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Dave's Picks Volume 28: Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, 6/17/76
This year's Dave's Picks series comes to a close just as the band's getting back together again in '76. By the time the Grateful Dead hit New Jersey’s Capitol Theatre - for the very first time - on 6/17/76, they were buzzing from their reunion, armed with new and revived material, the Rhythm Devils reformed with the mischievous Mickey Hart once again behind the kit. They'd skived off the unwieldy Wall of Sound and scaled back the venues from cavernous arenas to intimate theatres. Quite the treat!
During the first set, the Dead's playing was nuanced ("Cold Rain And Snow"), detailed ("Looks Like Rain"), and intricate ("The Music Never Stopped"); the singing struck softly ("Row Jimmy") and raised hairs ("Ship Of Fools"). But it’s the big barreling energy of the second set you’ll want to brace yourself for, replete with a disco'd "Dancing In The Streets," a low-down funky “Help”>”Slip”>”Franklin's” and a wind 'em up to wind down "Let It Grow">"Wharf Rat">"Around and Around." Can you keep up? There's only one way to find out.
This complete show, balanced out with a couple of bonus tracks from 6/23/76 and 6/28/76, was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman.
Dave's Picks Volume 28 is limited to 18,000 individually-numbered copies*.
Grab a copy before they're gone, gone, gone.
*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.
Subscriptions
Too many Dave Picks just aren't that good. Sound quality is important. If you don't have it, why release it?
I love 76, and especially June 76
I love subscribing to Dave’s Picks too.
And I’m not a robot, according to recaptcha, but the website is still not secure, according to my browser.
June 76 Betty’s on cassette tapes sounded really good in the 90’s, relative to some of the other tapes I had. So they got a lot of play, along with 6-19-76 FM, and 10-9-76 set 2.
I love 76. It’s a unique and distinct year.
Slow? Yeah, that slow Cosmic Charlie from 6-14-76 is awesome.
Slow? Yeah, 10-9-76 set 2 just cruises right along.
Slow? Yeah, the 6-29-76 Playing>Wheel>Playing is just exactly perfect.
I love 76.
Thanks Dave and Co.
How about some June 76 Mini Boxes? Plangentized and Normanized.
Boston
Beacon
Chicago
Each city available individually. Or buy all 3 cities and get a complete 76 show as a bonus, all included in a large box that won’t fit onto some people’s shelves. And with improved manufacturing quality control.
Where do I preorder?
Breathe and Enjoy
As we await the last release of the year, give this a twirl:
11/19/72...part of a beautiful Texas swing. A truly magical night.
Next Year's Wish list:
April 69 ARK Box (been wishing for this one for years, and I know there are countless heads out there seeking the same vibrational intensity.)
11/19/72 or 11/18/72 Texas Swing
2/11/70 with members of the ALLMANS (plenty of room for filler)
3/29/69 ICE PALACE with filler from 4/6/69
6/21/80 Anchorage (to appease the 80's seekers)
icecrmcnkd i agree
I would love all those shows as a box. I don't think Chicago will happen because at the end of Dave's video he said they didn't have complete shows of the two songs they released as bonus tracks... i love 6/28/76 especially the Happiness is Drumming!! I think the best bet is the Beacon Shows, 6/9/76 has been released already..
We were glad the Grateful Dead were back
I saw one of the '76 Portland OR shows (and later the Cow Palace) and yes, '76 was slower and not what I'd remembered from 1974 and that holds true today in the listening. The last two releases, back and forth from Pacific northwest to this 1976 is a good exercise, for me, in the way the band changed, and no, I don't think for the better, but here we are in 2018 and you tell me what's better after all these years than being at a 1973 three set dead show, eh?
I'd seen the Jerry band at the fairgrounds in (Springfield? Eugene?) over in "the Valley", earlier that year with Keith and Donna and that was a great show, but really, really, really, slow treatments of some songs. Really. The only time I heard Jerry do "Moonlight Mile" and yes, by the end of that song I was "really" into letting the airwaves flow however he wanted to play it. Two big sets with Jerry and his magic (Travis) Bean. I think the 76 treatments of many songs by the Dead came from this time with his band and his preferred way of playing this guitar.
