• 1,852 replies
    clayv
    Default Avatar
    Joined:

    "Cause it's always like that with the Dead, you know - it's always the whole thing." - News Journal

    As we close out the 2019 Dave Pick's series, we deliver on our promise to give you the "whole thing" with the complete performance from The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 3/24/73 and what a show it was! An upstanding "musical eulogy" to the recently departed Pigpen, the Grateful Dead conducted a potent study in contrasts on this bittersweet night. They found easy balance between tidy jams like "They Love Each Other," "Wave That Flag," "Playing In The Band," and introspective moments on "Stella Blue," "Sing Me Back Home," and a poignant "He's Gone." It was all laid down with a discipline and a polish unheard of in any of the truly exceptional shows that had come before it. Yes, you might say, they cleaned up nice to carry on the legacy as Pig would have wanted.

    Limited to 20,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 32: THE SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 3/24/73 has been mastered to HDCD specs from the 7" and 10" reels by Jeffrey Norman.

    GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

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

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    @Dennis...

    ... My best guess is that the bonus material at the end of disc one (labeled as "from Set 1") may be all that survives of that set. If all of it was available, why wouldn't they have released both sets? So, if I had to guess, I would say that disc 1 and 2 represent all of Set 2.

    The limited number of NRPS setlists I can find from 1969 show that they only played single set shows. Of course, the Bear's Lair shows could have been different, and labeling it as Set 2 suggests they did play two. Hmm... Looking at the ticket stub, it seems the show started at 10:30, which would make for a late night if they did play two standard sets.

    Also, I am totally making a guess, especially as I haven't even had a chance to open up the package to look at any liner notes.

    Peace

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    Billy the Kid and the NRPS

    That "Chapter 1" set is odd/lacking info. The sub title is "Set 2", on two disc. Do you believe "disc 2" is the beginning of the second set or end? Which would make 'disc 1' the opposite. Then this make the bonus track, set 1, the only thing left available from that show? I couldn't find a set list for this show. I'm just an anal idiot sometimes.

  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    NRPS Box

    I got the one that I ordered the other day, but as I am giving it as a Christmas gift to my dad, I have not unwrapped the actual set. However, looking at it from the side, it seems to be five cds in individual slip cases - 2 for the show at Bear's Lair, and single discs for the remaining three shows.

    Peace

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Pete's Gretsch ( and my epiphone)

    Kevin - thanks for that follow up on Pete Townsend. Interesting that although the Gretsch featured so much, and sounded so great on the studio recordings, he didn't play it live much - or one like it. The only photographs of him playing it live from the early 70s, that I can remember, are ones from that Eric Clapton gig, when Eric was coaxed out of retirement to play with a pickup band of various luminaries at The Rainbow.

    Maybe its the fact that big bodied guitars like Gretsch's, have feedback that isn't so easy to control. Also, its one thing smashing a Gibson or a Fender....but you don't want to be smashing a Gretsch very often. Maybe it was just to cumbersome, and restricted his stage movements ! Although Brian Setzer used to nip about a bit.

    Also interesting that Joe Walsh suggested that the guitar had songs within it. Even at my humble level, I have noticed that guitars have personalies which need accommodating. Yesterday I bought a second hand Epiphone casino - just a budget guitar - but quite nice. I have had a few strums on it, and I am waiting to see what sort of music it would like me to try and play on it. Its a bit like meeting someone new, getting a new guitar.

  • Thats_Otis
    Joined:
    Thelma Bonus Disc

    Thanks for the reminder about the bonus disc that came with Thelma - that is a seriously smoking disc! Best bonus disc of the series? Maybe. I've always held that spot for the 2012 disc from the Cap Center 7/29/74 (maybe because I'm a Maryland boy.) Perhaps today I will play them back to back to determine the true champion. I don't know which will win in the end, but I am sure that I will enjoy the hell out of the competition!

    Peace

    Oh, the Orpheum bonus disc is a winner too! This series has really brought an embarrassment of riches!

    Also, spent some time down the Absinthe rabbit hole - thanks for the link Led! Nearly convinced myself that I should order the Strong68 set with the bottle, spoons, glasses, and sugar cubes until I saw the $45 shipping cost, bringing the purchase to $104. Wife did suggest it might make a great Christmas present for someone tho... :)

  • fourwindsblow
    Joined:
    Stanley Theater 12-1-79

    https://archive.org/details/gd1979-12-01.148531.fob.nak700.wagner.mille…

    This recording really shows the intensity of this show. Amazing!!

