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    heatherlew
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    RFK Stadium 1989 Box

    LESS THAN 5000 LEFT

    The Grateful Dead battled the elements in July 1989, enduring drenching rains and stifling humidity during back-to-back shows at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in the nation’s capital. In spite of the bleak weather, the band thrilled the massive crowds both nights with triumphant performances that rank among the very best of a busy year that included 74 shows and the release of the group’s final studio album, BUILT TO LAST.

    ROBERT F. KENNEDY STADIUM, WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 12 & 13, 1989 includes two previously unreleased concerts taken from the band’s master 24-track analog recordings, which have been mixed by Jeffrey Norman at TRI Studios and mastered in HDCD by David Glasser. The collection’s colorful slip case features original artwork by Justin Helton and a perfect-bound book with in-depth liner notes written by Dean Budnick, editor-in-chief of Relix magazine. The set will also be available as a digital download in Apple Lossless and FLAC 192/24.

    When Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, and Bob Weir rolled into D.C. in July 1989 for the Dead’s two-night stand at RFK, the band hit the stage running with a stellar rendition of “Touch Of Grey,” the group’s biggest hit from its only Top 10 album In The Dark, which was released in 1987. The following night, the band returned to its double-platinum commercial breakthrough when it opened the show with a fiery version of “Hell In A Bucket.”

    “RFK Stadium '89 fell right in the middle of one of the best tours of the last 15 years of Grateful Dead performances, with these shows being the sixth and seventh of an 11-show tour. This tour is widely considered the start of a nine month period of sustained excellence, which ran from Summer '89 through Spring '90. The RFK shows are as good as any of the more famous shows from this period, including July 4 in Buffalo, July 7 in Philadelphia, and the Alpine run,” says David Lemieux, Grateful Dead archivist and the set’s producer. “When Bob Weir has asked me to provide copies of Grateful Dead songs to give to his bandmates to learn and rehearse, he almost always requests Summer '89, and I've often drawn upon the RFK shows for this purpose. It's really that good!”

    Both shows feature standout moments, but the July 12 show is notable for a few reasons. Perhaps the biggest is that the first set featured at least one song sung by each of the band’s four lead singers – Garcia, Weir, Lesh and Mydland – something that rarely happened. Another surprise came when the band opened the second set with “Sugaree,” a song that almost always appeared during the first set.

    Pianist Bruce Hornsby — who briefly joined the band between 1990 and 1992 — is featured on both shows. He played accordion during “Sugaree” and “Man Smart (Woman Smarter),” with a touch of keyboard-tinkling, on July 12, and then played more accordion the following night for “Tennessee Jed” and “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again.”

    For fans of Mydland’s tenure with the Dead – which began in 1979 and ended in 1990 with the keyboardist’s tragic death – these stellar shows capture that incarnation in peak form. Among the long list of highlights are performances of live staples such as “Eyes Of The World,” “Wharf Rat” and “I Need A Miracle,” along with rarities like “To Lay Me Down,” which was played only a few times in 1989. The July 13 show also features the band road-testing “I Will Take You Home,” a track Mydland wrote with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow that would appear later that fall on Built To Last.

