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    What's Inside:
    •144-page paperback book with essays by Nicholas G. Meriwether and Blair Jackson
    •A portfolio with three art prints by Jessica Dessner
    • Replica ticket stubs and backstage passes for all eight shows
    •8 complete shows on 23 discs
          •3/14/90 Capital Centre, Landover, MD
          •3/18/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
          •3/21/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario
          •3/25/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
          •3/28/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
          •3/29/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (featuring Branford Marsalis)
          •4/1/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA
          •4/3/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA
    Recorded by long-time Grateful Dead audio engineer John Cutler
    Mixed from the master 24-track analog tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios
    Mastered to HDCD specs by David Glasser
    Original Art by Jessica Dessner
    Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

    Announcing Spring 1990 (The Other One)

    "If every concert tells a tale, then every tour writes an epic. Spring 1990 felt that way: an epic with more than its share of genius and drama, brilliance and tension. And that is why the rest of the music of that tour deserves this release, why the rest of those stories need to be heard." - Nicholas G. Meriwether

    Some consider Spring 1990 the last great Grateful Dead tour. That it may be. In spite of outside difficulties and downsides, nothing could deter the Grateful Dead from crafting lightness from darkness. They were overwhelmingly triumphant in doing what they came to do, what they did best — forging powerful explorations in music. Yes, it was the music that would propel their legacy further, young fans joining the ranks with veteran Dead Heads, Jerry wondering "where do they keep coming from?" — a sentiment that still rings true today, a sentiment that offers up another opportunity for an exceptional release from a tour that serves as transcendental chapter in the Grateful Dead masterpiece.

    With Spring 1990 (The Other One), you'll have the chance to explore another eight complete shows from this chapter, the band elevating their game to deliver inspired performances of concert staples (“Tennessee Jed” and “Sugar Magnolia”), exceptional covers (Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” and the band’s last performance of the Beatles’ “Revolution”) and rare gems (the first “Loose Lucy” in 16 years) as well as many songs from Built To Last, which had been released the previous fall and would become the Dead’s final studio album. Also among the eight is one of the most sought-after shows in the Dead canon: the March, 29, 1990 show at Nassau Coliseum, where Grammy®-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis sat in with the group. The entire second set is one continuous highlight, especially the breathtaking version of “Dark Star.”

    For those of you who are keeping track, this release also marks a significant milestone as now, across the two Spring 1990 boxed sets, Dozin At The Knick, and Terrapin Limited, the entire spring tour of 1990 has been officially released, making it only the second Grateful Dead tour, after Europe 1972, to have that honor.

    Now shipping, you'll want to order your copy soon as these beautiful boxes are going, going, gone...