  • billy the kid
    Joined:
    Dennis/NRPS Box Set

    I just received 5 discs, no extra disc in an envelope. I believe disc 2 is set 2. Jerry bought his pedal steel in 1969 in Denver. He told the people to make sure it was in tune, because he would not be able to tune it.

  • kevinbrandon
    Joined:
    Did someone say WHOHEAD

    Hey DAVEROCK and KEITHFAN thought you might find this interesting

    In his '70s heyday when he wasn't busy gluing hotel furniture to the ceiling, future Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh was providing six-string inspiration to his fellow guitar playing peers.

    In a recent interview with the San Diego Reader, Walsh confirmed a famous legendary tale that he had helped Who guitarist Pete Townshend to cement the sound of his now-famous guitar tone.

    “Yes. That happened. The James Gang opened for the Who when they performed 'Tommy' in Europe. Pete and I are in the same zip code in terms of writing music and playing guitar. He had taken me under his wing as kind of a mentor. But during 'Tommy,' he’d locked into a certain amp/guitar setup for touring, and he got stuck there. It was time for him to move on and I sensed that.”

    -ADVERTISEMENT-

    Walsh allows that many rock guitarists of the time were employing the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul as their primary instruments for creating musical destruction. He had a setup that in his mind provided an especially harmonic secret sauce to the guitar playing sound and he shared that with Townshend.

    A bright orange '57 Gretsch Chet Akins model guitar paired with a '59 Fender Bandmaster amp, both gifts from Walsh, gave Townshend exactly the right sonic mojo that he needed to create the next Who album, 'Who's Next.'

    The Gretsch was a big hollow-bodied guitar that brought a rich tone that produced feedback at high volume, something that became an essential component of Townshend's sound. In typical fashion, Townshend eventually smashed the guitar during a Who show (no musical instrument was safe from Pete's on-stage wrath, right?), but he reportedly had the instrument reassembled and still owns it today.

    “There’s songs in that guitar,” says Walsh. “You sit down with it, and stuff just comes out of you.”

    The year 2012 will bring new music from Walsh, who recently wrapped up 'Analog Man,' his first album of new solo material since 'Songs For A Dying Planet' in 1992.

    Read More: Joe Walsh Remembers Helping Pete Townshend Find His Famous Guitar Tone | https://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-walsh-pete-townshend-guitar-tone/?u…

  • nappyrags
    Joined:
    @JiminMD...

    Funny you should mention the need to get to a museum and look at some stuff...last week the Mrs and I flew into Denver to hit the Monet exhibit at the Denver Art Museum...over 120 paintings of his were borrowed from other museums and private collections to put this exhibit on...it ends in Feb and then goes to Germany before everything is sent back...pretty heady day...some years ago we also drove into LA to attend a Van Gough exhibit that was pretty extensive...the Amsterdam Van Gough Museum was closed for renovations and they sent a major portion of it on a world wide tour...I love to stand to the side of a painting and see the depth of the paint and the brush strokes...Another plus to Denver was going to the music shop "Twist and Shout" ....great great store...picked up about 20 CD's including a couple of Dick's Picks I didn't have, only $18 each plus the acoustic Warfield finally...right next door to it is a major book store, "The Tattered Cover"...awesome...if anyone goes take a lunch cuz I guarantee you'll be there all day...

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    Bear's Sonic Journal - New Riders

    Out of those who have gotten theirs, did you get an extra disc 3 in an envelope?

    Also how do explain disc 1 & 2? Is 2 the rest of the second set?

    Do you think the only set 1 stuff was the "bonus tracks" on disc 1?

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

6 years 7 months

"Cause it's always like that with the Dead, you know - it's always the whole thing." - News Journal

As we close out the 2019 Dave Pick's series, we deliver on our promise to give you the "whole thing" with the complete performance from The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 3/24/73 and what a show it was! An upstanding "musical eulogy" to the recently departed Pigpen, the Grateful Dead conducted a potent study in contrasts on this bittersweet night. They found easy balance between tidy jams like "They Love Each Other," "Wave That Flag," "Playing In The Band," and introspective moments on "Stella Blue," "Sing Me Back Home," and a poignant "He's Gone." It was all laid down with a discipline and a polish unheard of in any of the truly exceptional shows that had come before it. Yes, you might say, they cleaned up nice to carry on the legacy as Pig would have wanted.

Limited to 20,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 32: THE SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 3/24/73 has been mastered to HDCD specs from the 7" and 10" reels by Jeffrey Norman.

