Grateful Dead

Dave said 29 [sic!] is a “bonafide classic...really something special.” Also, “a true classic...special, special release.” Too early for speculation? Ha!

When you say "there are no nasty surprises from Donna", you mean like she didn't always flush the John or something? Well then. 1976 was a good year.

Excited about this release. 69 is of course coming - honestly I can wait longer than most on that one - there’s plenty of it in the meantime and not nearly enough official 76. As for Dave’s, this is a subscription series. A la carte, as stoltzfus put it, is dead. It’s like the leftover crumbs- you can all fight for it. Only way I see an increase in production coming is if subscriptions start selling out- or really approaching it. Really not there yet. PS: replay right now on Sirius, DP 28 preview!

I tend to be drawn less to 1976 shows than any other year featuring Keith and Donna. But when I DO play one, I usually enjoy it. The music does seem genuinely exploratory to me, as though they are feeling their way without too much premeditation. Very different from 1977 shows, where they sound very sure of their footing-shows that fly like an arrow from a bow and hit bullseye with amazing consistency. 1976 shows seem to wander about a bit, as the band look for direction. But 1976 does have links with the jazzier feel of 1974. The singing is good in 1976, too-Jerry's vocals-Stella Blue comes to mind from this year - sound as good as they ever got. And there are no nasty surprises from Donna, either. I am not familiar with this show-but I'm pleased to see that they have chosen one with Help-Slipknot-Franklins in-a signature suite for the year.

So DaP 28 is looking really good to me. As many have commented, 1976 is different year on the whole for the band, but I like it. I used to view it as a “soundcheck” for 1977, but that was completely wrong. There are some great shows in 1976. One that I have been listening to a lot recently is the Cobo Arena show from 30 trips. Now this particular run of shows from that Capitol have been on my radar- I have watched 6/19 extensively on YouTube. 6/18 is there as well, but only the second set. I haven't listened to this show so this is a real treat. I am continually surprised at the ramblings about the limited release and sell outs because this series has existed since 2012. So if people are not subscribing by now then there is not much to say. These sell out fast, even #27 which was debated in terms of music quality, sold out. We are 6 years into this series, and quick sell outs have become the trend. I will subscribe to the Dave's Picks series for as long as it is being produced as I think it is one of the best things any band has done for their fans. Seriously how could you go wrong, I mean getting 4 (actually 5 at this point with the bonus discs) shows per year delivered right to your door? It is a dream come true, at least for me. Speaking of DaP 27 and now 28, I do find the discussions of the specific release in terms of music quality and year/era interesting. I have already commented on my feelings towards 1976. Yet I do feel that we are going to continue to get more shows from the 70s, and the 60s to a lesser extent. I don’t think the 80s (or 90s) will get the same volume, which I think the recording quality that has been cited for 80s shows being the main deterrent for that decade. Plus I think this is a reality, but the bulk of shows with both good sound quality and good playing will land us in 70s more often than not. Please understand, I am not against other decades, I am just looking at what has occurred thus far. I hope they mine the vault for the best shows possible. There will certainly be a show or two released from any decade/year/era that will be a little underwhelming but that's OK. I am going to listen to whatever is released because I trust Dave L. and his crew. In the end I love it all and I really look forward to the these Dave's Picks coming every 3 months.

Glad to see the releases continue to not have the same band incarnations, back to back.

This pick came upon me quick. I'm ready for the early bird. Strap a rocket on your back and fly, fly from the dream squashers.

@ Craigeyler, here's what I got for starters: 4.21-23.1969 Boston (Ark Box!) 12.28.1969 Hollywood Pop Festival (best Mason’s Children ever) 12.29-69.1969 Boston (Tea Party Box!) 5.14.1970 Meramec CC 9.19.1970 (epic Dark Star) 9.20.1970 (period) 2.1971 All Port Chester shows 8.24.1972 Berkeley 2.9.1973 Stanford 2.15.1973 Dane County 2.24.1973 U of Iowa Fieldhouse (you turned me on to this amazing jam!) 5.26.1973 Kezar Stadium 6.9-10.1973 (RFK Box- hello?) 7.27-28.1973 Watkins Glen 12.18.1973 Tampa 6.23.1974 Jai Alai Fronton 2.26.1977 Swing Aud 6.30.1988 (Green Onions, baby) I would agree with you on 2.23.1974, but that’s my ex-wife’s birthday, so…

As mentioned in my earlier comment, 1976 is the the most unique year in the bands history. There was a radical departure from the 72-74 sound,yet you can still find some of that Good Old Grateful Dead from the pre-hiatus days lurking around. Stand alone 1st set Playin' jams are available and many of the songs like Big River, Promised Land, Sugaree, US Blues and Row Jimmy still have that pre-hiatus feel. More importantly, the wealth of new material that was radically different from what the band had composed before was prevalent. This was probably that last "best batch" of songs the band ever unleashed on its audience. Lazy Lightning/Supplication, Help>Slip>Frank, Crazy Fingers, Music Never Stopped, Mission In The Rain, Samson, Might As Well, The Wheel, and Cassidy are just a few that come off the top of my head; many of these songs became show stoppers. One could consider the wealth of new material that debuted in early 1977 to be an extension of this highly fruitful period--Terrapin, Estimated Prophet, Fire On The Mountain and Passenger as the jet wash of 1976. Note, with the exception of Lazy Lighting, the majority of these songs remained in the bands repertoire for the duration of their career. (Mission in the Rain for JGB). Finally, what is the most unique cherry on top for 1976 is the reimagining and rebirth of so many songs from the pre-retirement days. St. Stephen, High Time, Cosmic Charlie, and Dancin' were all completely re-imagined. Not to mention new arrangments for Let It Grow, FOTD, NFA and Eyes of the World. All in all a crazy year, and don't even get me started on those imaginative setlists. Probably the most diverse song pairings in the band's history. Where else are you gonna find a Dancin>Cosmic Charlie?

'76 I can definitely do without but I'll be financing part of next year's subscription with the proceeds from its sale on ebay. A few shows I'd like to see released: 04-08-78 Jacksonville, 10-02-77 Portland, 07-26-72 Portland, 02-23-71 Port Chester, 05-13-73 Des Moines, 05-26-73 Kezar Stadium, 05-20-73 Goleta (a May 1973 box would be nice, but I suspect there would be too much overlap), 08-21-68 Fillmore West, 09-20-74 Paris, 06-23-90 Eugene, 06-24-90 Eugene, 06-17-91 Giants Stadium, 06-??-91 Denver, 05-25-95 Seattle, 06-21-80 Anchorage, 05-12-80 Boston, 05-10-80 Hartford, 06-14-80 Spokane, 02-23-74 Winterland, 08-13-87 Red Rocks, 06-15-85 Greek, 08-01-82 OKC, 08-03-82 Kansas City, 08-06-82 St. Paul, 08-10-82 (I forget where), 07-22-84 Ventura, 05-07-84 Eugene, that's enough, there's always more...