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  • wjonjd
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    One Man - Peaks
    Not really, no. When dynamic range compression is applied, not only do they reduce the difference between the loudest and softest amplitudes, they also then have room to increase the amplitude over the entire range, so that at a given volume setting on your volume knob the volume of the music is louder than it would have been - the loudest sound is louder, the softest sound is louder, and the average sound is louder, than it would have been compared to the same signals prior to dynamic compression and raising the amplitude. This is why dynamic range compression is important in the "loudness wars" in commercial releases for radio. They compress the range, and then have room to make the whole range louder without going over peak and clipping. When you look at the visual representation of the sound from the HD file compared to the 16-bit file, the HD file is "smaller" from top to bottom - it is not as loud, but if you were to analyze it, you would find that the DIFFERENCE between the highest peaks and smallest peaks are, relative to each other, greater. So, while the -10db peak of the CD is louder than the -15db peak of the HD file, it is the CD that has had dynamic range compression applied so that they can then raise the amplitude of the entire signal by some percentage, making the peak volume of the CD louder than the peak volume of the HD file (and the average, and the softest sound as well). When the dynamic range compression is applied the DIFFERENCES between the amplitudes of loud and soft are made smaller - the percentage change is not the same across the spectrum of amplitudes, as the "average" amplitude will not have a change applied (that's a simplification, not exact, and also I'm not sure if it would be the mean or the median or some other midway point that remains unchanged). When they subsequently make the entire signal louder, the amplitude increase is percentage-wise the same across the board. THAT transformation DOES raise the average amplitude. Does that make sense? Obviously, none of this is inherent to either 16-bit or HD 24-bit. It could be applied to either. For some reason they apply it to the 16-bit file, probably because a lot of people don't like it when a CD seems like the volume is too low compared to other CD's they have. In other words, I expect they have to cater to consumer expectations.
  • One Man
    Joined:
    Peaks
    Isn't a peak of -15 dB lower than -10 dB? Doesn't that suggest the HD file is more compressed than the CD? Actually, they probably both have some amount of light compression on them because that's just how it's typically done in the world. It's bizarre that one would be that different from the other. You can hear as little as 1 dB, maybe even less. The first S90 box had lots of audible compression, at least on the individual tracks. It sounds way too smooth to be au naturel, even if the mix of the various signal levels is not always great.
  • TN Dead
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    pono is a player
    Is it possible that a pono player has better components than another portable playback device ? It was designed with this in mind.Same files, different players, different playback results.
  • wjonjd
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    FourWinds - my apologies
    I did a comparison of the CD version of Wake Up To Find Out (actually the one from the full box) and the 24/192 download. I used the first 15 seconds of Estimated Prophet (the software I'm using only lets you start at the beginning, and I didn't take the time to lop off an equal amount from the beginning of both files in order to get to the middle of the file). I chose Estimated Prophet because it begins right away having been transitioned into from the Eyes. The results: The average levels (left/right) on the CD are -17.42db/-16.19db the average levels on the HD file are -17.96db/-16.72 the peak level on the CD is -10db the peak level on the HD file is -15db The Stereo Balance on the CD is -2.14db (diff between L and R) The Stereo Balance on the HD file is -2.43db And the peak frequency on the CD is 14,685Hz the peak frequency on the HD file is 14,109Hz (that's a surprise) So, it appears that they HAVE INDEED applied some dynamic range compression to the CD version, although not a lot. I have NO IDEA why they wouldn't just convert the 24/192 file to 16/44.1 using noise-shaped dithering. The resulting files would be VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE from each other. This still says nothing about the inherent equivalency to the human ears of 16/44.1 versus 24/192, but THAT'S IF THEY'RE FROM THE SAME SOURCE. My humble apologies FourWinds as you are indeed correct that they created a master for the 16-bit file that has had some amount of dynamic range compression applied to it. WHY???? Who knows. There is NO (good) reason to do this!!! The 24/192 is not better because it 24/192. It's better because they didn't apply dynamic range compression to master used for it. However, FourWinds, in your original post you wished they would just release the HD 24/192 file already!! WHY NOT wish that they convert the 24/192 to 16/44.1 and LEAVE IT ALONE to create the CD and 16/44.1 files?? That would serve the SAME purpose. And here are the file sizes for that one file: CD: 153,035kb HD: 998,784kb And, they have the same POTENTIAL for audio fidelity. Why not just wish for 16/44.1 files/CD's made directly from the 24/192's? Wouldn't that make far more sense. In any case, you were right - they're not the same. I have no idea why they chose to do this. One Man - Yes, for driving in my car (where I do a LOT of listening) files with more dynamic range compression make it much easier to hear all the music. You don't have to keep turning the volume up and down - up because you can hardly hear it and then BAM you get hit with the LOUD so you have to turn it down again. It is true that the range compression can pretty much fix that problem. Since we would never get two versions of everything with one purchase, my preference would be to get CD's/files that have NO dynamic range compression applied, and then I could apply my to create a set of files for travel (car/plane/walking, etc.)