I subscribe. Four little packages of happiness a year in the mail and yes they're expensive but this is a tiny market of customers. I don't expect people to work for free. I don't feel exploited here. Will be happy to sign up again.
We were glad the Grateful Dead were back
Duplicate--but oh yes, time for new art.
Guess I was wrong...
… and I gave my guess the best moment of my life. I saw USA USA and thought usa/Russia hockey game. I further laughingly thought 1980 Capital, ONLY, because my first show was the April Fool's Day show at the Capitol in 1980. So nice, a Capitol show.
Oh, and Jersey crowds weren't drunks :-)
80sfan - Download Series. Brown Cover
It's a heavenly performance
Sit back and enjoy the ride , that one is F%CKING Awesome !!
DaP 28 - Set List
I don’t find it too enticing when the longest song of the show is a Disco Dancing under 12 minutes. And I have to disagree with Dave regarding Samson and Delilah. I have never enjoyed Bobby doing that tune. He always sounded like he as aping Dave Van Ronk’s version and went overboard on the “passionate” vocal delivery. I did enjoy the Orpheum release quite a bit, so we’ll see.
an extra one
Does anyone have an extra they want to sell or trade?
Re: DIW...76 BOX
I agree, June 14 1976 is a better show.
Includes: Playin, Cosmic Charlie, CRAZY FINGERS Help Slip Frank...
I have the show. SBD....if anyone wants a digital copy, message me
Time to warm up for the next Dave's Picks
Getting out the Road Trips Volume 4 Number 5 release 6/9/76And the Dave's Picks Volume 18 7/17/76
To warm up for this release
Re: diw
I don't think this is a returned Betty. There are definitely some '76 Bettys that were missing, but in the video Dave says that when 6/18/76 was used for the Download Series 13 years ago, this show was also under consideration. It is curious that with the returned Bettys, there are probably other '76 shows they could have picked. I was listening to Hunter's Matrix of this earlier, and it sounds like a spirited show. I haven't listened to that DL Series show in a while, it did not blow me away, though the filler with the huge Playing> Drums> Wheel> Playing sandwich was very good. Haven't listened to DaP 18 too often, either, though I did like it. My favorite of the Road Trips Series is the Boston Music Hall 6/9/76, and while this doesn't have one of those jammed out Eyes , Crazy Fingers, or a Mission in the Rain, it does have Help> Slip> Frank and Let It Grow> Wharf Rat, so I'm looking forward to this one. And I'll be on the lookout in the liners to see if ABCD Enterprises is thanked.
Also, like a fiend, I can't wait to find out in about a month what DaP 29 will be (and will Dave also spill about DaP 30 like they did on at least one of the subscription announcements, IIRC)...
Oh, and a last 5 as I make another lap through 30 Trips:
1. 6/17/76 up to Tennessee Jed
2. 9/18/74
3. 11/14/73
4. 10/3/76 (not a favorite '76 show)
5. 9/28/75
high time already released
wasn't high time bonus already released on Download Series Volume 4?
Re: HighTime
@BigDeadFan - The High Time from Download Series Vol. 4 is from the June 21 Tower Theatre show (one of several tracks from that show). The version indicated on DaP 28 is from the June 28 Chicago show.
never too early to start guessing the next Daves (tnD)
7/13/84
or maybe, just maybe, perhaps, could be, it just might finally happen...
6/10/73
or, or, or, or..........
11/19/72
10/18/72
Went through 6/18/76 &
Went through 6/18/76 & 6:21/76 today! How sweet it is! Can't wait for 28!!!
This cover art
This cover art does not reflect the behavior of Dead Heads of this era. Most people were courteous, friendly, and rather well-behaved, both seasoned Heads and newbie "heads". A couple of light-ups-and-pass-around, mostly talking in small groups, just waiting to enter the venue and the show to start.
