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    clayv
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    An institution in American rock music, the Grateful Dead continue to surprise the ears with new arrangements and altered styles. If their playing continues with the force that was heard in San Bernardino, the spirit of the Dead will live on. - Sun Telegram

    We are more than pleased to kick off this year's Dave's Picks series with the much requested and quite spirited complete performance from Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, CA 2/26/77. The Swing ’77 show was a unique beast, unlike any others from this era: as the band’s first concert of the year, it bridged the gap between the new and re-emerging sound of the returning 1976 Grateful Dead and the precision excellence of the spring ’77 Dead. Debuting two of their most intricately crafted songs of the 1970s, “Terrapin Station” (to open, no less!) and “Estimated Prophet,” the Dead demonstrated right from the start of this new touring year that they were not going to be a nostalgia act; they were going to be as adventurous and ambitious as they were at any time in their career.

    Join the adventure as they soar through tried and true ("Playing In The Band," "Tennessee Jed"), well-loved covers ("Mama Tried," "Samson and Delilah," "Dancing In the Street"), and epic new jams.

    Rounded out with three songs from Santa Barbara, CA 2/27/77, this one was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman.

    Dave's Picks Volume 29 is limited to 20,000 individually-numbered copies*.

    *Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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  • perithecat
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    Aoxomoxoa

    Correction , on the delux version they have songs from the Avalon on the 24/25&26 of January 69

  • perithecat
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    Aoxomoxoa 50th anniversary CD

    I see that amazon are already advertising this with a June the 7th release but no track details yet .

  • daverock
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    Dark Star 5/11/72

    Maybe it sounds different to everyone who listens to it. Maybe they all do.

  • LoveJerry
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    Buzzin' on IPAs

    And a teensy bowl. Charlie I rarely post anymore but usually read everything. I saw your post on 5/11/72 and laughed. I'll tell you why. I also read the comments on Rotterdam and played the show. but then I thought the exact opposite as you, I thought Gee, that Dark Star is less melodic than I remembered. Funny right?

  • CaseyJanes
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    Listening Privileges

    I’m with you Jim....after a hard days work or any days work for that matter, my wife does not want GOGD playing...especially loud! I am either on head phones, walking the dog (or both), or pushed to my upstairs man cave, and then inevitably she says “are you going to be up there all night” (sometimes she throws in an “again” at the end of that statement, if she is upset with me)”

    NO HONEY!!! (not all night, just until the end of this show)...

    she probably deserves a medal or something for staying with me this long!

  • MDJim
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    Re: Today, what a difference

    When my significant other comes home from a hard day.. she won't even let me play the Dead (well, at least loud). I'm envious, and thank god for headphones and (almost) legal weed.

  • Thats_Otis
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    Today my wife...

    ... came home after a particularly hard day at the office (she is an elementary/middle school principal here in the city.) I put on 5/23/82 Greek Theater... damn this show is fine!

    https://archive.org/details/gd1982-05-23.sbd.miller.96332.sbeok.flac16

    She seems a lot better now. Perhaps the wine helped a bit too ;)

    Peace

  • stoltzfus
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    LMG: glad someone checked it out

    listening to it the other day on the way home, I was like, "wow".

    10/2/80 also has a trainwrecked Stella Blue, followed by a superb, stompin' Sugar Magnolia. what a contrast.

    I sure do love the GD.

  • icecrmcnkd
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    ABB

    Thanks for the tip Hendrixafficianado
    :)

    RSD2019 list said that a vinyl version of Bear’s Sonic Journal would be released.
    I already have the CD and the 24/196 FLAC download. I probably need the vinyl too...

  • MDJim
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    Lost

    Oh, that's right.. I forgot about the overnight at the airport part.

    I was awestruck that you made part of this legendary run, but I can see setting up an emergency bivouac at the airport is the part that stands out all these years later. What an incredible story!

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An institution in American rock music, the Grateful Dead continue to surprise the ears with new arrangements and altered styles. If their playing continues with the force that was heard in San Bernardino, the spirit of the Dead will live on. - Sun Telegram

We are more than pleased to kick off this year's Dave's Picks series with the much requested and quite spirited complete performance from Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, CA 2/26/77. The Swing ’77 show was a unique beast, unlike any others from this era: as the band’s first concert of the year, it bridged the gap between the new and re-emerging sound of the returning 1976 Grateful Dead and the precision excellence of the spring ’77 Dead. Debuting two of their most intricately crafted songs of the 1970s, “Terrapin Station” (to open, no less!) and “Estimated Prophet,” the Dead demonstrated right from the start of this new touring year that they were not going to be a nostalgia act; they were going to be as adventurous and ambitious as they were at any time in their career.

