• 1,905 replies
    Anusha
    Default Avatar
    Joined:

    Buckle up as we take a deep dive into Giants Stadium!

    What's Inside:

    5 Previously Unreleased Complete Giants Stadium Shows On 14 Discs

    7/12/87 (24-track masters)

    7/9/89  (24-track masters)

    7/10/89 (24-track masters)

    6/16/91 (48-track masters)

    6/17/91 (48-track masters)

    Blu-ray/DVD video of the complete 6/17/91 show, mixed in surround sound  Mixed from the multitrack master tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios Mastered in HDCD by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering with Plangent Processes restoration Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 10,000

    By 1987, the Grateful Dead had lived many of their nine lives but were about to embark on one not a soul had seen coming. In The Dark, their first studio album in seven years, had spawned a hit (A TOP 10 SINGLE FOR THE GRATEFUL DEAD?!) and "Touch Of Grey" begat a new generation with their fanny packs and their MTV and their undeniable quest to join the party already in progress. And boy, did the Dead let them in! But not without fine-tuning their sonic vibes to meet the new demand.

    "The Swamp," as Giants Stadium was affectionately known, along with the grandstands the Dead had been frequenting, would seemingly equate with BIGGER and LOUDER, but the band "remained determined to give equal weight to the more subtle, oblique elements; to the exploratory improvisation and rhythmic complexities; to the fine details of the most heart-rending ballads as well as the weirdest dissonances in the jams."

    With GIANTS STADIUM 1987/1989/1991, we retrace this journey from their 1987 breakthrough to their 1989 revelation ("the closest they ever came to sounding like a really polished stadium-level rock act, but the band’s penchant for breaking out of the constraints of song structure and into freewheeling improvisation will remind you just who you’re listening to here") to their transformative return in 1991, aided by elegance of Vince Welnick and Bruce Hornsby.

    GIANTS STADIUM: 1987, 1989, 1991 features five previously unreleased shows that were recorded at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on: July 12, 1987; July 9 and 10, 1989; and June 16 and 17, 1991. Originally recorded by John Cutler, each show has been mixed from the multitrack master tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios in San Rafael, CA, and mastered in HDCD by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering. The first three shows are mixed from 24-track masters. The final two from 1991 are the only Grateful Dead shows ever recorded to 48-track masters. We’re rounding things out with a little visual stimuli -  the entire multi-camera 6/17/91 concert recording on either two DVDs or a single Blu-ray, both with a surround mix by Norman.

    Due September 27th, this release is limited to 10,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively from Dead.net. We highly suggest you grab a copy while you can so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out.

    Prefer your boxed set byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day. You can pre-order it now too.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • KeithFan2112
    Joined:
    Morning Rockers!

    Trainwreck I gave you a flip remark last night because I was in the car and couldn't really respond. Let me preface my comment by saying I listen to the Pacific Northwest box set often and as dead Vikes said it gets better all the time, those 73 shows. In my humble opinion the 1974 shows from that box set sound better then any other 1974 release. I'll say that with a caveat that there are a few that are just as good. Skeleton Skaters from Winterland is one such example. 30 Trips '74 is another. Obviously the movie soundtrack doesn't count because it's a multi-track and of course it sounds great. But yeah, the 73 shows from Pacific Northwest are at the lower Echelon of sound quality for the officially released 1973 shows at least to my ears. To your point the first show that has Bird Song on it is a notch better. But hey, I also find when I listen to one of those shows for a long duration I get used to the sound quality. Your ears get this sort of audio desensitization. Kind of like when you walk into a room with a bad smell but then it doesn't seem so bothersome after 15 minutes.

    So I went on this insane quest last night after the announcement of Dave's Picks 32 to list all of the Spectrum shows I saw. I had to use a couple of websites to nail down the dates, and some of these we're at the new Arena that they built in the mid-90s which has had a lot of different names. But most of the shows we're at the original Spectrum. I had the privilege of seeing the last event at both JFK stadium in Philly and the Spectrum. JFK of course was the Grateful Dead with Crimson White and Indigo, and the Spectrum was Pearl Jam the night before Halloween.