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  • #1221
    JimInMD
    Joined:
    8 Tracks
    My first GD exposure was 8 track. Ha.. that's one medium I wont miss. I guess I had a bad machine, it kept eating all my tapes. It was really a bad technology... Cassettes were much more reliable.. and contrary to popular belief, I do not see them making a robust comeback. My prized Nak died about ten years back.. the belts had all dry rotted and it started to play reeeeaaaaalllllyyyyyy sssslllllloooooowwwwwww. There is no advantage to cassettes over CD's as far as I can tell, and a lot of drawbacks. I do see the Vinyl appeal, but 8 tracks and cassettes, I just don't see this becoming a wave.
  • #1222
    alvarhanso
    Joined:
    Sittin' on a fence (not a pole)
    The limited announcement yesterday did what it was meant to do in piquing my interest, but I'm still on the fence. These could probably be broken down to 4-5 discs, and there probably won't be any filler, and once again I'll be miffed at short discs, though this time for 65 bucks for 2 shows. I think I'd find 5/8-9/77 as a 2 show box for 65 bucks to be pricey, so it has nothing to do with Brent or '80s hate. I actually like Summer '89-Summer '90 a lot, they were playing at the peak of that incarnation, as evidenced by how much of it's been released. (But feel free to throw this post back at me if they offer a 2 show box of RFK '73 for the same price and I buy it the minute it's announced, because that would likely be my reaction to that RFK box.) The book is probably nice, and I love the books in the boxes. The books are what I really miss about Spring '90 and Europe '72 (though I really love the idea of the steamer trunk). If it's around next year and I got the extra cash, I'll get it. If I miss out, I'll survive, and enjoy the subscription for Dave's 2018 and next year's big box.
  • #1223
    MinasMorgul
    Joined:
    Since 15K is the number
    5K will be added to the available quantity at some point. It's gone down exactly as I posted it would, although I'm surprised they're going with 15K. They still started with 10K and are now down to 3800 - 3900. Sales, Space Brother are at 6200 roughly, which leaves about 8800 left (5K which muse still be added). I'm not sure what numbers are "more or less brisk", but these are the facts. Brisk is relative I guess. Bottom line is that a good seller is great for us all.
  • #1224
    LedDed
    Joined:
    Eight-track Renaissance
    I hear eight-track is on the rebound. Might want to fish around the yard sales for one of those Panasonic boom boxes with 8-track, AM/FM and a cool shoulder strap for rocking the 'hood. At least they still make D-cells. Glad to see the RFK '89 box going limited. Why not? I like physical product. Blu-ray's, cd's, more than just download. That being said I fleshed out my missing Dick's Picks off iTunes for a fraction of the cost of what the cd's have gone up to now. There's something reassuring about the certainty of a tangible, physical product on my shelf, should (God forbid) my laptop get stolen/destroyed, hard drive crash, etc. I have so much music from so many sources - friends who have kindly loaned things, items from the public library, iTunes and other downloadable sources, etc. It would be impossible to remember it all, were it to be lost or corrupted, however I know those cd's sitting on the shelves aren't going anywhere and as much of a pain in the ass it is to burn them all in, it's a 100% backup. I have Carbonite cloud backup as well as a portable hard drive but I don't trust it. That pole freak on Veneta is the ultimate acid casualty. Most people made it through but some of them just fried. If that dude is still breathing, he's drooling right now.
  • #1225
    JimInMD
    Joined:
    Blue Ray, DVD, etc.
    I have two Blue Ray and a DVD in the living room.. I found myself nodding to what the Ice Cream Kid had to say.. mhammond too. Thin is clearly correct in what he wrote.. but I have one subtle comment to add. I got into a back and forth email chain with Lemieux a few years ago about DVD's, etc. I think it was when the other Alpine show came out, and I missed it due to work.. so there was a little bite in my initial outreach. He did reply.. at length. Keeping in mind.. he was hired as the video archivist as Dick was still alive and well back then. His comment was layered, he was clearly keeping certain things close to his chest, but it was revealing nonetheless. I think the issue with video in general is the market is more segmented and aggregate demand has not justified all the costs involved getting this to market (my words, not his..). The 16,500 number (soon to be higher) is a magic number for vault releases in 2017. Keep in mind Terrapin Limited is still for sale, I'm quite sure it is limited and it has been for sale since 1997. There are tons of deadheads but not everyone has to have the 150 or shows that have already been officially released (what is that number again?). At this point, it is a numbers game for them and contrary to popular believe, once everyone (including the band) gets their cut I doubt if there are mountains of money left over. So back to the video topic.. Dave is all in with video releases. The hesitancy is not on his part. Rhino sells CD's and records.. DVD and Blue Ray is more like an after dinner mint for them.. if they sell and they make a ton of money on them, they'd do more. Reading between the lines from the correspondence all those years ago, there simply is not a terrific demand for GD DVD's. I can't get enough myself, but I say the same thing about the official CD releases too. Another factor is very few were recorded on film, most (the 89 and go forward material) was recorded on the crappy 4" tape common at the time. Find your favorite 1989 sitcom, go to YouTube and watch it.. it's grainy and has the same limitations as