June 1976 15CD Boxed Set

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February 13, 2020 - 8:15am

2,627 replies
clayv

Joined:
March 14, 2018
During the mid-1970s, the Grateful Dead saga was unfolding like a Greek classic. The Sisyphean Wall Of Sound had nearly broken the band. From it spawned a Medusa head of countless side projects, all deliciously fruitful but woefully not the same as the whole. The chorus lay in wait, pondering the reemergence of their heroes, and wondering if "THE LAST ONE" had really been it...

But in early 1976, Apollonian light and healing would shine upon our intrepid wanderers once again. No more epic battles for the people with cops and lines and tightness, the Dead would return triumphant in smallness, playing intimate theaters and renting equipment along the way. No more ticket scams and greedy promoters, they'd give back with first ever mail-order ticket program, one that had a few kinks to work out but eventually served the fans well.

Musically, June 1976 signaled a Golden Age of harmony and prosperity for the Dead. It marked an Odysseusian-like return for Mickey Hart. Donna Jean was in lock-step with the sirens' call. Jerry and Bob delivered orphic delight with solo musings like "Mission In The Rain" (the only tour they ever played it on), "The Wheel," and "Cassidy," emboldened by group effort. There was fresh repertoire from Blues For Allah, breathing new life to the Dead's continually morphing sound - as Weir once said of the '76 tour, they wanted to play "a little bit of all of it." Old favorites were re-envisioned with cascading tempos and unique sequencing, making the crowd question if they'd ever heard these songs before. And there was comfort and joy in the familiarity of watching the band make it up as they went along. By all means, it was clear that the bacchanalia of live Dead would reign on.

And now the revelry from this epoch, evidenced by the near-studio quality sound captured on two-track live recordings by Betty Cantor-Jackson, lives on, bolstered by Jeffrey Norman's HDCD mastering. It's housed for posterity in a handsome box featuring original art work by Justin Helton. It’s documented in liners by Jesse Jarnow and photos by Grant Gouldon. And it’s ready for a spot on your shelf.

As part of our pre-order for this Dead.net exclusive boxed set, we'll be delivering downloads of each listening party - one for each show included in JUNE 1976 - to purchasers from now until the March 20th release. Order at any time before release and you'll receive all the listening parties to date.

Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 12,000

What's Inside:

5 Previously Unreleased Complete Shows On 15 Discs

Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 6/10/76

Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 6/11/76

Beacon Theatre, New York, NY 6/14/76

Beacon Theatre, New York, NY 6/15/76

Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ 6/19/76

Sourced from Two-Track Master Tapes, Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson

Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman

Restoration and Speed Correction by Plangent Processes

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March 13, 2020 - 1:41pm

#1701

icecrmcnkd

Joined:
October 20, 2015

Record Store Day postponed

Rescheduled to June 20
March 13, 2020 - 12:37pm

#1702

sjbennett85

Joined:
March 7, 2020

Passaic Listening Party for pre-orders

Anybody notice the strange mixdown of Playing in the Band on the listening party download?

Weird vocal/instrument levels throughout the entire song, incomparable to the other tracks that dropped with it.

Is this an issue with how that song was captured?
March 13, 2020 - 12:34pm

#1703

LedDed

Joined:
February 16, 2017

Great American Puke Fest

Who doesn't love a good hurling story? I've got a few, but please people - one at a time.

We were driving back to Boulder from the Great American Beer Fest some time in the early to mid 1990's. I was sandwiched in the backseat of a two door, red Chevy Beretta. Against all better judgement a bowl was passed around, and yours truly inhaled.

Now, I didn't have the tolerance I have now, and when the spins and cold sweats came on, being in that middle seat with no back window, a hard choice had to be made.

I leaned slightly forward, and threw up all down myself inside my winter parka. I was so stealth about this, neither wastoid on either side of me even noticed! I zipped up my jacket, relieved but disgusted, and it must've been another ten minutes before someone up front asked, "hey, did somebody puke?"

I got dropped off at my apartment, went inside and straight into the shower. Hosed off the jacket and threw the clothes into the washer, ate some greasy food and sobered up with no one the wiser. To this day, none of those guys know I ralphed into my jacket.

Sometimes, you have to take one for the team.
March 13, 2020 - 11:34am

#1704

icecrmcnkd

Joined:
October 20, 2015

A too much to fast story

The Who 7/89 Pontiac Silverdome, floor row 32.

