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    heatherlew
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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.

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  • daverock
    Joined:
    Kreutzman underrated? Right!

    I have been slowly absorbing the 73/74 box set from last year, and have just finished the 1973 Portland show. Beautiful clarity to the sound, and it is very obvious that all members of the band were absolute masters both of their instruments and in their ability to connect with each other. Bill too, obviously. During these shows no one member seems more important than any other-very different from other improvising rock bands of the time, who tended to feature a stellar soloist-usually a lead guitarist-with a supporting cast.

    Incidentally, its taken me this long to really get into this box. When It first arrived, I was distracted by the fact that so many people had received faulty discs. So I played them all one after another in a short space of time. The discs were alright, as it goes. Then I played them all again, in a more relaxed frame of mind-but, maybe because I had just already listened-it all seemed a bit much.

  • DaveStrang
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    Unkle Sam

    I can more than understand how you feel…those feelings are still fresh after the PNW Box Set. Here's hoping you get a refund or at least a playable disc.

  • unkle sam
    Joined:
    nevermind

    found 29 in the store under Dave's picks, it's still there if anyone is interested. I know I said in my first post that it was a raised dot but under closer inspection, it is just a dot, a blemish, a digi dot, a doohickey on the thingamajig. I was just on this page and went to the store to see if 29 was there, came back and had to log in again, again with the captcha's and buses and traffic lights and fire hydrants and motorcycles....

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Mexico, Billy the K and Vguy/jokes

    Skinner, sounds like a gas. Really dug your opening paragraph and finall sentence! LOL Thanks for the review.

    Dreading; totally agree, sooo underrated. Now I love the Mickster, and he is also a fine drummer. Personally feel some of his solo albums are some of the best of the band. But imho Billy was better on his own, or when Mick took more of a percussionist role e.g., like early on, think of all the cool hand held stuff on 69 Dark Stars, or his role now in D&C.
    Non of this is a diss on Mickey, just love Billies very unique style. See his interview in the Dead movie where he talks about how it’s just like dancing when he’s on. Always thought that was the perfect way to describe his playing versus “drumming” in the conventional sense.
    Felt like by the 80s they quit trying to out “drum” each other and sort of meshed into one beautiful beast.
    Perhaps age was a factor? Late seventies felt like they both just blasted all the time....perhaps too much powder?
    I believe Billy alluded to some of this in his book, but the memory is going fast so would have to look it up.

    Vguy; have seen you keeping the drive alive here with Jim and Daverock and others during the site transition. Thanks!
    Thinking perhaps the time of year was also a factor in the low traffic as many get really slammed fall into the new year? Seems like more of the regs are coming around again, “which is nice”
    But your jokes or lack there of have been missed! Here’s one for you bra!
    As a mother is bathing her young son, he starts to hold his balls and asks her “momma, is this where my brains are?”
    The mother is taken back for a minute but then reply’s, “not yet son, but someday”
    Batta bing! Heh-ooohhh

    Stay warm folks....”it’s forty below and I don’t give a @#$ cause it’s off to the rodeo....”

  • unkle sam
    Joined:
    raised dot, not and playing in the sand

    hey, it's not a raised dot, just a dot, like a period on paper, no indentation or applied extra product, just a dot, and it ain't coming off. No, this dot was not on the original, this is new but oddly enough, in the same spot when it plays. Go figure, I'm now going to ask for a refund. I sure hope this doesn't happen to Dave's 29 or 30.
    Speaking of 29, wasn't the leftovers suppose to go on sale today? Did it happen and I missed it? Kinda gun shy for getting another copy anyway, just don't want to deal with anymore poorly manufactured discs.
    Glad you had a good time in Mexico and glad you made it back in one piece, according to some, it's a dangerous place full of gangs and drugs. Did you see any? ;-) Sure wouldn't mind some Acapulco Gold

  • muleskinner_blues
    Joined:
    And we hightailed it

    Got back from Playing in the Sand late last night, quite the experience. It reminded me of a celeb rehab resort , a Road to Wellville for Deadheads or something.

