Grateful Dead

Anyone else have a skipping during Sugar Magnolia on Dave's 35? I've read a lot of comments about skipping issues in other sets, primarily the Northwest box (I passed on that one). What's the deal? It sucks.

Besides the flaw, I wouldn't say I'm disappointed in this release as I do love 80's Dead. It's just that the audience recordings do the shows of this era much more justice. The soundboards lose too much of the vibe and excitement of the event. That being said I wouldn't discourage the release of more '80's if it were up to me.

I read some complaints about the placement of the bonus material. Doesn't bother me. There were some previous Dave's Picks with loads of wasted disc space. I'd rather have more music.

I haven't been a fan of the digipack style they decided to go with since this series started. They take up way too much shelf space. Not as bad as chubby jewel cases but almost. I've had some arrive with broken plastic prongs too so the discs just fall out. The cardboard pocket gatefolds like Road Trips and Europe '72 were WAY better. I remember reading a bunch of complaints by people back then about them tearing or that the disc was too difficult to remove. I never had a problem. Smoke your stuff after you remove the disc! So anyway, I'm still disappointed those complainers got their way.

Dave’s 35, where art thou?

Refused by local PO because shipping label was changed for some inexplicable reason on 8/5 @ 2:08 pm, arrived 8/9 at LA regional USPS @ 12:06pm. Sent and arrived @ San Diego Regional USPS 8:59 pm. Departed @ 11:59 pm and arrived back @ Carlsbad PO on 8/10 @ 7:00 am.
Once we figured out why it was originally refused, the Doc was going to simply resend (assuming with proper label) and all would be right with the world frog vocals and all.....but no, who are we kidding here....2020 isn’t going to let that happen, no, on 8/11 @ 8:03 am the item was refused by the addressee and is being returned to sender? Wha???
I’m confused?
Wouldn’t Rhino be the addressee since our local PO became the sender by returning it in the first place? And if so, does that mean they refused it and sent it back to our PO?? More importantly, where has it been for a week now? POOF, presto, gone....surreal. Sorry, just commiserating with those with similar disappearing stories. Good Luck to all...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEOMB6jyEE

I’m with the recent call for downloads - I’ve supported this before and posted as much on Twitter to Dave. I don’t have limitless funds and am tired of paying half as much again (and sometimes more) for my Dave’s Picks. I’d much rather have CDs but am ready to make the switch. Besides, my last two have come with bashed about packaging. Buying physical copies from the States via Dead.net is a hassle. Workingmans Dead ended up costing me double what it cost from Amazon in the U.K. and that is not including £15 import duties (about $17 or thereabouts). Ok, rant over. I eagerly await DaP35 but not the inevitable import duties,

Dennis and Colin - thanks for the heads up about The Stooges Live at Goose Lake 1970 and the article in Wire. I am currently playing one cd a day from the Funhouse Sessions box, and in a few days time I will order the Goose Lake set.
Extraordinary 2 minute clip of "1970" from that show on youtube.

Dennis - I was wondering if you had got the Funhouse vinyl sessions box yet? I just got the cd one, second hand. You wouldn't think repeated versions of the same song, over and over again, could be so absorbing. It sounds amazing-they could be in the room with me. That vinyl box must count as one of the all time essential rock and roll artefacts.

No, I didn't get the box, I not getting the cd either.

Back in the day, this A- wasn't even on my radar, B- would never be some I'd be listening to. Even to this day, not my cup of tea. I thought the box sounded nice, if I was still working, maybe I'd piss the money away just for the thing. My Stooge folder is very thin, (funhouse and the stooges). But the record that just came out sounded like something you'd want if you were a fan. Truth be told, I thought about getting the record.

There is just too much shit to buy!!

sidebar - maybe it's been out for a while, but new to me. Ken Burns - National Parks, America's Greatest Idea. Very, very nice (if you like national parks).

