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    A sealed, unlabeled box sat undisturbed for decades on a shelf in the Grateful Dead’s San Rafael tape vault on Front Street, its contents an enduring mystery, even to those few with access to the vault. All David Lemieux knew about that box when he became the Dead’s archivist was that it contained tapes belonging to Bear—Owsley Stanley, the Dead’s first soundman and architect of the Wall of Sound. Even in the Dead Heads’ Holy of Holies, the taped-up box was tantalizing. But this was Bear’s personal property, and so he didn’t touch the box out of an abiding respect for the elder luminary of sound. Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes. At any time, David could have popped the tops and explored them to his archivist heart's content. But they were off-limits without the nod from Bear. - Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell, Owsley Stanley Foundation

     

    With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43. The two virtually complete performances from San Francisco 11/2/69, Live At Family Dog At The Great Highway, and from Dallas 12/26/69, McFarlin Auditorium, are complementary in their clarity and consistency thanks to Bear himself, and in their ability to foreshadow where the Dead were headed in the years to come. If the two killer 20-minute+ "Dark Stars" don't get ya, how about the Pigpen-centric sets featuring "Midnight Hour," "Next Time You See Me," "Big Boss Man," "Good Lovin'," and the once-lost-now-found complete rendition of "Dancing In The Streets," or the first full acoustic set ever performed? And we're certain you'll be fascinated to uncover the "Mystery Of Bear's Banana Boxes" as told by Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell in the liners.

     

    Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43 was recorded by Owlsey "Bear" Stanley and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

     

    *2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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  • Deadheadbrewer
    Joined:
    6/23/90 and Dennis! Both YES!

    Good to "hear your voice", Dennis!

    Last year I put in my first straight-through listen to the two Spring '90 boxes, then started listening to Summer 1990 shows that were well-regarded. My notes for 6/23 say that I LOVED it, and enjoyed it even more than a good number of shows from the Spring boxes. For those who need more like DaP40, the 7/16 show is just as good as either from that set, in my opinion. I think folks are going to really enjoy this DaP! :)

    Be kind, rewind . . .

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    After all is said and done....

    ....Taping The Grateful Dead 1965-1995. A book I just discovered on Amazon. Looks cool so I bought one!

  • Chuck
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    first concerts

    My first concerts were in 1968

    Cream
    Grateful Dead
    Credence Clearwater Revival
    Steppin Wolf
    Sly and the Famly Stone......Sly was so Wasted but was still GREAT

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    Cheers to Bob, DMCVT

    And to Dave N. who convinced me to go to my first concert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, at Ebbet's Field (small club downtown Denver). Had heard them on the radio as their first album had come out. Monumental show with all of the first and most of their upcoming Second Helping too, and a 25 minute Freebird to top things off. I'm sure I've told this story with Ronnie swilling Jack out of the bottle between songs and setting the wet bottle down on the baby grand every time.
    Thanks Dave N., RIP. And cheers to all!
    Saw the well established Eagles (original lineup) at Red Rocks the next year I think.

  • dmcvt
    Joined:
    early concerts

    Great story PT! Mention of the Eagles reminded me of a concert at Bowdoin College back in the day. Bob and I drove down to Brunswick, Maine to see Leslie West & Mountain on October 1, 1971... big fans of Cream, Felix Pappalardi had moved on to play bass with Leslie. Don't recall the exact location but it was not big arena. There was no opening band advertised but after we got there, it was announced that a brand new band would open, total unknowns, no music out yet, it was the Eagles opening for Mountain. Found the date on Mountain's tour history but nowhere in the Eagles archives. They had just decided their name reputedly after a mescaline session in the desert following their time with Linda Ronstadt. We were about 25-30 feet from the stage, recall we thought: these guys are pretty good. Then Mountain came on so freakin' loud, blew the lid off the place. This new at the time friend and I had just started running our college's 5 watt radio station and went on to many concerts, including Watkins Glen. Lost him to horrible ALS about fifteen years ago, RIP old bud.

