Hold on to your hat, we're coming in strong with one from the Windy City that'll have you movin' and shakin' from start to finish. DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 signals a true rebirth of the Grateful Dead, reimagining classics and foreshadowing their 80s sound. This is as much in part due to freshly-minted member Brent Mydland bringing the organ back in as it is to Jerry finding new vivacity with his custom Wolf guitar. New guy, new guitar - it all makes for a heck of a good time!
Set One rolls like never-ending thunder with one standout after another - truly epic versions of "Brown-Eyed Women," "Ramble On Rose," "It's All Over Now," "Althea," and "The Music Never Stopped." Set Two hits with a crack of not-so-lazy lightning, barreling through an outrageous 28-minute "Scarlet>Fire" to a unique “Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance” and wrapping with a "blow the roof off the place" version of "Truckin'" and a rippin' "Johnny B. Goode." Ready for some quiet after the storm? You'll have to wait a just a little bit longer - we've filled in the gap on Disc 3 with a sprinkle of 12/4/79 - "Estimated>Franklin's Tower>" and an incredibly improvised “Jam.”
Limited to 20,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 31: UPTOWN THEATRE, CHICAGO, IL 12/3/79 has been mastered from Dan Healy's cassette recordings to HDCD specs by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering.
GET IT WHILE YOU CAN
Box?
....just talking out my ass but....
10/74; you’d think they’d wait for the 50th? Remarket etc...
Fall 72: do they have multis from this tour? Think winds is right about multi/plangent....I think we all agree that would be a Bobbie Dazzler though!
Alpine: seems too small. If he’s that busy makes it sound big!
Perhaps fall 89, but don’t think they’d go with a big one from that tour yet? Personally would love this!
Fall 80 is a possibility IF, they actually have the multis? Personally hope not...great stuff but kinda limited/repetitive imho for a biggin.....meaning not sure they’d sell enough for the big production costs?
Summer 91; my dog sense keeps coming back to this because they have multis, it’s something different i.e “variety” , they haven’t done much post Brentski, and it’s the muatm show, which is why I’m thinking that’s partially why their waiting to announce; to coincide with the muatm....might be anticlimactic otherwise.....don’t know 91 well enough to know if there are enough quality shows for a big box? Do know there are some great shows, just don’t know if there are enough?
73/74; too soon after PNW....and are there multis from this period?
69; think many would dig 69, but perhaps not enough to chance a big box? which brings us to...
Spring 71; personally my least interest out of the above, but there are multis, there’s enough shows, and there are a whole lot of folks been yammering for this one for ages!
So I’m going with 71 or 91.
HF
not according to the misses lol...
I agree about size does not equal greatness, i.e. Sunshine Daydream, but I’m stuck on his comments about Norman’s work load/hours etc...said they’ve been on this one for a while and as others said only other times he’s had to pass on releases was when he was trenched in on a big un! Throw in the plangent equals multi and I’m guessing a big one?
But hey, my opinion and a couple bucks might get ya a gas station coffee! ; )
Recently Moved: How do I…
Recently Moved:
How do I update address (for subscription)? Customer Service number on site doesn't seem to get me anywhere, not serviceable or something.
Laid up sick at home today....
....just woke up, and this news kinda makes me feel better. Oh well. Back to bed.
31
Set List looks like fun.
But with Lazy Lightning/ Supplication AND Lost Sailor/ St. of Circumstance, let the kvetching begin.
As to any box: Exactly, any box is fine with me. Weekend with Bruce or Branford, the Greek, Frost, or Ventura.
The possibilities are, well, not endless. But virtually endless for my lifetime.
Workingman's Dead
Dave said Jeff was working six days a week.
This is gonna be a Big 'Uns or it has video and had to have surround mix which would take longer.
Mcgrupp...
Our virtual den morher marye should ve able to help.
Ms. Marye?
Lazy>Supp kvetching? NEVER.
Ls>soc? That can be fun.
I remember a special day listening to that from 3/10/81...oh yeah...
Good pic
Nice Pic, late 79 was a great year w/ brent and the Band rockin in the fall tours (like cap cod 79)
But still don't get the lack of 83-85 shows. Especially the lack of 1984! For example the Philly 1984 3 night spring run 4/19/84 4/20/84 4/21/84 all are amazing and tight well played!!! Don't believe me listen to estimated Prophet on 4/19/84. Dave listen to it! you'll be surprised Lol.
To quote Han Solo....
https://youtu.be/7e7qtfjfXqE
...."where did you dig up this old fossil?"
Thanks Stoltzfus
Looks like my ticket went through for address change, found a working customer service #. I need #31 to land herself safely home, love that show!
Uptown, December, '79!
I was there - still have the ticket with the outrageous price of $9.50!