the stuff directed (recorded) by Len Dell'Amico during the late 80's. The video will not get better regardless of the medium as the source tapes are subpar. The sound, on the other hand, can benefit from the better mediums... depending on a few things... But look at this another way.. they do have a good bit of video recorded, some of it is pretty damned good. Most of it does have those distracting special affects baked right in. It will get released one day, perhaps they are just keeping their powder dry for when demand picks up a bit. If there are still some SSDD left and I bet they have a ton of the Fare Thee Well left (back to the numbers thing...) my guess is they are just biding their time and will begin releasing them when demand exceeds their magic number. I do prefer Blue Ray, it could be a dying medium, probably because it costs more and people are streaming a lot these days. Us hard-core, especially the audiophiles, will want DVD or probably Blue Ray. I really don't see that changing, streaming is not going to take precedent over the physical product for the person that just shelled out $12,000 for their new surround sound system. ..but who knows for sure what the future will bring except that quack Ray Kurzweil (yes.. I said that). If you made it through this post.. congrats and accept my apologies.. dry stuff.. but we like the GOGD and there's nothing boring about being there, front row center in the comforts of your own living room.
  • #1226
    Cousins Of The…
    Joined:
    cassettes
    I was about to guess it's a hipster thing, but apparently Justin Bieber had something to do with it.Which doesn't make sense either way...
  • #1227
    Thin
    Joined:
    Space - you are correct
    Spacebro - You are correct, sir. I forgot there was a DVD/Blu-ray segmentation in the Veneta release. How many Blu-rays did they produce? I don't recall how fast the DVD's sold out. I guess I passed on that because I didn't have Blu-ray AND I'm not enthralled with DVD vid quality, which is like a 720 vs 1080 pixel format (if someones previous post was accurate). I didn't really want to see Polesitter dude in 1080 OR 720 pixels - LOL. As I said earlier, I hope for both our sakes that they continue with the '89 releases. There's a ton of great stuff from that era sitting in the vault. Once the video format gets sorted out, I think we'll see a LOT of '89-'90's releases. re: Cassettes - I've heard they ARE making a comeback. Martin Sexton was on "Above the Basement" recently (highly recommended Boston-area music podcast) and he mentioned that he recently issued his recent release "Mixtape from the Road" on cassette as a novelty item and said they sold out of 1,000 of these in just a week or two, to his amazement. I blame the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie series for romanticizing the format. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/above-the-basement-boston-music-and-co…
  • #1228
    Romberg
    Joined:
    Packaging Size
    Dead.net, please put the packaging dimensions in the description. I'd like to buy this but I need to know if it will fit on a CD shelf. I've been burned too many times on oversized packaging to blind buy a Grateful Dead box set ever again without knowing he packaging dimensions first. Thanks!
  • #1229
    FloridaBobalooToo
    Joined:
    Makes NO difference to me
    Numbered or Limited sets don't sound any different to me. Fact is that has nothing to do with my motivation on buying GD stuff. Actually I think I might offer a swap of my GSTL Limited box to someone who really must have it in exchange for a music only set.For the amount of bother to try and turn one of these things for the little profit, just wouldn't be worth my time. Yes I know some sets bring big pricing. Theres the moral thing as has been discussed too. All n All Im after the music. Weekend is HERE!!! 24th Anniversary is the biggie in my trailer park. Taking the wife out for Bar-B-Que and a night at the Shooting Range! Woo-Hoo!!! 9/3/93
  • #1230
    Thin
    Joined:
    Spacebro re: 8/27/72 - makes my Blu-ray point
    Spacebro - Thanks for helping make my Blu-ray point. 8/27/72 is indeed still available after 4 years sitting on the shelf despite only producing 12,500 copies, but I find your conclusion that this means 80's is more popular than '72 laughable (respectfully) - it is rather a reflection on Blu-ray, per my previous post. 8/27/72 was a single show plus Blu-ray for $55. That is the only release I have never purchased because I don't have Blu-ray and I didn't want to blow $55 + shipping for 3 CD's I already have (from my DAT days) in pretty darn good quality. (And Mr. Polesitter guy in hi-def NOT a draw) I also doubt they have sold as much of this '89 box as you think - when they plugged the initial number into "inventory" they hadn't yet decided the final production #. Probably input a nice round 10k, not the current 15k you are using in your math. But I could be wrong. We'll find out the next time they update the site. But going numbered/limited edition should boost sales of this box. So ALL the other releases/boxes have sold out or are close to it - most at 15k units or more - while the relatively low 12,500-unit EPIC Veneta show released 4 YEARS AGO on Blu-ray still sits on the shelf... this is why they aren't releasing more Blu-ray.... edit: icecrmkid I just saw your post. I'm not saying Blu-ray is going away forever (though Betamax, Laserdisc, Selectavision, and DIVX did), but the dream of Blu-ray becoming the universal video standard, like CD is for audio, is dead. Again, I think they are waiting for a ubiquitous video format relevant to ALL before releasing more video. Veneta teaches us that Blu-ray is not the answer.
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Submitted by heatherlew on
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Dead Store Products