Everyone on the floor is standing on the flimsy plastic chairs. We’re a few songs into the first set and the 3 guys in the row in front of me break out a glass pipe and start smoking crack. The guy right in front of me takes a huge hit (I think Jim recently referred to those as a ‘hero hit’), holds it in, then exhales, and passes out while still standing on the chair, and tumbles to the floor unconscious. Security saw him fall, came over, could see that he wasn’t in good shape, grabbed him and took him away.
He never returned and missed an awesome show.
March 13, 2020 - 11:32am

#1705

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Sixtus

Too funny! But hey, even as a rookie you followed The Scranton boys rule of hurling; “no shootin’ without a cooler” which translates to it’s ok if you have to as long as it’s out the window, or in a garbage or whatever, as long as it’s not all over: the car, fellow travelers, or yourself! Lol Old Lumpy from Scranton NY would be proud of ya!
FYI, that was a pretty good show! I was with that 20 year old I’ve mentioned, and we ran into our old pal Lee Estee, possibly the last time we hung with him.
March 13, 2020 - 11:20am

#1706

Sixtus_

Joined:
November 8, 2014

Re: Oro & Hurling

...that was a great throwback oration of an extremely visual nature - too funny. Your steadfastness at that rail is A Thing of Legend.

In the vein of oversharing biological output shenanigans - I have my own vomit story....just not nearly as epic. My first dead show, July 16 1990 - we road tripped with a caravan of 8 cars from Cazenovia NY to Buffalo. I was pretty much still a kid freshly turned 18, we all piled into the open slots in the rides with tons of beer, and off we went (we didn't have access to weed yet, sadly). So it's a good several hour trek across NY State, and of course we're boozing the whole way, eating snacks, I specifically recall eating a bunch of brownies (just regular old brownies, nothing special). Well, we get about an hour from Buffalo and I am feeling I need to blow chunks. I happen to be in the 3rd row/seat of a minivan, not riding bitch but near a window...yet we all recall, the windows in mini vans in the way way back don't really open; they only pop open a few inches (or at least back then they did). I really had no choice - so when the hurling hit, I leaned over to that teeny tiny crack and blew chunks out the back sliver of a window, going at like 70 miles an hour down the NY Thruway. Needless to say, when we got out in the lot and I went and looked, there was an immense triangle of brownie vomit caked on the side of the minivan from that window crack all the way to the back of the van, covering most of the back quarter panel. Incidentally, I did feel better after that, and I recall it even rained at one point so most of it got washed off before we parted the lot. In the end I had a great time at the show - and was probably better off getting that outta me as opposed to....errr, the outcome of our friend Oroborous!

Ahhh, first show memories. With vomit.

Sixtus
March 13, 2020 - 10:37am

#1707

stoltzfus

Joined:
January 13, 2010

to the poster who recommended Miles Davis On the Corner

thank you thank you thank you

I had the good fortune of seeing MD twice, once at the Hollywood Bowl as a teen in the early 80s, and in Seattle at Bumbershoot (an arts and music festival) in...sometime.

When an "anything-but-Grateful-Dead" event happens...listen to this!
March 13, 2020 - 10:29am

#1708

deadegad

Joined:
February 2, 2011

Funny story! And early shipping.

I love a good vomit story. A friend got so drunk prior to a Stones show that he vomited and passed out thus missing the entire show!