  • dantian
    Joined:
    Got to hand it to you, wjonjd
    You have a lot of patience ;)
  • One Man
    Joined:
    E72 Box
    I'm not sure what is fatiguing anyone's ears, but I hear some kind of pervasive audio distortion in about the first half of the E72 box mixes. It clears up on one of the Paris shows. I have no idea what caused it, but it is obvious to me and I'm sure the mix engineer noticed it eventually but no one bothered to go back and fix those first mixes. It could be inherent in just those first tapes (very doubtful), some kind of A-D transfer issue (can't imagine what), something to do with the Plangent Process (again, no idea), or something else. It still bugs me that these mixes were so rushed. Thank the gods they did not do the same with the '72 Veneta show or the new Spring 90 box. Also, let's not confuse file (data) compression with dynamic range compression. Dynamic range can be severely squashed on ANY recording format if the engineer chooses to do that. The GD archival releases are generally lightly compressed compared to many commercial releases, and I'm sure that is intentional. I actually wish they had a touch more dynamic compression on them sometimes, just to make them sound less jumpy.
  • wjonjd
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    down mix process
    There is no dynamic compression required when converting from 24-bit to 16-bit, and there is no reason to believe they just CHOSE to use any dynamic compression on the 16-bit file, but not on the 24-bit file. Your comment makes it clear (unless I'm mistaken, which I could be) that you believed that 16-bit is INHERENTLY more compressed than 24-bit, which is simply not the case in any way. Unless you have some reason to believe they just chose to compress the range of softest to loudest sounds on the 16-bit file and not on the 24-bit, I'd be interested to hear it. I think that's more than very very highly unlikely. Again, if you are experiencing ear fatigue from the 16-bit files, you have zero chance of improving that by buying the more expensive 24-bit ones except by placebo effect, unless they chose to reduce the dynamic range on the 16-bit files and not the 24-bit files for some reason. What possible reason do you have to suspect they would even consider going through the trouble of instituting dynamic range compression on the 16-bit files (CD's). They were NEVER going to be destined for mainstream radio play, and even if they were I don't believe Jeffrey Norman and his team do that even for releases that ARE destined for radio play. Of course, there is an easy way to answer this. Simply send DL an email to ask Jeffrey Norman (if you can't email Jeffrey Norman directly) if they compressed the dynamic range for the 16-bit release and CD's and not for the 24/192 (or 24/96) on any of their other archival releases where they have made hi-def available. I wouldn't promise my first-born, but I'd bet a lot that the answer will be no. In which case, as the links I posted point out pretty well, you will hear no difference between the two versions, nor experience a different level of ear fatigue or emotional connection - at least not due to the sound coming out of your loudspeakers. EDIT - I decided to purchase the Wake Up To Find Out hi def (24/192) download. I will rip from my CD version direct to 16-bit wav and compare them using a software audio package and should be able to easily tell if dynamic compression was used on one and not the other. I will let you know. I see no reason why they would treat the E72 release differently than the Wake Up To Find Out release as far as whether they chose to modify the dynamic range for the CD's. They both came from multi-track tape masters. Even if they didn't spend the time on the E72 releases that they did on the Wake Up To Find out release, I would still bet they treated the CD's the same in terms of how they transferred the original 24-bit files they mixed/mastered with to the 16-bit files they used to create the CD's. I will report back with the results.
  • fourwindsblow
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    Compression
    If dynamic compression was used in the down mix process no further compression is needed.
  • wjonjd
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    Grammy Nomination
    Yes, Congratulations to all involved. I also believe this box deserves the grammy nod - I believe it surpasses the music in the first box, and the package itself is simply exquisite (as was the first box).
  • SPACEBROTHER
    Joined:
    Grammy Nomination
    It's only fitting that a Brent era release got a Grammy nod. Congrats Bob, Phil, Mickey, Bill, Dave, Mark, Mary, Norman, Blair and everybody involved! This is the good stuff here.
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jq171(document).ready(function (jq171) { var covertArtDownloadMarkup = 'Looking for the digital cover art? You can download it here.'; setTimeout(function() { jq171('#digital_cart').append(covertArtDownloadMarkup); }, 500); });