    I have to say I am shocked at how many shows I saw just at this one venue. This doesn't count any other venue in that Broad Street complex or the Greater Philadelphia area or shows I've seen all over New Jersey New York and even as far south Baltimore. This may only be 30% of my total concert goings. Could put a kid through college. For occasions where the band played multiple nights on a visit to town, I put all the nights on one line. So the list is even worse than it appears but... It's all right.

    80sFan you must have been at at least a couple of these I would think. It got late and I did not get passed 2009 comma but I thought it was appropriate to just stop at Pearl Jam since that was the last show at the actual Spectrum.

    Pearl Jam 10/30/09
    The Who 10/26/08
    Rush 6/14/08
    Genesis 9/19/07
    The Who 11/25/06
    The Who 9/12/06
    Pearl Jam 4/28/03
    Rush 10/27/02
    KISS Pycho Circus 11/21/98
    Van Halen 5/24/98
    Jane's Addiction 11/10/97
    Motley Crue 10/24/97 (did not go in; balloons in parking lot only)
    The Who 11/17/96
    AC/DC 9/6/96
    AC/DC 3/14/96
    KISS 10/8, 10/9, & 10/11 - 1996
    Rod Stewart 2/16/96
    Page & Plant 10/24/95
    Page & Plant 4/3/95 (Sr year college; too hungover next day to drive to college in MD to take exam; dickhead professor gave me a zero; no makeup exam allowed - almost didn't walk in June)
    Yes 8/26/94 ( Chris Squire and Trevor Rabin were at the WMMR Studio the day of the show. I called the station to see if I could say hello to them comma not really thinking that anyone would pick up the phone while there were high-profile guests in the studio, but they picked up one one ring. I said hello can I speak to Chris squire? They said sure and two seconds later the familiar voice was on the other end of my phone. I was so unprepared for the spur of the moment incident that I didn't quite know what to say so I blurted out that I loved his solo album Fish Out of Water. I had recently acquired it on vinyl as it had long been out of print. He was thrilled, and let me tell you I couldn't get the guy off the phone! The call ended with me telling him I would be in attendance that night from the fourth row. He said wear something sexy. Everybody laughed on the air oh, it was a killer moment)
    Rush 4/29 & 4/30 - 1994
    Rush 12/1 & 12/3 - 1991 ( my brother worked for Spectacor and those days, which was a merchandising company of some sort that was located at the Spectrum. That man he could get into the Spectrum whenever he wanted and so we went to see one of the sound checks. We kept to the side so they wouldn't see us because we didn't want to get booted out. We got to see them do a couple of songs and then we went to the section right above the entrance behind the stage to the dressing room and waited for them to walk a couple feet below us. We missed meal because we didn't get there quickly enough but we said hello to Geddy and Alex. They came a minute apart or so and Alex waved and said hello and smiled and kept going. When Geddy came by my brother said hey we're big fans, I risked my job to come say hello. Now Geddy didn't seem too pleased that we were there. He said oh well hi then and kept going.)
    Yes 7/12 & 7/13 - 1991
    Yes 4/16/91
    Paul Simon 3/27/91
    Rush 4/24 & 4/27 - 1990
    Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe 3/19/90
    Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe 8/3/89
    Bon Jovi 6/20/89
    Yes 2/7/88
    Rush 12/13 & 12/14 - 1987
    Yes 11/29/87
    Van Halen 8/5/86
    Rush 4/14/86
    KISS 9/7/79

  • KRIYAS
    Joined:
    F dead.net

    Put in my dispute on my CC this morning. No response from CS about my order. Might wait on early dead but not this. Its impossible to believe that dead.net can't get one, not even one, of the releases to go out without problems.

  • bcboot
    Joined:
    OH Man, better charge up the iPod

    Almost forgot that I have the Giants Box set on my iPod, just have to charge up the bugger before midnight.

    800,000 northern California PG&E customers will be without the juice!
    Many heads out here. hope it don't last too long.
    wish i had more flash lights.

  • bcboot
    Joined:
    Out Go the Lights!

    PG&E is shutting down the power grid all over the Northern California tonight! for at least 36 hours or more...
    I won't be able to listen to my sweet ass Giants Stadium Box for a few days. And I won't be able to lurk on Dead.net either.
    ah damn, first world problems again.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Prior to the AM Dew on this '87 Giants Box....