This scene is some whacked-out vision of wild-animal-like newbie "Touch Heads", "In The Darkers." In my opinion and memory, the newbies were quite similar to those newbies back in 1976, which were well behaved. New Jersey Dead Heads are good, kind, mellow folk.
However, I see the tongue-in-cheek humor of Tim McDonagh here and I like it very much. This one makes me laugh a bit in a good way.
This is a very good show in my opinion. It was picked for release from our suggestions, the folks who have strong positive opinions for the shows of 1976.
Thank you!
stolzfus i think 6/10/73
might be too long to fit on a Dave's picks... i think it is a four cd release... I hope you are right and i am wrong.. gonna be something along your prediction to drive up the release to 19,000 to justify more copies.. 2/26/77... 9/20/70/.. 2/9/73.. 2/15/73 the ark show etc.. something that will hook a lot of us in for four shows followed up with the second release announcement.. ps i am never right on predictions!! have a good weekend bob t
1971
1971 might be my favourite year. It retained a little bit of that raggedy-assness of early Dead, but was just poised to lock into the E72 time machine, right around the corner. I do like a little slop in my playing... hence the Jimmy Page worship.
I feel so very positive about this thread and this release! '83 was a little... meh.
Keep on truckin'. Your commentary is legend, insightful, informative and always entertaining.
God bless you all. Even if atheist, it doesn't hurt to have little old ladies praying for you.
\m/
Dave's Art Work
What's up the the kiddo crap skeletons art work that continues to bog down these Dave's Picks releases? Such a joke, it has turned into a childish repetitive bore. The 73/74 Northwest box - Believe It If You Need It release(s) was not only the best art work in a long long time but music wise is the best of the year.
Thank you , for all your hard work ! Love it all
Let’s not forget what everyone from the band ,to the road crew, the sound engineers , the writers, all the Graphic artists. , the folks that answer your calls,Emails and texts. We should never forget how lucky we are that not only do we get 20 to 50 year old clean remastered tapes , in original packaging with very cool memorabilia , articles , and anecdotes . I know that it is so hard to please everyone ,but the G.D. always give us the ability to at least five five times every year to own apiece of history , No other band that I know has the ability,or the fan base to attempt to deliver product of this quality. So the next time you unhappy with anything you get in the mail from the Grateful Dead , remember how lucky you are that all the folks from the past ,present ,and future are working just for you .
So Thank You , all of you for you Did , Do ,and and will do . Peace , Love and be Happy
St. Stephen -> Not Fade Away -> St. Stephen
Hearty Portion of 2nd set
St. Stephen ->
Not Fade Away ->
St. Stephen ->
Eyes of the World ->
Drums ->
The Wheel ->
Sugar Magnolia
June 18, 1976
Can someone tell me
when they 'usually' announce next years submission, with details about the February 1st release?
76 was a great year, for the Dead, me and the country
Bicentennial dead, the return of the greatest band in the world, what's not to love. Sure, they start off slowly, but they are just together again after a year off. This was a great year, I hitchhiked to DC that year to meet a bunch of vets at the Washington Memorial, it was a total gas, the people that picked me up and gave me rides, the strange carload of freaks that asked me if I wanted a ride and to go to a heroin party outside DC,(no thanks, just airing out my thumb) the three guys that picked me up that had just stolen the car they were in, the looks on the faces of the cops when we were pulled over and they pulled me out of the back, sleeping off a 20 hour stand along the beltway where no one would pick me up, except criminals (the only thing that saved me was my Florida ID and a backpack full of dirty clothes) The bluegrass festival that one ride took me to, the excitement of being in our nations capital for it's 200 birthday, back when the dollar was worth a bit more than it is today. Colombian redbud at the Lincoln memorial, Gerald Ford in office (he was a funny guy and not to bad for a republican), Nixon gone in shame, yes, a great year.
