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    clayv
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    This summer marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the defining event of a generation and one of the most iconic moments in popular music history. Despite its enduring cultural significance, no one has ever attempted to document the historic festival as it unfolded in real time. Until now.

    Limited to 1,969 individually numbered copies, WOODSTOCK - BACK TO THE GARDEN: THE DEFINITIVE 50th ANNIVERSARY ARCHIVE features 38 discs, 432-tracks - 267 previously unreleased - a near complete reconstruction of Woodstock clocking in at 36 hours, with every artist performance from the festival in chronological order. Housed in a screen-printed plywood box with canvas insert inspired by the Woodstock stage set up, the set also includes a Blu-ray copy of the Woodstock film, a replica of the original program, a guitar strap, two Woodstock posters, a reprint of a diary written by an anonymous attendee during the festival, two 8x10 prints from legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz, and essays by Andy Zax, acclaimed music scribe Jesse Jarnow, and trailblazing rock critic Ellen Sander. The archive also contains a copy of Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music (Reel Art Press), a comprehensive new hardbound book about the event written by Michael Lang, one of the festival’s co-creators.

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  • daverock
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    guitar strap

    For this price I'd want the guitar too.

    I also pieced The Dead's set together, based on what has already been released-and no, it doesn't hold a candle to the Fillmore West run from February to March 1969.

  • mato1949
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    Show me the money!!!

    Copies of these tapes have been around for several years, traded and or given away, circulated to the ends of the Earth. I've listened to these performances, and in my opinion, 75% of them are not worth another listen. There are some gems in there, but most of it is gravel and dirt. So Michale Lang and friends found a way to squeeze a few more shekels out of the myth that is Woodstock. There were better festivals in the sixties and seventies and I'd rather save my money for something better than a bunch of bland performances and a box of trinkets.

  • Born Cross Eye…
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    Grateful Dead's set

    I bought the 40th anniversary 6 disc set, the big edition with the book. Dark Star was included in that collection.
    Since then in the last 10 years, I was able to piece together the Dead's 8/16/69 performance. I like it, but this set just does not move me as 3/1/69 does, not even close.
    3 bolts (out of 6)

    Maybe if the GD's set was sold separately, and each act was sold separately, I would buy it.
    After a few days thinking it over, I ordered a box. I just canceled that order today.
    Price. and contents - I don't care for the guitar strap that was the same design as Jimi Hendrix' strap. was.

    I would buy it if this box was $200 cheaper & without the strap and a few other things.
    All I really need is all the music and the book.

  • dredzo
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    There are 10-CD and 3-CD…

    There are 10-CD and 3-CD sets coming out as well. And there's an interesting article from Rolling Stone about this set, and some of the difficulties finding masters, etc.

  • twoswans
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    I have been waiting for this…

    I have been waiting for this for 50 years. I just knew that after enough time passed and the music was close to becoming public domain that everyone involved would finally let their set be released.
    I’m just sorry it has to be so darn expensive, but after a few days on the fence, I just knew I would always regret not getting this. Entire sets from Grateful Dead, CCR, Canned Heat, CSNY, Country Joe & the Fish, Incredible String Band, Ten Years After, The Band, Etc etc etc...
    .... there are very few bands here I’m not a fan of, but I’m not sure all the ephemera is necessary but it is what it is. This is a huge investment but I know it’ll be worth it.

  • daverock
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    Dont take the green acid. Or the brown. Or the blue.

    I bought the 4cd set a few months ago, following Lovemygirls observation that it has Dark Star on it. Its got a few good tracks on, to be sure, but it strikes me as being more of interest as a social documentary than a musical one. The warnings on the above tabs (and that's just the stuff they knew about) make you realise how hazardous it could be to turn on, tune in an drop out in 1969. If you were half a mile away from the stage, your chances of getting the same shit that Jimi Hendrix had were probably about one in a million.

  • ArthurDent
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    There is more commentary it seems than music

    Check out the Incredible String Band set list, 6 songs, about 33 minutes, 7 stage announcements 21 minutes

    I bought it anyway, as it is limited and there should be enough good stuff to make it a useful addition to my music collection. Add another "Dark Star" the list

  • Gary Coleman
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    l just bought 10 of them for…

    l just bought 10 of them for stocking stuffers this Christmas.

  • reddeadsoxhead
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    Gotta admit, at first I…

    Gotta admit, at first I balked. Waited a day, perhaps half, then pulled the proverbial trigger. Just knew I'd regret it if if I did not purchase, and I had plenty of that already in my life. I already pulled out all the old Woodstock to listen again in anticipatory glee. Bring it on!!

