Grateful Dead

I'm on the same page with you on string theory. I have studied many papers and books for the past 20 or so years and still love the challenge of understanding something so unique. Would love to meet Ed witten.

bought an Emotiva ERC 3 (now discontinued) which decodes HDCD information. Had NAD HDCD player in past, even though hi res has kind of replaced some need for HDCD if the Dead and Jeffrey Norman are still using it that's good enough for me. I have read from more technical minds, it can make CDs sound better even if you are not decoding. Maybe why GD still employ it. I have inquired of them why but I guess they are busy... :-)

It makes sense that it was introduced in this run -- as it didn't seem to be totally settled and a little bit tentative at times. 2/21 sound is great in this release. If I were being overpicky then the UJB to finish is not quite a keeper performance, guitars are slightly out of tune and they sound tired at the end of the set.

I read somewhere that it is of most benefit in the Analogue to Digital transformation -- ie on the way in to mastering, because it can use an extra bit to store information when that bit is not being used. So you effectively get a better overall level without compression.

Arrived in Cleveland Ohio today. Yeah baby. Love the 3-D cover (for the CD set)!!

Sounds grate.

Looking forward to the bonus, which is on deck in the CD carousel.

Well I had ordered from Amazon because being a Prime member there would be no S & H charges...the down side was it barely shipped today which is weird, usually I've gotten things within a day of general release but that's ok...I've been on a 24 bit kick so I went ahead and purchased the Hi Res download last Friday and my oh my does it sound sweet in my headphones...also received an email from Amazon yeaterday that since the price on the hard copy had dropped by nearly $9.00 I would get a refund to my account...

I'll be brief, since I've posted these sentiments around these parts before. After much research and listening tests, I gave up my interest in HDCD (and hi-rez; sorry, Nappy!). It's becoming difficult to find HDCD players, and if there is a difference between HDCD and Redbook, I don't hear it. Now I try to just enjoy music on whatever setup I can muster, HDCD or no.

My WMD is supposed to arrive from Bull Moose today.

Am I the only one whose brain immediately goes to Weapons of Mass Destruction when seeing the WMD acronym? Quite a contrast in this case. Although in a sense WMD is a WMD, but for your head.

I'm still waiting on mine. I probably haven't listened to the album in 25 years so it'll be good to reset the baselines (not bass lines) for these songs. And then of course a whole live show to dig into....

The second set is almost flawless!! Highlights for me though, are Bird Song, King Bee, & Wharf Rat right on through to the end(UJB). I'm also really enjoying Pigpen's gaffes on Easy Wind, and then Ripple, and another fantastic Cold Rain And Snow(I've still never heard a bad version!!) from set 1. I think I will be playing this a lot(at least until 4/20/84 shows up).
Everybody enjoy and stay healthy!!

Stiiiill waiting on my 2 21 71.

Less than a week since official release and I am already panicking.

From usps awaiting package to pre-shipping.... whatever that means... bob t

This really sounds awesome. I'm on my 10th listen at least. I really love the mix - sounds warmer than Three From the Vault, and probably the best I've heard Pigpen's Hammond sound. I wonder if he uses a different organ or sound effect at the March show from 30 Trips Around the Sound. Dronier sound on that one, but still good (check out Wharf Rat I thik it's 3/18 at the Fox).

I just received a 4x6 foot poster of the Dead Set album cover. One of my uncles tenants left it behind in a rental apartment years ago. It had been hanging in his basement up in Buffalo for years. He retired to Florida last year and got rid of a whole bunch of stuff. I asked him if he was hanging on to it and he said "no, it's yours". Now I just need to figure out where to hang this monster.

Yes the 3D cover, cool.

The really limited oil stain vinyl looks really cool.

The picture LP is a standard picture LP. It neat, I get them just to get them. Sad part, I don't know how, but somehow I ordered 2 picture LP's!?!? Oh well. Nice thing about the picture disc is you don't have to open to see it. The other one I had to open to check, so it can't be sold when I'm dead as "unopened", only "unplayed".