Dave's Picks 2019
Last year the deadline for early bird orders was November 6th.
https://twitter.com/GratefulDead/status/927620358173347841
It looks like it was announced Oct 25th
So, it looks like there should shortly be an announcement.
6/17/76 vs. 6/18/76
As I understood it, the Download Series was for shows that wouldn't get released as Dick's Picks and 6/18/76 was one of those. I know one should never judge a show by the setlist, but the setlist for 6/18 looks more attractive than that for 6/17. Which begs the obvious question: Why is this particular show being released? I have not heard it, but is it good enough to warrant release? We will know the answer when this hits our mailboxes in a few weeks but the suspicion remains that maybe we have already seen the best, with the exception of what is being saved for box sets.
Bonus Material / Subscription
The subscription & Feb. release are usually announced by the end of October.
Regarding bonus material: 'High Time' included with the Download Series is mistakenly listed as 6/21/76 at the Tower Theatre when in fact it was only played on 6/23/76 during the Tower run per Deadlists & Deadbase50...do we assume it's from this date?
Artwork
I usually dont get too preoccupied with the artwork and it quickly moves to back of brain, etc. That said, this cover really is dopey looking -- bordering on cartoon. I love '76 and thrilled to have another official release from the former Capitol Theatre, a cornerstone venue in this part of the country. But yeah, enough with the junior high school book cover cartoons.
High time...
On Download Series Volume 4, the bonus High time is stated as being from 6/28/76 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL, the same as is stated here for the High time bonus track. On Download Series 4 there are a further 8 bonus tracks, all from the Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, 4 tr. from 6/21/76 & 4 tr. from 6/22/76.
1976 Redux
Its been a 1976 weekend! Revisiting and re-enjoying shows like 06/18/76, 06/21/76, 09/24/76, 10/09/76 & 10/10/76! Love it!
1976 : A Great Year
http://www.gratefulseconds.com/2018/03/spirit-of-76-my-top-76-moments-a…
To me any 1976 release is great. A while back I wrote up my thoughts on how great 1976 I prefere July and Fall shows usually along with the shows I saw 6-9, 6-12 and 8-2
Best days behind us?
If, as Simon says, the best has already been released, I would like to see incomplete, or indifferently recorded shows released rather than mediocre shows with a superb sound. 9/19/70 comes to mind as one I would be happy with, although I understand that it would not have a perfect sound. Any great shows, or excerpts from late 1967 to about April 1969 would also be most welcome in my home.
Re: Best Behind Us
That could be true.. but I think there were enough returned reels to argue there are many great releases to come.
Dovetailing on this thought, I bet Dave has a good feel for what is left and the amount of time they wish to keep this whole thing going. I wouldn't be surprised if he/they even out the quality and save some dry powder for years 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, etc. I would expect each year to be more or less comparable in shows released and quality to the last and expect some surprises to come over an extended period of time.
I think that's a reasonable approach and it seems to be the course he is taking.
One last point.. I did some driving yesterday and they played a Dave's Picks 28 release special on SiriusXM. Dave was pretty stoked about #29 calling it (as best I can remember) "..an all time classic and that's not hyperbole... perhaps the best show in the series so far.."
Dave's Picks 29 could be one for the ages. Food for thought....
Swing anyone? Fall 72? and the drum roll begins for 2019.
All a matter of preference
I can't stand the PNW artwork. Looks nothing like the Dead to me. Someone else said the same thing and then said they downloaded random Dead artwork to use for PNW instead. I did the same thing. I use the same ones the other guy suggested (Butch maybe, or Jeff Smith). The 73 shows got those great Skelton posters from 1989, Warfield, Radio City, etc. The 74 shows have Bertha with 3 different background colors. Dave's Picks 28 looks just fine to me. Much more Grateful Dead ish then Pacific Northwest which is simply applying a Pacific Northwest theme to The Grateful Dead. It would be like if they went to Japan and then they just made artwork with a bunch of Japanese relics and stuff that has no inter mingling with Grateful Dead things.