RFK Stadium 1989 Box

LESS THAN 5000 LEFT

The Grateful Dead battled the elements in July 1989, enduring drenching rains and stifling humidity during back-to-back shows at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in the nation’s capital. In spite of the bleak weather, the band thrilled the massive crowds both nights with triumphant performances that rank among the very best of a busy year that included 74 shows and the release of the group’s final studio album, BUILT TO LAST.

ROBERT F. KENNEDY STADIUM, WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 12 & 13, 1989 includes two previously unreleased concerts taken from the band’s master 24-track analog recordings, which have been mixed by Jeffrey Norman at TRI Studios and mastered in HDCD by David Glasser. The collection’s colorful slip case features original artwork by Justin Helton and a perfect-bound book with in-depth liner notes written by Dean Budnick, editor-in-chief of Relix magazine. The set will also be available as a digital download in Apple Lossless and FLAC 192/24.

When Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, and Bob Weir rolled into D.C. in July 1989 for the Dead’s two-night stand at RFK, the band hit the stage running with a stellar rendition of “Touch Of Grey,” the group’s biggest hit from its only Top 10 album In The Dark, which was released in 1987. The following night, the band returned to its double-platinum commercial breakthrough when it opened the show with a fiery version of “Hell In A Bucket.”

“RFK Stadium '89 fell right in the middle of one of the best tours of the last 15 years of Grateful Dead performances, with these shows being the sixth and seventh of an 11-show tour. This tour is widely considered the start of a nine month period of sustained excellence, which ran from Summer '89 through Spring '90. The RFK shows are as good as any of the more famous shows from this period, including July 4 in Buffalo, July 7 in Philadelphia, and the Alpine run,” says David Lemieux, Grateful Dead archivist and the set’s producer. “When Bob Weir has asked me to provide copies of Grateful Dead songs to give to his bandmates to learn and rehearse, he almost always requests Summer '89, and I've often drawn upon the RFK shows for this purpose. It's really that good!”

Both shows feature standout moments, but the July 12 show is notable for a few reasons. Perhaps the biggest is that the first set featured at least one song sung by each of the band’s four lead singers – Garcia, Weir, Lesh and Mydland – something that rarely happened. Another surprise came when the band opened the second set with “Sugaree,” a song that almost always appeared during the first set.

Pianist Bruce Hornsby — who briefly joined the band between 1990 and 1992 — is featured on both shows. He played accordion during “Sugaree” and “Man Smart (Woman Smarter),” with a touch of keyboard-tinkling, on July 12, and then played more accordion the following night for “Tennessee Jed” and “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again.”

For fans of Mydland’s tenure with the Dead – which began in 1979 and ended in 1990 with the keyboardist’s tragic death – these stellar shows capture that incarnation in peak form. Among the long list of highlights are performances of live staples such as “Eyes Of The World,” “Wharf Rat” and “I Need A Miracle,” along with rarities like “To Lay Me Down,” which was played only a few times in 1989. The July 13 show also features the band road-testing “I Will Take You Home,” a track Mydland wrote with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow that would appear later that fall on Built To Last.

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Submitted by leedesj on Mon, 10/09/2017 - 11:03

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i finally checked out the listening party sampler, actually i have been somewhat familiar with the 7/13/89 show for a while having attended it, and i do have a downloaded copy, but with all the hoopla about brent's vox i had a listen this past weekend (for the first time since this release was announced), sometimes i'm in the mood for brent's vox and sometimes i'm not but i have always considered him a strong vocalist with probably better pitch than bob or even jerry, i thought most of the "but i'll get back on my feet" bridge section harmonies were about as strong as bob/jerry/brent get (which is pretty dern good), however during the i'll get up and fly away section it sounded a little funny, sounded to me like brent may have chose an unusual harmony note rather than he was missing the note he was going for i remember having a great time in the pouring rain at the show and i would love to own this release but its priced a wee bit too high for my comfort level, i passed on the warlocks set for the same reason although i attended the dark star nite of that little run also
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Submitted by SPACEBROTHER on Mon, 10/09/2017 - 13:00

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I'm wondering when and if there will be some sort of video reveal/unveiling? The packaging has been visually impressive as of late. I would expect this one to look pretty cool as well, but hopefully jewel cases instead of those slip sleeves (GSTL, May '77, July '78) where discs can come loose in transit, or those abrasive cardboard slipcases that scratch up discs.
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Submitted by adedhed68 on Mon, 10/09/2017 - 16:43

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I’m also wondering about the packaging. I’m hoping that sizewise, it’s similar to the Warlocks release. Also wondering about shipping. Will they use UPS like they did with GSTL or regular USPS? The release date of 11/10 is a USPS holiday but not a UPS holiday.
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Submitted by daverock on Wed, 10/11/2017 - 03:52

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On the subject of Texas music, I was happily surprised to see a photo of the great Roky Erikson on here a few weeks ago. The 13th Floor Elevators are one of the all time greats when it comes to psychedelic rock music. Going off the few live recordings I have heard from 1966, they were the best live band in the world playing this type of music at that time. Sadly their time was not long, but those first two albums "Psychedelic Sounds Of.." and "Easter Everywhere" are amazing listens-even today. I actually saw the man himself live about 10 years ago when he came to London for a one off gig. Everyone wondered what sort of condition he would be in...but he seemed fine. He still had the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard. For the most part he steered clear of Elevators music, concentrating on his subsequent horror rock songs, like "I Walked With A Zombie" and "Night Of The Vampire". He encored with "You're Gonna Miss Me". A truly memorable night.
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9 years 3 months