  • Mr. Ones
    Joined:
    PT-Yes

    For Mr. Barnum (who probably knows) and anyone else interested, there was a 2-cd set of one complete '72 show released at the same time as the cd box set. I don't see it on Amazon, could it be out of print already??
    *Edit-Wrong, it was the complete setlist, 1 or more songs from various shows in the box. Memory Issues!!

    Dave's #44 looks intriguing, I'm excited to see and hear the seaside chat on Tuesday.

    I don't really chime in on sports, but for the record, I'm Orioles, Ravens, Capitals and Terrapins. Never too much to get excited about. Oh, and Liverpool Reds also.

  • Dennis
    Joined:
    D&C and those tix prices

    My buddy just got 4 tixs for Walnut Creek(?), an amphitheater in NC,,,, around the corner for him. Good seats, middle/middle, even with soundboard. 1300 bucks!!!! are you kidding me?!?!?! No way, no how. Like I tell kids at the store, "I got money to piss away and I will not waste it on that".

    I was thinking about the 3 Boulder shows,,,, 500 bucks to STAND ON THE FIELD! What's that phase they use,,, oh, yeah, fuck you. A three night stand could be a 5,000 dollar weekend,,,, NO, NO, NO, NO!

    Like sporting events, you want the high prices to stop, stop going!

    My buddy says he just caught Govt Mule, they played over 2 hours,,,,, 45 bucks!

    Also I always wonder how much of that 500 dollar ticket do the boys get. Why do I think the boys get a 100 and ticketmaster gets 400?

    Trying to get tixs for Warren's Christmas Jam,,,, should know by days end.

    Next Dave's should sound great,,, my in stock copy sounds very good.

    Sorry about the ticket rant. (not really)

  • bluecrow
    Joined:
    cool tale PT

    thanks for sharing that cool concert tale from the old days. not a vinyl guy nowadays but with that story would like to hear shows from that tour. had several Yes LPs back late 70s and spun them a lot but at some point they fell off the edge of my music listening world.

    no memory of Bill Graham be safe and be neat speech after end of 6/23. A special set of shows for sure. What a fun weekend it was with both the Feat and the Dead . In '94 punk ass jerks and slobs got the Dead banned at Autzen which was why they played Portland Meadows in '95.

  • PT Barnum
    Joined:
    6-23-90, 1972 fall Yes box

    Currently have a opy of the Hans matrix and it sounds good, lets see if they fix a couple of the dropouts and other digi skips apparently on the soundboard. Would I have picked this show? no. wonder if they will include Bill Grahams' speech at the end of the show.
    The Fall 72 Yes "Close to the Edge" tour was one of their best. This set has been released on CD a few years ago and sold out instantly. Would love to have a copy, but the cost is prohibitive. This set does not include the show that I attended on 16 September 1972 at the old Curtis Hixon Hall in downtown Tampa, Fl. Torn down now, but fond memories from that historic venue.
    The Eagles opened the show, they had just released their first lp and that's all they had to play, when they finished the album, the crowd said "More" and the Eagles treated us to about a half hour of bluegrass jams with a smokey mountain breakdown theme. It was a great opening and Rick Wakeman was seen on the side of the stage clapping and dancing around, he really like the show. Then, Yes came out.
    At the time, Yes was one of my top 5 bands and this was the first time I had seen them live. Having just purchased the Close to the Edge lp and having loved the Fragile lp, we could not wait to get there. A swabby buddy and I boarded a Greyhound bus in Orlando that afternoon and after several stops, we arrived at the bus depot in Tampa. We immediately made a bee line to the arena, first time to Curtis Hixon and Tampa itself. We both had tickets and we entered the hall.
    Lots of hippies with familiar music playing on the house cans, Dave Mason, Alone/Together. Being hippies we immediately broke out the stash and started rolling joints and passing them around. The crowd took notice and pretty soon everyone around us was rolling and passing, with some in the crowd yelling out, "hey, these guys are turning everyone one". Meet many a cool head that day. The lights went down and out they came. Jon dressed in a flowing multicolored frock, lose and clingy and pastel colors. Chris Squire had his boots on and looked like something out of a science fiction movie. Wakeman has on his golden cape and white boots and Alan White, who had just replaced Bill Buford, was on the kit. Off to stage left was Howe, long hair hanging covering his face with silver embellishes on his trippy outfit.
    They opened with the Firebird Suite right into Siberian Khatru, got everyone rocking right off the bat. I've seen all good people was next and done to perfection into Mood for a day. The Clap followed with Howe showing off his guitar chops. Then it began, the opening notes of And You and I, into Heart of the Sunrise into Close to the Edge. Taken aback, the crown and us too were spellbound, then Wakeman starts dropping bombs, dropping them and sending them across the stage in and epic end of the world scenario that when it was over, and the last bomb had hit and exploded and blew up everyone, the crowd erupted into a standing ovation with Rick standing there with this "wow, I did that?" look, taking sheepish bows. After the ovation, they started the hit Roundabout, got us all up again sounding just like the lp into yours is no disgrace. We left, had to take that long bus ride home, which was fun tripping balls and looking out the windows at all the trails and colors. A night I will never forget.