    The shows were fun, I would say still getting tuned up for the year (similar to last year, though a little less rusty I would say). Mayer was on point and there were several highlights, but some fumbling through as well. Over the course of three shows, I was hoping to get a few more of the songs I haven't caught yet (Truckin, Cassidy, Viola Lee, etc) but got a ton of great stuff.

    I much prefer China > Rider as the straight sequence, but the first night with Cumberland sandwiched in there was a highlight. The transition from Deal > Bucket on the second show was the best, smooth man. Got a Dew..

    The package is well put together, with the shuttles and other amenities taken care of. Got to do a day trip to Chichen Itza, sacrificed a virgin, seemed to fit well with the overall vibe of the trip. The guide took us to one memorial wall full of skulls, said the Mayans believed the skull was a symbol of the pathway to a better life. As you can imagine, quite a hit with that particular tie-dyed tourist group.

    Stayed up the night of the last show and wandered the beaches and after parties. Found a drum circle on the beach in the dark that was sort of surreal, especially with the super blood wolf moon. Came across a little jam session, unfortunately at the tail end, but enough to sing El Paso and Big River with a small group including three flute solos on Big River. OK that was fun.

    Everyone was really friendly, received a bunch bunch of stickers and coozies, all really well done for non-official merchandise. We didn't know to bring anything to trade, but received a ton unsolicited. The food and beverages were all well done, and the staff kept the place spotless during the shows. Everyone generally well behaved, no fights, vomiting, being obnoxious. The Luke Bryant "Crash My Playa" group was coming in as we were leaving...we'll see if they can say the same, haha.

    Worth the trip? Ancient astronaut theorists say yes.

  • Exile On Main St.
    Joined:
    Uncle Sam

    Is the raised dot on both your original and replacement CD?

  • DaveStrang
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    Unkle Sam/Raised Dot On Disc

    Anyone with the 'Raised Dot' try the following (I know you should NOT have to do this):

    1. Clean the disc - most times it will 'moisten' the DOT.

    2. GENTLY scrape (don't dig) the Dot with your thumbnail. I know it sounds crazy but CDs are more resilient than most folks believe.

    3. Clean the disc again. Repeat as necessary.

    I've purchased many used discs over the years (some had the price reduced because of this) and this has worked for me many times.

    Cleaning solution: 2-3 drops Dawn dish soap to 1 gal. distilled water - Dawn dish soap is used to clean water fowl caught in oil spills and is a mild non-abrasive cleanser.

    Hope this helps and again you shouldn't have to do this.

  • dreading
    Joined:
    Kreutzmann is easily the most underrated drummer, right?

    I've been listening to the Dave's Picks Berkeley release from 72, I think number 24. Kreutzmann is unreal. He has so many quick fills and changes in which drums he's hitting to hold down the beat within each measure, while maintaining the timing for whatever particular measure he's in. It's a shame they brought Mickey back. I guess Jerry just wanted something else for the band.

    Street lights do not count as traffic lights.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Irvine '86....

    ....my first show. To be honest, I recall little of it. I do remember that the crowd was really cool though. Fun bus.

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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.

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11 years 4 months

In reply to by Lovemygirl

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I too have the disc 3 skip. Not used to having to deal with a replacement disc issue.
Anyone have the Dr. Rhino email address handy? Thanks.

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In reply to by Lovemygirl

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..arrived today, and I've just been listening to the first 7 tracks on cd1. So far so good, although, I have a slight feeling of trepidation, which will increase as I get closer the dreaded 3rd cd. The music sounds great, though-lovely mix with Keith' contribution very evident and enjoyable.
The music is quite a contrast to the sturm und drang of live King Crimson cds I have been overdosing on of late. As different, in musical terms as day is from night.
Incidentally, on the cellophane wrapper, I noticed a statement that the discs were "Made in Mexico". Maybe they have been for a while, but its the first time this has been drawn to my attention on a release.