What's Inside:
•144-page paperback book with essays by Nicholas G. Meriwether and Blair Jackson
•A portfolio with three art prints by Jessica Dessner
• Replica ticket stubs and backstage passes for all eight shows
•8 complete shows on 23 discs
      •3/14/90 Capital Centre, Landover, MD
      •3/18/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
      •3/21/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario
      •3/25/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
      •3/28/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
      •3/29/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (featuring Branford Marsalis)
      •4/1/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA
      •4/3/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA
Recorded by long-time Grateful Dead audio engineer John Cutler
Mixed from the master 24-track analog tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios
Mastered to HDCD specs by David Glasser
Original Art by Jessica Dessner
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

Announcing Spring 1990 (The Other One)

"If every concert tells a tale, then every tour writes an epic. Spring 1990 felt that way: an epic with more than its share of genius and drama, brilliance and tension. And that is why the rest of the music of that tour deserves this release, why the rest of those stories need to be heard." - Nicholas G. Meriwether

Some consider Spring 1990 the last great Grateful Dead tour. That it may be. In spite of outside difficulties and downsides, nothing could deter the Grateful Dead from crafting lightness from darkness. They were overwhelmingly triumphant in doing what they came to do, what they did best — forging powerful explorations in music. Yes, it was the music that would propel their legacy further, young fans joining the ranks with veteran Dead Heads, Jerry wondering "where do they keep coming from?" — a sentiment that still rings true today, a sentiment that offers up another opportunity for an exceptional release from a tour that serves as transcendental chapter in the Grateful Dead masterpiece.