Join the adventure as they soar through tried and true ("Playing In The Band," "Tennessee Jed"), well-loved covers ("Mama Tried," "Samson and Delilah," "Dancing In the Street"), and epic new jams.

Rounded out with three songs from Santa Barbara, CA 2/27/77, this one was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman.

Dave's Picks Volume 29 is limited to 20,000 individually-numbered copies*.

*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

The price of FW 69 is outrageous.. but the first FW Vinyl show is what started the conversation, @~$80 for a four record set.

..but the price of albums, adjusted for inflation, is remarkably unchanged from what it was in, say.. 1985.

I recall albums being more or less $10 in 1985 (about the time my album collection grew the most), ignoring the cutouts (albums with the corners cut off) and other discounted, non-selling events. One could argue that point but I believe that's just about right.

So if you adjust what one could buy for $10 in 1985, adjusted for inflation, that same $10 album would cost $22 today. The inflation rate between 1985 and 2018 is 120.28%. http://www.in2013dollars.com/1985-dollars-in-2015

So $20 per disc is less than the inflation adjusted price for a record in 1985 of $10 ($22 in today's dollars). And the vinyl of the day was not 180 gram vinyl.

Anyway.. I don't even recall any 4 record albums in the marketplace in 1985, because the price would have been too high (towlie pun intended). One other point of reference.. the national average price for gas in '85 was $1.12 (compared with the $2.261 today [not in Seattle!, but you get that]).. again, adjusted for inflation, remarkably just about the same.

Just my observation, not meant to inflame or cause trouble. I will get back to my full time obsession of keeping hippies off my lawn..

The vinyl substrate today is so much better than it was in the early 80's. The albums that were released (classic rock reissues) was crap that was paper thin, far short of 180g. The used records I bought from my neighbor that were early / mid 70's was so much better. Not sure if there was a reformulation as a result of the energy crisis, but the used Led Zeppelin II and IV sounded so much better than the spanking new Led Zeppelin first release I bought in 79. They made it easy to switch to cd's.

Thought we'd see another Fillmore 69 vinyl on black friday, hopefully we can get the next installment on RSD.

I have not received a shipping notice yet for DaP, but I usually get them after it arrives...

Someone made a suggestion last week that Real Gone Records is releasing some Road Trips. I just want to let you know that they don't come in those recyclable cardboard CD holders. They come in the old fashion Plastic CD holders. To some you may be wondering who cares but to other "Completist" out there it might drive them a little nutty. I was a little thrown when I got the 1980 Penn State/Cornell concert show up in this double plastic CD holder. My OCD went a
little haywire....."OH NO MR BILL.....IT'S PLASTIC (for you old enough to remember Saturday Night Live...when it was good)

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There is only one solution that I can see as a fellow completist - you are going to have to repurchase all of the road trips in the new Real Gone packaging. The packaging difference throws me as well, but probably not enough to really repurchase all the original ones I already have, although I will admit to considering the possibility of doing so.

MDJim, interesting analysis of inflation and record pricing, I am a fan of fun with numbers. Sounds like it could be bigger than "Fun with Flags".

I have listened to a few 1966 shows this month, too - well worth revisiting. The one in 30 Trips 7/3 and 29-30/7 both have a lot to recommend them-especially Viola Lee Blues and Cream Puff War on both sets. They sound so different in 1966, that it barely seem like the same band. More like The Warlocks than The Dead, perhaps.

I never knew that Historic and Vintage Dead had been released on cd-although now I am getting back into vinyl I am quite happy with the ancient copies I already have.

That was me and yes, all of the rereleases I've got for the Road Trips I did not have came in the plastic cases. If I recall, one of the reasons I did not fully embrace the RT series was getting scratches on platters and many have complained about the cardboard scratching too.

Since I sort by chronological order all CDs that are typical CD case height, I don't notice as much. I am bummed that the two May77s and July78 cannot join their brethren in full glory, but more of a 1st world problem. They just have to sit at the top of the bookcase with the rest of the packaging.

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Okay MDJim, I am interested in how you can check sold prices on products in eBay. Could you please share?

Also, what ever happened to JiminMD?

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I also heard that they don't come with the bonus discs. The good news is that eBay prices went down for the original series issue, since they're competing with real gone now.

I've kicked my morning off with dark star from November 11th 1973. That winterland box set is incredible. It's one of those that I think every good Grateful Dead collection needs to have. Even the non completists.

