Grateful Dead

I have liked Dave's m.o. up to now: start the year with something from '73, '74, or '77; pick a 2nd show that is nicely complemented by the bonus disc; include releases that draw on the returned reels; and venture into the pre-'89 Brent era now and again.

What would make 2020 "just exactly perfect"? If he goes back to the pre-'69 days, and/or forward to the post-Brent era.

But I have been a happy subscriber since DaP1 and I expect I will continue to be no matter what shows he ends up choosing.

Does anyone have any idea how long the $99 early bird pricing is available before it goes up? I definitely want the 10-29-77 show, but still debating whether or not to do another year.

Sometimes don't get around to listening to 'em for a while, too busy, and just discovered this year my brand new (to me) Dave's pick 28 from '76 had a skip on one disc. Too late to get a replacement now.

I seem to recall two things; 1) they announce when the early bird is going to expire far enough in advance that you should be able to adjust accordingly and 2) not much changes at least until Thanksgiving.

I could be wrong, but that's my memory. With an additional 2k this year, I would be surprised if much changes from prior years.

From the Almanac email:
It's time to rise and shine with the early birds and nab the very best deal on a 2020 Dave's Picks Subscription. Once you hear all the details of what's to come (right over yonder in the Almanac), we're fairly certain you'll want to subscribe (and you might as well save). EARLY BIRD SUBS WILL END ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 AT 11:59PM PT.

But, in the seaside chat Dave says that it could close earlier if enough units are sold. Or something to that effect.

Ooops, just a little off.. so 11/18 (or earlier pending some sort of announcement).

Thanks for the clarification Conekid.

I'm not going into details because it's irrelevant, but marye and Dr. Rhino always make things right (as recently as today). I've spent thousands of dollars on this website and never had a problem go unresolved - and as with any business, there are sometimes unforeseen issues that are beyond the control of customer service departments. These people, Dr. Rhino and marye, go to extraordinary lengths to straighten out issues when they crop up, and these are issues that they are not personally responsible for. I know this because I know how businesses like this work, and I know what people in their positions' scope of responsibilities are. Warner would be at a loss without them, and then we would really get a taste of unsatisfactory customer service.

Four shows for 99 bucks? Every year? I'M in. What - box sets too? Doubling down.

Never mind the previous post. All is good.

Thank you to the ones that replied - will try out the Paypal trick. Can be a bit of a hassle dealing with orders from Asia - but we'll see.

And I don't wanna seem like I'm unhappy with this site or the service. I had some massive issues with previous orders this year, and despite some lag in getting a reply (I learned its better to go thru this site than the Customer Support Service email) the result has been incredibly satisfying.

This has been my first year on the bus. I can't wait to get #32 and look forward to the new year ahead!

Jumping ahead in time...
Yep, it coming up, due late January / early February 2021.
Kinda like waiting for Dick's Picks 37 which should have been released "early 2006" but the much-loved series of Dick's Picks was canceled after Dick's Picks 36 (9/21/72) without any notice.
Dave's Picks 37 will be the longest series of archival recordings from the Grateful Dead audio/video recordings vault.

Content: who knows,
but a special release would be greatly welcomed, such as a 4 disc set as compared to the usual 3 disc releases.

I have been very satisfied by this Dave's Picks release series.
Thank you, Thank you very much for it.

Right ON, that'll be a '72 show then, or a double dose of shows in each pick., you can count me in.

I have really enjoyed this series. I have subscribed since the beginning. HOWEVER, after 8 years and 32 concerts there have only been three (3!) concerts from 1980 on and all three of those were 1980-1983. This means that we are missing out on a sampling of almost half of the Grateful Dead's 30 year run!! Here's hoping that the coming year(s) will bring us a wider array of the Grateful Dead's archive. Thank you, Dave!

2019:

Dave's 31
Giants Stadium BOX SET
Ready Or Not
Warfield Mini-box

That's plenty for now. Time to get back to basics. We need something from 1972 ASAP.

I can empathize with you. I have a couple copies and both skipped on Disc 1. It's a well known problem. Went through the proper channels and replacements came and skipped as well. Was promised a year back it would be made right, I have since given up.

I have ordered practically every release since 2011 but these past 12 months I've had multiple problems. First few years, a couple issues here and there (like the razor blade slices to the covers) that got fixed. My recent Giants stadium has multiple discs with scratches. Not just small scratches but major scuffing. There really should be quality control that can visually see quite obvious damage issues and prevent them from being shipped out. Otherwise way more work for everyone. I hate to complain but you just reach a level frustration.