    ....Bobby tells the crown to "take a step back like Walking Like An Egyptian". I paraphrased that, but to this day, I still do that dance when I hear it. Because it's a good song and I like The Bangles. Win. Win.
    They even played with them in The Big Easy in '88.
    Rough around the edges, but solid. Hey Now!
    https://youtu.be/8UtRTzkLeGU
    It's all about the ENERGY! And it is presently spilling over on my phone.

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    Trainwrecked/PNW

    Trainwrecked, I think we never know for sure how the sound quality will end up being with the early 70s shows. You know how it goes, some are top notch, others not so much. Just imagine if they recorded 73 like they recorded E72 with the remote truck. Mind blowing. I know what you are saying about PNW. I think the 73 shows after the first song, are awesome. They get better after they have been put away and brought back out again. 74 and wall of sound shows are always a different animal, especially in two track. Not an expert but I think it had to do with the two microphone set up and how that ends up sounding on recordings. For sure sounded great live but has a different sound to it on these releases. Certainly not bad, just different. I even think 73 sounds better than 74 with most of the releases.

    On to the Spectrum, can't wait!

  • snafu
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    80's fan

    Got to agree with toy. I saw a bunch of shows there in my 80's alway big fun the Spectrum was a great place for shows

  • carlo13
    Joined:
    Dap 32

    Wow!! I would say wow.!Like wow. This pick is a grea...... WOW!!

  • 80sfan
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Wow

    This has always been one of my favorite shows from 1973. We are blessed.

    As an aside, the spectrum was my home arena for shows! 1973 was before my time but I’m super excited for another spectrum release. Believe we’ve already gotten a few: 1982 road trips, 2 fall1979 downloads, and the monster dicks picks from fall 72!

  • Exile On Main St.
    Joined:
    a real buzzkill

    Is one someone who didn't even have a problem complains. I feel for those who had issues but some people make it sound like this occurs on every other order. I'll bet the total number of actual problems equals a very small percentage of the total sales. Probably no worse than Amazon or whatever. I guess that's what happens when you give people a soapbox to stand on. Like that guy the other day encouraging people to make false credit card reports by saying they did not receive their merchandise when they did and then canceling their payment. Really get a life.

    Philly 73 wooooooo!

    See look how bob t does it.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

6 years 5 months

Buckle up as we take a deep dive into Giants Stadium!

What's Inside:

5 Previously Unreleased Complete Giants Stadium Shows On 14 Discs

7/12/87 (24-track masters)

7/9/89  (24-track masters)

7/10/89 (24-track masters)

6/16/91 (48-track masters)

6/17/91 (48-track masters)

Blu-ray/DVD video of the complete 6/17/91 show, mixed in surround sound  Mixed from the multitrack master tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios Mastered in HDCD by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering with Plangent Processes restoration Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 10,000

By 1987, the Grateful Dead had lived many of their nine lives but were about to embark on one not a soul had seen coming. In The Dark, their first studio album in seven years, had spawned a hit (A TOP 10 SINGLE FOR THE GRATEFUL DEAD?!) and "Touch Of Grey" begat a new generation with their fanny packs and their MTV and their undeniable quest to join the party already in progress. And boy, did the Dead let them in! But not without fine-tuning their sonic vibes to meet the new demand.

"The Swamp," as Giants Stadium was affectionately known, along with the grandstands the Dead had been frequenting, would seemingly equate with BIGGER and LOUDER, but the band "remained determined to give equal weight to the more subtle, oblique elements; to the exploratory improvisation and rhythmic complexities; to the fine details of the most heart-rending ballads as well as the weirdest dissonances in the jams."

With GIANTS STADIUM 1987/1989/1991, we retrace this journey from their 1987 breakthrough to their 1989 revelation ("the closest they ever came to sounding like a really polished stadium-level rock act, but the band’s penchant for breaking out of the constraints of song structure and into freewheeling improvisation will remind you just who you’re listening to here") to their transformative return in 1991, aided by elegance of Vince Welnick and Bruce Hornsby.