Best behind us...
I certainly hope not. I do find it strange that this show has been released now. As I said, I haven't heard it yet. I hope it is great. I enjoy 1976 and hope this show is up there with the best. We shall see soon enough.
As for the art... Most of us can immediately tell the difference between album cover art, cartoons and kid's scrawls. This does not fall into the first category, or for that matter the third category either. Is that diplomatic or what?
9/28/72 Stanley Theater
Talking of Fall 1972, one of the interesting things about collecting tapes in the late 1980s was that I didn't know which shows were regarded as classics, so my enjoyment wasn't prejudiced by general opinion. For the first few years of collecting-say from 1987-1993-this show, 9/28/72, was my favourite-well, second favourite after Binghamton 1970. But it doesn't seem to get mentioned much in terms of being a great show. I haven't heard it myself for many years-but if memory serves me well, it would be great if this one turned up as a future release. Any release from this timespan would be great.
SLOW is GOOD!!!
I’m listening to Vol. 4 of the Download series right now and I find the slower tempo to these songs to be really nice. No ones in a hurry and there is a sense that everyone is sharing the space. Dave’s Pick 27 was the exact opposite. The band played almost the entire show at warp speed as if large amounts of cocaine was consuming everybody. Nice set list on #27 but I just couldn’t hear any soul in it. With the exception of the last song. At least 76 was more relaxed and they all seem to be really listening to each other. As Billy mentioned in his autobiography, cocaine doesn’t make great music.
Early Cover Art for a Change
Here’s a link to a crisp image of Dave’s 28’s cover art. Thanks to one of our fellow travelers who forwarded it to me with a note: “From Twitter. Should save us all some work. Enjoy!” https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbpnnvvddfh6l3c/Dave%27s%2027%20Cover%20-%20B…
Looks like the square “Booklet Crop”. Plus it’s a pre-print version without the printer's half-tone haze to deal with! Wish TPTB could/would include links to quality artwork like this on the deaddotnet page for each release. It seems like at one time they did. . .
Won’t get into the personal preference discussion about 28’s cover art, except to say the facial hair’s gone in the slack-jaws in the foreground. At first I thought that guy on the right in the ’76 tank top was lighting farts, but now I’m not sure exactly what the turquoise ameboid is – there's gotta be a story about some legendary blotter that circulated that night. . .
I will say that I really am liking Vicker’s Pacific Northwest artwork – it reinforces Nick Meriwether’s observations in the PNW book about how locale and geography could influence the GD’s music and state(s) of mind. The art definitely imbues the box, digipaks and music with an unmistakable “sense of place”. Onward!
Digging it All
Lot of interesting comments. Simonrob, I believe there's plenty left in Vault. PNW has some of the best sounding stuff the've released from '74 yet, as well as some kick ass material from '73. Everyone's done plenty analysis on the quality of the material. I think it's a winner, and a sign there is no lack of content.
I have not heard 6/17/76, so I would say, as long as the audio is in the neighborhood of Road Trips 4.5 or DaP 18, we're just fine. I saw some comments about 6/18/76 having a better set list. Hmmm. I like my Cold Rains & Snows and my Help / Slip / Franklin's. Looks like a cool Let It Grow in there. Also a Scarlet. Music Never Stopped, Cassidy, and Wharf Rat. They had me at Help / Slip / Franklin.
Jimbo - I think you laid it out as accurate as can be, based on our info, and the future's looking bright.
Jeff Smith - thanks for the artwork once again. I see we have our first Dead Bear on a Dave's Picks - I was wondering why those little fellas hadn't made an appearance!
6-19-76 was a hot show
Pretty sure I was at the third night, which started with the "new" Help on the Way medley, not the 17th when that medley opened the second set. Ticket stubs are long gone. A friend had scored something like 6th/7th row tickets in the center, the closest I think I ever got in maybe 75 shows -- close enough that the backline amps were louder than the side PA and crackling with electricity. It was loud that close up.