With Spring 1990 (The Other One), you'll have the chance to explore another eight complete shows from this chapter, the band elevating their game to deliver inspired performances of concert staples (“Tennessee Jed” and “Sugar Magnolia”), exceptional covers (Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” and the band’s last performance of the Beatles’ “Revolution”) and rare gems (the first “Loose Lucy” in 16 years) as well as many songs from Built To Last, which had been released the previous fall and would become the Dead’s final studio album. Also among the eight is one of the most sought-after shows in the Dead canon: the March, 29, 1990 show at Nassau Coliseum, where Grammy®-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis sat in with the group. The entire second set is one continuous highlight, especially the breathtaking version of “Dark Star.”

For those of you who are keeping track, this release also marks a significant milestone as now, across the two Spring 1990 boxed sets, Dozin At The Knick, and Terrapin Limited, the entire spring tour of 1990 has been officially released, making it only the second Grateful Dead tour, after Europe 1972, to have that honor.

Now shipping, you'll want to order your copy soon as these beautiful boxes are going, going, gone...

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7/4/87... I vividly remember stating loudly as the boys stumbled from Althea into UJB, "I think the second set just started!" Very strange day and one of the lamest shows I saw for sure.
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Supposedly this is what Dick Latvala had to say about this show: ------------------- In Wichita (11/17), one of the best shows, of this period occurred. Garcia is playing with gusto and originality thru-out the show. :"Bird Song" and "Sugar Magnolia" are the highpoints outside of the real goods delivered in the jam: "Truckin->jam->The Other One->jam->The Other One->Brokedown Palace". (the "jam" segments contain lengthy and very unique playing.) I should also add that the Cumberland smokes and the sound quality is very good to my ears. I friend of mine attended this show and as a tour veteran, ranks it as the best he's ever seen. There were only about 500 people in attendance and the scene was very cool because it started to snow as they waited outside the venue. Later after the show the Dead showed up at the rotating bar at the top of the hotel across the street for a few drinks. Wish I was there.
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12 years 7 months
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thanks for posting the whole setlist. the first 8 songs were missing at 'the setlist program'.

