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
Funny story about Breaking Bad
I didn't watch it when it came out on TV. I caught it a few years later on Blu-ray. There's a used record store near me it had seasons 1 through 6. What I was not aware of was that season 6 was not simply a short season; it was released in two parts on Blu-ray. This place where I bought it had part 1, but it doesn't say it's part one. So bottom line is, I thought I was purchasing the whole series and that season 6 just had fewer episodes.
Probably for a solid year I didn't realize there was another 6 episodes that came after. I don't want to give out any spoilers but suffice it to say that it felt like it could have logically ended the way it did after the first half of season 6. Especially when you consider how The Sopranos ended which I had also just recently watched for the first time. Then I was literally at the water cooler at work and somehow the BB topic came up and people were talking about things I hadn't heard of. So I did some research and found the final Blu-ray disc which was season 6 part 2. It's like I got an alternate ending.
I wasn't crazy about the Aaron Paul movie they put out. It had some cool scenes in it, but my main issue was that they gave way too much screen time to "Todd" and flashbacks to that whole leg of the story. I think it would have been better if they wrote in a different direction for that sequel. I mean let's be real - the entire point of the movie was fan service. Walter White is the guy they should have brought back for screen time to share with Aaron Paul.
The Netflix show Ozark is decent. It's not in the league of Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul or The Sopranos, but it'll keep your mind occupied under quarantine.
I'm looking forward to revisiting Saint Stephen Stella Not Fade Away. Thanks for the tip.
Dick's Picks 11 is unbelievably good.
Re: Funny Story About Breaking Bad
Whew.. I thought this story was going to start with you renting an RV, trying to cook meth wearing just an apron and no pants and somehow lost sight of the RV, and your clothes and had to hitchhike home, naked, and explain all this to your loving wife and family.
...but I digress.
On a bright note, this all makes us feel better about your posting while driving escapades..... :D
The Tequila was Zafiro Anejo. I am still looking for this in stores, with no luck.
...and my god.. Social Distancing does suck.. but it's better with a 76 box in hand and a half consumed bottle of Zafiro Anejo (or better yet a bottle of Par 72 Extra Anejo. It has 72 in the name, vintage stuff).
The Box/Etc.
Hope you all are doing well. Tough times for everyone. Love this box, but it was time to put it away for now.. I needed a break from Dancing in the Street.
Moved on to yes, November 30, 1980, or Dave's Picks #8. This show just really hits the spot for me, so good. Lost Sailor/Saint of Circumstance/Deal. Don't anybody fall into the pit. Scarlet-Fire. Come on!
1980 is so unrepresented and there is so much good and different music in this year. We are due.
So many good years to mine in this incredible 30 year run. RT3.1 from that Late December 79 run also got a listen with the bonus disc. Another unrepresented year. Really great stuff!
Be well all and we will hopefully have an unbelievable great 74 four disc release on the way in a month. Keep the faith!
Dead Vikes/ 1979 & 1980
Dead Vikes, I was at that show on 12/28/79 and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. They opened the show with a killer version of Sugaree. The shows I went to in 1980 at the Warfield Theatre were as good as it gets. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like from just a sound point of view, 12/28/79 Road Trips sounds so much better then the recent Dave"s Picks they released from 1979.
Big Fan
Big fan of 11/30/80, always hits the spot..
Billy.. can't believe you were at 12/28/79. Great show, but I have to ask.. was 12/26 on a school night or something? That's the gem of the year perhaps….
Have a safe night all.. wishing everyone out there that they are able to make the best of this. Play dead and hopefully you will have enough food and drink to see you through.
Strider-good taste. And David Lynch
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Eric Clapton said the greatest musical experience of his life was sharing the stage with Freddie King. I would love to have seen him live. There are a few dvds of him playing live, and they are all superb.
Also thumbs up for the Kerouac. One that can slip off the radar is the unabridged version of "On the Road" which is a great alternative narrative to the classic.
I have never seen either of the two American tv series mentioned on here-Breaking Bad or Saul. One that I got lost in was the third series of Twin Peaks. It doesn't make any sense in a literal way, and in that way it is very much like real life. David Lynch has the magic touch - his great films, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire, Lost Highway, the first series of Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me , are all mind bending experiences. The Straight Story is as described, but is still a beautiful film. Elephant Man is worthy, but not quite in the same class as the others mentioned. I have never seen Dune, as Lynch himself disowns it. There are also various compilations of his very early films which are as weird as hell as well.