GIANTS STADIUM: 1987, 1989, 1991 features five previously unreleased shows that were recorded at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on: July 12, 1987; July 9 and 10, 1989; and June 16 and 17, 1991. Originally recorded by John Cutler, each show has been mixed from the multitrack master tapes by Jeffrey Norman at Bob Weir's TRI Studios in San Rafael, CA, and mastered in HDCD by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering. The first three shows are mixed from 24-track masters. The final two from 1991 are the only Grateful Dead shows ever recorded to 48-track masters. We’re rounding things out with a little visual stimuli -  the entire multi-camera 6/17/91 concert recording on either two DVDs or a single Blu-ray, both with a surround mix by Norman.

Due September 27th, this release is limited to 10,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively from Dead.net. We highly suggest you grab a copy while you can so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out.

Prefer your boxed set byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day. You can pre-order it now too.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

9 years 6 months

In reply to by Vguy72

Permalink

Wasn't that a Dylan/Dead show? Any word if the Dylan stuff is included?

user picture

Member for

11 years 2 months

In reply to by 80sfan

Permalink

Very, very nice to see something different as far as eras go.
:O)

user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

I’ve placed an order. The process was amazingly pain free, no queues no failure to get to the payment method. Let’s hope the rest of the supply chain is as straightforward. Looking forward to getting it.

user picture

Member for

7 years 5 months
Permalink

so glad we are getting a Blu-ray with this release

just ordered, can't wait :)

user picture

Member for

15 years 9 months

In reply to by Vguy72

Permalink

9999 left ;)

Going to MUATM @ Cabot in Beverly MA with Not Fade Away playing a preshow show.

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by boblopes

Permalink

I predicted 10 am PST for the announcement.

Ordered the Blu-ray Box.
Can’t wait until September, I want it now.

user picture

Member for

15 years 9 months
Permalink

I'm sure the Dylan set is excluded, why this is a 14 rather than 15CD box. Those '87 second sets were nice and compact.

Can't wait for this one!

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I like the multi-year span on this box set as well as last year's PNW set. I hope this is the new trend. As always...GO BRENT!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 6 months

In reply to by 80sfan

Permalink

I just watched David's seaside chat and he confirms they did NOT include the Dylan/Dead set. I was really looking forward to that set so quite disappointing to say the least.

user picture

Member for

9 years

In reply to by icecrmcnkd

Permalink

Cool that it is the same years as Electric On The Eel.

user picture

Member for

15 years 6 months
Permalink

Blu-Ray and 5 shows is nice! I was at at both the 6/16/91 and 6/17/91 shows. Maybe one of the '89 shows. No Dylan included on the '87, probably hard to put that together rights wise. Ordered the Blu-Ray so about 99,995 left :-)

Sound should be great given the Multi-Tracks. Grew up in NJ and saw tons of Giants' games at this stadium. Looking forward!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

... if this had sold out before everyone got home from the movies.

Should be no problems with the sound quality on this set.

user picture

Member for

13 years 11 months
Permalink

Is this the first official BluRay? All of my videos are DVD or VHS (Yes, I still have several of these).

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

5 years 3 months
Permalink

is
Touch of Grey
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
from 7/12/87 included?

user picture

Member for

8 years
Permalink

...have to agree with forensicdoceleven's comment. Succinct and to-the-point: Garbage

...PIG PEN will return

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

9 years 6 months

In reply to by JackstrawJay

Permalink

This looks really cool – i love the late 80s/early 90s as everyone knows. I love the packaging of this release. I even like the price. I have really no complaints.....however, i’m probably going to sit this one out. I just don’t see myself listening to this as often as the others and don't want to spend money just for it to sit on the shelf.

Last year, when the 73/74 boxset came out i told everyone that, for once, i feel pretty complete. I’m at the point where I’ll always do the DaP subscription but i’m going to be a bit more picky about the box sets.

I hope everyone who gets this loves the hell out of it. Already looking forward to next year!

...is another man's treasure.

And just because I like to poke the bear sometimes and armchair psychologists felt good about ripping on Jerry a day before his birthday yesterday...this one's for you guys.
Pigpen was a drunk and a lush. Your precious version of this band would have kept going on had he not been a loadie you whiners.

let the rotten tomato throwing commence!

user picture

Member for

16 years
Permalink

I was at the June 16th show Jerry was playing hot! Didn't make it to the 17th.

user picture

Member for

14 years

In reply to by 80sfan

Permalink

I feel like a summer 91 box would have been a real gem. The giants shows in addition to sandstone, buckeye lake, and soldier field would have been, well, pretty darn sweet.