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16 years 11 months
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Katky, With all due respect, there'd be no legitimate reason for consternation about an '84 release on top of a '90. They're six years apart. We do have three Fall '72 Dicks already (though they're Sept), and last year's near-Fall classic. All masterpieces that I love, but just putting it in perspective. There's now at least one Dave's for every Keith year in the '70's. But only one of Brent's 11 years in the band. Nothing between '80 & '90, even with the box. If there WAS consternation, and if you closed your eyes and concentrated, you could hear the world's smallest violin playing in my living room........ Again, though, DP11 is sure to rock : )
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10 years 3 months
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Just to pile on, I have a tape from 12-26-81 which just rips from start to finish. Told a friend. He looked at the setlist. "Oh, that doesn't look like much." Which made the point for me (this is 1995 and we were gathered for a Jer memorial) that setlists only amount to so much. An old standard played with verve can make you gaga again over a song you thought had become ordinary. And when verve and execution align, the actual setlist becomes secondary. And songs that I look for -- a Hard to Handle, perhaps, a Me and Bobby Magee or a Wheel -- don't resonate if they don't hit a groove. In that sense, though they're such different aspects of the experience, tapes and actual performances could be tepid or they might leap from the speakers. Me likes the leapers....
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16 years 6 months
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Bolo, I'm very curious about the future hall of famer clue: was it Craig Biggio (songs that start with the letter b) or Tony LaRussa, who played minor league ball in Wichita? I'm thrilled about this pick, really, really thrilled. Star Dark's mischief was just enough to keep us from being sure and now that it's official it feels really good. Fall of '72, the Spring '90 box, the Branford show for those who can' afford the box and a new Pure Jerry, all following the fantastic Thelma show. There's something for everyone! Except, unfortunately, those looking for a mid 80s release. But I'd wager that the next DaP will be from the early to mid 80s...then again, we still haven't seen anything more from the returned tapes, so, maybe not.
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14 years 4 months
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"I'm going to Wichita"
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11 years 8 months
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Twenty-seven reasons why my Dave’s Picks 11 is going straight to either File 13 or eBay: 9/27/1972 9/21/1972 9/17/1972 8/27/1972 5/26/1972 5/25/1972 5/24/1972 5/23/1972 5/18/1972 5/16/1972 5/13/1972 5/11/1972 5/10/1972 5/7/1972 5/4/1972 5/3/1972 4/29/1972 4/26/1972 4/24/1972 4/21/1972 4/17/1972 4/16/1972 4/15/1972 4/14/1972 4/11/1972 4/8/1972 4/7/1972 And tongues and tails are wagging over 11/17/72? NOTHING new. NOTHING interesting. I just might enjoy taking a hammer to this one.
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14 years 6 months
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Craig Biggio, one of the Astros' Killer B's and wore uniform #7. Should get in the Hall next year. 7 of the 25 songs start with "B" (28%)
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15 years 4 months
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Looking forward to it! Thanks for the insight. GD Projects puts it in their top 100 - I know it's totally subjective and open for debate, but this show's probably a potential gem... Dave' your show selection is great! Keep them gems coming - whatever year. I'm really getting to love the jazzy dead era (early keith), but I have my list of shows from the 80's & 90's too. If you have to mix it up, just make sure it's the best of the best of the rest...
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10 years 4 months
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Amen Christian!!! Johnny was one of the best guitarist of all-time! He's probably jammin' with Hendrix and Stevie Ray right now!
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11 years 8 months
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... well, Dave has gotten lazy. Either that or he realizes many Heads' ears have gotten lazy. Yeah, '72 was a great year. Fine. We get it. Move on.
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10 years 6 months
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The first set cooks ! Jerry's playing on this one is great. The lead on Me and My Uncle is inspiring. Unfortunately, until now most copies circulating have lots of sound quality issues. Looking forward to this one.
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11 years 8 months
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"First set cooks?" "Jerry's playing is great?" Uhhhh... you just described nearly every show from this period. Nothing new. I'll enjoy smashing this one, thank you!
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10 years 8 months
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What a troll. Threatening to smash a limited release that others might want? You're a real piece of work.
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14 years 4 months
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no such thing as too much GD72. no such thing. smear it liberally all over yer mind. oh yeah...that's it...

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16 years 11 months
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How is Star Dark a troll because he subscribed and is frustrated at another '72 release? 22 shows released in 2011, another one last year, and another this year? He has every right to be disappointed, just as you have every right not to be. I do think the community pool here is getting so non-diverse that future subscriptions should just advertise ALL 72-74 +77 and you guys can have at it. That's where Rhino is headed, methinks.
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11 years 8 months
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Keep in mind that I'll enjoy taking out my frustration on this steaming pile of **** just as much as you enjoy listening to it. This (in addition to not subscribing next year) constitutes my protest against Dave's shameless catering.
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16 years 11 months
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YEA HEAVY AND A BOTTLE OF BREAD........Love this release, thank you David.
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13 years 6 months
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As soon as something is released from GD Merchandising, someone immediately starts complaining about the release.You can set your watch by it. "I'm soooo upset! I didn't get exactly what I wanted!" Holy crap... Get a grip. Whatever is released will be great. It's the Grateful Dead! All the complaining makes you look like a bunch of babies.
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16 years 11 months
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StarDark... do us a favor, just do us and yourself a favor, and just go find something more productive to do elsewhere.Never have I seen such childish behavior. Do you stamp your feet and pout when you don't get your to play with the blue Thomas train at the table in Books A Million too? Poor baby... it's one thing to disagree and post about it civilly. Posting "I'm gonna destroy this w/ a hammer, and throw it in the trash...".. wow. My 5 year old does that. There's frickin 2000+ shows. You don't like one, don't be a whiny bitch, just shut your mouth and wait for the next one... or go buy some Phish cd's instead. Find another band. Yes it's another 72 show... so what. A show is a show. It's a different show. no 2 shows ever the same. Just enjoy it. Lord almighty, it's just good music.
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11 years 8 months
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@kjohnduff: "Whatever is released will be great. It's the Grateful Dead!" Huh?? That's why we get the same old stuff over and over. Folks like you eat it up. @brianhehehehehe: I wouldn't care as much if I hadn't already paid for this (though in principle it still bugs me). And I have just as much a right to release my angst as you do to praise another same-old release. Dave and company DO read these posts. And what on earth does Phish have to do with this? If I were a fan, I guess I'd be insulted. Never really cared for them. In any case, telling me to shut up is more or less like telling your typical protester to keep quiet and accept the status quo. Mighty fine of you. Bottom line: I've given Lemieux the benefit of the doubt over and over again. Yeah, I'm obviously REALLY ticked - and suspect I'm far from alone.
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10 years 1 month
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Yea Biggio!Yea Killer B's (and yea H-Town)! Great clues bolo...very creative. Yea 11/17/72! I'm very excited about this. Gracias, Dave!
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13 years 6 months
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I do eat it up... Would never dream of complaining about a Grateful Dead release. No matter what era. I don't think that all '72 shows sound the same either. Brian is right... No 2 shows are the same. I'm thankful for what we get.
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14 years 8 months
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Same old Afghani Primo again? I'm just gonna throw it in the fireplace! That'll show 'em!
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10 years 8 months
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It's one thing to be bummed that you didn't get what you were hoping for. It's quite another to throw a little hissy fit and threaten to smash a limited cd set that others are going to miss out on. It's like when a 6 year old doesn't get his way, he takes his ball and goes home. We're the luckiest goddamn fans in the world, with a series of releases that far, far exceeds anything else in the world of rock. It's sad that a small minority can't be grateful.
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15 years 10 months
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Star Dark, Easy, my friend. You sound like a stockbroker in October 1929. There is a fine line between disappointment and disrespect and you pole vaulted right over it. Leave the section 8 routine to the other infamous malcontents. You seem smarter than that crowd. You did crack me up, though. Steaming about the same old releases from 1972 in a string about 8 new releases from 1990 is so absurd you must be going for the WWF vibe. 1972 is such a stunning year. Would you really take a hammer to it? If this really throws your compass that badly what on earth did you do in 2008 when your 401(k) went down 50%?