I just noticed as I was looking at the "really limited" edition vinyl, that the back and front covers of the lp jacket are 180 degrees opposite. (like coins, they have a word for that) If you're looking at the front cover and flip side to side the back is upside down. Normal lp's weren't, right? Does anyone KNOW or has instant access to original LP. I have to dig in closet, which I will do if no one knows off top of the head. Maybe MY copy was assembled wrong and I have the only upside down rear. Kinda like the upside down airplane stamp and it's worth BILLONS. I then have enough money to buy Bob to follow me around playing my life's soundtrack!

Yes, HDCD is used during the mastering process to CD format only. So when they give the final master it goes through a algorithm probably that encodes the information. Yes, you have to have a HDCD compatible player and it's only usable through it's analog outputs... that's the only way to hear it. So, if your little LED read out on your CD player is highlighted "HDCD" but you do NOT have that player going out analog, you will not hear HDCD. Basically, HDCD developed in conjunction with MicroSoft has a unique way of upsampling 16 bit redbook to 20 bit "secret sauce" playback ... I hear a tremendous difference in quality ... to me it sounds as if the master reels are playing right off the mixing console ... I've never had the chance to compare High Resolution 24bit at 96 kHz but I'm sure it sounds as good if not better depending on your digital to analog converters ... As far I as know, GDM is the only label that stills manufactures with HDCD ... SACD which is Sony's format of the same ilk seems to have more of a market, but I like HDCD better than SACD ... sounds much more warm and true to analog sound...

3D cover is a neat touch. Great job on remastering this gem. I’m breaking out an Encore Edible 10 mg. gummy to prep for the2/21/71 show. This is my pre birthday gift to me. Tomorrow I’m turning 69. Life is grand!!! Have a grateful day out there.

Dennis, the vinyl cover has been reproduced correctly, if the back appears to be upside down when turning the front left to right, unlike the CD versions, there are a few record covers like that from the seventies, but alas I can't think which ones at the moment.

I have an original 1970 UK release of Workingman's and indeed the back cover is printed upside down compared to the front cover. The cover has to be rotated about a horizontal axis to get the back the right way up whereas normally a cover has to be flipped about a vertical axis.

Edit: Sydney, you posted while I was still typing!

Just getting around to listening for the first time.

Ripple, Bird Song and King Bee are all top notch. I also have an Emotiva HDCD player. Not sure how or why it works, but the sound is simply unbelievable. I recall reading somewhere that many of the Capitol Theatre recordings had some sort of “hum” in the tapes. Am I mistaken?

Regardless, this is a very pleasant surprise.

Disc 3 79:58 Impressive. I can remember the early Dead cd releases where they wouldn't even put full redbook. Upper 60s would be the max even though staying in the parameters meant it made no difference in quality. Even going outside. For example Tull's 20th box out in '88 had 3 almost 80 min discs and was just fine
HDCD V SACD are apples and oranges. The 1st having minimal benefits the latter being high end stereo or multi channel. The former unsupported for many years with players unavailable new outside of possibly OPPO. The latter sadly never really caught on but new issues dribbling out at an anemic rate. The players still being produced on some multi format offerings.
I don't think 5.1 is that great for a lot of music but some issues are outstanding. Dark Side Of The Moon comes to mind. I have both DVD-A and SACD of WMD &AB. For my personal preference SACD is the better. Stupid beta v. Vhs all over.
Not sure why the Dead still use HDCD since few have the players and it's relatively insignificant. But it's cool I have a single and a carousel so when I am able to do direct uninterrupted listening I'm glad they still use it

In a very long time. I've always been into the best sounding audio possible, and this is a perfect multi-track mix. It's impossible for me to use the WMD album art for this essentially separate release, so I grabbed a screenshot of that purple astrology merchandise page SYF logo. Best release in a long time for me, and that's saying a lot. The second only official Ripple from the 70s is worth the price of admission alone.

It's weird how Weir explains Mickey isnt there because he's been sick the past few nights; I never understood how he played with them on night one and THEN decided to leave. You would have thought he would have skipped the trip to Port Chester altogether. Everyone had known about his Dad for months already. Maybe he slid into an H Fog. Or maybe the morning of the 19th they groggily awoke after that kickass show the previous night, scraped up a few bucks for coffe, when Sam Cutler said "who's going on a coffee run?" and Jerry was probably like "don't send Mickey".

Too soon?

Anyone still not received there’s yet? I’m here in Colorado and the status of my package still says accepted at USPS without any updates. Time to panic yet?