I will probably opt for the stand alone and put the rest towards next years Dave’s Picks. Hoping for a sell out so these years get more love from GDP.

No complaints but rather a huge thank you for shining a light on the Vince years (with Bruce!) and more Brent is always welcome too.

user picture

Member for

7 years 8 months
Permalink

...now what are you all going to speculate on? The next Dave's, I guess. Amazingly crisp, pain-free ordering from Dead.net, a pleasant surprise. Still I just happened to come on and randomly check the boards when I saw it. Never got the email announcement or anything... could be demand will heat up by this evening.

Anyone on the fence about acquiring a Blu-ray player, do so if possible. The pricing has come way down and yes, they are better than dvd.

Not going to the movies tonight... staying in and watching the Broncos second-string. At least this video will be available next month.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I'm down for this one. I know the '91 Dark Star show pretty well, but somewhat less familiar with the others. This box is going to sound great and have some great music in it.

Not sure why some people have to be so negative about it.

user picture

Member for

9 years 1 month
Permalink

I was at the July 12, 1987 show, looking forward to hearing it all again. Looks like it should be some cool late era dead, a period during which Garcia seemed reinvigorated as I recall. I remember when they started back up in '87 Jerry just seemed more animated on stage, looked more like he was having a good time on stage.

Good to see that the nattering nabobs of negativity wasted no time in condemning this release;) At least the condemnation was concise. I get if you feel that the dead peaked well before this period and have no interest, but what exactly do you get by hopping on here to let us know it is "garbage"? I mean do what you like, I just don't quite get it.

user picture

Member for

13 years
Permalink

More post-Keith material is always appreciated.

------

user picture

Member for

16 years
Permalink

I have every show from the box on video but I don't have the audio from muti-track master recordings. So I would just like to say thank you.

user picture

Member for

8 years 6 months
Permalink

...a grateful Deadhead I am, not a robot!
Artwork is Amazing too, I love it! 🙏❤️💀
PS: turn it upside down, notice anything😉
...it’s the Rock Mountain/structure on the ‘New Jersey TurnPike’ ,on the way to ‘Giants Stadium’!!!

user picture

Member for

9 years 11 months
Permalink

Very nice. Psyched for this era and these shows. Especially with ole Brucey!

Sixtus

user picture

Member for

16 years
Permalink

The first words at the top.

That is funny when we were at the 16 we were joking that we needed seat belts.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Wow, first boxed set I haven't been interested in. Those who are looking forward to it, enjoy!

user picture

Member for

8 years

In reply to by Sixtus_

Permalink

This is sweet and another surprise at least for me. The Veneta Box also had a bluray. So this would be the second one to date. Why not move it up and make it a 4k release. Either way, this will be a great box! Excited and the cost is perfect. Will be seeing it tonight

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

10 years 2 months

In reply to by bigbrownie

Permalink

@bigbrownie. I think this is the second official blu ray. The sunshine daydream box was available on blu ray.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Sweet. Hope it's still available over the weekend. Soonest I can order is Monday. Only 10k units? Yikes.

I need this.

Edit - Was able to secure one. So geeked.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Yep, even in Deadland there are the privilged. It's the Dead. It's Jerry. It's a from 3 peak years. Why bother complaining about not liking the era? Just skip it. Gives me a chance to get one. I'm glad the negative folks are passing. This is my SWEET SPOT!

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months

In reply to by cheyler196

Permalink

These shows don't mean so much to me, so I will happily pass this one by. There are so many other attractions out there. I would be tempted by the stand alone 1991 set, which looks to be the cherry on the cake-but I would prefer to buy it off Amazon UK than dead.net to bypass the potential hassles/postage charges.

user picture

Member for

8 years 6 months
Permalink

...Also what’s Grateful is the performance on July 10th 1989...Great drum jam with ‘Willie Green’ from the ‘Neville Brothers’ and the rest of them on thru >>>
*Iko Iko
*All Along The Watchtower
*Morning Dew
*Sugar Magnolia
Encore:
*Knockin' On Heaven's Door
🙏❤️😎

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 3 months
Permalink

These are good shows but I just won't get around to listening to them that much, and I don't really want the box and whatnot.