Here we are 10 days or so past the announcement date for Subscription 2020 and it’s not sold out. For those of you who rushed to subscribe immediately (it happens every year) and who had problems related to the initial rush (it happens every year), and your travails are documented in the comment thread (it happens every year), please be advised that next year you can wait a bit and avoid the aggravation. There is no risk of missing out. This is just a friendly suggestion that when Subscription 2021 happens, or any new announcement comes out... wait a day or two before ordering. Some of you will be correct in thinking that I am spitting into the wind, so to speak, and no doubt we will see the same issues next time. No matter. However, sometimes good things happen to those who wait. If just one person heads my advice (oops, make that heeds my advice), then the time taken to post this message is worthwhile. Time is valuable. Best regards.

On Sunday, the Facebook group RMGD posted a little audio snippet of an upcoming release. The show was played on Jerry's 27th birthday which would be 8/1/69, however according to the archive this date does not exist in the database. Yet, you can clearly hear the other members of the Dead playing with Albert Collins singing , I'm assuming that this is the only Grateful Dead concert without Jerry. The venue is the Family Dog at the Great Highway, if this is in fact DaP 34 what will the bonus disc consist of? Also some sort of picketing was going on outside by the union local 261. It may also be an upcoming release for RSD Black Friday. Needless to say I'm very intrigued. Just putting the info out there.

I ordered the 2020 subscription some days ago , paid by Paypal , and can see payment has been processed by them. To date , no order confirmation received , and so unable to check whether order has reached destination. has anybody else had this problem?

Is it wait and be patient, dont freak out, or is it ya snooze, ya lose?! All these new heads must be so confused?! One person says freak out and dont wait. Another says dont worry, wait, be happy. Which is it dammit?!?!

I never wait. I've found the stress is the same either option, just one usually tends to cost more mulah later, which for me...just adds to the stress. I'm gonna go smoke a weed cigar...what is that all you kids call them...? :) And I dont wanna hear any grumbles about spoiling good flower...I like it every way and sometimes I need a tobacco fix since I quit smoking.

I made the comment on the Dave's Picks thread that I am pretty sure Dead.net has outsourced their customer service to my cable company. New releases should bring smiles, not stress! That's why I have been lifelong Head. They are my great stress reliever. At least that's true once I receive my next fix. And yes. I faithfully subscribed the day I was able so that I can enjoy the great sunshine the music brings. Unfortunate that we all have to endure the storm before we are able to enjoy the sunshine 🌞

Customer service has not been outsourced, it has been completely eliminated and replaced by Customer Disservice.

There was a time when the Good Dr. Rhino would try to make things just exactly perfect for everyone. But the Good Dr. seems to have disappeared.......or maybe he was eliminated by the Evil WMG for wrecking the bottom line by sending out rightfully deserved replacements of defective products.
Come to think of it, it seems that the Good Dr. did in fact disappear after the replacement DaP28 CD3’s went out. Which were replacements for the first round of replacements which were also defective.
Repeatedly sending out CD’s without collecting any revenue for them is sure to get the attention of the organization........

With Dr. Rhino out of the picture there is nobody to stand up for the paying customers, so you should expect that things will only get worse........

Interesting comments on DaP34.. I found this comment attached to the 8/2/69 Family Dog show on the Archive. Provides absolutely no resolution whatsoever.. but is also interesting and related.

________________________________________________________________
The Dead's run at the Family Dog was supposed to begin on Jerry's birthday the day before but upon getting to the gig they found the light show folks were on strike and picketing the Family Dog. Jerry would not cross a picket line and spent the evening mediating the hassles. In spite of it all they played this show the next night. A very good and jammed out Hard To Handle is the high light here in a gig that was put on despite the hassles.
________________________________________________________________

I think there have been two shows released from the Family Dog, 4/18/1970 (Record Store Day, returned Mountain Girl tape) and 2/4/1970 (one of the Download Series shows). Neither sounds fantasmigorically good in my humble opinion.. hopefully there are a few recorded there that shine brighter when remastered, etc.

Yes, I sent out requests to Dr. Rhino originally with the DaP 28 disc issues. He replied and replaced with additional discs. Unfortunately same problem with those. Then he said it's a known problem and new discs would be manufactured and sent out to me. Never heard back after that, I should have simply asked for a refund. A few months later 3 discs in PNW box came scratched. I sent email to Dr, Rhino 2 times and received auto reply from WMG. Nothing was done to remedy this. Recently with my horribly scuffed Giants Stadium discs issue, I called the Dead net line. They said I had to send pics in an email. I did that and also received an auto reply that they will get back to me. Bottom line is that something is really wrong here. And not having Dr. Rhino to help out makes it much worse going forward. It has become buyer beware. I hate having to do the dreaded disc inspection upon package arrival.

