Grateful Dead

For RFK 6/10/73, I believe it would sell 15K in one weekend, either individually or paired with the RFK show from the night before. In this situation there is a hugely popular show from a hugely popular year. If I were Rhino, I would do the pair. I would limit it to 15K and include a small book (like FW 1969), but I would press 20K and immediately put the extra 5K on sale after the initial sellout, but exclude the book and call it the music only edition. That way the urgency is created for the initial 15K, and it goes fast. Then when everyone is peeved they didn't get one, you announce the music only copies that are available. No, that's dishonest, I wouldn't do that.

Some good points made. I think a lot of factors are involved. I think 1978 is not as lauded a year in Dead legend as say, 1977. I think if it had only been a two-show set with the Red Rocks nights, it would have sold out 15K pretty quickly. But for $129 and 5 shows from a year that's often regarded as "shakey" in terms of performance, I believe some folks either opted out, or bought 7/8 only. That is my second thought - the fact that 7/8 was the big cornerstone show of the box, and that it is available individually, must have hurt the box set sales (it's not like the Cornell box set, where there were several extremely popular shows included). Some folks are just nor "completists", and can sleep at night knowing there are available shows on the store shelf. I don't happen to be one of them - I broke out in a cold sweat when I got the news of the box set and didn't have my wallet nearby. Like Jim pointed out, it was available for download for a while. Who knows how many were sold. There are certainly a good deal of regular posters here who indicate they prefer downloads over physical product. Surely they represent a larger number of people who do not post regularly. There was also a lot of discussion when it was announced, that the set lists were not that much different from a good number of other releases, such as May and June 1977. The non-completists who may have considered a 1978 box may have decided against it because of this. This one may be a bigger factor than we think. Imagine if it had been Fall '78, and we had songs like Stagger Lee, Shakedown Street, I Need a Miracle, etc. That would be something new-ish and unique, something marketable. So for my part, (aside from being a completist), there was enough nuance between '77 and '78 to warrant buying July 1978 Complete Recordings; but for some I think, $129 for essentially the same batch of songs as May and June 1977 (as well as a dozen single show releases from Dick's Picks, Dave's Picks, Road Trips, 30 Trips, DL Series), it just wasn't a priority, particularly when Red Rocks 7/8 was available a la carte. Anyway, it will sell out soon enough, I think there are only like 1500 left. Still a winner for Rhino, as I'm sure they sold enough to make money. The rest is trickle-in gravy. And a winner for Rhino is a winner for us :D Have a great weekend everybody. Jellyroll will drive you stone mad.

Good point Jeff.. Surely that had an impact on the non-completest among us. It is the cornerstone show, and arguably the best in the box (though currently not my go to show from this set).

A couple of friends and I ditched our afternoon classes to drive out to a high school in Glendale to see Buffalo Springfield for free in the auditorium in 1966. Forty-five years later paid $173 to see this reunion show at the Fox Theater in Oakland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dmZe2igiMQ&ab_channel=dakind2

1621 remaining, according to David D. It didn’t go on sale in December, probably too soon to cut the price and piss off the rest of us. What did go on sale in December was the 8-27-72 CD/BluRay for $14 less than I paid 3-4 weeks earlier. That was annoying. I had the DVD but decided to buy the BluRay to see if it had a better picture. Nope, how could you improve grainy 1972 film. But it does have 24/192 audio. 78 Box is awesome, especially the non-Red Rocks shows that didn’t previously circulate. It’s not prominently displayed on the main page, but May 77 AME is. Jim has a good point about it disappearing for a few months, then reappearing, but was probably sidelined due to the May 77 hoopla. RFK 73 will sell out 20,000 units quickly. It’s hot, hot, hot. It’s pre-hiatus, which a lot of people want.

love the "JERRY" label

6/9/73 and 6/10/73 would be a smart release. ABB gets some cash, not just the GD. I don't know what it's like to wrangle the sums of money tenured bands deal with, but if I had a chance to get a seven-figure sum, I would freakin' do it. best of all, us crazies get some more classic, classic, classic music to listen to and enjoy for eternity.

I love 1973 and find it bizarre that theres a 6 month swath of 1973 in the vault that is completely untouched. BUT if the HIGHLY-lauded and mythical Red Rocks box is now almost 2 years old and not sold out, I find it hard to believe this would be an immediate sellout (at the standard 15k units.) Though it would certainly sell better than the 1989 RFK box (ONLY 5,000 left! Hurry! - LOL) Agree the 6/10/73 Dead show is fantastic and would like to see it released, but my recollection of the ABB stage-sharing 3rd set is typical of most guest appearances - one imagines a fantasy pairing where giants stand on each others shoulders for previously unimaginable heights. 1+1 =3!!! But instead its executed with all the grace of a 3-legged race. Everyone's a little tentative trying to figure out whose solo it is, and not step on toes... Sure they execute the songs competently and its interesting to figure out who's playing what, but the musical product has no magical moments that pull me back. It's more curiosity than virtuosity... 1+1=0.8, musically. If I'm missing any TRULY golden moments from this set, please enlighten me. I also have trouble imagining the Allmans would allow an entire disc of Allmans/Dead to be released under the Dead label considering the bad blood that existed between the bands in later years (after Gregg's manager went to jail due to Gregg testifying against him in order to get immunity in a drug case where the manager was holding/sourcing HIS stash, and Jerry PUBLICLY shamed him for it in an interview.) But Dave & Co. found a compromise for the complicated returned Betty's situation, so maybe there's hope here too.

it is worth it for 7/7/78 and 7/8/78 alone