user picture

Member for

13 years
Permalink

...Has Been Spanked!"...Opps, nope,..."The I, Has Been Dotted!"...damn, wait a sec,..."The Antenna, Has Been Adjusted!"...no, wrong..."The Truth, Has Been Stretched!"...wait, that's not it..."The Meatloaf, Has Been Seasoned"...dang it, one more..."The Order, Has Been Placed! That's what I meant!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

hey all, hope you're as excited as i am about the new box set. i like all eras under the sun. my official prediction: Summer '90 is off. but i am still not disappointed. i kinda like a bit of variety of eras in one box set. we'll be getting some brent, and we'll be getting post brent. which i know that makes me an oddball but i really REALLY like post brent. also glad it won't be a long wait for the set to be released. hopefully wont be a rush job.

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I'd have to say August is my favorite month so far. Jerry and (looks like) Hunter in a VW bus-o-copter with Palm Tree size MJ trees on the beach. I'll have a nice time looking at this one all month. Wish y'all could see it! It's good.

Happy Box release day everyone! For the record, I'm in on the box w/ DVD. Looking forward to it!

user picture

Member for

6 years 8 months
Permalink

...as I went to the 7/4/87 at Sullivan Stadium 8 days before this, and it was disappointing. Or so I remember. My final show as it turned out (only saw 2 though, plus a Jerry solo show... ). I moved to AZ soon after and got into the west coast pre-grunge bands like L7, Jane's Addiction, Faith No More and so on. But I digress.

The set lists posted here piqued my curiosity, so I went onto the archive to check them out and... wow. The 7/12/87 shows opens with a ripping "Hell in a Bucket," then straight into a sweet "West LA Fadeaway." Both Jerry and Bob sound totally focused and on their game, and the band sounds tight too. Lots of energy, on-pitch singing, snappy guitar licks. The drums were locked in. Brent was low in the matrix mix that I heard, but still, he seemed to be adding stuff without the plinky-plink sounds that I find annoying. Other strong songs in the show include "Loser" and "Throwing Stones/Not Fade Away." I was just cherry picking and listening to clips, not the whole show. But at this point I was pretty intrigued.

I then jumped ahead 2 shows to do more sampling, this time from the 7/10/89 show. "Franklin's Tower," "Walkin' Blues" and "Jack-A-Roe" are three of my favorite songs, and they're teed up right there for a first-set trifecta, along with "The Music Never Stopped" that features some pretty funky licks from Phil, albeit a somewhat tepid (to my ears) final solo from Jerry. The second set has some good later-era songs, including a 10-minute "Foolish Heart" and a nice fat "Iko Iko," among other things. Plus a "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" closer... Which I had seen at the 1987 show but which wasn't included as the encore on this set's first show (probably because Dylan had played along with them). Again, the energy sounded really strong. They weren't phoning this one in, from what I could hear on these boards. And these were just matrixes from the archive -- I can't imagine how they will sound as fully realized 24-track or 48-track recordings.

At this point I'm thinking this set will be tough to resist. But I still wasn't sure.

So I trundled on over to the 6/17/9 show. This one sounds unique. It open with "Eyes," which is pretty unusual, I think. (Correct me if I'm wrong....) Then three different "Dark Star" teases before they finally dive into it for real (for a short time -- 9 minutes or so, but still) shows them in a playful mood that could bring them to new corners of their musical map even 25 years into the trip. What finally sealed it for me was the 10-minute, skronking and stomping, greasy and jammy "New Speedway Boogie" deep in the second set. They sound like the band is rising up out of the swampy earth like some kind of primordial, prehistoric beast. Jerry's voice isn't polished (was it ever?) but he's in tune and gets the words right. I had my order placed before they got to the second verse.

Anybody on the fence about this release, my suggestion is to dig around the archive a little. You may (like me!) be surprised at what these shows have...

Forgive the rambling!

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

In light of the passing of Art "Papa Funk" Neville and the guest appearance on the later half of 7/10/89 2nd Set, this set takes on an especially important tribute (for me anyways) to another legend gone. R.I.P. Papa Funk.

Similar to Dave's experience with coming into the Dead, I came onboard in 84 at 16 years old. Caught my 2nd and 3rd shows at Alpine in 86 then 4th thru 6th at Alpine 87 a couple of weeks before this 87 Giants show.