As of 7/10 it was in Fontana Ca according to UPS and six days later on 7/16 it arrived in Bridgeport N.J. near Wilmington DE so it is getting closer. I would not worry. Covid delays?

I can not wait to see it though. It is always a great day when I get a new Dead release. Listening. Looking. Beholding. Take care all.

USPS tracking says "USPS Currently Awaiting Package"
UPS tracking says "In Transit, estimated delivery time 7/14/2020, location Bridgeport NJ "

It is closer. As of yesterday, location was still CA

....yeah, that confused me as well. One would think that they knew he was leaving the band after the first show. Maybe they didn't want to officially announce it during a run of shows so not as to ruin the vibe.

the back cover on mine is also upside down, original 1970, printed in England
G.

For those stressing or confused by bizarre routing don't worry you'll get it just a little slow. I do a lot of vinyl buying around the world and things take at least twice as long now.
I bought an FZ lp from Australia. It took 4 days to get to SF intl. mail op. which is a few miles from my house. So I'm great 2 days more. Not so fast. Next stop Ok well they made a mistake 2 or 3 more days. Not so fast next stop NYC. Ok now 3 to 4 days they are as far east as they can go. Not so fast. Next stop NJ! Wtf? I finally got it after 17 days in the US. That's an extreme example but to the point. You'll get it. Mine took twice as long as usual got it yesterday

:)))

In No AZ!!! Hold on folks it's a comin'!...I'm kinda surprised it took a week bevcause it was an Amazon purchase which usually is fairly quick...oh well.

Attended five out of six nights at the Capitol Theater in February 1971, the first four nights that includes 2/21/71, and the final night. Also attended all four nights at the Capitol in November 1970. As Port Chester was only 12 air miles from where I grew up it was a utopian refuge of dream like quality.
Phenomenal shifting of gears from fall of 1970 to February 1971. Same band, new era. It was like a comet flying around the sun to return with an even brighter tail.
And indeed I saw Comet Neowise last night for my first time. I watched from home on Artist Point. First spotted between Ursa Major and the northwest horizon at 2121 and it set at 2255. First time seeing a comet since Hale Bopp and Hyakutake back in 1997. Also from home on Artist Point.

Thank you PTB

Strider, you were definitely in the right place at the right time when it came to seeing cool Grateful Dead shows, you saw some real knockouts, lucky you. My favorite Dead years are 1970, and 1972 when Pig Pen was still in the band. I think the band was at their peak in 1972 when Pig Pen was still with them, they were so tight, Keith was really rolling! I'm glad you saw the comet, I'll look for it tonight.

I don't think I've ever listened to a new release so many times in the first week. And it's counterintuitive for me to gravitate to a show that has no Dark Star, no Oher One, and no Godchaux. I've always enjoyed certain tracks on Three From the Vault, but there's something about this one that hit me just right. I like the 30 Trips Around the Sun show from 3 or 4 weeks later, but again, I just didn't listen to that one quite as much (possibly because there were 29 other shows accompanying it). I think it might be the superior audio that the multitrack tapes provide us that ultimately keeps me coming back for more. I mean really, just about every show from 1971 was a tightly knit gem from a performance standpoint - but to be able to turn the volume up all the way and have it sound flawless on just about the whole thing is rare indeed (although a lot of the two-track Betty Boards come close). Now I'm really looking forward to the rest of this run and the Fillmore East in April. Hurry PTB hurry.

Also the setlist includes Ripple and Easy Wind

I played both Three from the Vaults and the 30 Trips 71 show last week, and thought they were great...but my hand keeps hovering over the "buy" key with this one, and then moving away again. Mainly for the reasons Keith mentions.. no apparent extended jams. Apart from on Good Lovin, which I am not so keen on . I thought at first there was too great a similarity between this and the other shows I have....but I counted about 10 songs on here that aren't on 2/19, so maybe I'll take the plunge after all. There's no hurry.

I don’t know if you have noticed but amazon.co.uk are selling two versions of this 3 disc set, currently at £18.99 and £27.99. They don’t say what the difference is between the two items. Perhaps one has the lenticular cover and the other doesn’t. Does anyone out there know?
EDIT I ordered the more expensive version when there was only a £4 difference in the price and that has the lenticular cover.