  • Forensicdoceleven
    Joined:
    Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for...............

    Mornin', rockers..................

    New DaP reminds me of that old Grateful dead saying, "One man gathers what another man spills".

    All due respect, I spill this one...................

    These days what's not worth saying gets set to music..................

    Rock on,

    Doc
    Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song.....

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A sealed, unlabeled box sat undisturbed for decades on a shelf in the Grateful Dead’s San Rafael tape vault on Front Street, its contents an enduring mystery, even to those few with access to the vault. All David Lemieux knew about that box when he became the Dead’s archivist was that it contained tapes belonging to Bear—Owsley Stanley, the Dead’s first soundman and architect of the Wall of Sound. Even in the Dead Heads’ Holy of Holies, the taped-up box was tantalizing. But this was Bear’s personal property, and so he didn’t touch the box out of an abiding respect for the elder luminary of sound. Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes. At any time, David could have popped the tops and explored them to his archivist heart's content. But they were off-limits without the nod from Bear. - Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell, Owsley Stanley Foundation

 

With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43. The two virtually complete performances from San Francisco 11/2/69, Live At Family Dog At The Great Highway, and from Dallas 12/26/69, McFarlin Auditorium, are complementary in their clarity and consistency thanks to Bear himself, and in their ability to foreshadow where the Dead were headed in the years to come. If the two killer 20-minute+ "Dark Stars" don't get ya, how about the Pigpen-centric sets featuring "Midnight Hour," "Next Time You See Me," "Big Boss Man," "Good Lovin'," and the once-lost-now-found complete rendition of "Dancing In The Streets," or the first full acoustic set ever performed? And we're certain you'll be fascinated to uncover the "Mystery Of Bear's Banana Boxes" as told by Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell in the liners.

 

Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43 was recorded by Owlsey "Bear" Stanley and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

 

*2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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11 years 8 months

In reply to by Oroborous

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the elation for this and for hints at what else remains in the vault.

Just what the doc ordered!

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fans got their wish.
2 Dark Stars and plenty-o-pig.
Sounds good to me!
Cheers

Edit: Non-subscribers (Daverock?) better jump on this fast. Certainly one that will sell out in a day.
1300 Owsley reels in the vault did it say? A HUGE virtually untapped source.

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14 years 1 month
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I like Owsley's technique. That'll do, Pig.

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3 years 1 month
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just what I wanted. 2 shows from1969,. Thanks Dave, keep them comming.

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10 years 1 month
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Dave - You had us at Pig. A real nice release, and Owsley sound, too! (Blushing)

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10 years 4 months
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It took 8 years, but I finally guessed the right shows. Nevermind that I included the Boston Tea Party trio.

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10 years 9 months
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I'll take this one, thank you very much!!

Oro, you either get primal or you get Pig. I'm very pleased with this one. Did not see that coming.