The last 2 shows I saw before this one were with Keith and Donna and neither show was very good in my book. So when they came out with Brent it was time to give the new guy a chance. The energy level was through the roof and this still ranks among my favorite shows (that I attended) ever. Seemed as if everybody was ON that night.
The Uptown was a great venue and last time I saw them before they moved to larger arenas - the good old days!
Highly recommended - and thanks, Dave!
Let me say this, Oroborous.....
Dave also said they spent quite a bit of time on the DaP that was Dec '81 Boulder. And though I attended that show and did my (or more than my) share of tootskie and enjoyed it immensely -- I mean, IMMENSELY!!! -- I thought the tape did not support my, um, perceptions at the show.
So again, not sure that Jeffrey being real busy equates to a huge box. Still, when all is said, I'll be at MUATM on time, with shooters in my socks and PAX packed, ready for the news.
Look, what the hell could they be thinking? I couldn't afford 30 Trips, so I kicked in for my buddy's copy and he keeps it, but shared with me. I only wanted the first 10 years anyway.
How about: "Dave Lemieux's Fifteen and a Half Trips around the Moon?" (I mean it's the landing anniversary this weekend. )
Or: Bolo's Big Box of Indecipherable "Clues"? Also available on vinyl (tableclothes)...
Or: a 45-disc set dubbed "HendrixFreak's Worst Nightmare" (all from 1985-86).
Back to wishing and washing: give me spring '71 or fall '72 pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez!
Phish's Ruby Waves jamfest from Alpine....
....I try not to bring up this band from Vermont very often here, but I would be amiss if I didn't at least share it. 38 minutes of dips, about faces, peaks and valleys. At least six different themes. Simply incredible. Faces were melted. Drool happened. Music is universal. What a jam.
https://youtu.be/zxytYVzQWzk
Available copies
Did all 20,00 copies sell today? The site wouldn't accept my mailing address earlier today and when I came back to the computer to try again it was sold out. very disappointing. And if that's it, will it be available digitally?
Hope it sounds better then the listening party
I'm a little nervous about the sound quality here. The listening party ain't too hot. As much as I want some quality 79-80, I'd I'd rather have something that sounds good when I turn it up.
Come on man this is…
Come on man this is ridiculous. I just got my email notice today about the release of this show and it's f**k*n sold out already!! Dave finally releases a worthy show from his lackluster selections of late. In case you were wondering, there are so many more [especially old heads] who want an opportunity to have this release.
So, please reconsider releasing additional copies!! Gratefully requesting
From Healy's cassette master....
....I admittedly got a bit nervous when I heard that.
Subscription, subscription, subscription
Why do we have to say it every time?
Also, it was announced last week in the GD Bulletin that it would go on sale today at 10 am PST.
You know that annoying yellow box that keeps popping up? “Get on the list”
That box knows what it’s talking about.
The ‘list’ is how we knew last week that DaP31 was being announced at 10 am PST 2019-07-16.
But if you subscribed it wouldn’t matter.
Available Copies
Thanks for the reply Carlo. I'm very disappointed.
“Next year is going to be even better”
That’s the take home message from Dave’s seaside chat.
The site wouldn't accept my…
The site wouldn't accept my shipping address (and I've ordered many things from dead.net). I had this on my calendar and I tried when there were still copies available this morning, with credit card and paypal, with "same as billing" and with "shipping entered manually". Then with a second browser. When I came back to my computer this evening to try again it was sold out. Such a shame. Not the first time I've had issues with the site
12-3,4,5-79
Got them on CD-R about 15 years ago.
3rd and 4th are listed as lineage: Mcass/DAT/CD-R.
5th doesn’t have a lineage and is missing 2 songs, and has splices in 2 other songs. Dave said that he could see the 5th being released in the future. That would be grate if they have the complete show.
Spinning 12/3 set 2 now and it sounds pretty good for a cassette. Hope the mastering kicks it up a notch.
I would love a massive Box, with delivery at the end of September and all fall/winter to soak it up.
Sold out -sell out!
You guys are really going the wrong way! I attended 238 shows and have bought multiple copies of almost everything The Grateful Dead have ever released and yet I am beginning to feel that loyalty is becoming more and more a one-way street.
Who the hell is running this train? What business strategy dictates that you alienate your customers? Did you guys hire that genius who came up with the idea of "New Coke" or something? If I were one of your stockholders, I would be furious that you were urinating away unsatisfied demand AND infuriating your customer base.
Hopefully, it is just incompetence. If you are selling out a product with immense economies of scale AND significant sunk costs in 4 hours, you need to hire someone with a much greater grasp on demand forecasting! You can do better. You are the Grateful Dead for Pete's sake.