I also hate being negative here. I certainly do not want to hijack the thread into this topic but the higher ups at Rhino/Warner should no that things are not right......And that ain't right

1/23/73
12/20/19
GET IT!!!! The Honey Chile from this show has a jam in it that's out of this world. It's a HOT one I love this era of non Dead FULL JERRY bands.

Is it possible to add a picture to my comment? It’s also possible I’m missing something quite obvious.

Is it possible to add a picture to my comment? It’s also possible I’m missing something quite obvious.

Ordered w/ poster. Looks like a good 'un. Wish they would up the number of releases, but I suspect the know how to maximize sales

EARLY BIRD SUBS WILL END ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 AT 11:59PM PT.

2019 was a great year for variety. Hopefully 2020 continues the trend.

Even with the bump up to 22k, surprised this hasn't sold out as a subscription.

5-CD set of '69-'70 New Riders with Jerry on pedal steel and, I think, Phil on bass, with oodles of songs they never played later in their career, like in fall '72 when I first saw them open for the Dead, then again in May '73 when I saw the Riders headline in a small theater (followed a couple weeks later by Old and In the Way).

I had spoken with 'Hawk,' the Owsley Foundation's point man, about New Riders tapes in the Owsley vault probably two years ago and he sighed heavily. They went to the boxes marked 'New Riders' knowing there were many many shows and the box was empty. @#$%^&!!! I said, hopefully, that no one would steal New Riders tapes --- think about the karma!! It would be SO GREAT if they found the many New Riders' tapes and this is the first of many Riders releases. In any case, the word is 5-CD set for pre-order on Black Friday, then digital downloads in January.

Had to put that news out there for my fellow New Riders freaks. JimInMD, you know who you are. ...

How did you know I had those tapes.. my precious. One more listen and I promise I will send them back. My precious tapes.

"The venue is the Family Dog at the Great Highway, if this is in fact DaP 34 what will the bonus disc consist of"?

Maybe DP34 is from 8/2 and 8/3 1969 and have some filler from 8/1.

Wow, I finally got back in after several months of frustration. Not sure what was happening, could not use my name and password. Now it is cleared up. My first post since the new website last October. Actually last post was July 2018, when I posted about the Greek. Have had some much to post but had some health issues (got a nice 4 inch scar on my neck, yipee) hopefully will find time to be amongst friends again. Hope all here are happy and content. Just got my early bird special in under the wire. Cant wait to see what Dave will give us!!! Come on Dave, give us a break. Guess I need to learn how the new site works. Been missing you folks a lot. G

Fall '72... UNLESS the 2020 box is Fall '72, in which case, DaP 34 will be spring '71. Trust me on this one, I've never been wrong before.

Trickster JimMD, you should NOT have absconded with those tapes, mon. You really freaked 'em out over at the Owlsley Foundation. And when they told me the Riders tapes were missing, I just broke down and cried. Felt good!

Fug it. New Jer/Merle from 1/73, Riders with Jer coming soon. Dang it, strong finish to the year.

PLUS, I've got Band of Gypsys and The Band 50th edition coming. That fatty, it's gonna be so effin' big and strong, that "I'm a viper..."

Also, 2020 has to feature the re-release of Workingman's and American Beauty, both presumably with 1970 or 1970-ish live discs attached.

I might even have to save one of those frozen sugar cubes for the main event (whatever the hell that is...)

Over and ooooouuuuuutttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems every time Dave has a seaside chat, he talks about the choices they make (and didn't make). Wouldn't it be great if one of the Dave's Picks every year was chosen by the subscribers? Dave could give us a list of 3 or 4 possibilities that passed his screens and then let the deadheads vote.

Love your idea. I have thinking along the same line for many years. I think it would be great and have it come out every year in December to give us all some more magical dead music between picks.

Good to hear from you again. Glad all is well. Some scars are cool so don't sweat it.

Frank...I think you're on to something here. How do we petition Dave & Co.?

Welcome back GFar.. Heal up, play dead.. you were missed and glad you are back.

Maybe we need a few cracks to let the light in.

Jerry never did it for the money. But I see Dave is still keeping the coke tradition alive.

anyone got a link for this years 31 days of December?

"Wouldn't it be great if one of the Dave's Picks every year was chosen by the subscribers?"

Yes, it would. But it will never happen for at least two major reasons:

1) We'd probably coalesce around some iconic shows and soon deplete the vault of key shows. Dave needs firepower in his hip pocket to maintain subscriber interest as we move through years of releases.
2) Or we would not coalesce around one key date, just small pools of support for a disparate list of shows, and the winner might not have wide support. Dave has to imagine what releases will have broad appeal.
3) WHAT IF A MID-'80S FACTION WON OUT????