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

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

user picture

Member for

13 years
Permalink

Just fyi friends...the "Warlocks 1989 Box" is available for only $19.99 via digital download here on site...One of my fav runs from fall 89--incredible buy....great version of "Death Don't Have No Mercy" --10/9/89

Merry Christmas!

user picture

Member for

7 years 8 months
Permalink

This book is an underrated, illuminating read. Like most of Crowley's output it can be rambling and inconsistent at times, however bookended by brilliance.

I gave it as a gift for the second time this Christmas, to another fiend - er, friend. Anyone interested check it out. Most aspects of the man's life have been stereotyped and sensationalized.

Merry Christmas everyone!

\m/

Nice to see old Edgar Rice Burroughs pop up on here earlier in the week. Our reach is wide indeed. You often read that although Burroughs wrote all those Tarzan books set in Africa, he never actually went to Africa himself. Although he also wrote many science fiction books too, no one ever says that he never actually went to Mars. Makes you think.

Happy Christmas one and all !

user picture

Member for

4 years 10 months
Permalink

Two great Christmas songs, Merry Christmas Baby by Charles Brown and Santa Claus by Sonny Boy Williamson. Right now listening to T Bone Walker 1940-1954 on Mosaic Records, great box set. T Bone Walker influenced B. B. King, Eric Claption, Jimi Hendrix and so many many more great guitar players. Merry Christmas folks,, have fun.

user picture

Member for

6 years 11 months
Permalink

My wife either really loves me or she secretly loves the GOGD despite her complaints. She got me the subwoofer that I wanted, and this thing is going to make the house shake...lots of Phil Bombs in my future!!!

Merry Christmas Dead People...Have a safe and happy holiday!!!

KCJ

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

War is Over! if you want it
Happy Christmas from John & Yoko

Still has meaning 49 years later

“Merry merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, lets hope it’s a good one, without any fear” .
Thank you David Lemieux , Steve Vance, Ivette Ramos at Rhino. You helped me achieve one of my dreams. To the Grateful Dead, thank you for helping to create a better World.
To fellow Dead Heads. Don’t ever let anyone break your spirit. (Collective and individual) .

It snowed overnight here on the “old Pecos Trail”.

user picture

Member for

11 years 2 months
Permalink

Have a Grateful Christmas everyone!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

May the new year bring peace, prosperity and happiness.

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months
Permalink

Going back a few threads here . Looks like the official unnofficial story on Townsend's Gretsch 6120 and its infrequent stage appearences is that it was too difficult to keep in tune:

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/guitar/gretsch.html

Which brings me to another thought that has frequently crossed my mind since I've gotten into the Grateful Dead hardcore. Why do they have so many problems keeping their instruments in tune? Is it because they never swap out instruments in the middle of a show? That would be my guess. You go to a concert nowadays and there's no time spent tuning instruments between every third song. But still there non swap instruments that much. Thinking back to Alex lifeson on the Hold Your Fire tour, and he used that white guitar with the little circular emblem on it the entire show pretty much. Or Trevor Rabin and and that funky customized strat (?) he used the majority of his days with Yes.

user picture

Member for

13 years 11 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Everyone here on this site makes my day more fun, happier, and often more informed. Thanks all for great ideas and comments throughout the year. May we all have a fun, prosperous, peaceful new year.

Listening to last year's stadium box (was it last year?) Sugaree is kicking off the second set. Gonna cook a Christmas day ommlete for family and open presents. Shake it, Sugaree.

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

jerry xmas and a happy new weir to yall beautiful freaks

user picture

Member for

7 years 6 months
Permalink

To all you turkeys out there, happy holidays and a drunk new year's. Peace. P.S.- thanks to you know who on the Woodstock box. Right on.

user picture

Member for

10 years 9 months
Permalink

Hope all have a fantastic holiday and New Year!

Keithfan, the instruments largely go out of tune due to conditions such as weather like heat and humidity in outdoor shows and indoor shows as well. It could also be the instruments themselves. The Gretsch in this instance has a whammy bar, and whammy bars are notorious for sending guitars out of tune with usage. Also, Townshend is not exactly a light player on his strings, and he bends them quite a bit while playing, as well as attacking them with a windmill motion. There's many jokes about bass players not tuning up for years at a time, which is hyperbole, but basses usually stay in tune longer, despite longer necks, and longer strings, as long as they are set up correctly, so you'll likely see more guitars being tuned at a show than a bass. Technology has made the guitars sturdier and more stable, but those conditions can still send the guitars out of tune. Why the Dead took so incredibly long to tune up is another question. I would bet that they tuned so often between songs due to Jerry bending strings on solos, and Phil having perfect pitch. It probably drove him nuts hearing out of tune guitars. Just a supposition there. Hope that helps!

user picture

Member for

11 years 11 months
Permalink

… the new-ish pink Floyd box set - the later years. Big sticker proclaims "limited edition",,,, I can't find what the limit is?