  • Wharfrat53
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    If you were at the site what could prevent you from entering?

    In reply to the post by Tom-Tom

    But by the time people started arriving a couple days ahead of the concert, the fencing, gates and ticket booths still weren’t ready.

    According to Lang, in an interview with The Telegraph, “You do everything you can to get the gates and the fences finished—but you have your priorities. People are coming, and you need to be able to feed them, and take care of them, and give them a show. So you have to prioritize.”

    With no efficient way to charge concert-goers, Lang and his partners decided to make Woodstock a free event.

    Originally, about 50,000 people were expected. But by August 13, at least that number were already camped out on location and over 100,000 tickets pre-sold.

    As an estimated one million people descended on Woodstock, its organizers scrambled to add more facilities. Highways and local roads came to a standstill and many concert-goers simply abandoned their cars and trekked the rest of the way on foot. Eventually, about half a million people reached the venue.

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This summer marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the defining event of a generation and one of the most iconic moments in popular music history. Despite its enduring cultural significance, no one has ever attempted to document the historic festival as it unfolded in real time. Until now.

Limited to 1,969 individually numbered copies, WOODSTOCK - BACK TO THE GARDEN: THE DEFINITIVE 50th ANNIVERSARY ARCHIVE features 38 discs, 432-tracks - 267 previously unreleased - a near complete reconstruction of Woodstock clocking in at 36 hours, with every artist performance from the festival in chronological order. Housed in a screen-printed plywood box with canvas insert inspired by the Woodstock stage set up, the set also includes a Blu-ray copy of the Woodstock film, a replica of the original program, a guitar strap, two Woodstock posters, a reprint of a diary written by an anonymous attendee during the festival, two 8x10 prints from legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz, and essays by Andy Zax, acclaimed music scribe Jesse Jarnow, and trailblazing rock critic Ellen Sander. The archive also contains a copy of Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music (Reel Art Press), a comprehensive new hardbound book about the event written by Michael Lang, one of the festival’s co-creators.

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1CD of GD music in this Mega Woodstock Box and Deadnet/Rhino is not releasing it ?
I call BS ! You know Deadnet/Rhino will release this stand alone CD on Aug 16th. $$$ to be had will not passed up !

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Well- the members of the Dead have always had a laugh about how awful their playing was at Woodstock- so why wouldn't Rhino hawk that box release here? Makes sense, right? Of course, contrarians have over time insisted that the band wasn't quite all that terrible on that memorable night of theirs... therefore, any devoted fans of the Dead will really want to immediately put this box at the top of their list, take their wallets out of their pockets and lay out $800 (plus tax and shipping) ASAP!
Or, to re-state the matter, the only disc in this set that will reflect the Dead is widely recognized as a terrible or at the least, 'meh' performance, and- the collection is being prominently displayed at Dead.net.
Well, I guess there's always money to be had... or for deadheads, some site-specific amusement.

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...Dead.net is only selling 500 units of 1969...
🙏❤️😎

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In reply to by Lovemygirl

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Um...no thanks. I've already got a very decent copy of the boys at Woodstock so I think I'll just wait and see if they do a stand alone release. If not, oh well.

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10 years 7 months
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Thank you, but no thanks, 37 discs without the Grateful Dead, due to its limited availability I'm feeling generous enough to let some else own this.
I do hope we are going to get a proper box again this year.

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16 years 1 month
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800.00? wow, no thanks

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15 years 8 months
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"the set also includes a Blu-ray copy of the Woodstock film"

At this crazy price, it doesn't even have a DVD? So for people who don't own a Blu Ray player, tough luck?

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YIKES !...$ 800.00 Plus Shipping AND Now We gotta pay Tax !...Mucho Dinero Esa' !
I was at Woodstock on the Last Day...Couldn't get in, But Had Plenty of Fun in the Crowd and Groovin' in Space,
But most of Us ''Older'' Hippies and Deadheads are Retired and really can't afford to dish out that Kinda' Bread, (Money to you Youngsters),...50 Years ago, Huh !...Who Knew it would come to this ?...I would Love to Own it, But Sadly...Gotta; Pass...Thanks for the Memories Folks.....

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While I understand the negative comments, there are other perspectives.
Dead.net knew that this would be a brilliant concept.
This is a comprehensive release. It is archival. It is an art piece. A lot of thought, research, production (both the photos, recorded sound, as well as, the other design/layout art ), time and effort.
This is a collector set that will certainly appreciate over time...only 1969 copies.
This low a production run costs more per unit than a 20,000 or larger run.
This is also business. They cannot stay in business if they don't make a profit.
I for one appreciate the dead.net/Rhino collaboration. Some much great stuff has been released over the years.
They perceived a market for a limited edition set of a piece of American history.
A lot of folks will covet this set.
Full disclosure...I ordered one.
No shame!
Peace!