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16 years 11 months
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Go easy, Star Dark, for ranting (not actually smashing anything, mind you, just ranting).... But don't go easy, ye "civil" posters who immediately called him a troll, and a whiny bitch who should shut his mouth....simply for speaking his mind. Sure, tell the guy you don't agree with to go easy, but everyone else is writing in a perfectly respectful manner. Um, yeah.
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11 years 8 months
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Thanks for the smile! What the jack guy (and others) miss is the main point. It's not that *I* didn't get exactly what *I* want. It's that DL is stuck in an apparently interminable rut. It's the principle of the thing. There are only so many releases per year, and he is incapable of branching out. Argh. Heck, I'd have been happier with a post-Spring '90 release for variety's sake alone (and I generally despise those last 5 years). This shall be my last post on the topic. Jack can celebrate with a nice hoppy.
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16 years 10 months
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....last time I checked, this is the first 72 DaP. I've already had a few hoppies, so don't mind me. ...

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16 years 11 months
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Bolo, c'mon. You may or may not agree with the mid-80's or post-90 candle holders, but please don't insult our/their patience. How would you define "in good time" ? One From the Vault came out in 1991, and Dick's 1 in '93. Some of us have been buying these for over 20 years. Dick's 21, the only release from 84-86, came out in 2001. My time has run out. I've got enough Dead to fill a room. I'm not threatening not to subscribe anymore because of the mid-80's dearth. I've simply got enough Dead. But I will say that the lack of variety in recent years has certainly contributed to my feeling of "enough." I've got enough November '73. I've got enough Spring '72. I may even have enough '90. I'm with Star Dark in that I'd rather see a '92 release than another 70's. I'm quite grateful the vault was opened. I LOVE the December '69/Feb '70 releases Dave has graced us with--some of his most inspired choices. But where are the '75's, '84 & '87, & '91, that appeared on the original advert for the Dave's Picks series? Fall '68? Summer '73? I'm not sick of '72, I'm psyched to hear Dave's 11. But it's true that releases from these "perfect Dead" years of 72-73 meant more when any era was fair game for release, and you had to wait for your favorite year to come up. That's part of what Star Dark, and Spacebrother, have been trying to say. Every '72 show may be different, but Jerry's tone won't be different. Phil's tone won't be different. The setlist won't be different. And YES, I DID get tired of hash--my favorite--when it was in town too long! You need something to look forward to. With a 30-year career and so many claiming they'd never complain about a release because they love it all.....well, if you love it all, how can you NOT respect a complaint to release a greater variety of it all? Why is that seen as naysaying, rather than an appreciation of all GD music? I've trod these waters before, sorry for the novel. As I said, I'll enjoy DP11, and 12. But my time for waiting for what's "just around the corner, you'll see!" has come to an end. Partly, because those releases are NOT coming in good time, nor likely ever....and partly because I care less & less if they even do. To have enough is to be a rich man, and I've got more than enough. Thanks, Dave, for all you've given us. May the releases keep coming as long as there's an audience.
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14 years 6 months
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I guess I just vividly remember the days when we would maybe get one release per year. I also recall a time (80s) when it was six years (!!) between official releases. And most those of were just studio albums, some of which were mediocre at best. If not for our second and third generation cassettes of taped shows, many of us probably would have abandoned the Dead altogether at some point. Compared to then, we're now flooded with high quality music several times a year, almost too much to keep up with. An embarrassment of riches, one might say. So I suppose my perspective might be a little different. Y'all have a great evening.