Anyone?

user picture

Member for

11 years 9 months
Permalink

Hi folks...hope everyone had a swell Christmas...we had about four inches of snow fall here at the edge of the world which compared to the nearly two feet that fell for Thanksgiving was quite doable...anyway for my anniversary show today I will be listening to 12-26-70 El Monte Legion Stadium...the start of a three night run which I was lucky enough to attend...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2hmh579Cd8

a lot of changes going on as "Workingman's Dead" had been released the previous June and "American Beauty" had just been released in November...Happy New Year to all and rock on...

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Taking you up on your offer, however I'm opting for the Terrapin>Drums>Space>UJB segment. Thanks for the recommendation! :-)

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

There's still a lot of tuning going on during shows, but everyone has pedals now and bypass the house while they're tuning, so you don't hear it.

Last 5:
Winterland '73: - 12-9-73
Giants Box: one of the 89 shows
Neil Young: Harvest
King Oliver
Charlie Parker

user picture

Member for

8 years

In reply to by Slow Dog Noodle

Permalink

I can't get enough of the 5 Disc release of the Grateful Dead movie soundtrack. Multi Track Wall of Sound music. Is there anything better than this. Disc four has one of my all time favorite Uncle John's Band. The energy is unreal.
Recorded by Bill Wolf. Who was he? I don't remember that name.
I know it has been talked about for years, but these five nights with video would be a box dream come true. We know the tapes are there.

user picture

Member for

8 years 6 months
Permalink

Is a primo 1974 performance, every time I give it a listen I can’t help but smile smile smile! 🙏❤️😎🌹💀🌹💀

user picture

Member for

7 years 6 months
Permalink

Ditto.

user picture

Member for

9 years 1 month
Permalink

aka Dick's Picks 5

user picture

Member for

7 years 3 months
Permalink

Anybody else excited about the Cream "Farewell Tour" 4-cd set coming in February? It should come soon after Dave's 33, so 2020 is all ready to get us started early.
Music is the best!!

Yes, I'm looking forward to this one, too. There have been a few dodgy Cream releases over the last year or so ( ie Detroit 1967-great playing - average sound), but this new one looks like the real deal.

I haven't played 26/12/79 this year yet, but that's a great second set. Rocking Alabama-Promised Land to close set 1, too. It dove tails nicely into 12/28/79-a Road Trips release as well. Good synth playing from Brent in both second sets, as I recall.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I didn't realize they sound checked Black-Throated Wind at that show. Interesting bit of trivia...

Thanks for the link P Hill.

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

smokey the tiger

https://archive.org/details/gd1981-12-27.143630.fob.beyer.m160.streeter…

Set I
New Minglewood Blues >
Sugaree
Cassidy
Deep Elem Blues >
C.C. Rider
Friend Of The Devil
Passenger
Althea >
Looks Like Rain >
Deal
Set II
Samson & Delilah
To Lay Me Down >
Playing In The Band >
Drums >
Space >
The Wheel >
Playing In The Band Reprise >
Wharf Rat >
Sugar Magnolia

Encore:
It's All Over Now Baby Blue

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months
Permalink

Thanks for the thoughtful guitar tuning reply. You know what else just came to mind - I've read some stuff about how difficult it used to be to keep Keith's piano in tune (even the elecric stuff he was using by the late '70s; the Egypt run was notorious for it). Maybe he was the troublemaker.

I can imagine them carting around the grand piano by the time they hit the road for the wall of Sound tour, but I wonder if he was stuck playing some house piano at other places in '72 (in '71 he used a stand up, which you can prominently on a lot of those October recordings, like DaP 3).

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

74 bermuda triangle
81 salt lake city
72 kansas city
69 electric factory

maybe gainsville

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months
Permalink

Good call on the China Rider from the DaP 14 Bonus Disc. You made it a while ago but I'm listening to it now. It's actually a great self-contained one disc chunk of Dead. AOM March '72 for anyone with a head full of bong weed.