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In reply to by MrHeartbreak

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I think you can pm marye, too. And then, she will forward the requests to Dr. Rhino. I don't know if she's collecting them, or forwarding them real-time. But, I'm supposedly in the queue for a replacement. I let her know over the weekend. Anyone know what the standard defect rate is vs. these? I hope it's not getting worse!

Thanks to all who did the service of mentioning their skips early so we could all check it out!

Recent listens:
Joaquin Rodrigo Fantasia
RT 4.5
MSG 10-15-94
DP 23 Disc 3
9-13-87 set I

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so sorry, but yeah, send me a PM
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Look perfect but only a listen will tell if it is a fully functioning product. Again the "Made in Mexico" warning rears its ugly head. Although I have nothing but disdain for your orange president, I have to admit that he does have a valid point when he says that US production should be brought back to the US. Maybe he should send Rhino a similar ultimatum to the one he sent to Ford.

I am looking forward to hearing this and sincerely hope that all discs play as they should.

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10 years 8 months

In reply to by marye

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I too have also received a defective disc 3, lots of tiny dots in the middle of the discs optical surface, it skips briefly during Let It Grow.

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10 years 3 months

In reply to by Sydney Prentice

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Yes, skips briefly on my 3rd cd too, during "Let it Grow"-round about the 1minute 45 second mark. The first cd also sticks towards the end of the first cd, during "Promised Land". Shame-superb release. 1976 shows are always (usually) better than I am expecting them to be-and this has to be one of the best.

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Thats a really good thing mate. Like a historical event itself.

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In reply to by dexterbrown

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Marye -

Getting same skips as everyone else - esp. Disc 3 at the 1:40 minute mark (Let it Grow). Small skips on Disc 1 too. I tried on 4 CD players and 3 PCs and skips on all of them.

Had similar problems with Pacific Northwest ’73-’74 release - they sent me 3 replacement discs and all of them skipped so they finally refunded me the money.

What the heck is going on with your manufacturer??? I noticed that the CD are made in Mexico - wonderful.

... good morning my brothers & sisters, I’m loving and been loving the lastest Daves Pick #28 since it’s release date. 1976 - 6/17/76 - Summer Time Good ol’ Grateful Dead - primo recording / audio ... besides the faulty CDs that seem to surround this release , I’m quit certain DR RHINO and the Dead.net Team can and will bring this error to a fix! , this Daves Pick is PRIMO in all aspects of a excellent performance and packaging product.
The Grateful Dead still shine through the clouds after all these years. Let the Sun Shine in my brothers & sisters! ...Listen to this part of the performance, Primo Dead... Looks Like Rain’, ‘ RowJimmy’ ,’The music Never Stopped’, ‘Scarlet Begonias’ and ending with ‘Promised Land’!!!
This is a special release and I’m grateful Dave and company shared it with the Fans. Rock on Deadheads :)

Yep, mine does too... It is the third disc, but only skips on High Time. Also noticeable blemish/smudge on the outer edge if the disc. I emailed the good doctor around Halloween and was told a replacement is on the way...However i have read here that others had to fill out some type of form to process this, I was not asked to or given one...Should i be worried?

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first appeared on Dave's 20. Is there a way to research how much rhino could be saving by not having these discs made in America? How much could it be and is it worth having to replace multiple badly pressed discs? Does rhino really not care about customer service or putting out the best possible merchandise that can be made?
Remember back in the day when all Grateful Dead products were proudly made in the USA? It really wasn't that long ago was it?
I have several Dave's picks that have not been opened, should I be worried? What if when they are opened and if they contain flaws will I have a path to replacements?
I never thought I would ever have to think about these things, but with all this talk of faulty discs, it sure does make one think.