Last Dead was 3/28/72 at the Academy of Music. A great high energy show with a superb Sugar Magnolia (not normally a song I like ) leading into a jaw dropping Other One. At 28 minutes long, though, you need to be match fit before digging in.
Eraserhead
What a great film. Hard to make sense of. A bit like a dose of brown acid.
DeKalb Estimated...
Funny how the set lists change. Coffee with DeKalb, de Yukon Bernese Mtn dog and Moses de Tuxedo cat
JIMINMD /12-26-79/ missed shows
Jim, you're right about 12/26/79, it's a real gem of a show. It was a Wednesday night, I remember. Probably just didn't want to go, we felt we were pushing it with the number of shows we were going to already. Missed shows, two in 1974, I just did not want to go. 12/31/76 missed, I had just started a job hanging sheetrock and I was just to beat to go. My brother missed 6/4/70, because my parents did not want him to go. I was very reckless and stupid when I was young, a bad combination. I'm glad my parents were there, or I would not be here today.
12/31/76
12/31/76 is a gem.. it doesn't get discussed that much here, probably because it's not the shiny new object..
Billy.. you did good with what you had. I never saw a frost show, that's one of my regrets, but I just didn't have the money.. and CA was not my back yard.
At the time, I thought I bent the rules and saw as many shows as possible, but in hindsight I missed a ton of great shows.. I had a free ride and a ticket offer for 10/14/84 Augusta.. my buddies that came back really rubbed it in.. alas, it just wasn't meant to be.
Well Done Ellis Marsalis!
"My dad was a giant of a musician and teacher, but an even greater father. He poured everything he had into making us the best of what we could be." – Branford Marsalis
“We can all marvel at the sheer audacity of a man who believed he could teach his black boys to be excellent in a world that denied that very possibility, and then watch them go on to redefine what excellence means for all time.” – David Wilkins, Harvard Law.
Onward!
Billy/1980
Wow, you were there for the Warfield shows! Must have been a great experience. With three sets and a breaks, how long were those shows?
And Jim, the Cow Palace show from 12/31/76 remains one of my favorite 76 shows and of all time. Multi Track Plangent, yes!
Re: Ellis Marsalis
So sorry to hear this.. a life well lived, he made a difference in many peoples lives and is as good a testament to the power of music as anyone.
Ellis Marsalis
Since he's been mentioned.
Back in maybe 85(?), still working at AT&T, they have these "things", where someone important would show up and give a talk. One time Ellis and his son Wynton showed up. Small room, maybe 40 people at most were there. Wynton was giving a talk about the history of jazz. His father was on piano. Wynton would talk about how it something started and would sound like this and his father would play a sample. He continue his talk about the evolution of jazz with his father providing musical samples. It was very interesting and I think the closest I've ever been to someone famous.
True Detective, Fargo, Ozark.
Some others here mentioned these three series/shows and they are all very, very good. I did not realize that the Breaking Bad movie was a Netflix release titled El Camino and thought it was a Big Screen Cinema release. Now I must catch up on the new season of Better Call Saul.
Some European eleison shows which are good: Two British shows, Life on Mars which is a Back to the Future type of plot structure involving the Police Department. Also Misfits which has some knuckle-headed wayward London youths who are sentenced to Community Service suddenly acquiring unusual Super-Powers. It is very funny.
The German television show Berlin Babylon is also good. It is about a police detective and WW1 veteran who is sent from Koln to Berlin during the Weimar Republic years.
Once again: I'll mention Sneaky Pete as another very good one. It is about a recently paroled Con Man who proceeds to start conning again and it results in constant, edge-of-your-seat cliffhangers. IT'S A WINNER!
Shows Missed
Shoulda, woulda, coulda...this could be a fun topic?
9/1/79 I was “too young” to go to another city, lame!
5/8/80 “ “ “
5/16/81: no net back then so didn’t know about it or I might have gone since I did ride the greyhound to the next night. They were close enough I could of figured a way?
Actually, we’re several in the early eighties that we’re not so far away, so we could have gone but again, no net in those days and probably was not hip to Passaic NJ hotline yet? And getting tix wasn’t easy.
6/18/83: totally had a way to go but loyalty to Band I roadied for stymied me....last time anything like that would happen!