Submitted by lowspark75 on Thu, 10/12/2017 - 23:18

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Hey folks! I live. This box... I'm on the fence. Worth it?
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9 years

Submitted by icecrmcnkd on Fri, 10/13/2017 - 06:35

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Where you in jail? ;)
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Submitted by MnSteve on Fri, 10/13/2017 - 12:40

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To each their own. I'll preface my comments by saying I'm a huge fan of the Brent era, and particularly the time frame of Summer 1989 through Spring 1990. That said, I believe the RFK shows were the worst two shows of the 1989 Summer tour. I still would have been in (even at an increased cost) had they included video. Sadly that is missing, so I see this boxed set as a lost opportunity. Is it worth it ? To me, no. But I can't speak for others.
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Submitted by SPACEBROTHER on Fri, 10/13/2017 - 13:55

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Including the video would have been ideal. Perhaps.... 1. the videos will still be released as part of a larger '89 box. 2. maybe they're planning some kind of paid streaming service like for Dead & Co. 3. holding off to see how well the audio release sells before committing to a video release (Dave mentioned video sales overall weren't particularly lucrative) 4. ? I haven't really listened to these two shows a lot. Not often enough to rate them as compared to others from this particular tour. From what I saw at this years "Meet Up at the Movies" and the sample provided, I'll probably get a lot of mileage out of this one. The Alpine '89 run on the other hand is the big one. Still bugs me that they cannibalized the first sets from the first and third nights for the DVD.
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Submitted by Frankie Lee on Sat, 10/14/2017 - 17:12

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Just heard the new, second SiriusXM special by David today regarding this release. I am even more excited than before! Even though the listening was in the car, over SiriusXM (not exactly audiophile quality) the mix and the mastering is stunning! If you are a fan of the 89'-90' era..this one is a monster. The Other One into Warf Rat is just bone rattling. Phil was not taking prisoners. This specimen of Jerry's tone is the answer to why we all put him up so high on that great player pedestal...just listen to the last 2 min of Warf Rat if you need an example. This will go down as a great release. In years to come, it will fetch the kind of silly money that the Road Trips series now gets (if you have a question of its value). I can not wait for the 89' Cal Expo box...sign me up! (hint for David!)
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Submitted by icecrmcnkd on Sat, 10/14/2017 - 18:36

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Those words will make Spacebro drool.Looking forward to receiving my copy.
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Submitted by JimInMD on Sun, 10/15/2017 - 11:24

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I caught the show this morning. You're right on the money Frankie Lee, They nailed the mix.
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Submitted by Chris killer on Sun, 10/15/2017 - 22:40

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We went to these shows . When I heard the interplay of Bruce and Jerry at meet up at the movies A flashback of Jerry smiling ear to ear , the whole band dropping it into Overdrive I can't wait to hear the second night through my home stereo at the highest volume allowable . I guess the only way to understand how lucky we are to get Killer board mixes of shows. Brake out a third generation audience TAPE ,from 1989 , Then you will gladly pay to own the superb clarity of the perfect assembly of the band . We are so spoiled , We are so lucky Its all about your perspective ,how much you appreciate the music that is unavailable . THIS IS WHAT I KNOW I WILL HERE ,, AND I CANT WAIT ! Though , I can't wait to find out what's in Daves bag of tricks for # 24. Chris K

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Submitted by antonjo on Sun, 10/15/2017 - 23:58

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Hoping this surprises me. I was only at first day, and it was fun and there were moments, but wasn't one of "those" shows, didn't stick to my ribs. But then the Terrapin Limited show, for me, was the weak night of that Landover '90 run, and that release not only sounded great sonically but revealed more was going on musically than I'd been able to receive from our less than optimum seats that night. (Cool view of Brent, though.) Well, and, famously, the off show Jerry pushed Phil over turned out to be an Anthem-worthy tape.... I'm not sayin' RFK '89 is going to be Valentine's Day '68 ~ and I still prefer those other two nights of Landover '90 ~ but it's a classic GD dynamic that some tapes shine when liberated from their subjective immediate circumstances....
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Submitted by FloridaBobalooToo on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 10:51

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Isn't it time to start debating Dave's Latest? Last one for 2017.
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Submitted by SPACEBROTHER on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 12:32

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I wonder if this will be similar to the "Formerly The Warlocks" and Spring '90 boxes, including ticket stubs, backstage passes and the tour info handbill for this venue stop? Those were nice additions to include with the CDs. The mail order tickets had the Eye of Rah for one show and a rose for the other.
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9 years 11 months

Submitted by WisconsinDead74 on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 17:39