I wonder what the next box set is going to be. Just a hunch, but I wonder if there will be some kind of 1989 double Show release like they did with RFK last year. Or some other year with comparably good sound from the late 80s early 90s. And then I imagine another 70s box with maybe three shows. I'd be up for a huge box, but I don't know that Rhino is on that page right now. I hope I'm wrong. I would be fine with something like you're up 72, where were you at 20 shows from the summer and fall of 1972. Bring It On Home.

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..now I have to figure out how I did that. Let me look into it again, admitted eBay novice.

JimInMD got into a less than pleasant spat with the youtube bandit here last summer. Something I am not proud of.. I guess he could come back now, all that dust seems to have settled. Plus you can't embed youtube links into posts anymore anyway.

If you are logged into eBay and type in a search.. on the left margin there is a list of options and part way down there is an option called SOLD. Select this and it shows sold results for your search item. I didn't know you could do this until yesterday.. many thanks Charlie.

Now I can search confidently for the best price possible on that gold plated, ivory back scratcher with white rhino horn nubbins at the tip that I have always wanted.

Thanks Jim. This is good information. I noticed some of the sold prices don't show up when a best offer was accepted.

There is a Spring 1990 Box listed for sale for $2499! Wow.

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Lots of talk about road trips on ebay or real gone versions on here. I have some extra originals if anyone is interested. Up for trade preferable, but will sale at low cost. No bonus cds and none of the biggies (ie 1976, 1973, 1970). if interested, pm me and I can send a list of what I have.

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2499$ for Spring Box

lol...

absolutely ridiculous. money must mean absolutely nothing to you if you spend that kind of money on GD.

freedom to do what you want in this life, aye.

but 2499$...for a box set of 1990 GD...

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$2,499, wow indeed.. I've already got one (it's vvery niicce).. but looking through the sellers other offerings, I decided to pull the trigger on a steeply discounted bridge in Brooklyn.

Glad to see the step up in packaging from Road Trips to Dave's Picks.. as others have said, the packaging scratched discs and they overdid it a bit on the made from recycled materials concept.. the CD covers looked like brown paper bags and the artwork, often quite good, was buried under a sea of brown cardboard stock. If I were buying some of these re-issues, I would prefer it not be the same as the originals..

Anyway.. lets hope the delay in shipping was caused by a hopefully successful attempt to address some quality control issues. It would be a shame if 2/26/77 was mired by blems, scratches and discs that don't play so good. Here's to hoping for excellence on this most excellent release.

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In reply to by MDJim

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....checking the national weather. -50 windchill in the upper midwest? I'm definitely not going where the winds don't blow so strange. Bundle up people. I couldn't even imagine....

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Was pleasantly surprised to get a notification that it shipped today - 3 days before the scheduled February 1 release date. Looking forward to receiving it next week.

I'm especially looking forward to DAP 30. 2 complete Fillmore East shows from very early 1970 with Dark Star, St. Stephen, Cryptical Envelopment Suite and lots of PigPen. This is bordering on '68-69 primal Dead although from what I understand these shows also have material from American Beauty.

As for the 2019 Box set, I'd love it if they issue the 1969 Ark Shows or perhaps from the Avalon Ballroom run. It's been a long time since the FW '69 Box and I'd love to have another box of primal Dead.

I guess my biases in Dead eras is showing. ;-)

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In reply to by Dennis

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Ark 69 is always welcomed favorite.

Funny.. I was running errands and grabbed some lunch out today and SiriusXM was playing 10/17/72 Fox Theatre, St. Louis MO.. and got this feeling this honorable three night run might get box attention this summer. After DaP 29 gets delivered.. the drum roll for the next box set will begin in earnest.

Man.. it's getting cold and snowy here in the East. I live in pretty deep valley with an East/West notch cut through the mountains, so you can see the winter storms building.. and this one is building fast, temps are beginning to bottom out. Looks like whoville here..

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After last years below average show of Dave's 28 I said I would not buy a subscription this year. Well when they announced Dave's 30 I had a change of heart. Not so overwhelmed with Dave's 29, (another lame cover art) I will have an open mind. I have never heard 2-26-77, except for the opening Terrapin so I hope it is worth the hype, and this release in hyped to the max. Meanwhile Dave's 30, I am licking my chops.

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I guess if you compare it to 6/14 and 6/29.

72livedead, sell your copy of 2-26-77 to somebody who missed out. I expect that you will not be too impressed, it’s basically a 76/77 hybrid.
I bet it sounds awesome in Normanized form. Of course, defective CD’s will quickly curb that enthusiasm.