Very surprised to read your comment about preferring the Road Trips and Europe 72 packages. I learned the hard way that the most gingerly removal and replacement of these discs still scratches them up, especially Road Trips. For Europe '72 especially the 4 disc sets you have to manipulate the package in such a way that they inevitably start to tear at the corners. Would much rather buy a new shelf than a new CD. If I may throw your joke back your way, you should smoke your stuff after you write your posts ;-)

The only way I could get the cds out of those wretched covers was by cutting the top of the packet with a knife. After which I stored the cd in a plastic case.

I'm with Butch and DaveRock. The Road Trips packaging was the worst.. might as well wrap them up in sandpaper.

Anyway, onward.

I think his point was they take up less space. They are hard on the discs themselves though, agreed. Cds are going the way of the dodo, no? I personally don't get a lot of CDs anymore unless they're JGB or Dead. Feeling bad for the international surcharges and tardy deliveries of late.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wdXkgNEq8Pc

Like vinyl,, I have a feeling there will be a market, however small, for quite some time yet. A lot of people like physical product. For my part, the physical CD itself IS my primary backup. Secondary backups are memory cards / hard drives. No way I would invest in a lifetime of music and rely on 3rd party cloud storage for its preservation. Plus it just looks good on my shelves.

As far as storage goes of the CDs themselves, it didn't take long to figure out they're going to get all scratched up going in and out of slip case covers like Road Trips. I bought a bunch of briefcase type CD holders; the kind with photo album-like pages. Then I covered them with Grateful Dead stickers from Ebay so I had a bunch of makeshift Europe '72 steamer trunks. Even those would occasionally cause a light scratch or scuff since they fit in snugly. The best solution I came up with was to simply keep them in those white paper generic sleeves. Now I can take them out and put them back without ever causing friction between the CD surface and the sleeve. Those get kept in 30 Trips Around the Sun cases. Works nicely.

Box sets seem to be the order of the day, unless its just me noticing them more. Typically including cds, blu ray and vinyl - maybe downloads too. Often with the same music in different formats, which seems a bit unnecessary to me. Some of them are amazing value for money - King Crimson's are stuffed to the gills with music. Some seem a bit of a rip off, though. The soon to be released Goats Head Soup doesn't seem to warrant its exorbitant price tag. Even if it does have one of the best live gigs of all time on one of its discs.

As a European, I am well used to waiting for orders to be delivered. About 2 weeks used to be normal, now I find that 6 weeks is typical. This doesn't really bother me, but the recent uncertainty about whether an order will disappear into a parallel universe or whatever is more troubling.

Now that the new Postmaster General is on a mission to make USPS great again, things seem to have become worse, particularly for those in the US with many frustrated posts on here. Unfortunately the release of Dave's Picks 36 will coincide with the upcoming presidential election so it seems reasonable to assume that the shit will hit the fan around the same time as all our Dave's Picks will enter the postal system together with bazillions of postal ballots.

I hope the expected postal apocalypse fails to materialize, but we should all be aware that it is a distinct possibility and we should try to exercise a degree of patience, hard as that maybe. In due course we shall see what happens. I am not confident.

Still waiting for 35 here in the Netherlands. It left the international carrier facility in the US at 10:01 on 8/11 and is currently in transit to its destination. Allegedly.

Just got a call from the nursing home my 95 year old mother-in-law resides in. They have 3 residents with the virus and 1 staff member. This is after a complete lockdown since March, no one in or out unless you are staff. My wife is quite worried about her mother as she has had breathing restrictions for the last 5 years and is on several medications for that aliment. This virus is very sneaky, even with a complete lockdown, it has found its way into the nursing home where it will undoubtedly spread. All we can do is wait as they continue to test everyone weekly. I fear for my mother in law.

Sneaky and sinister.. hoping for the best, Sammy. It seems we are all only as safe as the weakest link, but the elderly are especially vulnerable and exposed. Fingers crossed.

I got a delivery update from UPS. I am scheduled to receive a package from Gnarlywood tomorrow. Hoping someone from outside the US gets theirs before tomorrow 5 PM EST. Fingers double crossed.

Unkle: that has to be terrible on your wife, our thoughts are with you!

Simonrob: totally agree with everything, especially about waiting’s not a problem, but mysterious disappearances are...

Check your PM.