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Why must everyone always try and guess and debate what the next Dave's Picks or box set is gonna be? Who cares? We'll all know when it's actually announced. Am I an asshole for asking this? YES, but I'm an asshole that likes surprises and thinks that speculating is a waste of time.
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Submitted by WisconsinDead74 on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 17:51

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I'm gonna guess it's a show that they played between the years 1965 and 1995 and hasn't been released yet to the public. Wow, that was less fun than I thought it would be.
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Submitted by icecrmcnkd on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 18:21

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It’s like trying to guess the lottery numbers, but doesn't cost $1, or $2 if you prefer powerball.
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16 years 6 months

Submitted by deadboss on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 23:24

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Well, i don't see any harm in having fun wondering what the next treat to come our way is. Coming from a different angle here...i really hope it's NOT one of the Berkeley shows from October/November '84 as I'd love the whole run to be released as a box set sometime. I've been on a 1980/81 kick recently and have been pretty impressed with what I've heard...05/09/81 up next. Let's hear the announcement Dave !.
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15 years 6 months

Submitted by evilyn2003@hot… on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 06:30

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They're both well known shows that most serious Dead fans have, but I'd LOVE to have a remastered/restored version of 7/18/1972 at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ or 9/28/1972 from the Stanley Theatre in Jersey City, NJ. Then again 8/24/1972 from Berkeley Community Theatre, 10/25/1973 at Dane County Coliseum in Madison, WI, 6/23/1974-Jai Alai Fonton in Miami or the complete 9/11/1974 Alexandra Palace gig (of which a small portion is featured on Dick's Picks 7) would all be supreme as well. Hell, I'll be happy with whatever shows up at my door in November or in 2018.
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16 years 6 months

Submitted by deadboss on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 09:01

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Yes, that 07/18/72 New Jersey show is a killer...i have a superb soundboard recording of that one and would love for it to be released...i may be wrong but it may be outside the realm of a DP selection as i recall it running to 4 discs...here's hoping though !.
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8 years 6 months

Submitted by Lightfoot510 on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 09:24

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Has anyone else seen this RSD balck friday list? Its showing a 5xLP Dead release called "Grateful Dead Records Collection" by Rhino... Just wondering if this is another studio collection release... I also saw a Jerry Garcia x Howard Wales "Side Trips, Volume One" 2LP release on the list. https://s3.amazonaws.com/recordstoreday/2017/2017_BLACK_FRIDAY_PUBLIC.p…
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Submitted by OKCDeadHead on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 09:48

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"5LP Box Set containing: Wake Of The Flood, From The Mars Hotel, Blues For Allah, Steal Your Face (2 LPs). Each album will be faithfully replicated, housed in a rigid slipcase, with a book containing liner notes and iconic photos of the band. Limited Edition of 5,000." http://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/9844 Very nice!
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Submitted by OKCDeadHead on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 09:53

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I too have been on a 80/81 kick lately. I love the Stella Blue release from my hometown 7/5/81 Zoo Amphitheater show that was on the Amazon exclusive version of the LST soundtrack. Would love to see that show released in full.
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11 years 5 months

Submitted by kemo on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 14:43

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More Bruce...there's got to be another good one
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11 years 3 months

Submitted by mbarilla on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 15:41

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That show is really special for me. Any word on price for vinyl box set ? I heard about that one a few days ago. I'm on the fence for that because I already have all three albums. The two studio I have are both the Mobile Fidelity pressings along with first pressings. Not sure it would be an upgrade over the MoFi copies I own ? Also Rhino !!! What's up with the Merch for RFK Summer 1989 box set ? How about a cool patch or pin or something , please no print \ poster
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Submitted by OKCDeadHead on Tue, 10/17/2017 - 20:03

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Haven’t seen any info on price for LPs. Certainly is tempting though.
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Submitted by Dennis on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 07:57

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I must be missing how and where to order this. Will this only be available in local record stores?
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Submitted by mbarilla on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 09:52

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i think its limited to 5,000 at first on Black Friday and then they may have an edition that is not limited. but the LE will most likely be long gone by then. I am guessing it will be about $100 -120 in stores Heck $65-75 would be about the right price in my opinion Box Set of the Futuro haha Fox 1972 !!! Universal Amp 1973 !!! Philly Spectrum 1989 !!!
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Submitted by mcmiah78 on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 14:52

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Very Nice indeed! save me one if you're down at GuestRoom please!
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Submitted by mcmiah78 on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 14:53

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Very Nice indeed! save me one if you're down at GuestRoom please!
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Submitted by SPACEBROTHER on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 19:35

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Love how that "Sugaree" just pops out of the speakers, and that's just on my laptop. This "Let It Grow" is truly epic. Worth getting this box just for that. Jerry and Brent are just ripping it up. The mix is phenomenal. Can't wait to hear it properly.
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Submitted by daverock on Thu, 10/19/2017 - 08:43