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Woo-Hoo, now I can really start to get excited. I’ve loved this show for decades, one of my first HQ analog shows back in the early 90s.

I’m with you 72LIveDead, DaP 28 did nothing for me, just not to my liking. For anyone who missed out, I’d love to trade straight up for DaP 13, 15 or 18. Missed out on those when I was still buying a la carte.

PM me if you’re interested

Seems the "tapers" area hasn't been used in a while, so I figured I'd ask here....I'm looking for, well...more accurately, I NEED, a couple 73 and 77 shows. I can offer many shows to trade, including any show from the Daves Picks line. I'm strictly looking to trade music/no cash.....IM me if interested, and let me know what you NEED, maybe we can help each other out....oh....and if this deal isn't cool here, apologize in advance Thanks all.....

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In reply to by 72LiveDead

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I wouldn't be so quick to call a show that's not to one's liking below average. Or better stated, I would expect shows from 79 and beyond to be sprinkled in as Dave's Picks from now on.. and for 1983, DaP 27 is far from subpar. There's simply a lot of 80's and 90's fans that here, not surprising at all.

I have to agree with your comments on DaP 30.. I am a big fan of 1970 and looking very much forward to it.

One comment, all civility here can implode without warning when the conversation drifts towards era wars, politics, religion or bearded skeletons. As a whole, I think the Dave's Picks series is excellent but it's silly to expect shows like Boise not to be released. Not liking it is one thing, but ..well.. I guess the point is, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and we will see 80's and 90's shows released.

Hope that's ok to say, did not mean to offend.

Not subscribing is an option, but there is the risk you miss the one you really wanted in the first place.

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In reply to by MDJim

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Check your PM.......

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In reply to by RobbZ

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Tragedy narrowly averted.

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.... making it up for it now. Week late, dollar short. Rhino got that one right. No skipping issues that I've heard of. Just do the rest like you did that one!
....edit. I just realized, MDJim's rebirth occurred on Phil's birthday! You sneaky devil.

I like the variety of Dave's Picks-and, come to that, the range of music the Dead covered over 30 years. Without question, I have my favourite years, which I play far more than my non favourite years...but its often a nice surprise to step outside my box and listen to a show from a year I don't normally listen to.

1/22/78, as mentioned below, was a case in point. I wasn't familiar with the show before it came out, have never seen or particularly wanted to see Close Encounters...it looked unexciting to me on paper. But on my stereo-wow! One of the best releases so far from one of the years I don't normally rate so highly. Sometimes the less my expectations, the more I enjoy the event.

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No shipping notice on my end yet, but I rarely receive them early. I am very pumped for this release! I know the show quite well, but to hear it Normanized, now that is going to be a real treat!

To get ready, I have been listening to the beginnings of 77, starting with 2/27 in Santa Barbara. (This AUD is fantastic, and seemingly the best we can get for this whole show: https://archive.org/details/gd77-02-27.bertrando.vernon.10378.sbeok.shnf - the show itself is a total SCORCHER!!! Maybe better than the night before ;)

So far, I've gone through that, the March Winterland run, and am currently listening to 4/22 at the Spectrum (the first show of the 77 Spring tour, proper - Got my Mojo Working!) All have been great! I'm looking forward to getting DaP 29 into the rotation, then moving on to revisiting the Get Shown the Light box. However, I find that these early 77 shows are special - I know I haven't spent much time in pre-May 77 (other than Swing,) and these shows all sound fresh and exciting. I especially like the early Estimated Prophets - averaging around 9 minutes, with little Bobby histrionics... just exactly perfect!

Anyway, stay warm out there, DeadLand! Dave's 29 should be here soon!

Peace

Oh, one more thing, non-Dead related... I am about 30 pages from finishing _Moby Dick_. I'd never read it, but goddamn, it is an incredible book! I feel like I am reading a book about everything under the sun that also happens to focus on whales and whaling. Sometimes, the classics are deserving of their status, and few American novels are as classic as ol' Moby Dick!

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I also avoided it diligently till I more or less had to read it at gunpoint in grad school, and like you I was kinda stunned by how good it was.
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In reply to by marye

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Right on Otis, way to keep the drumbeat into 2019 alive and well.

I, too, read Moby Dick in school at some point but your memory is better than mine.

The 2015 movie "In The Heart of the Sea" is worth a visit too.. it's a movie based on the interview between Thomas Nickerson and Herman Melville and focuses on the real events and was the source material for the movie Moby Dick.