Thank you. I am one of the few remaining(like you), who just has to have the physical product. I have been buying records since 1965, and I have always loved the cover art and liner notes almost as much as the music. Without those 2 things, It just doesn't exist for me.
As far as getting discs in & out of cases/covers, I found that if I am willing to take my time and work SLOWLY, I can get discs in & out safely, it's just a small pain in the ass.
And regarding storage, there is no correct or proper way to store your music, other than that whatever works for you is valid. Now again, I am probably one of the last remaining hardheads who keeps all discs in cases/covers, and keeps all cases/covers on shelves. I just prefer it that way. Call me a luddite if you want to.
As long as I can listen, I'm a happy guy!!

Stay healthy, stay safe, stay Dead.
Music is the BEST!!

@unkle sam - wishing the best for your mother-in-law.

@thats_otis - after I received an email from customer service with the tracking number for Daves Picks 34, not 35, I replied thinking I wouldn't hear back. They did reply saying "postal delivery is slow right now".

Daves picks 35 showed up out of the blue on Friday afternoon. No shipping notice, order status is still blank, not Shipped, like the previous two. All I can say is I hope you get it soon.

Husker Du "How to Skin a Cat"

headphones recommended

apologies to Mr. Ones, given your avatar

Estimated > Terrapin

I listened the other day, and had a lot of fun

a million thank-yous to Dave 'n pals

Unkle Sam - I was sorry to read about your mother-in-law. My thoughts and best wishes are with you and your family.

Which reveals Dave's Picks to be the small beer they are. But small beer can cheer or irritate. I got my grey card this morning to tell me that on receipt of £12.71 it will be released into my care. I don't know-it annoyed me. I don't mind waiting, within reason, but I do feel I am paying over the odds for a show I wouldn't look at if it was stand alone release. I am beginning to wonder if its time I jumped ship with subscriptions. I only really want shows from 1966-1974 now. Maybe i should take my chances and just try and order them as they are released. And if I miss one, it may be better than being burdened with one I don't want. 36 Daves this year-nice symmentry with the Dicks Picks-yes, it feels time to stop.

Dave Rock, the only problem with skipping the subscription is you don't get the bonus disc, you might miss out on some really good music. I would probably skip the subscription also, it doesn't seem like it's any problem to pick one of these up, but I want the bonus disc, so I don't skip the subscription..

6 27 84
5 3 91
2 21 71

Keeps the series alive
Bonus disc
No need to go through process 4 times for a la carte orders
Peace of mind
Christmas 4x per year
Guaranteed copy (for most, but not all, apparently)
Saves money in the long run

Spent last week/weekend revisiting the 87' Red Rocks and Telluride shows, and yowza there some good stuff in there! In fact, this little August run would make a fine box, right Dave??

(Spent A Little Time On The Mountain Box '87)
Red Rocks CO 8/11/87
Red Rocks CO 8/12/87
Red Rocks CO 8/13/87
Telluride CO 8/15/87
Telluride CO 8/16/87
Salt Lake City UT 8/20/87

Also, stumbled across this historical time capsule of the Telluride shows for any of you who may have been lucky enough to be there, kind of interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xXMmhjG6Q

Note: The Dead played Tempe AZ 8/18/87....but not really a mountain town, right?

thanks everyone for the good vibes, you guys are all so cool, love you all. Got a call this am from the home and no furthur cases have been reported, so we keep our fingers crossed as they will now test everyone weekly. Thanks again everyone, Peace, Love, Dead
Last 5
Moody Blues In Search of the Lost Chord
Joe Walsh The Smoker You Drink the Player You Get
Deep Purple In Rock
The Band High on the Hog
Uriah Heep Demons and Wizards

Hey gang, hope you all are well. Just wanted to add my voice to those enjoying DaP 35. For me, this is an enjoyable, rockin' show. Yeah, Jer's voice is cracking, but his guitar work is outstanding. The band went full on fire in Let It Grow, and I got the distinct feeling in Scarlet > Fire that Jer was embarrassed for his voice and put extra effort into blazing on the guitar to redeem himself. I even enjoyed the jamming in Samson, which typically turns me off (sneakers in dryer effect by Mickey). I'm getting into disc 3 now, but staying with the 4-20 show first, then going to filler.