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Having listened to 9th October 1989 and 16th October 1989, I am having second thoughts about buying this. Those two shows are truly epic...although I wasn't so keen on 8th October, with its godawful version of Eyes. I wonder how this new release compares to the shows in October?
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Submitted by MnSteve on Fri, 10/20/2017 - 12:28

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10/8 and 10/9 were truly epic. As was 10/16. They are in a league by themselves. The playing in RFK Summer 1989 is very solid and well done. But the (entire) rest of the 1989 Summer Tour was better--before AND after. If this is a strict comparison of the Hampton shows + Weir's birthday 10/16/89 vs. RFK, the October shows win in a landslide vs. RFK.
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Submitted by daverock on Fri, 10/20/2017 - 14:20

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Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll leave this release after all. I do like the October shows mentioned-and October 26th from 30 Trips-but overall, 1989 isn't a favourite year of mine. If these shows aren't even the highlight of the tour they were played on, maybe I'll leave them for someone else to get. Especially since I've been lucky enough to have bagged a subscription for Daves Picks this year. No doubt that this 1972 show is worth having!
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Submitted by kyleharmon on Sat, 10/21/2017 - 18:47

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I have mine ordered and looking forward to some more '89. plenty of people were clamoring for dave's 24 to be something from 89. but dave said in a video if a dave's picks and box set come out the same month both releases won't be from the same year. thanks for posting up some taper's sections photo. the Hampton Box set is great and has great sound. but I will say it seems to me Brents keys are on the low side during the Foolish Heart Opener. if you can get your hands on the Formerly Warlocks Box id recommend it. this box set is worth it to me cuz I love '89. I agree with bob weir I think its a peak year too. and also serves as a precursor to what Spring '90 could be. also Hampton is a great place for Phish and the Dead. I really like what two dead shows I have and every phish Hampton show. yeah if you're not a fan of 89 its probly not worth it to you. and yeah it might be pricey for two shows. I mean phish puts out a two show box set for under 40 bucks. but they also are pretty skimpy on packaging they don't do a booklet w/ essays. just a simple sleeve box set that holds individual cd paper sleevers but not like that rough ass cardboard for Road Trips.
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Submitted by mrtophat on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 09:49

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Special show for me. had the chance to sit on the board second night. steady diet of espresso that night. Healy gave me the headphones and he had to pry them off me mid second set. Jer and Bruce and brent had unique bond, you could feel it whenever he played with them. great release and amazing mix.
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Submitted by Butch on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 10:16

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I cancelled my order on this after the 2nd listening party sample. As a newcomer to the Dead scene, I've purchased over 20 shows from all eras, and while there are some bright spots on the late 80s music, the early 80s features much better performances with much better vocals from Brent Midland. His voice isn't all raspy and strained on my older 80s shows, such as Grateful Dead Go To Nassau, Dead Set, and 30 Trips Around The Sun from Cape Cod 1979 (I forget the date). It's a shame, because there is some great playing in there (Jerry and Brent in Wharf Rat from 6:00-8:00 are jamming nice!). I guess Brent's voice just degraded over time, which is only natural. It happens to the best of singers as their careers went on (Brian Johnson, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, etc). But it's almost impossible to enjoy something like Cassidy from this listening party, with that raspy voice that is comparatively monotone to Donna's in the late '70s on Cassidy, which is a very beautiful duet, and what I would consider one of her strongest songs.

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Submitted by antonjo on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 11:07

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I hear you about the change in Brent's voice. I think of it as "gritty" rather than "raspy." And funny, I actually don't think he sounds like Brent until then!, his '79-'80 harmonies sound more generic to me. Like he's learned the parts put isn't infusing his own soul into them yet. He was surely capable of an off night, but to my ears the "grit" version doesn't correspond to a decline in singing ability, a la the veterans you listed. (You could add Bowie & Elton John, who fled to a lower octave relatively early in their careers ~ though their voices remained distinctive.) I truly hear it as more soulful, and him bringing his own personality to the party. Obviously I'm biased, having fallen in love with the Dead at just that moment, including the element of Brent's voice. To me, his harmony on "Know You Rider" and "Uncle John's" will always be classic.... I agree that "Cassidy" is one of Donna's lovelier harmony vehicles. "Looks Like Rain," too.
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Submitted by Butch on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 13:56