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16 years 11 months
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I remember those same days vividly. The ensuing embarrassment of riches of releases is all the more reason why there should be enough to go around for all eras. Enjoy the rest of your night also!
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16 years 10 months
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...the phases of my life come and go like the tides. I had my comic book phase, I had my video game phase, I had my fishing phase, I had my RC car phase, etc....but, nowadays if you presented all of those options, and threw the Dead in the mix and said, "What do you want to do?", playing a Dead show would never respond with a thumbs down. I may not be in the mood for a 1990 show or a 1968 or a 1977 show right now, but eventually, I would down the road. The comfort of having a physical disc or lp I can pop in at a moment's notice to sate the hunger is comforting to me. The road is long and winding (cue The Beatles), and returns full circle. 1986-1991 were formidable years in my life. Yes, I was careless. Blew a lot of money on tix, gas, plane fare, hotel rooms, grilled cheese sandwiches, drugs, beer, etc. But I regret none of it. I love this band, and all it's faces. Whether it be a Cosmic Charlie-> Born Cross-Eyed or a Corrina->Days Between, I know that, eventually I will want to experience that sequence again. It's only a matter of time.... Speaking of time, will someone invent that time machine already!
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11 years
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I'm a head from the 80's, but love all of Dave's picks, so far. Keep them coming Dave and thanks for your hard work!
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11 years
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Hi Bolo -- now that the cat is out of the bag, could you give us a run-through explaining your clues so we can see how they tied to the show? I think it would be fun to go back through and see how everything tied together. Thanks in advance!
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11 years
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I remember the 80's, too. My only source of pre-80's Dead was rushing home from work once per week to load the cassette deck so I could record another episode of the Grateful Dead Hour. We were lucky to get 4-5 songs strung together from a show, and never had the luxury of hearing a whole show. Few of my friends were into the Dead and those that were did not collect tapes, so if I wanted to hear a show besides attending one, the Grateful Dead Hour was about it. We had no internet. We even had to call a stinking answering machine in NJ to find out when the next tour was starting (anybody else remember calling back 2-3 times to record all the Soup Nazi like instructions for filling out your blank 3x5" card, under threat of having your whole order rejected if you screwed up just one detail?!). Fast forward to today. Four times a year, a dedicated archivist picks one of his favorite shows. Then, he remasters the music from the original sound board tapes (as opposed to some crappy audience recording, replete with distortion, numerous cuts, and idle audience chatter), generates informative liner notes, and has an artist pull together some kick-butt artwork for the CD cover. After that, he mails same said full length, remastered show to my door for my listening pleasure. I think most can agree that Dave is a very knowledgeable, hardworking, and enthusiastic proponent of the Dead's music. I would almost consider him a professor of the Dead. I am personally glad to sit back and see what the good professor has to offer. Perhaps if I listen closely, I might just learn something new beyond the scope of my own preferences or personal biases. I, for one, would like to thank Dave for the great job he does in bringing the music to us and opening my eyes to possibilities I may never have considered. Pelke
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14 years 2 months
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It seems a little strange DP11 was revealed in an email regarding address confirmation. Fortunately, a memo was intercepted between the email tomato and the website tomato- All it said was "Ketchup."
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10 years 9 months
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Nice post! I remember those days too. Taping the Dead hour on the radio, my finger hovering nervously over the stop button trying to figure out the perfect spot to flip the cassette tape, lol. I think I was even a little more fortunate than some, in that I had a Deadhead cousin who was a wheeler and dealer and was involved in the whole DAT trading scene, and would regularly supply me with crisp soundboards. We would partake, sit back and have our minds blown by some newly acquired amazing '73 show playing on his high-end system. I would invariably say something like "Whoa...holy shit, did you hear that?" and he would start giggling like a mischievous little kid. Ah, those were the days. Even so, to think that now we have these pristine recordings delivered to our doorsteps, is pretty incredible. As Bolo said, an embarrassment of riches.
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14 years 2 months
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In Bolo's original post he included lyrics from He's Gone, Bird Song and Box Of Rain. Though at the time it was suggested "It's all a dream" could refer to Stella Blue. He also mentioned how his Van "Brokedown" and he "might as well". So that's 6 potential songs. Only Might As Well was not a clue- it was included incidentally. The list really narrowed only after Bolo said 28% of the songs have something in common- and the conclusion reached it must be a 25 song show. So He's Gone, Box, Brokedown, Bird Song, 25 songs, and 7 of these songs have something in common. This led to a number of guesses, including Wichita- and that guess turned out to be right.
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16 years 10 months
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Hey all - Pelke and Bolo, nice posts. Star Dark - as usual, I totally respect your opinion. What I do wish you could see is that when you go beyond an opinion of the music, or the releases, to insulting people here, you are bound to cause reactions - which unfortunately also included insults aimed at you (which I don't agree with either - you're not a whiny bitch :-). In your first post about this, you compared those of us who are excited about this release to overeager, rather silly, puppies (I don't know how else to interpret the "tails wagging" comment). So, after my gushing excitement about this release - a show I dearly love - I findmyself compared to a stupid dog willing to lap up whatever is dished out. Rather than merely posting your opinion about this release, you expressed an opinion about those of us who are happy about it. I gotta be honest, I felt personally crapped on by that comment (sad face). In short, please keep expressing those opinions - smashing your CD's, whatever - it's all good, even entertaining as someone said. Just please don't make me feel like a moron for being happy about a release. Thanks.
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16 years 10 months
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We only have Netflix, and the three channels we can get from our antennae (not many good signals in the Berkshires). My five-year old just finished watching "Land of the Lost" on Me TV. She loves it! Given the demographic of this site, I figured ya'll would appreciate that. (That show actually holds up better than I would have thought - dimensional travel and great banjo music, sweet).
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12 years 9 months
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I never enter into the trenches of this period/that period discussions posted here, though I sometimes take pleasure in the creativity put forth extolling the virtues of specific eras. However, when I read Star Dark's post, I realized I had to throw in my opinion on top of the heap. (Hate to pile on S.D., but geez!) Here goes: You're complaining about more stellar '72?!?! Really?!?! I remember a time when Dead releases were so far and few between, I would have settled for the worst 1995 show and STILL have been happy to have it! What the hell are you waiting for?!? That KILLER 6 song first set from Fall '93 featuring the most badass "Greatest Story" ever played? Oh how the ones from 1972 sucked with the pumping groove and rippin' wah wah solos 'till you thought your mind was going to melt! Or how 'bout that acid-drenched "Wave to the Wind" that goes on for 30+ glorious psychedelic minutes, exploring every nook and cranny of your consciousness! And hey, how about we petition for a release of all the "Me & My Uncles" from Spring '94 on one super-duper collector's release, individually signed and numbered, of course. BE HAPPY WITH WHAT WE ARE GIVEN!!! There was a time when a '72 show was worth it's weight in gold, and yes S.D., there is a plethora of '72 available, but you have got to be the only person here who thinks that's a bad thing. How 'bout puttin' the "grateful" back into "The Grateful Dead"!! Anybody really complaining about too much Afghan Primo?!? Good Lord, what a piece of work!
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11 years 11 months
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I don't remember reading any complaints -- other than the price -- about the Spring 1990 (TOO) box. Or about the stand-alone 3/29/90 release. Or Dave's Picks 8. So maybe there's something to be said for more Brent/80's releases.
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15 years 7 months
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yawn, a 72 show with no dark star, not real thrilled about this one, if I had not subscribed, would pass on this. Call me lame but the only reason I subscribed at all was the release of dap 8. I was really hoping for some more early 80's releases, maybe next time for dap 12. Not gonna subscribe again Dave, sorry. Look for a lot of this one on ebay soon.
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