Yes, if feasible, ship 'em out early!
March 13, 2020 - 9:22am

#1709

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

3/13/81...a tale in the spirit of HF

Wow, hard to believe 39 years ago this evening....
Funny story about this one. First because I took the greyhound as I didn’t have a car yet and was just starting to break out of only going to somewhat local shows. Short of hitching, that was the only way I was going to get there.
In those days, shows were often GA and being young and fanatical as we were, that meant we usually tried to get up front on the rail. We aspired to be that front row dude in the dead movie, lol.
Utica was no different, but man what a shitty New York “spring” day; cold, damp, and wet...so being young and naive, I had the bright idea that I’d bring a bottle for folks in line to help pass the hours waiting until doors, and brace the chill etc...So after being talked into going for a big dinner, which cost me much of my little cash reserve, I snagged a big bottle of Seagrams 7 and Seven up, which was the nectar of choice with the hard rock band and crew I worked for...
I say naive because most heads weren’t that into drinking like that, at least not before a show. So there I am with this huge bottle and pretty much no one to share it with. Now in those days I could do some serious damage with 7/7 because I had a pretty good tolerance etc. But that big ol bottle was probably too much, or at least it would be later..
So they finally let us in and everyone starts the mad dash for the stage, and of course as I’m jumping over the boards to get on the floor Baracho falls over the edge lol. But being young and numb I bounce right back up and make it up front right in front of Jerry’s gear.
So all might of been good except Dave Homal starts firing up joint after joint, which if anyone remembers what Fabulous Furry Freak Brother Fat Freddie would say “getting drunk, then getting stoned is like pissing in the wind”.
So eventually the aud starts spinning and things are going south, but being the young, dumb, fanatic there was no way I was giving up that spot (idiot! I’m sure I could of gone off to the Lou and they would of saved my spot)
So no surprise I barf over the rail into that little space that there usually was between the stage and the wall, (so much for that expensive dinner!) then proceed to basically pass out sleeping slumped over the wall. Now the security was not pleased, and the young dudes next to me weren’t pleased, and I believe people were making noise about removing me which I was not going to do. Ironically, these guys got too high on acid and eventually one of them ended up having to get handed over the wall to security and removed, while I stuck it out.
I don’t remember much, but I do remember waking up because I could tell the lights went down, and of course there is nothing like that DH roar! So a minute or so later as I start to rejoin the living, just as I’m opening my eyes, Jerry comes around the corner and we make eye contact. He didn’t look much better than I did and I swear we had a moment there. I remember he had a blue or black long sleeve work shirt on and it looked like he’d burned a hole in the pocket. After, Fortunately I ran into Milton Wilkelberry Steamer from back home and he was going to stay with some folks he knew, so I was able to tag along and immediately crashed out. There was no way I was making it back home on the bus that night! Ah the tales of misguided youth!
Anyway, I used to think it was a so so show, but never heard it until a couple years ago when I discovered it was actually decent. In fact I think Dave has played it on Sirius or This day in GD history?
So, maybe not on par with Hendrixfreak stories, but I still get a chuckle!
March 13, 2020 - 9:14am

#1710

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Agree

As strange as this sounds, I was pleased the two shows on my calendar next week (wolf bros and Melvin's JGB) were postponed. It looks like Phil isn't turning 80 just yet either.. The spring that never was??

Kids are home from school... life is beginning to stop. Stay safe my friends.. play dead.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

During the mid-1970s, the Grateful Dead saga was unfolding like a Greek classic. The Sisyphean Wall Of Sound had nearly broken the band. From it spawned a Medusa head of countless side projects, all deliciously fruitful but woefully not the same as the whole. The chorus lay in wait, pondering the reemergence of their heroes, and wondering if "THE LAST ONE" had really been it...

But in early 1976, Apollonian light and healing would shine upon our intrepid wanderers once again. No more epic battles for the people with cops and lines and tightness, the Dead would return triumphant in smallness, playing intimate theaters and renting equipment along the way. No more ticket scams and greedy promoters, they'd give back with first ever mail-order ticket program, one that had a few kinks to work out but eventually served the fans well.

Musically, June 1976 signaled a Golden Age of harmony and prosperity for the Dead. It marked an Odysseusian-like return for Mickey Hart. Donna Jean was in lock-step with the sirens' call. Jerry and Bob delivered orphic delight with solo musings like "Mission In The Rain" (the only tour they ever played it on), "The Wheel," and "Cassidy," emboldened by group effort. There was fresh repertoire from Blues For Allah, breathing new life to the Dead's continually morphing sound - as Weir once said of the '76 tour, they wanted to play "a little bit of all of it." Old favorites were re-envisioned with cascading tempos and unique sequencing, making the crowd question if they'd ever heard these songs before. And there was comfort and joy in the familiarity of watching the band make it up as they went along. By all means, it was clear that the bacchanalia of live Dead would reign on.

And now the revelry from this epoch, evidenced by the near-studio quality sound captured on two-track live recordings by Betty Cantor-Jackson, lives on, bolstered by Jeffrey Norman's HDCD mastering. It's housed for posterity in a handsome box featuring original art work by Justin Helton. It’s documented in liners by Jesse Jarnow and photos by Grant Gouldon. And it’s ready for a spot on your shelf.

As part of our pre-order for this Dead.net exclusive boxed set, we'll be delivering downloads of each listening party - one for each show included in JUNE 1976 - to purchasers from now until the March 20th release. Order at any time before release and you'll receive all the listening parties to date.

Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 12,000

What's Inside:

5 Previously Unreleased Complete Shows On 15 Discs
Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 6/10/76
Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 6/11/76
Beacon Theatre, New York, NY 6/14/76
Beacon Theatre, New York, NY 6/15/76
Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ 6/19/76
Sourced from Two-Track Master Tapes, Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson
Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
Restoration and Speed Correction by Plangent Processes

@HendrixFreak

Thanks! I was reading about this new Jimi box set release last fall and wondering if I should get it? I do have that Band Of Gypsies cd. With all of the Jimi live releases available it is hard to decide which ones to get? Yes the title: Songs for Groovy Children is kind of silly but for the others reading it is JH quote from these concerts and can be heard during one of the shows. It is cool looking box set. One of these days I will buy it and report back.

Stay safe everyone!!!!

Songs for Groovy Children

The mastering is the best I've heard and I've been listening to those shows since Band of Gypsys came out. The tapes do have a bit of buzzing during the quiet parts between songs, I'm guessing it's the amps buzzing. The thing that's great is you can really hear Buddy and Billy. On the "big" stereo you can hear each instrument and it has real depth.
That being said, there are some tracks missing. I've heard various reasons why. I guess some weren't recorded, some were mono, but I don't know for sure. Personally I think it's about time these recording got some TLC.

11391 arrives in NW Fla

Put on 6/10/76 and sat back and enjoyed. Song 11 is my favorite Mission In the Rain and it was perfect. You guys take care and try and be safe. We will ride this out. I am still working as deemed essential by the Air Force. Lots of controls in place for protection.
Good Luck
Drp Out

Skulltrip

Right back at you brother.

The Cream of Hendrix

Yes - if you dig live Jimi this is a must have box. Ignore the dumb title, the sound is magnificent. Ditto for the new Cream box. It's amazing that they waited until now to release both of these but both were worth waiting for. Like all this fantastic Dead coming out, analog to digital remastering techniques have never been better. In this sense, classic rock audiophiles have never been more fortunate.

June 1976 Cover Scans

Hey Kids!!

Anyone have scans of the individual show covers from the June 1976 Box Set?

Mahalo

*Re/ 76’ boxset

... absolute lay beautiful, just so beautiful!
I’ve been listening to 6/14/76 on repeat for days ; love it! Time to put on another show today! 🙏❤️😎💀🌹

Cream new live cds.

The new Live Cream cds is another purchase that I've been eyeballin'? I have both Vol. 1 & 2 plus some bootlegs from DimeaDozen but the deluxe treatment with this official release is tempting.

And yes -- what took them so long?

Another band that I would love to see release more official live cds from the past would be Hot Tuna. I still can not believe that Hot Tuna does not allow on line tape/cd sharing of their concerts at DimeaDozen or anywhere. Please Jack and Jorma were only fans trying to scratch an itch!

The Far Side...

Thank you! This website is amazing! Gary Larson, the Pynchon of comics, gets it.

Peace

Edit: That Pynchon reference was too good to pass up. Also, 76 "Let it Grows" with the drum solo?!?! Fuggin tight, bro!

Delivery

...just ordered beer online for the first time ever...they deliver.
I don't know whether to be happy or sad.
Prolly both.

Gotta make due; the Soundtrack Beckons.
Up to 6/15 at this point...loving the vibe and *Oozy Groove.

*That would be a cool band name.

Sixtus

Hot Tuna....

.....has a ton on live recordings on Spotify.

Help On The Way

Got this email from UPS which confirms that you can reroute a package if you have a My Choice account.

—————-

In these unpredictable times, you still have control of your package deliveries. With UPS My Choice®, you can tell your UPS Driver where to leave your deliveries, redirect your deliveries to another address, and receive notifications on when to expect your deliveries from UPS.

If you have a delivery location preference already set for somewhere other than your home, you can update it at any time by logging in to your UPS My Choice account using this link.

Link:
https://www.ups.com/lasso/login?returnto=https%3a//wwwapps.ups.com/ppc/…

June 1976 Box Booklet

Got the June 76 today and so far it sounds great. Very Nice packaging but I have only one complaint. The book that came with it has no spine and will fall apart. It looks like this is a defect and hopefully not the way they designed it to be. Anyone else have this issue ?

Hendrix Fillmore Box / Missing Songs

If you type 'Jimi Hendrix Songs For Groovy Children Missing Songs' into your search bar, you'll see the missing songs. I recall reading that upon listening back to the tapes at Electric Ladyland Studios, Hendrix was furious with Buddy Miles for his 'vocalizing' during the shows, and was the reason most of the songs were left off.

A quick listing: 10 songs total if you count 'Auld Land Syne'. 2 for each of the first 3 shows and 4 for the last show. All the shows were sequenced/re-sequenced in the correct running order according to 'Super Deluxe Edition', a Box Set website.