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11 years 4 months

In reply to by deadtony

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OK...here goes. I recently moved across the country and had my mail forwarded. So far everything of any importance has made it's way east to my new domicile. Not so with Dave's 28. It has been returned to sender. I have contacted "customer service" and informed them of the details of my delima,including my new mailing address.
The response? "Uhhhh...we're sorry but you're stuff has already been readdressed(to the old PO Box,not the new address) and not even shipped out yet,but we can't change anything so if you don't get it this time we'll just refund your money."
So as a loyal customer & loyal subscriber you folks are basically telling me you are not willing to send me something I've already paid for?
Probably had defects anyway from what I can gather with the comments. On the heels of a goofed-up PNW '73~'74 Box that I still have had no satisfaction with. Customer service my ass.
I already regret sending hard earned $ for the 2019 sub. Will you honor that subscription or just wing it with no concern for your loyal fans.

Jeez...I don't know whats going on over there between you & Rhino but it ain't good.
A very befuddled ex customer.
:o(

I'm not finding it that easy to send a personal message. I thought I had sent one to marye this morning, explaining about the faulty discs 1 and 3. But I've just checked to see if I've had a reply, and it seems I just sent the message to myself. Anyone know what I am doing wrong? Everything, by the looks of things!

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when you say they refunded you your money on the PNW skipping discs, was the refund for the entire box? a percentage of the box? just interested in how rhino is handling these problems and what you had to do to get replacements. Since my dissatisfaction with 10 discs in the E72 box, the subsequent 1 year wait for replacements and my very vocal statements on quality from Rhino, I have received with every purchase since a "return label" that states I must enter a quantity in the RTN QTY box and select one of the return reason code numbers in the RTN CODE box next to each of the items I am returning. Did you have to send back your faulty discs? It also states that I am responsible for all return shipping costs and original shipping and handling fees are non refundable. Did you get one of these forms with your purchase? Did you fill out this form and return it with your faulty discs? How much was the shipping costs if you did return discs? Am I being singled out with these labels? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks for any information that you can pass on to us all.

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In reply to by daverock

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this also happened to me, I tried to send a pm and it just went back to me. Who knows what's up with that, it's a right wing conspiracy I tell ya. ;)

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In reply to by unkle sam

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I just sent Marye a message and you must type in her name under members or it won't get to her, I think.

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7 years 9 months

In reply to by unkle sam

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The format of Personal Messages has changed. There are five fields: Created, From, Subject, Member(s) and View. When you send a PM to someone, it shows up in your inbox, but the From is from you.. if I were to send you a message right after that.. it would show up in your Inbox, but it would be from me (MDJim).

My guess is you did send it to MaryE, but it shows up in your inbox from you and the members are you and MaryE. Am I correct in how this is showing?

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In reply to by MDJim

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Yes, you are correct Jim, it shows my name and maryes' and I hope she got it, I will await a reply and see if it did. Thanks for your input and all clarifications.

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Unk:
When my GDM shipments arrive the same form is in my package. As I have never asked for replacements, I think the form goes with all packages and is not directed towards specific customers.
Now that I have had skips in my last two GDM products (one bought via Amazon), I think I will be contacting MaryE/DrRhino on future problems!

JFR68:
I have read for years on these threads about the propensity of this organization to completely fuck up accomodating address changes that have been submitted by customers. My 2019 DaP sub was placed with a new "ship to" address since I am moving in Jan/Feb. I am thinking I may never see any of my DaP2019 sub!

MaryE:
Had to log out of Dead.net day before yesterday due to computer sluggishness. Had been leaving computer awake and logged in to Dead.net to avoid having to do the via-email login procedure. Doing so eventually rendered my browser (FireFox on a Macbook) too sluggish to use calmly. Logging in today required the via-email process, despite my now having created and supposedly saved three differerent passwords!

Can anyone FIX Dead.net/GDM? Will anyone?

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thanks for the response, good to know that I am not the only one who has received the return form. I have read that many have gotten replacements in the past, did they have to return their discs? how much did it cost to do so if they did? what good is a faulty skipping disc to rhino and why would they want it back? just to make sure that I'm not lying? Hey Rhino, the customer is ALWAYS right. period.

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12 years 1 month

In reply to by unkle sam

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So far they really do suck.

First I can't seem to delete?