Crap shoot
If you need an ala cart you need to be there waiting for the screen to flip, then you might have a chance.Otherwise like icecream says sub. Sub. Sub. So you don't cry,cry,cry.
Joedunn totally lost me....
....it's been the business model for six plus years. Just subscribe. November.
btw. Casey Jones is running the train.
Beating a Dead horse.
If you want Dave's Picks....
....if you really, REALLY want them, check in during the end of November. If not, then quit complaining. I did the math years ago.
31 was available ALL day
Longer than any in recent memory. That said, agree with vguy, this is a subscription series, no real room for complaints.
A MASTER CASSETTE RECORDING
A big thank you to "the-powers-that-be" for releasing this show.
Please, folks lets not have complaints about this Dave's Picks sounding murky or lower fidelity. "Consumer quality."
The analog cassettes were good music carriers, but they weren't top-notch high fidelity in comparison to the compact disc. That less-than-perfect dynamic range, headroom, tape speed hiss, and tape generations were all downsides. I have this show on cassette and if I pull it out to compare it to the DaP31, it couldn't compare, it probably is an 8th generation copy.
So with that aside, this DaP31 will sound like I'm listening to the original master cassette recording, not even a 2nd generation copy. Quite a long time ago, I read what brand of tape and formulation of tape was used and the brand and model of recording deck was used.
Oh, oh, what I want to know is.....
Does HF or anyone know if they have multis of Fall 72?
I apologize if you’ve already told us and this senile geezer forgot again!
Well, there is every right…
Well, there is every right to complain. I was on the subscription before and I was disappointed with some of the selections in the series! Soooo, I don't particularly care to spend the money for the series and pay money for discs I don't want. All I am saying, some would say I am complaining [whatever], is that there are so many heads out there who just want to get a chance to buy a f**k*n show without paying into a subscription! If you do a pre-order then you know how many discs to rip and there are no worries about being stuck with any unsold discs. I'm just saying...
Were There Any Multi Tracks, Fall 1972?
I believe they gave all the Multi-Tracks they had to give in the Spring.
The longshot is 12/31/72 which was broadcasted on KSAN, San Francisco. I don't think it's unheard for them to bring in a multi-track recorder for radio broadcasts.. but I just don't think they did for this one. I reserve the right to be wrong, however.. If anyone has better info please do tell.
Sold Out
I am sorry some got shut out on this today. Honestly I thought there would have still been copies through tonight.
Initially these have not been selling too high above the ala carte pricing on the secondary market.. so if you got shut out look on eBay sometime in August. Consider the $10 or so extra you paid to be the hedge against the $95 it costs to subscribe.
The Road Trips Series was non-numbered and they had a hard time with it. It's been like this for almost eight years, and I don't see things changing because this works better for them.. Predictable revenue and costs and it does get people off their butts to purchase by the release date (if not before).
I wouldn't expect #'s 32 and beyond to be any different. Again, truly sorry for those that got shut out.
Subscription = 4X + Bonus + Early Bird Discount - Stress
Ala Carte = 4X - Bonus - Discount + Possibility of getting shut out + Stress
______________________________________
Math shows us that Subscription > Ala Carte.
Cassettes
Good post by Born Cross Eyed on the cassette master issue. I used to be pretty psyched with any cassettes of live dead that I could get in the '80s, and what I could get was few and far between. I would never have believed the sonic riches that dead.net would release.
I know that you can't judge a show by its set list, but this set list looks hot. I am particularly looking forward to checking out the Scarlet-Fire as I am partial to some of those '80s FOTMs. If past predicts future, then I can safely say that my brain will quickly adjust to the sound quality without being distracted and I will dig the release for what it is rather than pine away for what it is not. This also gives me hope that we might see some summer '85 releases down the road even if they are also cassette masters. (SPAC '85 SPAC '85 SPAC '85).
The cover art on this one also looks wicked cool, as I think someone else noted, it would make a good shirt. Love the fiery dragon motif to go along with that extended FOTM.
if anyone is interested in some vinyl...
I'm trying to raise some scratch for the box set that's coming our way soon. Seeing that I've got these on cd's I guess I really don't need these on vinyl as well. Anyone interested feel free to drop me a PM and then post a message for me to check my PM.
11-10-1967 Shrine Exposition Hall~Los Angeles,Ca. 3LP set. 180gram
Dicks Picks Vol. 34 11-5-1977 6LP set. 180gram
...both are new and still in their shrink-wrap. Never been opened.
Drop me a line...
Don't Overlook Stanley 11/30
All this excitement has me heading down the the music room for a little 11/30/79 sound board action...whoa, got this one on tape "hot off the presses" right after it came out. My bet on Dave's 32 is a post-Brent, because Dave wants to have one of each with the different keyboard players...yer thoughts. Bring on the Megabox!!!