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I guess I just don't dig his gritty blues voice and prefer a little more harmony in the backups over dual-leads. By that I mean what I've noticed with Brent is that he doesn't really harmonize (sing the line melodically different than the lead vocalist to achieve a different net effect). For example, someone recommended Ladies and Gentlemen this morning on the other thread, so I put it on since I happen to have that one. During Uncle John's Band, there's a lyric that goes "like the morning sun you come and like the wind you go". There are three people singing the line. Jerry is the lead, and then I guess Bob Weir sings the line with pretty much the same intonation, but the 3rd person (Phil Lesh? Pigpen?) sings the same line with a different melodic intonation. The net result is a breathtaking moment where two different, slightly different vocal melodies come together to make harmony. That doesn't happen that I've heard with Brent's backups. With the Brentster, it's typically him singing the same line with the same melodic intonation as the lead vocalist, which doesn't yield the harmonic effect. So that's what I mean when I say he doesn't really provide harmony vocals so much as dual lead. But that's cool, everyone likes their own toppings on their Sunday, you know?

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Submitted by antonjo on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 16:13

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Indeed they do. My old band was recording our album years ago and the engineer kept wanting to mix both the lead & harmony vocals in the middle, to create a single effect of the intertwined voices. We kept saying, no, pan them! "But then you'll get a dual lead vocal like Lennon and McCartney!" he complained. "Exactly!! That's what we want!" Drive My Car, You Know My Name.... You tipped me to crank "Go To Nassau" in my car this afternoon. Love that release, especially disc one, great performances and sweet sound. The hottest Lazy Lightning/Supplication? Some candidates: Go to Nassau (5/15/80), expanded Dead Set (10/13/80), Dick's 25 (5/11/78), 12/30/81 LOVE Jerry's half-rhythm/half-lead comping on Supplication...one of my favorite Dead jams.
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Submitted by Butch on Mon, 10/23/2017 - 17:27

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You got to record an album?? That's awesome bro, I wish I'd done things differently and become a recording engineer. What kind of music? I have Nassau and Dead Set, and probably listem to them most after Sunshine Daydream. The Jack Straw into Franklin's Tower is stunning. I noticed in the 70's versions of Tower, Jerry passes the rhythm off to Keith and Bob, and then he solos for a good portion. But on Nassau, Jerry holds down the rhythm for a much longer period, and it sounds awesome!!! And it's up-tempo through the whole song, and then he tears through a solo, picking the main riff on one string, wow! Rocking version. The Playing is really hot too. Mr. Brent's Hammond sounds perfect. Personally, I think think this is his best sound, but it's largely absent from the later 80's shows. I love this band!
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Submitted by possiblyMaybeAnother on Tue, 10/24/2017 - 13:44

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I got into the Dead in the early 90s so I missed most of the great stuff. When I first heard Brent, I was like "who is this Michael McDonald knock off?" I didn't warm up to him for a long time, but the more I listened, the more he grew on me. There was a sweetness to his soul that came through his voice, and he did wonderful things on the keys. The way he and Jerry played off each other, and the obvious joy that Jerry showed when playing off of Brent, endeared me to Brent. If you can get your hands on a copy of Without a Net, I highly recommend it. If you only have one album from that era, that should be the one. Brent's vocals are spot on. Worth getting for its fantastic versions of Althea, Cassidy, Walking Blues, Help on the Way, and Eyes of the World (with Branford!). If you're going to critique the Dead for their vocals, there's certainly no dearth of material to choose from - in any era. Like everything else, when the vocals were on, they were great, but when they weren't, they were cringeworthy. Some of the live stuff I've heard from American Beauty (Attics of My Life, Brokedown Palace) is absolutely atrocious: pitch wavering all over the place trying to find the notes. Also keep in mind that they overdubbed their vocals on some of their live releases (I think Europe '72 and Without A Net), so what you might hear might be a lot better than what happened at the time. I don't have a choir background, but I do have musical experience, and what I've found is that generally Brent's vocals are solid. I feel like he was often the rock that kept the other vocal parts in line. What really impresses me is how he hits those high notes without going into falsetto. When I listen to the Dead, I don't listen to it for the vocals. I listen to it for how they listened to and played around each other. AND PHIL'S BASS. That's what got me on the bus. While the Dead might sometimes meander into a Pit of Despair, Phil's bass always brought everything back together. And man, his bass on Sugaree here is sweet! Anyway if you're still here, thanks for taking the time to read this long-winded rave. I'm excited about this release because these mixes from the 24 track masters make me feel like I'm right there at the show and at just the right location to hear everything the way it's supposed to be.
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Submitted by icecrmcnkd on Tue, 10/24/2017 - 18:22

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You should have kept your subscription and sold it later if you didn’t like it. Eventually, Brent might actually grow on you.
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Submitted by narutlee on Tue, 10/24/2017 - 21:26

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Give Brokedown Palace and Attics of My Life from any 89/90 shows a chance (highly recommend versions from the warlocks shows, 10/16/89, 3/19/90). Brent's great!
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