Currently on 6-19 set 2

So far I have not heard annoying “ya ya ya” guy.
I thought I did hear him very faintly in the background once. Maybe he is only on the FM copy which might have had some AUD mixed in, or maybe Norman did is a favor and removed the guy.

Bennyblack

The subject has already been discussed below.
It’s designed that way so that it will lay flat when open.

The Sound

I've only listened to the first two shows, but had to post how impressed I am with the sound quality. It's amazing that a two-track tape from 44 years ago, stored in really bad circumstances, could be brought to life like this. Congratulations to the whole tech team and, of course, Betty.

Re: Beer Delivery

Remember this moment.. March 21st, 2020. Thanks to Sixtus, this day marks the exact moment we realized we never have to leave the house again..

Great to hear about the sound quality. I knew three things when this release was announced.
1) I was going to get it.
2) Another 76 was not going to be universally accepted (the 76 groove thing).
3) I suspected the sound would be exceptional.

Happy Spring.

Listening to No Box Blues by Willie Poor Boy Jameson. Such a sad, sad song.

3/21/81

Very nice show with excellent sound.

https://archive.org/details/gd1981-03-21.sbd.walker-scotton.miller.1067…

Set 1

Alabama Getaway-> Promised Land, Peggy-O, Me & My Uncle-> Big River, Tennessee Jed-> Little Red Rooster, Althea, Let It Grow-> China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider

Set 2

Jack Straw, Ship of Fools, Estimated Prophet-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> Not Fade Away-> Black Peter-> One More Saturday Night, E: Don't Ease Me In

Book Binding

The spine on the book looks like a Coptic binding or some similar method (stitch-based, non adhesive). I think it was an aesthetic choice and not a defect.

Though I could be wrong. I have been before.

Did you know that 7-11 carries toilet paper?....

....i didn't until today. Only bought one package of four.

Book binding - 76 Box

I must be one of the lucky few, my book has a beautiful hard cover, over the binding; inside the front cover is a bonus CD, and the back cover has a dvd of 6/19. Also included, a never published before recipe for head-cheese souffle.
S/N 04412

June '76 Box ranks among the best

Hi-dee-ho there Deadhead-o-roonies!

Sheesh Louise strange times! Love all the positiveness I’m reading here. Holy shit we are in the Matrix. I feel like we’re all reduced to ones and zeros. Anywho, more important digits: 09992 arrived yesterday. Numerology speaks to me and the triple nines say I will survive, and you two.

Giving it a proper listen this morning. I’ve had a penchant for ‘76 for a long time. Well, ever since the archive dot org opened. Sublimely recorded and oh so tight. It’s tingly to me. Fits like a warm hug. A well rested Grateful Dead, music halls, Betty, new material, what could go wrong? Nothing; well, except for the missing spine of the book. I overlook it. I’m in love with how it’s packaged. Neat; easy to get the discs in and out. Just like the (first) May ‘77 box. Ahhh, that May ‘77 box. So good! This box is fast moving up the ranks and contending with the top box(es). I know I know. We say that after each release (well at least I do). Gots me to thinking: hmmm, how would I rank thy boxes? Here is my top 10 list of Grateful Dead boxes and a drip of what I love about them. I only put what impressions came to mind first now that I’m reflecting on them. If I put in all my impressions, we’d be here for a while.

1. Thirty Trips- the sound is phenomenal; it's immense; covers a lot of ground...still taking it all in

2. Europe ‘72 - pretty much the gold standard

3. June ‘76 - made the top 3...I think it has staying power!

4. First May ‘77 - Jack a roe, my favorite two versions

5. Get Shown the Light - I like the mix...not at first, but it grew on me. Amazing shows!

6. Pacific Northwest - sound quality- I closed my eyes and I thought they were in my living room - long groovy jams

7. Giants Stadium - it’s the pinnacle of sound quality; I feel like I’m standing in the mouth of the beast

8. Fillmore West - sound quality and intimacy feel. Pigpen. Jerry’s voice quiver; Death Have No Mercy

9. Winterland ‘73 - 11-11-73 Black Throated Wind..bobby is just so soulful

10. Spring 1990 The Other One - Branford; sound quality is superb

Honorable mention: Warlocks cigar box - Darkstar, and some awesome Space

Cheers All!

DP36's mention of warm hugs....

....reminds me. I need to hug my wife. Off the next few days. On a rotational schedule at work. Long story, but when this is over, my grip on your hand, should you shake it, will be as if you're shaking Thanos's gauntlet. Look out.
Nice list.