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In reply to by Lovemygirl

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Where did you see that it is only 500 editions?

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I think the 500 quantity confusion, is based on the number of Box sets, allocated to this website for pre-sale.

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In reply to by jaydoublu

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...correct! Dead.net is limited to selling 500 units thru Rhino...🙏❤️😎

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Ouch $20 a CD. I must admit I’d really love this but quite a lot wouldn’t get multiple listens, even the old Woodstock 2 vinyl used to be a tough sell and was always in the bargain bins. Maybe wait for the 60th anniversary set which will include the missing Hendrix tracks and the apparently (bet someone did somewhere) not recorded to tape piece of the Sha na na performance! The track listing tends to imply that these are all going to be released by artist on Individual CD sets so probably can pick and choose at a later date, but this release gets them past the copyright expiration at least for now. Wish they would find a way to release this set at an attractive price without the non-exclusive stuff (the book and Blu-ray are unnecessary and available separately) for people to enjoy for the acts they like and get introduced to the music from the acts they wouldn’t normally buy, a $20 per CD really is a premium price.

In reply to the post by Tom-Tom

But by the time people started arriving a couple days ahead of the concert, the fencing, gates and ticket booths still weren’t ready.

According to Lang, in an interview with The Telegraph, “You do everything you can to get the gates and the fences finished—but you have your priorities. People are coming, and you need to be able to feed them, and take care of them, and give them a show. So you have to prioritize.”

With no efficient way to charge concert-goers, Lang and his partners decided to make Woodstock a free event.

Originally, about 50,000 people were expected. But by August 13, at least that number were already camped out on location and over 100,000 tickets pre-sold.

As an estimated one million people descended on Woodstock, its organizers scrambled to add more facilities. Highways and local roads came to a standstill and many concert-goers simply abandoned their cars and trekked the rest of the way on foot. Eventually, about half a million people reached the venue.

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Gotta admit, at first I balked. Waited a day, perhaps half, then pulled the proverbial trigger. Just knew I'd regret it if if I did not purchase, and I had plenty of that already in my life. I already pulled out all the old Woodstock to listen again in anticipatory glee. Bring it on!!

Check out the Incredible String Band set list, 6 songs, about 33 minutes, 7 stage announcements 21 minutes

I bought it anyway, as it is limited and there should be enough good stuff to make it a useful addition to my music collection. Add another "Dark Star" the list

I bought the 4cd set a few months ago, following Lovemygirls observation that it has Dark Star on it. Its got a few good tracks on, to be sure, but it strikes me as being more of interest as a social documentary than a musical one. The warnings on the above tabs (and that's just the stuff they knew about) make you realise how hazardous it could be to turn on, tune in an drop out in 1969. If you were half a mile away from the stage, your chances of getting the same shit that Jimi Hendrix had were probably about one in a million.

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I have been waiting for this for 50 years. I just knew that after enough time passed and the music was close to becoming public domain that everyone involved would finally let their set be released.
I’m just sorry it has to be so darn expensive, but after a few days on the fence, I just knew I would always regret not getting this. Entire sets from Grateful Dead, CCR, Canned Heat, CSNY, Country Joe & the Fish, Incredible String Band, Ten Years After, The Band, Etc etc etc...
.... there are very few bands here I’m not a fan of, but I’m not sure all the ephemera is necessary but it is what it is. This is a huge investment but I know it’ll be worth it.

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14 years
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There are 10-CD and 3-CD sets coming out as well. And there's an interesting article from Rolling Stone about this set, and some of the difficulties finding masters, etc.

I bought the 40th anniversary 6 disc set, the big edition with the book. Dark Star was included in that collection.
Since then in the last 10 years, I was able to piece together the Dead's 8/16/69 performance. I like it, but this set just does not move me as 3/1/69 does, not even close.
3 bolts (out of 6)

Maybe if the GD's set was sold separately, and each act was sold separately, I would buy it.
After a few days thinking it over, I ordered a box. I just canceled that order today.
Price. and contents - I don't care for the guitar strap that was the same design as Jimi Hendrix' strap. was.

I would buy it if this box was $200 cheaper & without the strap and a few other things.
All I really need is all the music and the book.

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Copies of these tapes have been around for several years, traded and or given away, circulated to the ends of the Earth. I've listened to these performances, and in my opinion, 75% of them are not worth another listen. There are some gems in there, but most of it is gravel and dirt. So Michale Lang and friends found a way to squeeze a few more shekels out of the myth that is Woodstock. There were better festivals in the sixties and seventies and I'd rather save my money for something better than a bunch of bland performances and a box of trinkets.