Also, I'd like to add that the 2-21-71 show with WD was, for me, a killer show with that early '71 power vibe. Sure, Pig blows Easy Wind big time, but the band is so strong they recover and jam it out. Otherwise, from memory, the Bird Song is absolutely amazing, soft, gentle -- a great early version.

Just chiming in that I'm happy with these two releases. So, thanks to Dave, Jeffrey and everyone who worked on these goodies for us. I look forward to a more thought-provoking pairing of AB with a period show. And if that's it for the year, I'm good. Unless ... there's a '72 box, in which case I absolutely will pounce.

Love and kindness to all. Be safe and well.

Indeed, I caught all five nights, (3) Rocks, (2) Telluride. The latter were daytime shows, which were always hard for me to get in the mood for. The tootskie and psychedelics definitely helped.

Man, we were crisp when we hauled outta Telluride after the fifth show. So my buddy had just DUI'd so he couldn't drive, it was me all the freakin' way from Telluride back to Steamboat Springs. I made it nearly all the way, but 60-70 miles shy of home I had to turn off the pavement, park in a field and get in my sleeping bag. My buddy crashed 50 yrds away. When I awoke at dawn, he was literally surrounded by cattle, just chewing on the grass, not mooing yet. I laughed my ass off as they coughed up methane right in his dead-ass face. Not a great story per se, but a helluva visual!

I'm sure we can all agree that the traveling to and from shows often got as crazy as the hijinks inside the shows.

Great story! If you get a chance check out some of that video...might jog a few memories.

--Unkle Sam--good news!...hoping for the best.

....hey unkle sam! You know Deep Purple just released an album a couple of weeks ago. Woosh!

This recording is ok at best, the show I like because I know 80's sound, but the vocals are pretty muddy. I always think it's the dolby, but hey, I did drugs back then, serious drugs, drugs no human should have done, but we did and survived, whew!

I saw comments about no Bob in mix, I thought that was why Ramrod(?) was fired, he kept turning Bob down in the mix and when Bob found out he was gone (and nothing brought him back).

Anyway, people keep raving about Let it Grow on this release.

Try

1985-12-31 - Alameda County Coliseum - Oakland, CA

https://archive.org/details/gd85-12-31.sbd.prefm.ashley-bertha.20006.sb…

I submit this recording is FAR superior and I think this cut of Let it Grow is better. You can certainly hear Bob all over this cut. When they come out of the jam, my breath is taken away. (tears usually at this point)

I think the reason for the better recording is the show was broadcasted. I would think someone watch the signal with a Betty like eye.

Also this show would make a nice Dave's. A great example of 80's, a great recording.

I have this show as a soundboard and a FM broadcast. I tape the show back then off WNEW, good clear signal.

oh, well, back to the mine.

It was Healy that was let go, I think in '93. Ramrod stayed to the end.

Agree with the Dolby usage. It's probably pretty hard to work with some of those cassette masters. Do we really think they labeled what kind of Dolby was used and even if they did.. do modern day hi end cassette decks encode all the different Dolby's that were used, say.. in 1984? When I first started making tapes I used Dolby.. it took like six months to realize it was crap and there was no clear standard when replaying on say a car tape deck or the tape deck at your buddies house, etc.

Sorry, Dolby rant over. As you were. :D

Unless you start skinning actual cats, no offense taken. You’ve always had a great sense of humor(you make me laugh anyway).
Dave’s 35 is a welcome diversion, but I won’t give it a lot of replays. Like the bonus stuff, the Miracle/Dew, and Let It Grow particularly.

Last 5:
Bill Frisell-Valentine
Peter Gabriel-Rated PG
Sweet-Fox On The Run-Rare Studio Tracks
Jerry Garcia-Jefferson Airplane-House Jam
Miles Davis-The Lost Septet

My DaP #35 was delivered by Royal Mail this morning. Even better they didn’t demand any VAT or handling fee for the first time this year. Hopefully those still waiting in the US will see it soon. The delivery has been remarkably quick this time, as I said when it was first released I would have been happy to see it at any time in August.