Ranking Box Sets

I began ranking box sets and my mind imploded and my body was simultaneously transported to another dimension. Fortunately there's an internet here allowing me to post this warning:

Resist the temptation of trying to rank box sets. Much like time travel and nuclear weapons, it simply should not be attempted...

The sun has set, my front porch barren, the mailbox is empty. How dry I am.. how dry I'll be.. I checked my mail, no box for me.

Stella Blue 6/11/76... OMG

Play it as loud as you can!! It is basically a Jerry vocal solo. Holly shit... Minimal backing on first refrain, non on the second.. Wow.....

There's a Betty AMA happening on reddit on May 22nd....

....in case you didn't know.
https://i.redd.it/yfd8dgefxpn41.jpg
Legendary.
Day after my birthday. So close. We can do this if everyone stays home for now.

"Down every lonely street, there's ever been"....

....Stella Blue - Garcia/Hunter. The 6.11.76 version. Still working my way through it. Loving it. Sixtus has good taste.

Digging This Box. A Lot.

Listened to the 6/11/76 show this morning, Bob T is right, that is an awesome Stella Blue, fantastic Eyes, the whole show was great. Listened to the 6/14/76 show this evening and wow, I like this one even better than the first two shows in the box. Great PIB, the High Time was sublime, the Crazy Fingers was all I'd hoped, those Dancing in the Streets have all been fantastic in this box and the one on 6/14 was no exception. The Help-Slip-Franklin's was stellar. I'm easy to please, but this box is proving to be one of my most gratifying purchases in a while. Really dig the laid back, mellow vibe to these shows and the sound is phenomenal. I guess I should wrap this up before I use all of the superlative adjectives that I can think of.

June 76 is STELLAR

Just got to Beacon Night 1 and my take through the 2 Garden shows is just THANK YOU. The sound quality is exceptional. You hear everyone right where they need to be in the mix. And the music throughout speaks for itself. Everyone is on point. And Dave might be right that Donna never sounded better. The Mission in the Rain from 6/10 had me in tears. This is straight up medicine while were all sheltering in place in Cali. Thanks to all involved. Its also a beautiful case. Stay healthy friends!!!!

Geosynchronous Shock

"8. Fillmore West"

I feel the need to counterbalance a sudden shift in the earth's axial spin:
1. Complete Fillmore West

Really, things are quite mad enough already!

Kate C/ Fillmore West box set

I agree with you Kate C, I would definitely put that Fillmore West box set at #1. I would also put that Winterland 73 box set in the top 3, it is fantastic!

Ha.

Eight sided whispering hallelujah hatrack
Balance restored

Edit: I'd put FW high in the list. Nothing wrong with ranking box sets and releases, I just have a hard time doing it myself. ..There is one factor that comes into play, not everyone has the FW Complete Recordings Boxset.

We will get by

It is even worse than it appears but it is alright.......

30 years of the best live band ever. No contest.

Still no box, but don't forget the Winterland 77 Box!

Just dropped in

to see what condition my condition was in

I am sitting in a room

While being at home, apart from any essential food buying and medical needs, I thought it would be interesting to re-listen to ‘I am sitting in a room’ by Alvin Lucier. This is a fascinating piece where a simple set of words are slowly converted to an unintelligible drone by multiple recordings of the interaction of the sounds and the resonances of the room. Well worth a listen.
I’m also passing the time by reading a recent biography of the composer Michael Tippett by Oliver Soden. I haven’t finished it yet but so far it is very good. I also just finished re-reading ‘Beyond Jazz’ by Trevor Barre. This is history of the free music played in London 1966 - 1972. On first reading it got me back into listening to AMM, Spontaneous Music Ensemble and ISKRA 1903. Some stunning pieces of improvisation.
I look forward to the arrival of the boxset this side of the Atlantic soon. Keep well.

Music Books

Seeing the reference to the book "Beyond Jazz" reminds me that the free music played in England between 1966 and 1972 is something I have always intended to investigate further, and so far haven't got round to. I believe early Pink Floyd and Soft Machine were influenced by this approach. The only cds, apart from the ones by the aforementioned bands, that I have got are by the guitarist Ray Russell...assuming he was part of this style.

I am re-reading Greil Marcus's "Mystery Train" recently re-released with beautiful black and white photographs by the Folio Society. Each chapter is focussed on an artist or band. It doesn't seem necessary to actually be familiar with the band in question to enjoy the book, as Marcus seems to be trying to identify and describe the moment when music bursts free from societal and formulaic constraints, to voice something new, exciting and slightly dangerous. Of the individual chapters, I am not sure how "The Band" fit into this paradigm...and I've never even heard anything by Randy Newman - apart from "Gone Dead Train" from the film "Performance". But its a good book.