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In reply to by Born Cross Eye…

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For this price I'd want the guitar too.

I also pieced The Dead's set together, based on what has already been released-and no, it doesn't hold a candle to the Fillmore West run from February to March 1969.

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In reply to by daverock

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This extremely expensive box set isn’t just about the Dead. This marks the first time the Woodstock festival will be released as a complete set, minus only three songs. The historical significance of this event is undeniable, and I believe it will be the first time anything quite like this has ever been attempted.

Rhino is releasing several different versions that highlight the festival for much less money, including a vinyl option. I have also noticed that some of the artists are releasing their sets separately on August 2nd as well. For instance I just saw on Amazon that CCR’s performance will be released on that date. So for those who just can’t afford the big box, they may be able to cherry pick the bands they like the most.

I’m not sure Grateful Dead will do a single release of their set, as they weren’t impressed with it in the first place, but who knows.

I’ve preordered the big box set as I love the whole idea, and I’m a fan of virtually every artist that played the festival. Yes it’s a huge financial investment and a real stretch for me monetarily but I have always wanted this project to exist and on August 2nd, it will. Thank you Rhino.

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130 left and 13 days until the release date

looks like it will sell out before then

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Received Box Set 222 yesterday. The Box is beautiful and certainly on par with 30 trips.

However, I was extremely disappointed to find the cd's not coded with tracking information, etc. So far only the Joan Baez cd has been coded and halfway through day 2 of ripping and updating the cd information.

Psyched to have the set, but bummed I will be ripping and manually updating through the weekend.

I have the cancellation regretting blues. I ordered this box, then canceled, I was happy for a while, then as the release date approached, I checked back here on dead.net - SOLD OUT! I read the comments about a few copies available on rhino.com and checked there. None to be had.
I entered the contest to win the free box set. Very slim chance of me becoming the winner.

My main interest here? The Grateful Dead's not-so-hot set on 8/16/69.

So why not repackage this box as a music-only offering? Just put all the discs in paper sleeves, a digi-book, with generic artwork with all the titles, songwriters, publishers, copyrights, track times and whatever and sell that for a cheaper price?
It makes sense to me.

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Does anybody know where the four Dale Saltzman 18x15 lithographs are in the woodstock box set?????

I have the box but no Dale Saltzman 18x15 lithographs???

Chuck

I did not receive the lithographs yet. I assume they are being shipped separately. I am totally enjoying this release. I've had it playing in the background while I get my room set up for the coming school year. Have listened as far as Mountain. Get off those towers!, and will Ken Babbs meet Hugh Romney behind the stage.

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In reply to by cjm

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I did not receive the lithographs either. And if you notice, it no longer mentions the lithographs in the product description. Another Rhino blunder.

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Its just been brought to my attention that Dark Star is included in the three cd set-and the 5 album vinyl release. The cd also includes Ten Years After's incredible "I'm Going Home", mysteriously missing from the 40th Anniversary set.

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Looks like yet another UK shipping foul-up.
My box has been returned to sender, 'invoice not included'.
e-mailed dead.net last week to find out what was going on, still no response from them.

Guys we have paid a fortune for this set, please don't foul it up, can just about tolerate the DaP 31 failures, but this is not funny.

...if the three Creedence tracks on the 40th Anniversary edition are anything to go by, they were on top form at Woodstock. In fact, I have just ordered their full set on cd. I think the original movie would have been much less boring with them in it.

John Fogerty has always been an egotistical self centered jerk who can produce the goods. You don't have to see the new film to know why everything was late. Just ask Jimi's ghost

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I did receive a notice from Dead.net on the 20th that the lithographs are processing.

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In reply to by Elbow49

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Still no sign of my Woodstock box, got an email saying it was on the way, then one from UPS saying they were returning it because of the wrong invoice, then a canned email from dead.net saying don't bother contacting us again, we will send you a dispatch email when we get round to it.
I'm really shocked by the attitude, not just because this is a really expensive vv limited box, but just the general principle of customer service on top of everything else recently.

3 weeks and counting...still no new delivery notification.
Is there anyone at dead.net or rhino who is in any way motivated to help sort this?

I'm not surprised that the promised lithographs were not included. Rhino has been moving their warehouse for what seems like an eternity. I still haven't received my latest Grateful Dead 45 single except for a download.

As for the Woodstock Box, I've only heard the first day so far and the sound is excellent. More after I hear the rest.

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