6/25/85: went to Toga early because the party in 84 was that good. Still not sure we made the wrong choice as 85 was a hell of a party also. We were usually looking for quality over quantity...
4/2,3,4/87: sold tickets. Gave up after 8 shows....wasn’t feeling it, burned out, dwindling funds etc
3/26/88: only show I ever got shut out of. Still don’t understand how we got mail order for everything else except that one night? Scalpers we’re outta control, so Fuchs that...just wish we would of found the radio broadcast hotel parking lot party, heard that was a gas!
6/28/88: had to sell tickets...to go to the hospital for upper GI...long story...basically too much of everything is actually more than enough, lol
4/9/89: idiot! Had not planned on staying over after Cincinnati, but ahem, circumstances necessitated desperate measures. Had started a new job and so originally figured drive down, catch the show, drive back after the show, rest up Sunday so ready for work on Monday. But in those days we thought we were Cassidy so total road warriors, sleep? “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” was a common sentiment, so why we didn’t go to Louisville, stay in shape and then suck it up and drive back after and go right to work? Hey, it wouldn’t have been the first time!
In fact surely missed other 89 shows because of work status, ughhhh. Most notably....
7/19/89: both my cousin and I had little PTO so HAD to be back Wednesday, so I drove from Alpine back to NY’s west coast and made it just in time for work on Wednesday.
10/25,26/89: these really hurt for obvious reasons. Had to sell tickets because of Hampton Warlock shows. Little accrued PTO used on Philly...called in sick from hotel lobby phone for 10/9, rode back after and went to work late on Tuesday...(oh to be that young again!) But blew our wad on those so had to bail on Miami...
Those are really the only obvious ones. Looking back now it’s easy to second guess, but I guess the main reason I didn’t go to more shows was mostly being poor and trying to have a balanced life: more than just go to Dead shows, blasphemy I know...
There was only so much time and money and I wasn’t usually in for going without tickets, at least as it became harder and harder to find tix, and being poor, and principaled, paying scalpers was not really an option (SCALPERS ARE SCUM!) hee-hee, makes me think of camping in the Spectrum parking lot spring 87 and my buddy made up a song about scalpers that caught on to where eventually there were many people singing and harassing the nearby scalpers so bad they finally moved on.
Well, I’m sure everyone has stories about “the one that got away” etc, but overall I can’t complain. Had a nice long 17 year run, and fortunate luck as far as picking shows i.e., firsts, re-introductions etc...
All the years combined.....
Today is my off day,...
....so I was looking for something to make me laugh.
https://v.redd.it/btz0cx531eq41
....found it.
missed 6/18/83?
ouch
missed 10/25 and 26/89?
ouch
I missed 6/26/94
ouch
went to 6/25/94, though
ouch (absolutely wretched, and the temp was 115. OUCH.)
UK delivery
Box set received this morning 😸 here in London . Let the lockdown commence .
Missed shows?....
....me and my buddies mail ordered for MSG "95 tix. Would have been our first east coast shows.
On a brighter note, the new Phish release, Sigma Oasis, is really good.
UK delivery
Who delivered it Royal Mail or UPS? It’s still, presumably, on its way to NW England. At least it’s something to look forward to.
Uk delivery
It just came via Royal Mail , had to go to the sorting office to pick it up and pay import tax and it was mine . 😸
UK Delivery (sorry for misspelling)
PERITHECAT
Good to hear, congratulations, enjoy!
Did you track your shipping? I found out, my shipment has arrived to Germany (I live in Germany) by UPS on March, 28 and was transferred to local carrier, regular German Postal Service? Don't have it yet and due to Corona it might take some extra time. Wonder, what the system is in the UK.
Best Wishes
4/2/1973 Dave's 21
Did anyone say 4/2/73? On right now. Just one of my many favorites. Garcia just kills it all show. Some of the best guitar I have heard. My favorite China-Rider! Deal, HCS, Half Step, Eyes, come on. Sound quality is the best 73 IMHO.
Be well!
Re: Missed Shows
Ha.. Oroborous, your missed show list is bigger than most peoples made show list.
That post made me smile, thanks for that.