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I highly highly highly recommend giving 3/18/67 a listen.

I would love a Normanizing of this show.

Extremely high energy.

Enjoy...

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Wow, I check in here just to celebrate receiving two shipping notices yesterday (DaP 29 and DP 36) and I find a conversation about Moby Dick busting out. I love this place (usually).

I wrote my master’s thesis on Melville, so I feel compelled to chime in. Pro tip: If you are reading Moby Dick for the first time and you find yourself getting bogged down in a chapter, skip it. Don’t let the minutiae of cetology deter you from the bigger picture of the narrative.

And yes, I did say shipping notice for DP 36. Very pleased to fill in that gap in my collection, get yours before it’s Real Gone if you catch my drift.

Excited for Swing, thrilled about Fillmore East. Can’t wait for DaP 30 to land in May. Been toggling back and forth between ’70 and ’77 for the last few weeks now. Along with a smoking radio broadcast I discovered recently—Allman Brothers Live at the Cow Palace, December 31, 1973. If you like the Allmans, seek this one out—features Jerry and Billy jumping in for the final set. The Bo Diddly jam with Jerry is simply epic.

Great to see all the usual suspects filtering back in here and posting at pre-changeover levels.

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In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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Dave's 28 is nearly identical to Road Trips Vol. 4, Boston Music Hall 6-9-76 in song selection, which is superior to Dave's 28. That is a big reason why I find it so unappealing.

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I confused DaP 27, Boise ID w/ DaP28, Passaic NJ. Sorry.. hope I didn't offend.

The Capitol Theatre, #28 does have a pretty sweet Help on the Way>Slipknot>Franklins Tower and I think sounds just a touch better than Road Trips 4.5. Both really nice shows.. but the setlists don't overlap all that much.

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But tracking number not loaded into the system yet.
I predict a Tuesday delivery.
This is gonna be aaawwweeeesssssooooommmmmeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

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In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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Rhythm Devils w/ the full Beast and the Beam or Moby Dick?

I prefer the psychedelic twist of our favorite double entendre.

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In reply to by MDJim

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Moby Dick is a ‘song’. It’s the same every time, just like Neil Pert.

Drums/ Space was a creative experience.

Although, now with D&C it’s very similar each night.

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Second that about the 1/22/78 show and how often when we keep our expectations in check we get pleasantly surprised.
I was of the mindset years ago that “I already have more dead than I’ll listen too” and became kinda closed minded about getting most stuff that either wasn’t on my short list and/or shows I wasn’t at, big mistake!
Luckily I was able to get turned onto copies of stuff that started to enlighten me to this lame shortsightedness. “If you get confused just listen to the music play”
Coming here also helped broaden my horizons to where now, I like all eras.
Fortunately, I’ve been very lucky/able to be able to start catching up on many releases, especially this past year, that I missed out on, but it’s cost me, and of course no bonus discs.
So yes Like Daverock states we all have favorites, and that probably won’t change much, but it’s all good ol GD, and now I’m thankful for every release, even ones that don’t blow me away. I’m grateful for every one and get something from them all.
This new way of thinking has really helped me enjoy and get reinvigorated about the dead in general, and specifically many years I had sort of written off. 76 being one example.
Recently, I’ve really been diggin the old stuff which it seems there has been a bit of a trend here lately. I gave up on most of that decades ago. Why? Because I never heard decent stuff from back then so I wrote it off, idiot!
So yeah 78 is not a favorite, but that 1/22/78 show is a perfect example about what I’m (hopefully) trying to explain, Don’t judge a show by its year!
“Sometimes you get shown the light....” and if not, you can always sell, miracle, trade or whatever. In other words 99% of the time you can’t go wrong with the Good ole GD!

“Be excellent to each other” and stay warm!

P.S. try to imagine if/when there are no new realeses, none!

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That ain’t no shit....6 miserable degeees here, but feels like -5....good news is I got my shipping notice this afternoon and hoping for a weekend delivery of GOGD and per the forecast a 50 degree hike in temperatures. Can’t wait for both, but would settle for The Swing....bring it!!!

Edit: Buses, bycicles, traffic lights, cross walks, it’s fucking dark in here and I can’t see the squares on my phone...am I a robot?

I agree Jim, Dave's 28 does not have a set list that is close to RT 4.5. And while I love RT 4.5. Dave's 28 from a sound perspective is unbelievably good.

And of course most of us know, you can't judge a show by the set list, if you could, none of us would be here.

What an adventure!

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