June 76 box

Yup, I m digging this box set too. The sound quality is top notch so much so that there are many nuances in the playing that I am hearing. So far 6/15 is my favorite show - I have listened to all but 6/19. I am partial to 6/19 as I have a lot of familiarity with it so it may still win out for me. Overall every show is good and there are highlights throughout.

Not to jump to far ahead, but I am really curious as to what the next box will be. I say this not out of impatience but because looking at those lists of box sets got me thinking. We have really been given many great box sets of peak eras that have excellent sound quality. Certainly there are more shows to pull from. I think the big question is that I wonder if they will stick with Betty Board sources or go another route. However this is just fun speculation as I am way too invested in the current box set.

Stay healthy and safe everyone.

Randy Newman

My own favourite album by Randy Newman is ‘Sail Away’. The song ‘Political Science’ is a very funny take on the Americanisation of the world with nuclear weapons. It also has the songs ‘Simon Smith and his amazing dancing bear’ and one I’d like played at my funeral (in the distant future obviously) ‘Old Man’ some of the lyrics are ‘Won’t be no god to comfort you, taught me not to believe that lie. you don’t need anybody, nobody needs you. don’t cry old man don’t cry. everybody dies’ That should go down well.
There is an anecdote in ‘Beyond Jazz’ about The People’s Band. They were asked to stop playing at a night organised by anarchists because they were too anarchic :-).

Ranking Box sets

Very hard to do - but agree with Kate C as well -- Complete Fillmore West is at the top (or close to it) for me
I really like this June 76 box, so it may rise up the list a bit

My top 5 is probably:
1. Complete Fillmore West
2. Europe 72
3. Get Shown the Light/May 77 (tie)
4. Winterland 73
5. winterland 77

After that, I'd probably go July 78, June 76, 30 Trips, Spring 90 (first one), Pacific Northwest.
I think July 78 is really underrated

Ranking box sets

I’d probably go for:
1 Winterland 73
2 Complete Fillmore
3 Europe 72
4 May 77
5 Europe 90 (first)

This may change according to mood and when June 76 arrives!

FW

Top one or two for me. The 1978 box would be way up on my list, as would Giants. PNW would be lower on my list.

Jim, please check your PM. I, too, have been listening to the "No Box Blues" you speak of. :)

Love Randy Newman.

I'll have to check out that jazz book. I've picked up a bunch of free jazz and British jazz of late.

A few days back, while extolling the virtues of 3/17/93, I mentioned that the next two nights were supposedly quite good as well. In checking my DeadBase, I meant to say that the 3/17-19 run from 1995 was the highly-regarded three-pack. I apologize for any confusion my error might have caused. :)

Top 3 box sets

That's easy, 1) Fillmore West the Complete recordings, 2)Europe 72 box, 3) Winterland 1973 box. If anyone doesn't have the Winterland 1973 box set, get it, it's fantastic! This order of course will change, when the complete recordings of April 1971 comes out.

catching up, slowly...

I can heartily recommend the Cream box. I've listened to the first three shows, at a generous volume, though not really loud. Similar setlists. But they stretch this way and that and at nearly anytime in any song, those boys are careening off each other in style. It is said, and probably true, that spring '67 might ultimately be their peak. But fall '68 is no slouch. The RAH show is said to be a major step down in SQ, but great playing. Probably hear it today.

As for live Hot Tuna, I recommend the recently released "Before We Were Them" by the Owsley Foundation. It's Jack and Jorma in summer '69 blasting away (and, I believe, opening for the GD), months before they went out as HT.

Crazy, just saw Jack and Jorma electric at Boulder Theater and they killed it. Jack in particular was rock solid, so when Jorma (about to turn 80 -- the new 50) flagged just a tad, Jack kept everything rolling and Jorma brought himself back up to stride. That was Feb. 29 and we were all aware of the virus but still oblivious on some level.

Well, two weeks later, I'm ticketed to see Los Lobos at Boulder Theater (Sat, Mar. 14) and by Wednesday prior I had made the executive decision not to go. The next day the band cancelled and rescheduled for October.

Tuesday, March 10, we were doing our weekly open mic at a local bar and the last song played (the bar shuttered afterwards) was "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett (1962). Everyone joined in the line "It was a graveyard smash" in our best ghoulish voices, while the women behind the bar did the high refrain of "the monster mash" over and over. The last real fun before things went to hell.