But worst, is the way it shows "conversations", if I PM something to "A", when "A" replies, it's not under the same "slot", instead I get another slot. So my PM page is filled with back and forth, but each slot holds running talk. Like it sent the pm but didn't condense down the replies.

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In reply to by unkle sam

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Unkle Sam -

I bought the Pacific NW 3 disc set and after Marye and Dr. Rhino got involved and I tried multiple replacement discs I was refunded for the full amount. I went and bought the digital version and made CDs.

I've had some success on past Mexican Skipping CDs (not to be confused with Mexican Jumping Beans) that if I try copying the bad disc to another blank CD (via PC or I have a high speed CD burner) that the burned CD works fine with no skips. Maybe the "Made in Mexico" CDs are poor quality and not their CD pressing plant. NAFTA at it's finest.

**

I sent dead@wmgcustomerservice & Dr. Rhino an email telling them about my skipping discs on Dave's Picks #28 and got this reply email:

Thank you for your email.
Due to a high-volume of email traffic, I will respond to your email within 5 business days.
If you have a media and/or promotional inquiry, please contact:
http://media.rhino.com/contact
I am very sorry for the delay and thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rhino

So looks like we wait for them to figure this out.

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10 years 3 months

In reply to by unkle sam

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Thanks for the feedback on sending pms. I have just sent another one to marye, and this time her name and my own appears under the members heading. The one I sent this morning just listed me under the members heading. Anyway-hopefully she will receive it. What a hassle!

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In many ways 1971 is really the standout year. The year everything came together, live; tight arrangements, great interplay, the acid-y vibe still playing a strong card over and over... shades of the two worlds, old vs. new Dead, gelling.

Transformative.

It sure as hell is different around here, on these message boards... the frequent, witty banter, horrible bitching and just general folksy interplay has been largely absent, replaced by "engineer speak," prattling on about the whys and hows of defective, product, yadda yadda.

I'll stick around, for awhile. We'll see where it goes.

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In reply to by LedDed

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I'd say 1966-1974 was the standout year. Every phase relating to the other to form a composite whole. A different mind set seems apparent after 1975, but there were still many, many great shows. As evidenced by Dave's Picks 28.

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Just played this straight through. Good news is that all discs played faultlessly and skip-free. I enjoy the laid-back pace of '76 shows - reminds me of the pace of JGB shows. This is a top-notch show well worthy of release. I prefer '60s versions of "Dancing in the street" but that is just a personal preference and certainly doesn't detract from the quality of this show.

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10 years 1 month

In reply to by LedDed

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I know right, god forbid we bitch about a product we can't listen to , of all the nerve...

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Maybe part of the problem is that the supposed "Comments" forums for official releases have become the first/last resort for folks with shipment and product problems.

Lots of people are having trouble confirming if they have a problem and, if so, how to go about getting them corrected. Sounds like Customer Service is taking care of folks, but they're also up to their ears and sluggish right now. SUGGESTION: Why not create a "Make it Just Exactly Perfect" forum dedicated to customers needing to discuss defective orders? Then each release's Comments pages could get back to focusing on commentary related to the Dead and their Music.

[I didn't have to play Whack-a-Recaptcha-Mole in order to preview or post this comment! That's progress!]

Maybe it's because I remember Dead.net when they had better phone customer service - now their "Contact Us" will only take orders via phone - but won't help with customer service ("How do I contact customer service for the Dead.Net Store - Unfortunately we are unable to assist via phone.") - essentially they will take your money but don't care if you have a problem (sounds like a Dead song).

I feel like I did something wrong if the CD or product I bought has a problem when I have to contact Dead@wmgcustomerservice.com, Dr. Rhino, or Marye. Ever since Rhino Records was bought out by Warner Music Group the quality of customer service has gone in the toilet compared to what it once was 30, 20, or 10 years ago.

Thankfully Marye is online on Dead.net and Dr. Rhino is available via email - they are extremely helpful.

