjoyed his book immensely. Has anyone listened to Sketches of Spain? I've got it on cue for streaming. Perhaps it'll be worth a purchase.
Good evening folks.
Amy in NY
By all means, dive into Sketchs. And try Kind of Blue as well. Great intros to Miles.It was said that Spain was the one jazz LP every woman had in the 60s to get into jazz, wine, candles and love.
I love Miles There are so many great albums in his catalog but those two are a great entry point.
Enjoy......
More music
I can't get enough. And not just the Dead.Lately bluegrass has been huge. I bought a mandolin and that's been a blast. Totally different from guitar and that's half the fun frankly mr Shankly......................get that one?
RIP, Officer Familia
I didn't know you, but my buddy in my locker room did. He said you were always smiling and full of jokes and fun to be around.
BLM, but not yours, apparently. So sad the world is like this now.
Miles Davis suggested listening
With the caveat that it is ALL worthwhile, I particularly like:
On the Corner
In a Silent Way
Tribute to Jack Johnson (particularly like John McLaughlin's contributions here!)
And some live albums:
Live Evil
Agharta/Pangea
These are all from the early 70s period. Bitches Brew should probably be in there too but I'm pimping the underdogs here!
Sketches of Spain-Amy
I listened to this album for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't believe how beautiful it sounded. Either the music has changed-or I have-because I don't remember it sounding THIS good.
I bought the 1965-1968 box set of what is referred to as Miles second great Quintet the other week. And great it is. The first three cds feature mind boggling jazz. I always liked listening to how the Dead interacted as musicians-I guess we all do-and these cds allow for the same type of listening, albeit in the jazz medium. Its a lot to get your head round-and all the better for it!
The music seems to change on the 4th cd of this box. There is a great, 33 minute track called Circle in the Round which is sort of trance rock-nothing like what I think of when I think of his electric period, which I always found a bit frenetic. This is quiet-almost meditative. I suppose it could be considered as the precursor to In A Silent Way. Which is also a great album. Listening to Miles Davis is something of a voyage of discovery, I am beginning to find!
Yes sir Dilbert
Some Girls ARE bigger than others!
Been hitting this CD heavy for some reason this morning. I vividly recall my introduction to the album. At a party and There is a Light started to play and all the exotic goth girls got up to dance. I was a bit older than them, but it was a joy to behold. And I bought the record the following day.
From there, the Cure etc found it's way to my stereo.
The distance of time crystallizes the moments of youth for the lucky who are brave enough to glance back.
Miles' Sketches
Very good album but I don't believe you need to be a woman to enjoy it FloridaBob ;) I hear where the Spanish Jam comes from --a track on Sketches called Solea. Compare it to Spanish Jam from 2/11/70--Dead with the Allman Brothers. Cool stuff, and good feedback on Miles. I have some of his stuff somewhere. I'll be sure to give it another listen.Peace...
Get shown the Light replacement disc
Hey gang,Is anyone else still waiting on a replacement disc for the 5/5/77 disc 2 show?
Just wondering.
Thanks!
5/5 CD2 replacement
Got an email today saying that they were checking with the warehouse.
Miles
The complete On the Corner Sessions is one of my all time favorite boxed sets. Excellent playing and recording engineering/production, although it may take some getting used to. I have to agree with Daverock's suggestion about the 1965-1968 Box set - great stuff!
Take care and enjoy the music...
re: Miles
Just coming back full circle to where (I think?) this Miles convo started....I will say that I acquired the Dead & Co. show from Atalanta (6/13) and went straight to that 'Milestones'.
It was as awesome as I recalled in the moment it happened; Jeff takes it by storm and off it goes. Mr. Mayer is totally all over the jazzy runs for about 5 minutes, sharing with Oteil and of course Jeff. It's moments of pure bliss and joy - and they sound fucking awesome. The rest of this show is very solid as well.
Just thought I would toss that back out there for a bookend (or bookmark).
Otherwise, I do enjoy all of the back and forth and opening of doors and looking under rocks for this stuff.
Sixtus
@Sixtus
I will second that, I was at that show and you could tell Jeff was going to be a force to be reckoned with in that show. That might be the best I have heard him play in any show to date and then in the middle of space he just takes over the ship and drives it where he wanted.