I recommend hitting YouTube for this song -- it might make ya smile.

This box set is really good…

This box set is really good. The sound quality is incredible. In my opinion, the best sound of any of the releases. Everyone talks about 77. I think there's a better groove in 76. The band is tighter and in my opinion everyone is playing with more creativity.

lack of metadata????

anyone else notice a lack of metadata on these 76 discs? seems previous releases had way more metadata. i put these in my laptop and the descriptions are minimal metadatawise. anyone else???

Ranking is tough:

30 Trips and Europe are just so much larger, that is almost a different category. Even the difference between the 2-3 show (6-10 discs) boxes (Warlocks, RFK, Winterland '73 & '77) and the 5+ show (14-15+ disc) ones is pretty substantial for me (May '77, July '78, Spring '90s, Giants, PNW, this one).

For me, at some point, it just comes down to more awesome beating less awesome. It is why the White Album is my favorite Beatles album & Physical Graffiti my favorite Led Zep & Exile my favorite Stones.

So, Europe '72 and 30 Trips will always be tops for me. And Warlocks/RFK will always be bottom (RFK).

As for the middle. Fillmore '69 Complete or Get Shown the Light for me. Really a jumble for 3rd. Better sound with the earlier boxes and better variety with the latter ones.

I think I'd go "outside the box" (sorry, could not resist) and choose All the Years Combine. Is that off limits?

Ranking Boxes

For me it really depends on my mood at the time. Different box sets fit different moods. Having said that, FW '69 would be at the top of the list for that 2/27/69 Dark Star, just like Live Dead will always be at my favorite original album. That 2/27/69 Dark Star was instrumental in turning me on to the Dead in the first place, that whole Dark Star - St. Stephen - Eleven - Lovelight sequence was unlike anything that I had heard before. Once I discovered Live Dead it replaced most of the classic rock that I had been listening to on my morning ride to school on the bus.
Looking back it surprises me sometimes that the school bus driver didn't just drop a few of us off at the police station. There were about 5 or 6 of us that would just sit in the back portion of the bus and smoke bowls, carefully covering the bowl and discretely passing it around. I mean, we thought we were slick, we'd hold our hits for as long as possible to minimize the smoke, but it obviously must have reeked. Everyone else in the back of the bus knew, and in fact pointed it out on one or two occasions. And yet, nothing was ever said. But I digress, I was talking about box set rankings...

Talk about repetitiveness

There’s a lot of song repetition in FW69.
I don’t have the physical box, but do have a copy made out of digital ether. Also have 27,28 on vinyl which are made from Plangentized remasters. Thus, those who don’t want the FW Box rereleased are denying themselves a better sounding copy.
Personally, I think I like 11-10-67 and 2-14-68 better than the shows in FW69 (not that I don’t like FW69).
So Dave, bring on a 67/68 Box (after the 71 Box).

Don’t forget about the From The Vault Box which contains a remastered 8-13-75 and a third disc with FTV2.

Box speculation is fun. I agree with what others have said in the past, that ABCD Enterprises may have stipulated that the returned reels get priority treatment for release within a set time frame. ABCD is run by Deadheads, and they want the reels released just as badly was we do. I wonder how many copies of each release ABCD gets, and if they are unnumbered.

Jamming to 6-15 set 2 right now.
Sound quality on this release is spectacular.

FW box

So one of the few Dead.net musical releases I do not have is the FW box. My embarrassing admission is that at the time when it came out, I was more into shows from 72-74 and 77. Because of that and my cashflow at that time to a somewhat lesser extent I passsed on it. I was wise enough to get the 3 CD compilation which surprisingly came with the bonus disc.

I had 3/1/69 on tape back in the day and the 3 disc compilation set so I am familiar with the shows. However seeing how highly regarded the FW box is on these lists has compelled me to make acquiring it my next conquest.

Looking at the secondary market the 2 most expensive releases to acquire are: the FW box aand Dave's Picks Vol. 1. Spring 1990. TOO, the Warlocks, Dave's 2-4 get up there on prices as well. Right now on ebay there are a few FW boxes sitting at about $500. Recently a complete FW with discs only (no box no sleeves, just the loose CDs) on an auction went for $200. A cheap price for Dave's Vol. 1 is $250. It would be hard for me to shell out 500 big ones for the FW box. Similarly I am not keen on paying $250 for Dave's Vol. 1. However if I could get the complete FW box for $250 (discs, box sleeves) I would do that. I might have to wait for a while as I am not sure when or even if I will find it at that price. It just seems like that box is the "missing link" for me.

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