Thanks for the heads up about the 50th anniversary release. I was going to get this just for the live show, but I'm having second thoughts now. I think I'll spring for the new Mott the Hoople box set, though. But maybe you really did need to "be there" to make that a worthwhile purchase.
Back to Hendrix-I did get a couple of superb studio outtakes cds earlier this year released on Dagger records. " Morning Symphony Ideas" and "Burning Desire". Mainly instrumental recordings with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox from 1969-1970. They have been out a while-but if you like late period Hendrix they are worth checking out.

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Widely panned, I had to check this out. It's not bad! Starting off slow and with a few missteps toward the close (C'mon - the Dead never did Beatles songs worth a shit), this is actually a well-recorded good listen. I think sometimes the mythology that builds up around these things supersedes the truth.

Having heard all the latest releases multiple times now, I went in search of new listens. The other day I took my change jar into a Coinstar machine and got over $100 which I parlayed into an amazon giftcard (no fees, "free" from Coinstar). I used that to pick up a bunch of cheap-ass, multi-disc radio broadcasts. I've always been a fan of throwing a few dollars at a broadcast cd to see if it's worth it's weight, and they usually are. They don't sound like a D's Picks, but, what the hell, if the show is officially unreleased I'm excited to have it.

Then I listened to 7/9/95 again. Jerry isn't very present musically, but he has a few little fretboard runs left in him, and he sings so heartfelt and plaintively on the ballads. This tour was plagued by bad karma and has long been dissed, but like a band of brothers those guys held together pretty tight and even without much Jerry, this is not a bad listen.

I've been Googling "worst Dead show ever," out of curiosity, and listening to some of those. Nothing is really that terrible. Even when off, this band was always interesting, and the not-just-exactly-perfectness is one of the things I find most endearing. Some women won't leave the house without makeup. The Grateful Dead were not that girl.

....about that. A running inside joke to some. To others, it's a shitshow. I give it a solid C-. Only because it's not very good. The Boyz do get a participation award from me though. Btw. The all caps in the posters name and titles triggers my OCD. Yay!!

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In reply to by Vguy72

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One show I recall really enjoying (being there) is more or less panned by ..well.. by everyone. Harrisburg Pa 83. I think it's so widely abhorred because it was a B show and no good recordings circulate (poor aud's only, which really does make a difference).. so it went down in history as quite the stinker. I think I enjoyed it because the scene was a trip.. and I recall eating some good mushrooms which took effect on the long walk to the show. It took place in what seemed to be a high school football stadium type of place with (almost) the 3 mile island power plant in the distance just four years after the near nuclear disaster.. lots of room not claustrophobic at all. I loved Jerry's emotional outburst in I Know You Rider plus there was a nice Spanish Jam and the 3 Mile Island Nuclear Jam (space). Sort of a stinker with some moments. So that's my Boreal Ridge story and I had quite the good time.. no regrets.

71 a pivotal year? Sure.. lots of folks here agree including the good doctor. It was a big year for me early on because so many of those old FM broadcasts circulated. Additionally there was Skullfuck, one of the quintessentially great live albums of all time. The Going Down the Road (including the transition) is etched into my frontal lobe not to mention the other high points including the great Other One. But I really like 1970 and 1972. A lot.

I do find myself agreeing with DaveRock.. I put late 67 through October 74 in the same jug which I drink freely from whenever I can. It's really a sweet spot not taking anything from the later years which I also love. So why the long winded build up? I don't think we can have 71 without 70, 70 without 69 and 89 builds on what came before it as well. With the Grateful Dead, I don't think any year can exist without the year prior and the year after.

The Swing is next and it really got me thinking.. This is one of the truly great shows and about to get a Full Norman. It's no mistake that we get this as they expand the run size by 2k copies. With the return of the Betty Boards I think they have the next 20 or so years pretty planned out. They are going to give us the great shows presented pretty much side by side with any and all other releasable shows until they run out. I expect Dave will save just enough mindbenders to last to the end gently dispersed and mixed with the quality of shows close to what we have seen for the last six years.

So as we ride out 2018 into the New Year and beyond.. I am at peace with what they are releasing. If only they could fix the quality control and outsourcing issues.. but perhaps that's a topic for another day. Have a great weekend all..