I don't know for sure, but I think you are probably right, Colin. Being a cheapskate, I bought a cheaper copy of Aoxomoxoa, and it arrived without the lenticulor cover. Bit of a mistake on my behalf, there.

Incidentally, a nice tip of the hat from Michael Moorcock towards The Dead in the bonus book, "Sideways Through Time", that accompanies the excellent new Hawkwind book by Joe Banks - "Days of the Underground." He says on page 22, and I quote, "I liked the Dead."

He goes on, " I knew Jerry and the others, though not all that well, and they seemed like a better educated, more confident version of Hawkwind. They believed in giving back as we did."
They sounded, and indeed still sound, nothing like The Dead, so it might be better to look before you leap.

was multi-track! I’ve only had one background listen so far, but my gut reaction is 2/21 is tighter and definitely sounds better than Vault 3, or anything from early 71 that I can recall. Normally not a huge fan of this era, (like the 5 piece a lot, but not the lack of big jams) But I can tell I’m going to play this one more than I normally would a non go to release! I’d really love to get 2/18 because, we’ll, ya know......
For several years I’ve only listened to a ripped copy of the DVD audio hi res version of the Album, which sounds amazing, but the mix is quite different, not better or worse, just different. So it was nice to hear the original mix again. I think I need to listen to the original master release, this remaster, and the DVD version right in a row. Should be interesting...I think I’m going to play both a lot in the near future, top shelf all around, Orange Whip?
Yeah, my new main criteria is multi-track....if it’s multi, I’m buying it!

MICKEY: besides the emotional stress of dealing with the old mans BS, which he and everyone else has said: no one ever gave him shit or said anything negative to him, it’s often stated that he was suffering from physical exhaustion that touring and the a, “lifestyle”, brought on. But I believe it’s been intimated that he had a breakdown of some kind? Kinda makes sense that ya play the first night then just split for over 3 years...also, one could speculate that Bobs comment in the GD movie about “fresh out of the mental institution but still the urge to throw things” or whatnot, though probably not a literal dig, knowing they way they all busted balls perhaps a tiny sliver of recognition that the ole Mickster had been going through some changes that were more than just exhaustion. Also, they were in some ways a private group of folks who wouldn’t necessarily discuss such personal things publicly. So not unlike pro sports or corporations, the story has probably been managed a little? Just a theory, can’t say I have any empirical evidence, but it’s possible and would sorta make sense. I’m sure the time it afforded him to get his ranch and studio going and the prodigious outpouring during that era had to be a factor in his sabbatical too. Interestingly, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere they paid him his base salary the whole time, which besides being really cool, reinforces the notion that bad blood wasn’t a reason for his absence. Like most families though, it’s probably complicated and you had to be there to fully comprehend. Whatever the reasons, in the end it fostered one of the most interesting and prolific eras for the Dead themselves. No offense to Mick, but that version of the Band (with Kieth) would not of been quite the same with another player in the mix... imho anyway...

DAVEROCK/COLIN: perhaps one version is just the Album and the other is the Deluxe addition that includes 2/21/71....no brained there, if you dig this era, you’ll love it for the multi-track sonic glory alone, never mind the fine playing. Ole DOCs gotta be outta his mind about this one. Early 71 in all its splendor!

Can’t wait to get better aquatinted with both the remaster and the live show!

Which of course is always dangerous. I don’t know whether to credit DAVEROCK, one of my top 5 posters here, but reading his recent post got me thinking (again, VERY dangerous)!!
I also love, love, love the 2/21 show from WD 50th anniversary. And yet, as stated, there is no real jam segment. Why do I love this show So much?? The jam segment is just about ALWAYS my favorite part of any Dead show.
So here’s what flashed in my mind. I think maybe I am so focused and excited to hear the set 2 jam(s), it causes me to lose focus on the rest of the show.
This makes sense(to me at least). So, on 2/21, I am focused on the entire show from start to finish. And they play brilliantly(excluding of course, Ripple take 1). It sounds incredible. And the song choices are brilliant(again, to me at least). An almost perfect show.
So, a sideways tip of the cap to DAVEROCK, for stirring up this thought. I’m ready for my next Dead show sans big jam segment.
Stay healthy all. Music is the best!!