Okay, I cheated, that's three, but the third one slipped out during a Tourette's outburst...

If only. I would be happy with more 80s Dave's Picks, and even more 60s and some 90s as well.

A lot of people might pick something not in the vault or of sub-standard audio quality. I've dreamed about an Alpine 87 release, but Dave says the tapes themselves don't sound great, even if the shows are stellar.

I've long been a supporter of more releases from their commercial breakthrough year of 87. The 87 Giants Stadium show from this years box is a great one and that Summer was full of great shows. Red Rocks is near the top of my wish list. The energy is undeniable from those dates.

I went in for the Dave's Picks 8 Fox Theater 11/30/80 show and it still sounds better with each listen. That Little Red Rooster, usually a beer/bathroom break song for many, rocks. Jerry's solo is absolutely ripping.

We are due for one. In the liner notes to DaP 20, Dave suggests we'd get one somewhere in the next 20 picks. Here we are coming up on DaP 34 and no sign of one yet...Time will tell.

Dug it up yesterday, first chance to post.

https://www.phantasytour.com/bands/phish/threads/4580717/gd-2019-unoffi…

Also the Owlsey new box set of The New Riders is on sale at his web site (Ordered!)

First, thanks to SpaceBrother for taking my jest about mid-80s with a sense of humor. I meant it that way. In fact, I did attend every single GD show at Red Rocks, partly through luck, partly because it has always been a short drive from where I lived, 1978-1987. And we enjoyed some rockin' shows in the 1983-85 period, though it was clear that Jer carried a burden by then...

But before we dip into the early (not mid!) '80s Red Rocks tapes, let's review. The first shows -- July 7-8 '78 are out, and most welcome. The August '78 shows, as I and many attendees can attest, were not strong. They'd recorded 'Shakedown Street' just before that and had not been performing. While it was a complement to us that they wanted to return to perform some of the album at Red Rocks, it didn't gel.

That brings us to a robust three-night stand that should yield the hottest RR tapes: 12 August 1979 -- a truly ripping show that must see the light of day. One track released on So Many Roads, so the tapes are there. The next night it rained and we all moved into the local shed, McNichols Arena, for two nights. 13 August opened with a thunderous 'Shakedown Street' (thank you Phil) and beautiful 'Candyman' (thank Jer!) proceeded through a killer show. I have zero memories of 14 August 1979, as I had blazed in a serious way the prior two nights. Talk about misspent youth...

So, before we get to 'mid-80s' GD at RR, perhaps Dave will bless us with 12 and/or 13 August. The 14 August will be a nearly complete surprise to me...

That is all..............

Maybe the reason Dave’s Picks haven’t sold out yet is related to the totally nonexistent customer service being provided by Dr Rhino. After recently spending almost $200 on a box set, receiving a disk that won’t play, and requests for a replacement being ignored, I know I am not willing to gamble any further. Too bad they already have my money for a 2020 subscription!

Just a generalised comment...how amazing it must have been to see bands-especially The Dead - at such a fantastic sounding-and going off the photos-looking-place. When I think of some of the dodgy bands I have seen over the years in decrepit old halls in recession hit towns. Seeing Planet Gong at the Witchwood in Ashton -Under-Lyne circa 1990 ( if Oldham is a poor version of Manchester, then Ashton is a poor version of Oldham) does not equate with seeing the Dead at Red Rocks.

Great venue, but, be warned,,,, everything is uphill! First you walk up a decent hill to get to your seats, then you have to walk uphill to the bathroom, you come out of the bathroom and you have to somehow walk up hill again to get to back to your seat. Want a beer, it's uphill (and once again you need to go uphill to get back to your seat!) It's like a large game of chutes and ladders.

All kidding aside, incredible place to see a show! (but it's all uphill :-) )

Suffering from vertigo as I do, maybe I was better off at the Witchwood after all ! It was downhill all the way going there...

Buck stops at Dr Rhino. He has never not delivered. There are signs all over the website that indicate their warehouse has moved and there may be delays. I'm willing to bet your impatient unforgiving jabbering hasn't even crossed his desk yet.

I would give you his direct contact info but I'd rather see you go without a while longer, on account of your crappy attitude.

And I just thought I'd point out your ignorance. Dave's Picks subscriptions have never sold out in its history. That is why there are always extras available a couple of weeks before the actual delivery date. But you just keep going on with your impatient self and deprecate the people who actually can make a difference in how soon you get your merchandise. I'm sorry I let me put that in words you understand. You're biting the hand that feeds you.