I went to 6/18/95 (which includes the infamous wharf rat). It was not my last show (that would come a couple weeks later in Pittsburgh) and while I clearly remember thinking that Jerry was in rougher shape than even the last time I saw him earlier that year, and that the band needed a big time break, I still had a blast with my friends and (extended) family.

I'd rather be at the worst dead show than anywhere else in the world.

Partial video
https://youtu.be/dC6N-gfR0ZI

My Boreal Story:
Looks like a crappy ski resort.
But behind it is Sugar Bowl which has some really nice terrain.

My panned show:
7-2-95

7-8-95 doesn’t get a lot of love either, but I got my only Visions there and that was worth the $35 ticket.

Subscription:
Early bird didn’t sell out, yet people will still complain about being shut out on the ala carte.
I considered ordering a second early bird as a back up against defective discs. But then I received my 2 copies of DaP 28 (oredered an ala carte to give as a gift) and both copies had a defective CD3. So I abandoned the idea of ordering 2 copies of defective Dave’s 2019 CDs.

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People’s names are only capitalized when I am logged in.

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I didn’t have to do reCAPTCHA on the second post. It remembered me from the first post.

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That would be if you didn't have to jump through the reCAPTCHA hoops at all.

Yes, you are right-all the years connect with each other, right up to the last shows they played. Late 1967-1974 are just my favourite years, but the same principle of continuity is evident throughout their career. There can't be many people who favour 1990s shows who don't at the very least have knowledge and appreciation of the music and the context in which it was played during the 1960s. In fact, maybe it would be impossible to really enjoy 90s shows without this prior knowledge and appreciation.

I listen to all the years.
Each year is listened to in context of what came before and the foundation that was built.
Seeing shows from 89-95 was totally with an understanding that those weren’t the golden years of the band, but that I was still witnessing an amazing band with an amazing history, and those shows were still better than any other band I had seen or heard.
And in between shows I had cassette tapes of the older shows, which reinforced that fact that I needed to keep going to shows during the later years. Because those shows were still a lot of fun, and that band was still really amazing.

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Imagine my surprise, I bet you were too, when I took out the booklet on this release and discovered a new format, probably due to the content.
Cool articles and photos.
One note of interest, the assertion that the band would be releasing a live album soon from the upcoming tour of Australia, Japan, New Zealand. What happened to this tour? Cause as we know the next live album was from the 1980 Warfield/Radio City shows.

That pretty much sums up my attitude and position when I saw the band in 1981 and 1990. Also, knowing how songs developed adds to the interest of earlier, less developed versions. Listening to a "Playing In The Band" from 1971, for example, is enhanced knowing how that song would develop during 1972 and beyond. Many others examples exist where themes crop up in jams that are later developed, and its great to hear those ideas in their formative, less well developed stages, with the hindsight of knowing how they would mature. So the continuity angles works in reverse, too.

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Not to be obvious, but the all-music (cd) version of the 80-disc 30 Trips box is back onsale here for under $700. Look under "box sets." They must have unearthed a few stray cartons in the warehouse, or they were expiring. I have visions of the last scene in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" imagining what's in Warner's vault. If you missed out the first time like I did and are on the fence, pull the trigger. A must-have if you can, endless hours of pure listening bliss. And what a fascinating historical audiodoc, a show a year from the most profound live band ever.

The biggest kick in the pants for me has been digging the later-era shows. I had my head in the sand for ever, focusing 95% on Ron/Keith-era Dead. Now that I'm more open to 80s and 90s shows, it's all new again. What a blast.

To concur, I hear what's left of golden-era songs in what they have morphed into in the late 80s/90s. Jerry's lead lines, for instance - he can only string together a weak phrase or three at a time, but now and then a lick from the early seventies will kind of reveal itself... in listening to 1971, you hear the seeds of what will be. As was just posted.

In 1993, 95, I'm hearing the ghost of what once was... like an archaeological dig. Bittersweet, fascinating.

\m/

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