4/2/73 made me rethink my favorite shows of the Spring tour. Once again.. it's the recording that saved the day. What a great show.
re: Missed Shows
I had tickets for all of the Boston Garden shows in fall '95; I had graduated college that summer and was psyched to have gotten my mail order completely filled (first time ever). Was totally bummed of course, but then my older brother (who ended up keeping a set of the tickets) for a Christmas gift to me that year, put them all into a nice frame around a giant stealie in the middle that says "Boston Garden" with the dates at the top, then at the bottom "The shows that never rocked, yet The Music Never Stopped".
This hangs proudly on the wall in my music room today along with other items collected over the years.
it's special.
Now, on to check out this new Phish album, although I know I've heard some of the songs during prior recent shows....but I haven't seen the track listing yet.
Be Well People.
Sixtus
Missed shows / funny story
Had tickets for three shows at the Oregon Country Fairgrounds in August of 1992, they all got cacelled. After the last show down in Ventura in 1985, all the Dead heads were coming out of the show and there was a big hippie school bus outside the show with a guy on top with a megaphone calling out to the crowds, " Attention Deadheads, Jesus loves you, give your souls to Jesus , and give your drugs to us. " I thought it was pretty funny.
Talkin' 'bout Freddie King
Hey DaveRock, you mentioned Clapton's deference for Freddie King. Well, we caught Mr. King at the Bottom Line in NYC in spring 1974. I was only 16 but tall with long hair so they didn't card me. Freddie electrified the place and invited the best looking women up on stage to dance while he blasted away. Freddie is still one of my absolutely best fav guitarists and personalities, these so many years after his premature demise. (He did sing a song about "chile pizza," so there's that medical tidbit...)
Fast forward to June '74 and Clapton plays Roosevelt Stadium. He's too drunk to stand up so he lays down on his back and tries playing that way. Suddenly, our man Mr. King strides out and plays the hour-plus rest of the show, blazing for 20,000, saving the day in style! (Ringo Starr on drums, too.) So perhaps Mr. Clapton was speaking from gratitude, if he remembered this "incident." I saw all this pretty close up, audience left.
Okay, now to "missed shows." I won't bore you with more of "I hitchhiked away from RFK the morning of 6-10-73... but in May '77, after a three-night run at the Capitol in lovely Passaic, NJ, the band moved on to a three-nighter at the Palladium in NYC. I caught one show, probably 5-1-77, with a ticket, then decided to go back into the city without a ticket and score one on the street. None of this "miracle" BS, I had cash for a ticket and milled through the gathering crowd, asking. Here's where the GD ethos and NYC kinda clashed. A guy says, "Sure, I've got an extra." I said, "All I've got money for is face value." He says, "No problem." As he reaches into his pocket and I reach into mine for the exchange, a sudden throng thrusts us apart physically, and he's surrounded by a rabid crowd of bidders ... and there goes my ticket. Adding injury to insult, there were many ticketless folks out there that night and as luck would have it (or human nature), some attempted to break down a side door to get in free. Suddenly, cops everywhere, chasing down miscreants with liberal use of their damned batons. I had retreated to a doorway across the street, but too late and my long hair gave me away. As the cops ran down the street after their prey, they simply cracked everyone along the way with a baton for good measure. I took a serious blow to my arm as I used it to block my head. Had to hang out in the street for the entire show, darting around for safety, nursing a nasty, rising welt til my ticketed friends emerged to tell me how great the show was. Ah, the "good old daze..."
Lastly, I was amused to see the Taper's Compendium Vol. 2 rate 6-11-76 as you need the "entire tape," versus citing only two "Highlights" for 6-10-76. I find 6-10-76 much more cohesive and flowing and powerful, though I enjoyed 6-11 a whole lot. Maybe the appearance of St. Stephen in 6-11-76 got it better PR.
Stay safe, folks. We're in a long-haul virus trajectory with financial misery to come. Be strong, my brothers.
Apologies, but one more "thought"
Or what passes for a thought lately. I'm not exactly Sherlock Holmes, but the feeling I get from the deliberate (not "languid," as I've previously characterized it) pace of these June '76 shows, the careful harmonies, Donna's standout singing and the remarkable quality of these two track tapes is that Jer led some pretty exhaustive rehearsals before relaunching the band. I say "Jer," but it obviously was collaborative. They were going to relaunch the space ship and wanted to be sure all was stowed aboard properly for the June blast-off. The easy groove really emphasizes that they were thinking "future" at that juncture and took care to consciously set their own pace, book theaters and they were hot to trot after 18 months of other projects, which did include three shows and a killer record, but also a ton of Kingfish and Jer shows, of which I consumed a healthy (?) portion. (Caught several of both tours, just as tootskie came into play. Oh boy.)