Both versions are described as the deluxe 3 cd versions and the track listings are identical. I might just buy the cheaper one to see what the difference is. I’m sure someone would appreciate it as a gift.

Mr Ones-thanks for the kind words. Funnily enough, I was tempted to miss out some songs, and go straight to The Other One with 2/19/71. I would have missed out on some good music if I had done this, which chimes with what you were saying about disregarding the shorter songs in preparation for the jam section.

It also occurs to me that, while 1971 doesn't have the same frequency or velocity of jams as 1969 or 1970, the band does, to me, sound much more sure footed playing the shorter, country based songs than they did in either of the two earlier years. Maybe that was why they included this 1971 show to accompany WMD, rather than a show from 1970. In demonstrating the bands mastery of the WMD and country based material in a live setting-this 1971 show may be more convincing than any available show from 1970. Just a thought.

This is my GOGD. Most anything 68-72 (and a bit of 77).

I can listen to anything up to 1980 without getting restless, and I keep testing myself to see if I'm really missing out on something in between. But Pig Power and that turn of the decade sound and energy keeps pulling me back in. Just like Al Pacino trying to leave the Family business, I keep coming back. The vocals that mostly worked. Jerry's rich and bawdy Harley style guitar roars and Bobby's butterscotch tones, underpinned by Phil's ever thumping drives.

A tight 5 minute PITB instead of a 20 minute wankfest. That'll surely win me friends around here, LOL. But I'll save my fanboy jams for the Dark Stars, Elevens, Dancin's, and Viola Lees instead.

Great release, thx deadnet!

Are they going to release another Capitol Theatre show for the American Beauty 50th Deluxe Edition? If so, which one? Probably not 2-18. This show worked out quite a bit better than I expected I would. It's just as enjoyable as Three from the Vault! No complaints from me...

.

Both versions contain all 3 discs packaged in a 3-disc Digipak, just like the Dave's Picks series. The one and only difference is that the more expensive one has an outer slipcase with the lenticular picture on the front and the "missing" Robert Hunter picture on the back (he was left off the back cover of the original album), together with 8 lines of Hunter lyrics from Black Peter. Also the band name and album title on the front of the slipcase are embossed. Whether you consider the slipcase is worth the extra moolah is up to you, but it is very nice. This option was not available for the other 50th anniversary deluxe editions. I think they saw an opportunity here to earn a little extra on the desirable lenticular cover.

Simon-are you sure the same options offered for the 50th WMD weren't available for earlier 50th Anniversary editions? I can't remember where I ordered it from-it wasn't Amazon or Deadnet- but I somehow conspired to end up with the 50th Anniversary copy of Aoxomoxoa sans lenticulor slipcase. I bought it because it was cheaper, and then felt swizzled as it didn't have the aforementioned lenticulor cover. Maybe the seller just swiped it!

No, it's not 8 27 72 or 5 26 72. However, it is classic GD. The sound is rich and phenomenal, and there's plenty of energetic playing.

The WMD bonus disc sounds good.

Sounds excellent.

Wasnt in the mood for Samba in the Rain (sorry, Vince, nothing personal), so skipped to So Many Roads, started feeling sad, so switched to 9 20 70. Please work your full Norman on 9 20 70, PTB.

I recall digital magic being performed on a glitchy Doors recording years ago, not to mention Two from the Vault being made listenable by digital magic.

Hopefully, such a miracle can be be performed on 9 20 70.

:)))

As I listen furthur, I realize there are guest artists. So right there that lowers the odds of official release waaay down.

C'est la vie

Daverock - regarding lenticular covers, I recall clearly that the lenticular cover for Anthem of the Sun was produced for the first production run only. That was stated on here under Product Details or suchlike.

I am less sure about Aoxomoxoa but I only ever saw one buying option on Amazon. I ordered it from Amazon UK and got a lenticular cover. Of course, if you have a copy of Aoxomoxoa without a lenticular cover, then it obviously exists. Did you get your copy when it first came out? Is it a US or an EU version?

Was there ever a lenticular cover available for the first album? If so, I have never come across one.

I am pretty sure that all the lenticular covers will only be produced in limited quantities. Workingman's is the only 50th Anniversary release that has lenticular and standard versions listed at Discogs.