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

thats right folks it is time for another game of guess that dead show

funiculi funicula
you can call me ray or you can call me jay or you can call me r j j or you can call me johnny or you can call me jaimey or you can juney but you doesnt have to call me johnson
when they come to take you down etc

first prize will be a funky winterbean golf ball and a handful of flinstones vitamins
two dinosaur and 3 bam bams

user picture

Member for

12 years

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

Love that band.

But it looks to me like you are essentially getting four identical concerts. Mehhh.

At least throw in a Tales of Brave Ulysses or Badge in one of the shows.

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

gimme blind faith or harmony row any day at that

ive worn out a few copies of ginger bakers stratovarious yet in my younger daze

gem of an album

user picture

Member for

7 years 4 months
Permalink

word on the street is the aniversary album will come with a bonus disc

that one is a good listen always has been always willbee

although i still wish they had stuck with calling it go to hell with the black suits and flames and what have you

dog gone arista

user picture

Member for

7 years 8 months
Permalink

You can't get four identical concerts with improvisational live bands. Even if the setlists are very similar. I was also disappointed to see the Cream set lists, but there must be something there worth releasing. I would hate to think that Clapton is allowing this to be put out just to help the Baker and Bruce families. He could do that himself, he's worth $300 million.

A case in point (beyond the obvious - GD) is that last Hendrix box. Many songs played multiple times, but each take quite different from the others, which allows each show to feel like a fresh listen even with songs being repeated.

Where I really learned to appreciate Cream was their initial box, Those Were The Days. Go buy it now and be blown away. The radio never plays anything beyond White Room and Sunshine, and there was so, so much more.

user picture

Member for

7 years 6 months
Permalink

I have to agree with ledded. Cream is similar to the dead and Hendrix when it comes to live shows. They may have the same songs but each is very different in a great way. Just dont listen to them in row. Give each live concert venue a day apart.

Even the four FW69 shows had more variety in the setlists. All I am saying.

It still remains one of their top two releases.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month

In reply to by Angry Jack Straw

Permalink

Another point of view is that the more limited the set lists, the more expansive the playing. A bit of a generalisation,but sometimes, certainly with The Dead from 1968 to mid 1969, dedication to a relatively short amount of songs meant that they stretched and recreated those songs in ways they might not have done had they been played more sparingly. Sometimes, maybe the more extensive and varied the set lists are, the more trivial the playing of those songs becomes.
I don't agree with this all the time...its just another way of looking at things.

Having said that, those Cream set lists do look very samey ! The 4 cd Humble Pie Live at the Fillmore East 1971 features essentially the same set 4 times over...and although its a blinding set, and sounds fantastic ( much better than the single disc edition) I would be lying through my teeth if I told you I could tell the difference between one set and another. So fingers crossed with Cream - it has to be bought, no question.

user picture

Member for

8 years

In reply to by stoltzfus

Permalink

6/9/1977, what a show! Is there a better Franklin's Tower? I don't know. The whole box is just so damn good. So, we have DeKalb in about a month or so and the Dave's 34 announcement should be coming soon. Looking forward to more releases and another box set in 9 months.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Is there a better Help-Slipknot-Franklins? If there is, I haven't heard it.

user picture

Member for

7 years 8 months
Permalink

Music - is it an addiction? Is addiction bad? Does addiction mean loss of control and will, or just total surrender to that which inspires one's muse? Can one be addicted to something good? Or must the line be drawn at being an "aficionado, enthusiast, or fan?"

It would indeed be good to have a Brave Ulysses or Badge on those Cream sets... but, alas, there isn't. Folks might be surprised to know that Clapton has dug deep into the bag over the years and pulled out stellar live renditions on the Crossroads I and II sets, as well as his Crossroads Guitar Festival lp's and assorted other live releases, paying homage to Cream.

God bless Eric Clapton. There have been uninspired releases over the years to be sure, but there's plenty of that from any artist of that era. McCartney, The Who and the Stones have put out their fair share of crap.

I got guitar playing buddies who are "bored" by Clapton. My theory is it's because he wrote the goddamn book on blues-rock soloing and the licks everyone has stolen came off of that tree.

Anyway, to each his own, but I love Eric Clapton. Going back and watching that Cream reunion from a few years ago it's striking that he is all that remains, but he is still strong and I hope he will remain on limited display for a while longer.

\m/

product sku
081227924294
Product Magento URL
https://store.dead.net/music/dave-s-picks/dave-s-picks-vol-32-1.html