Of course, I’m not American so there is no danger of me having a postal vote :))

Dennis, I love the enthusiasm of "If you thought the 4-20 Let it Grow was hot, wait til you hear THIS! [name your recent favorite version]..."

I do it all the time. People rave about some version of Shakedown Street and I say, yeah, sure, wait til you hear 8-13-79 in Denver! Or they blab about Estimated Prophet and I'm like, yeah, yeah, wait til you hear the version from 4-26-77! Both examples of shows I attended, then obtained tapes for.

In the end, I think, it's the somewhat ephemeral flavor of a particular jam that tweaks one's sensibilities, and different versions do it for different people at different times. The Let it Grow on 4-20 had a ragged-but-right feel to it, as opposed to the slick, slippery, right-on-the-money but oh-so-spacey version on, say, 6-19-76. It's like Hendrix said in an interview once, embarrassed that I think it was Dick Cavett asked him if he was the best guitarist in the world. Jimi cringed. "Oh, man..." He said the best guitarist in the world is whoever is, essentially, hitting that note at that moment somewhere in the world.

Some nights, chocolate ice cream is my favorite. Other nights, it's coffee or mint chip (mmmm).

And, of course, that must be what keeps us coming back for more GD recordings, because they played each song as they felt it each particular night and nearly every song could morph that way as they took chances to reimagine a tune on the fly, night after night.

Good coffee this morning! Cheers, all.

Well said, HF.

Ephemeral.. I thought that word was only used to describe a cocaine buzz.

You hit exactly on what it is I like most about all things GD.. and why I keep coming back.

It happened.. you posted receipt of your DaP 35 about five hours earlier than I received mine here in the Mid Atlantic, US.

I was getting worried.. according to tracking it was supposed to come last night, and the closest we came to receipt was from DaveRock saying it was here but he had to pay customs to before delivery. Mine was delivered about 10 minutes ago and yours was already in hand somewhere in Europe (I think).

A small thing, but this made me happy.

Yes, daverock, sometimes I feel the same. Probably will renew, but an extra 50 quid a year for import duties is pretty hefty going. There again, finding one I really want and being too late to order makes it a tough decision. Download now, please!,,

Its presumably a money making ploy.. but I wonder why they can't release specific shows, individually and advertised before hand, so we know what we are being offered. Then we wouldn't be paying for ones we don't want. I get the impression, reading the posts on here, that most people would buy most releases. If they wouldn't, why manipulate them into buying what they don't want through this subscription system, with only two shows announced at the time its necessary to subscribe? I've done it since day one...but its getting a bit worn-especially with the hidden charges already alluded to.

Yes, mine arrived at c. 11:30am on 18th August in NW England between Liverpool and Manchester. GMT is 5 hours ahead of EST at the moment so about 6:30am your time. I’ll let it sit for a couple of days before playing it.

couldn't have said it better and you nailed what the Grateful Dead are all about. I also think that at a particular time in space that certain version on that particular day is what triggers a synapse in your brain and you akin it to euphoria? You love that feeling and you want it again and again, so that particular version on that day is the "one" to you.
I can also relate to the times I was dosed and certain shows would play and they would stay with me and the relistening of those certain songs in that order sometimes would allow me to slip back to that moment when the light was turned on and the love for that version of that tune was implanted.
I don't know but I've been told....
4-7-91 GD live in Orlando
4-8-91 see above
4-9-91 what a great run this show was an add on after the first two sold out in 20 mins. back in the day when you waited in line to get your tickets, camped out overnite at the ticket vendor to get first in lineies. those were the days.

Never really liked the subscription thing either, why don't the powers that be tell us up front what's next and let us make an informed decision as to what we want when it comes to shows? I think the whole bonus disc thing is just a way to get folks to buy the subscription, and the limited edition thing too. So you get #3 and #4 without knowing what they will be and they can pass off shows that are not really up to par as far as a stand alone release. So for your 100 bucks you get two shows and a bonus disc that you know are good shows, then the last two can be hit or miss. Makes me think they have more par or subpar shows than top notch shows to release. Sound wise more likely than performance wise, I've always said most any dead show is better than whats on the airwaves.