Re: Miles and Milestones
First.. a shoutout for both Chimenti and Burbridge. The heart and soul of Dead & Company regardless of their titles (or lack thereof).
Second.. I thought Milestones was one of if not the single highlight of the tour. I have yet to listen to the Saturday night NY show.. so take that into account. ..and yes, Chimenti certainly did shine in Atlanta.
NCDead, Ice Cream Kid and others got a nice treat.. wish I was there.
Back to the Miles discussion.. it was actually in full swing before Atlanta, which is what made the out of the blue Milestones so cool and serendipitous. I don't know who started it, I think it was just a random comment about Miles at the FW, 1970.. but I would not be surprised at all if it was deadicated or daverock that originally brought it up. It seemed to organically arise from the flow of the conversations.. but was in full bloom at the exact moment they played it in Atlanta. Almost as if they were reading this crap we write.
A small shoutout to zuckfun.. just noticed he was in this when it was fresh.
Have a good weekend everyone.. do something fun and spread a little joy, good news or do something unexpected and nice to someone.
alright, Led....
You nearly enticed me back on to defend the honor of Weather Report & Lazy Lightning ~ two of my favorite all-time Bobby AND Dead tunes ~ but you got me with Dan Ten. Only trouble is, I could only limit to a baker's dozen.
In no particular order:
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Show Biz Kids
Any World That I'm Welcome To
Josie
Do It Again
Home At Last
Your Gold Teeth
King of the World
Charlie Freak
Your Gold Teeth II
Bodhisattva
Throw Back the Little Ones
The Boston Rag
(my pet albums should be obvious : )
Dan Baker's Dozen
Kid CharlemagneDo It Again
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Only a Fool Would Say That
Deacon Blues
Dirty Work
Don't Take Me Alive
Hey Nineteen
Time Out of Mind
Babylon Sisters
Doctor Wu
FM
My Old School
Full Circle
Gave 5/9/77, Buffalo, another listen today, and man is that show great. I was looking forward to the Help-Slip-Franklins, which was highly enjoyable, but found myself really digging that slow Bertha today, and that Comes A Time put me in a state of rapture.
Also listened to DaP21 in the last couple of days, another fantastic show from '73 and a good companion to DaP16, still one of my favorites. Really can't seem to soak up enough Dead since my little break.
Wondering what the show will be for DaP23, figure we are a couple of weeks from an announcement.
Steely
Id toss in:
Night by Night
Here at the Western World
Third World Man
Royal Scam
Home at Last
Midnite Cruiser
Don't Take Me Alive
Black Cow
Pretzel Logic
Any Major Dude
Doctor Wu
bonus track: LIVE Bodhisattva
Actually in my mind there are NO tracks from Walt and Don that arnt top notch.
Abbey Dan
I just woke up and put on Abbey Road to start my day. What a beautiful record. Felt like the dream was still alive (it isn't).
Nice suggestions on Steely Dan songs, folks... right, there really isn't a bad one in the bunch. That green box set is the bomb.
If I Had To Choose...
I would take the Winterland June 1977 box set over Get Shown The Light. 1977 was my first year I really got into deep, and while the set lists are great on the 5/5, 5/7, 5/8, & 5/9 shows, the echoey low vocals detract from it as a whole, and the overall clearness and definition of the intruments is not as good as June, or even some other May shows. Jerry is low in Help /Slip / Tower, both vocally and his guitar. There are definitely some stand out moments like Dancing, Comes a Time, St Stephen from 5/5, The Wheel, Mississippi Half Step, and Morning Dew, but I think the June 7 and May 22 Dews hold their own. Someone also said Keith sounds better later in May, and I did notice some unusual organ sounds on Scarlet / Fire from Cornell. Maybe in time these will grow on me more, I'm only saying that after 2 months, June 77 still does it more for me.
So.........
A couple of weeks or so until the next Dave's Picks announcement. Hopefully something that will compliment the Meet Up At The Movies feature show from that same era. Bring on the '89 Dead!
Or maybe 91
I sure hope it's not from 89. If its gotta be non60s/70s, I would much rather hear a solid Vince show. Brent just kills it for me every time. I can tolerate the keyboards but his voice is torture. Cruising along, listening to Jerry sing and play a fine Eyes of the World and then the chorus comes and I hear that strained voice drag it all down. I wouldn't even say he's out of tune, but his voice doesn't harmonize with anyone else in the band, and certainly isn't pleasant to the ears. Didn't sound too bad in the early 80s. Tolerable even. But by 89 it was just too raspy for me.