Looking back, the Help medley provided some peak excitement as it was new and mesmerizing. We were keyed up to see the band, after a drought after an October '73 show -- no GD in '74 (I was on the road, hitchhiking coast-to-coast, turned 17 on the road) or '75. And this was the third night in a three-night stand, which offered the band a chance to settle in.
I remember at the time the newly crafted harmonies and often slower pace, but loved the new material, which included Lazy>Supplication and plenty of other rocking material such as Might as Well. I have never really enjoyed the disco Dancin' in the Streets, though some jam out quite nicely.
Generally, in this day far removed from the actual proceedings, I don't care for '76 GD, at least compared to other eras that really deliver for me today in the era of just listening to the tapes. The question for me is whether this particular show will stand up as a recording vs. the event itself -- the perennial question when a show I attended is released from the vault. Englishtown seemed to match up with my experience and the two '78 Red Rock shows produced some mild flashbacks -- more accurately, moments of genuine memory, sans the hallucinations. And this show is not the one I attended, so who knows?
I'm genuinely interested to hear how this sounds and if it seems a break from other '76 shows that I find a tad too slow to embrace. I believe the 19th is release-worthy as well. As it's '76, I have little doubt that this was a returned tape and will bear the ABCD Enterprise mark.
Just musing on a snowy Sunday in Denver. Cheers all!
Snow in Denver this early....
....Is great news for us states further down the Colorado River. Just finished watching the Dolphins win in OT vs Chicago. What a game. Busting out Dave's Picks 4 now. And to those that call '76 too slow (including me on occasion), check out the Playin'->Supplication->Playin' and the Slipknot! if you have it.
This pick
I'm among the unenthusiastic. I'm open to my mind being changed, however. 1976 is my least favorite year from 1967-1980, and June is probably my least favorite month. They sound like they're still searching for their footing..
I've always really disliked DL 4 (6/18/76), if only because Garcia is nearly inaudible on the entire show (it does pick up in the second set).
June 1976 is really hit or miss for me. I enjoy 6.9 and selections from the Boston shows, and I do like 6.29 as well, but there's not much from 6/17-6/28 that's ever intrigued me. I haven't listened to anything from this run in a VERY long time, so last night I dug out 6/19. Let's just say my opinion is unchanged after the listen.
I've changed my mind about shows before, so I'll give this one a few listens. And I'm happy for everyone else who is psyched for this.
I do agree with those (admittedly few) who have voiced their disappointment in the 2018 Dave's Picks. I suppose it was a bit handicapped by the Pacific Northwest set that prevented prime years of 1973-1974 from being considered for a selection. Right now, my personal tastes are decidedly narrow, and I really want to see more from 1968-1970 as well as Fall '72 and ALL of 1973. 1971, 1974, 1977, and 1978 have been mined pretty exhaustively, and unless they pick 11/7/71, 12/15/71, 2/23/74, 6/23/74, 2/26/77, or 10/29/77, I'd be satisfied not seeing anything from those years for a LONG time. An inspired Brent pick would also have been more welcome than this one.
Sorry if I offended anyone with my negative outlook on this pick...just my personal tastes.
Quoting said William & Mary's Supplication....
...."a little bolt of inspiration". 1976 is AOK in my book.In regards to the boyz and girl finding their footing in '76, that's part of the magic. I've noticed that during '76 Playin's, Jerry seems to play a couple of octaves higher than other years. Going down tight on the fretboard. Personally, my household is stoked for this Pick.
Playin' from 11/15/72
Soaked in this Playin' from OK City this afternoon.
It was pretty cool, I thought I picked up on a little "Caution-like" jam towards the end, also heard Jerry toying around with a Slipknot! type melody and even a few chords that sounded like the intro to Terrapin. Jerry also toys with a weird UJB tease before they go back to the reprise.
It's amazing the little things you can dissect when listening intently
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