Edit: I think the relatively small theaters kept the volume at a level that aided Betty's taping ears. Whadda ya think?
Over and out. Thanks for indulging me -- my first consecutive posts. Swear I'm gonna change my ways....
How good are acoustic Don't Ease Me In!!
Listening to 5/15/70 Fillmore East Road Trips... Harpur College 5.2.70 is also a great version... Not being negative but 80's and 90's versions are os os!!! (Simpsons quote)...Remember the bootleg Dough Knees shirts with the Pillsbury Doughboy!
Thoughts After A Couple of Listens
Had a chance for at least a couple of listens to all of the shows in this box now, have to say I still dig them all but for me the 6/14/76 show is the highlight with 6/10/76 as the runner up. Interesting as always to see the different shows that click more or less for different folks in the comments on these threads.
Freddie King live
Hendrixfreak...as on many other occasions, you were definitely in the right place at the right time seeing Freddie King live in 1974.
One of the great things about the 1970s rock culture was that many of the best rock musicians talked openly about their influences in interviews, and sometimes went out on the road and made records with them. This introduced me to many, mainly blues musicians but also 1950s rock n' roll stars. And, as many of these original artists were still performing it was still possible to see some of them live. This went right on into the 1980s...I only saw Albert King once, and that was in 1987. And even at that late stage in his life, he was incredible.
Thinking about it, these influences actually went well beyond blues and rock n' roll. I even saw Stockhausen live once.
I had to listen again
6/10/76 rocks! Music...you can see where this was going to rip the roof off and they cut it short.
Uk delivery
To be honest I didn’t bother tracking , though I’m surprised it turned up this quickly . Figure the airways are clear For just freight at the moment .
I’ll say this though , what a lovely box ( snigger ) I never got the unwieldy box’s that were 30 trips or Europe 72 but I do have get shown the light and PNW and you just can’t put them anywhere , whereas this one like July 78 and the winter land box’s and more manageable . Less is more so to speak . 😺😺
Yo, daverock...
My only Albert King show (thank the gods that I saw him live) was ~1991 in Chicago. Me and a buddy stood right in front of the stage. He had a one-off backing band that night and at one point, his face turns dark, he turns to the rhythm guitarist and moves the other guy's hands to the proper chord, then resumed playing.
Yes, I began my blues journey by reading the composer credits on Rolling Stones records around 1965. What was "McKinley Morganfield"?? Could that be a person? How 'bout "Richard Penniman"? Or "Chester Burnett"? Also the AM radio of the day played a lot of Ray Charles, Aretha, and other black artists. I didn't know anything about race -- until '65, when the riots broke out, then I got "hip" to that perennial jive pretty fast.
So we've covered Albert and Freddie. How about BB? I saw him a couple times around 1980 or so in Denver. Amazing! Big band with lots 'o brass and the way he held sway over the women of color in the audience was something to see. He must have had more ... than Frank Sinatra!! Can I say "..." here on TV?
I guess add the others I caught: Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, John Mayall, I hung out with Dale Hawkins in Arkansas a few times in his studio. Okay, one story........... So I'm researching a book, coast-to-coast, living out of my beater Subaru (literally). I stop in Little Rock to interview Dale. Just before that, I meet up at a highway stop with Rollo California (not his real name) who I had taught to grow weed. He had done well and insisted that I take a half-pound off him "for the road." So I meet Dale for coffee. He's kinda wary of me. I said, hey, can we go to your place, roll a few and tape the interview. Dale's face changed instantly. "Sure, I didn't know you were cool." We go to his studio and I extract the half-pound. His eyes light up. He pulls out a relatively large baggie of blow and we went at it. I'm about to leave and in his Southern kindness he says, "Is there anything I can do for you?" I said, "Yeah, just a couple blasts to get me back to Ozark," an hour up the road. He makes me a to-go bindle. So I roll a couple doobies and hand him the half-pound. Perhaps needless to say, Dale was my brother for the rest of his life. RIP.
Geeez, just can't stop with the stories!
Rock on...........
Well Pass It To Me Baby...
...Pass it to me slow
We'll take time out to smile a little
Before we let it go
'Cause we gonna lay around the shanty, mama
And put a good buzz on...