Caught 1 show in 88 at Buckeye , then by 89 started upping my attendance by attending multiple shows on multiple tours. All in all about 50 shows between 84 to 95 plus two JGB shows in 91.

87 through 91 was filled with consistently fantastic music from what I attended and know these Giants shows are all A+++ Dead.

Thank you for releasing this. Now back to my Neville binge.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I have followed the discussion of gueses of wgatc6the box would be on the DaP 31 comments. I am fairly certain someone called this correctly or very close to it. Who ever you are nice work!

So I bought the blu rey version without hesitation. I am excited simply because I really got turned on the summer 91 tour about a year ago, so that is enticing on it's own. I only got to see the Dead with Vince so essentially he is my guy. I have able to have seen Bruce in post Jerry line ups and he is just great. So once I started to explore 91 shows they just clicked for me. Now having 2 more summer 89 shows is great, really can't go wrong there. Adding that 87 show is the icing on the cake. Admittedly I am not as much if a fan of 87 shows. I had many in tapes back in the day and besides 9/18, I remember an 87 Foxboro show standing out. Also TPTB have only released 3 87 shows with one being the aforementioned 9/18 show, plus the View from the Vault shows. I think this box set is covering a lot of good ground musically so it is win for me.

I ended up skipping the MUATM this evening. Although it would have been cool to have watched the 6/17 show on the big screen, I am feeling good that I will be able to watch it whenever I want on blu Rey. More importantly I spent the early afternoon with my wife visiting and catching up with one of my buddies, his wife and kids. I dont get to see many of my friends too often just due to work and life responsibilities...never know when some one will not be on this Earth anymore so I try to make time to see people. So after spending that time with my buddy, my wife and I got a bite to eat and went home. I am now going to fine tune myself, spin a few shows and relax. This is a good way to start The Days Between.

Peace to you all...

user picture

Member for

6 years 9 months
Permalink

Well maybe they mixed Brent out since its multtrack. Im happy for the people that got their wish, but I just cant stand it. I was at 2 of these shows, had a blast, but being there and hearing a palyback are 2 separate things. It ain't selling out by Monday. Right in the nuts.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

14 years
Permalink

I'm just not buying Dave's hyperbole after the most recent Dave's Picks. Its a decent show but in my opinion not even in same orbit as the Fillmore East show that preceded it. He's gotta sell/move product I guess.
This boxed set is a pass for me.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

Ok cool.

I was skeptical at first, I find the connection tenuous in the sense of consecutive shows across multiple years in a 65,000 seat arena, but shortly came around to the idea of multiple years of shows in good quality that people think highly of.

I love the connective tissue in releases like Europe '72, Spring '90 or even PNW '73/74, so I'm still not completely sold on (to me) an impersonal stadium across 5 years, but I'm more excited about the specific shows and the Blu-Ray as I read about them.

Brent > Vince/Bruce, I'm supportive as a neophyte still taking on anything I can get. Listening to GarciaLive 11 Deal from 1993 right now, I love the comment earlier about how this set matches the year of Jerry on the Eel. Happy birthday!

Brent, Vince, Bruce, anyways, I love it. Glad to see them represented, I want to hear it all. I don't blame anyone that isn't a fan, but I'm on board.

No you can't find it in no night club or no yacht club
And it ain't in the seats of a supper club
And sure as hell you're bound to tell
That no matter how hard you rub
You just ain't a-gonna find it on yer ticket stub

I'd never have expected them to strike a deal with Dylan & Co for his set of 7/12/87, but it's still too bad. Jerry and the boys pushing him to some rarities and ultimately the advent of the Neverending Tour in 1988 (check out Chronicles), not to mention the first Tomorrow is a Long Time since 4/12/63 Town Hall NYC, featuring Jerry on pedal steel for the first time in 15 years. Switching now to the Dylan boot of 7/12/87, I presume ya'll have it if you want it but I'm more than happy to provide if not, from the Dylan side of the road...got 4/12/63 too, and that should not be missed, period motherfucker. That's the one with the Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie..

And though it's only my opinion
I may be right or wrong
You'll find them both
In the Grand Canyon
At sundown

product sku
081227923716
Product Magento URL
https://store.dead.net/special-edition-shops/giants-stadium/giants-stadium-1987-1989-1991-boxed-set.html