Jerry liked s singing,Garcia
Jerry liked s singing,
Garcia said this of Mydland during a Gavin Report interview: “He’s the only one of us who is really a good singer. Weir and I sort of croak our way through stuff after years of default singing. But Brent is a serious singer. He can really sing.”
Singing
Brent was the best vocalist the band ever had outside of Bob and Jerry in my opinion. He brought soul and emotion into the mix vocally and instrumentally.
"For my money, this was our hottest era,"... "We couldn't wait to go on tour; we couldn't wait to play because it was really working for us and it was keeping us amused. We had been working together as a unit for a good length of time." ~ BW
Bob and Jerry both agreed.
Myself, I'll take '89 anytime. It was the era where I started to really get it in my time of going to shows and discovering bootlegs. The band was playing at their peak. People who don't like this era are seriously missing out on some of the best music ever performed and recorded by any band anytime anywhere. I don't understand the hatred.
That being said, I would gladly accept a '91 show as well. Another under-represented year.
LedDed. Abbey Rd
That's always a great start to the day for me. I actually began with Let it Be and Mono Pepper.Then into Genesis' And Then There Were Three followed by Seconds Out.
Hiatus time for the GD what with an upcoming installment.
Gonna get freaky and try and mesh up the mandolin and analog synth tonight into something worth hearing later. Admit it's a strange brew! But fish tacos were radical at some point. Gotta explore, eh?
Brent couldn't sing, but Vince could?
WHAT?????????
Vince was a bona fide bathroom break.
His only good song was Baba/TNK.
Ahhh....the ole keyboard argument rears its head....
....it's like the rising of the sun. One can always count on it....
Rears its...
yea.. what's up with that? Would you like a little cheese and crackers w/ that wine?
You're gonna get some real enthusiasm for the Brent years on these threads from time to time ..or playing on the Abbey Road theme, let it be.
How can things get sour when people are talking about incredible music and fish tacos? Yummy times two.
Just adding a little perspective...
i like them both
I like brent and I like the post brent eras bruce and vince and just vince eras. I need more post brent era in my life.
Fish tacos???!!!
How can you desecrate a taco by putting fish in it?
Well, if it's a flour tortilla then I guess it's ok since flour tortillas are just imposters anyways.
;)
time to go process some 1's and 0's.......
I Don't See Any Arguing
Spacebro likes Brent's singing, Love Jerry doesn't. All cool.
Carne asada tacos
Beto'sReno, NV
Taco Taqueria
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Mmmmmmm......
For the record....
....I said rears its head. Didn't throw the ugly adjective in the mix. Funny that fish tacos are on this boards menu. The fam just prepped the slaw for fish tacos tomorrow. No lie. Today we had shrimp & grits, and it was awesome. Almost as awesome as disc 3 from DaP 17. Fresno was blessed with a scrumptious Eyes->China Doll that evening. Dead & Co nailed China Doll every time they played it btw....the keyboardist discussion (better?) does get a bit nasty at times though. Let's not go there....I like them all. Chimenti brought it....
fish tacos
Long john silver's fish tacos are awesome. 5/28/77 has a serious playing in the band and Not Fade Away. taco bell's chicken tacos leave a lot to be desired. had no taco's today had Marco's pizza instead. had Mexican from Roscoe's Taco's with Tonsilectomy sauce yesterday. needless to say I spent quite a bit of time on the toilet yesterday nite.
Taco Bell....
....fucking gross. Pass. I rarely, if ever, buy fast food tacos. Too easy to make at home. 10X better....
Tonsillectomy sauce
Funny......
Shrimp and grits, mmmmmmm........
DaP23
I'll take whatever, just tell me what it's going to be......
LedDed's dream
Your comment on the dream having ended reminded me of the saying by the Chinese sage, Chuang Tsu;
"Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tsu, dreamed I was a butterfly flying happily here and there, enjoying life without knowing who I was. Suddenly I woke up and I was indeed Chuang Tsu. Did Chuang Tsu dream he was a butterfly, or did the butterfly dream he was Chuang Tsu? There must be a distinction between Chuang Tsu and the butterfly. This is a case of transformation."
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