They have me as long as they keep doing it and I keep breathing. In my more lucid moments I think that the GD were a bar band they got lucky, but when I listen to the music there are a few minutes in every release that are transcendent which make the listening worthwhile so I’ll keep buying.

I think it’s to ensure they get a fixed, definitive number of sales for the series. Currently at 22K, which seems to be proper as the last 2 didn’t sell out immediately, which helps those that want to go ala carte.
But perhaps the real problems is the limited edition factor. They use FOMO to cause a panic, both with the limited addition and the bonus disc. Sure the (supposedly guaranteed copy), the bonus disc and reduced shipping are the carrot to go subscription, but I think the Road Trip and Download series were a disappointment to them. I think their worried that if they only go ala carte, sales could occasionally be so low they’d loose money...or they probably wouldn’t take chances on some shows and only go with the usual.
I’m sure that would make many happy, but I bet there’d be enough folks turned away by a limited distribution model that the overall bottom line would suffer too much.
As far as the “B” shows, I think their trying to cover as much ground as possible to shut those of us up who’ve complained about the lack of variety, though it does make it easier for them to control the flow of “A” shows by doling them out slower using these other shows. I think Jim has a theory about that with bigger box sets too: throw a show or 2 in the mix that might not be overwhelming on its own etc...
Remember, their trying to make as many people happy as possible, never an easy task: sure some folks only dig say 60s early seventies for example, but what about folks who only like later eras? I think it’s a mix of what market trends are strongest, while trying to occasionally cast a wider net, dependent on what tapes are usable, and of course implementing as many of the returned ABCD stuff as they can to recoup the costs. I think there is a “taper” bias that Dave suffers from too that probably plays into it, but as he’s alluded too, I don’t think it’s just him making the final decisions. I’m guessing he’s more of an R&D guy?

Personally, I think that for the lousy Hundo or whatever the sub costs, it’s not that big a deal, and if you don’t like a pick you can easily pass it on or sell it. To me, even 2 killers shows and bonus, with1 or 2 “lesser” (personally I think they all have something to offer but I know that’s not necessarily the majority here) is still a pretty good deal comparatively.

I can understand folks across the pond being turned off by not only the extra tax BS, but more importantly the not knowing how much it’ll be as there seems to be less consistency with that, and shipping in general! I think the chaos, stress, and not knowing are the hardest part. This is supposed to be fun, not some stress fest about if, when, and how something not only you really dig, but paid for, is even going to show up, and if/when it does some government wanker holds it for ransom! Things have definitely changed for the worst the last few years BEFORE the vid, or Agent Orange etc...that’s just made it worse....
So what to do about it?

I still say they should eliminate the limited additions, and go pre-sale. That way they can run however much production an individual show requires, plus a few more for latecomers. People who want the show can get it, those that don’t can pass, and the corporation never should lose money (they just might not always make as much profit?)

So that, plus give us other shipping options, and figure out how to fix the European tax BS!
Just a thought....surely I’m wrong.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BBCGLBYlbSo. I think the Dead were at their peak in 1972 when Pig Pen was still in the band. 1970 or 1972, it's hard to say. When it comes to slide playing , Garcia is my favorite. I'm. waiting for some beer to arrive, I ordered some online from the Humble Sea Brewery in Santa Cruz , Calif, they are supposed to make some great beer. I can't wait to try it.

I first started recording shows with a simple setup. Nakamichi 300 shotgun's and a Sony D-6 cassette. I was taught that we should record with Dolby B switched ON and play-back with it switched OFF. I made many metal masters this way and today I play them back on a home Denon cassette deck or the original Sony. They sound fine with little or no hiss. I found that using Dolby C was too much. This is what parts of disc 1 sound like to me.

I have to say that 3rd disc was trancendal. Driving to work this morning into a very thick cloud bank, and that Morning Dew came on. It seemed so relevant at the time almost made me late for work. The double Chuck Berry and the China Cat wasn't shabby either.

said:

"What about Gainesville?"

That would be a good daves36

Estimated > Terrapin