Woo-hoo!

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In reply to by That Mike

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Sweet release for DaP43!

"With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43."

just want to highlight ". . . some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including . . ."

pray tell what other mysteries are there in the banana boxes?? to be continued.

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In reply to by bluecrow

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I think Dave was worried about a riot.. we forced his hand on this one.

I'm looking much more forward to this than the box set. No offense meant.. but this looks sweet to me.

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Beyond stoked about this DaP. There doesn't seem to be a track listing yet, but given the description (not one but TWO 20-minute-plus Dark Stars, AND plenty of Pig?) this promises to be epic. Audio quality is likely to be outstanding, given that it was recorded by Bear and evidently stored in a banana box for 50+ years.

Wonder what else is in those banana boxes? Guys, if you find any blue tablets, you should probably forward them to me for safe disposal.

The MSG box? Not sure I need 17 discs worth of '80s, so I'll probably just go for the breakout set from 3/9/81. I have to admit, this release makes me a little sad, because it makes me think that now it's going to be years, maybe longer, before they do the Berkeley Greek 1980s box some of us have been longing for. Can't see 'em doing two venue-centric '80s boxes in close succession.

And just btw: don't get Covid, if you can help it. Went on a business trip (got to go to NOLA, at least), came home and got sick. Despite being vaxed and boosted, it was sucky week. Not the end of the world, but pretty sucky. I mention this in the hope that it'll encourage others to be vaxed and be careful: that fucking virus is still out there. Be well.

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13 years
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Its so good to be wrong!!!!!! I thought for sure Dave would venture into the 80's the 60's are not the 80's. By the way I'm digging the gray hoodie, very understated.

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4 years 8 months
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I had jumped off of the subscription bandwagon almost as soon as I got on, after the disappointing DaP31. This year I reluctantly hopped on again because I liked the Baltimore show and absolutely salivated over the Winterland ‘74 with bonus disk. I was resigned to getting a throwaway ‘80s show this time around. Nope. I am virtually in tears as I type this, and best of all I have no worries of this one selling out because it’s already been ordered. It’s a beautiful day.

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I haven't browsed Deadbase yet to see if these shows are listed or the setlists, which I imagine are similar to others from the era. I also wonder if having been stored in sealed boxes all these years if they are uncirculated? That's always a nice surprise.

I'm a lifetime subscriber since the beginning. Glad to see Dave mixing it up.

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In reply to by SPACEBROTHER

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The sound on the archive is good.. assuming Latvala took a little peeksy into the banana boxes and shared. I'd still like to take partial credit for guessing Dave's 43 would be sourced using returned reels from the late 60's. I think I posted something to that effect a week or two ago.

Very glad to see these shows come to light. They seem to be very special, at least to these ears.

Enjoy people.. This one goes out to Hendrix Freak.. if there's a more enthusiastic 60's and fall 1972 person out there.. I'd like to buy her/him a drink and shake their hand.

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Jim!!

That would be me. Strong coffee will do, looking forward to the handshake...........

Did anybody think my obsession was limited to 1971?!! OMFW!!!

The dice of Zeus always fall luckily.

Rock on,

Doc
Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, like diamonds we are cut with our own dust......

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11/2 does not circulate, no set list
12/26 Circulates, Zephyr opened-acoustic set without Bill

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In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

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not in Deadbase but SBD source of 11/2/69 is on relisten

not that i've heard it. includes a "classic suite" DS > SS > 11 > DDHNM

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In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

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Strong Coffee I've got! Doc you are equally enthusiastic of the old stuff. Check your PM.

As for 11/2, it looks like a copy of this was seeded to the Archive back in 2004 and a more complete version appeared in 2009.. so someone had them. I'm going to head to the attic right now and see what's in all the banana boxes stashed in the corner.

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Who is the 4 fingered gal on the cover? Interesting that they did not go for a female skeleton.

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10 years 8 months
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This is great news Dave,its going to be well worth the wait, none of us are getting any younger,I'm looking forward to having this in my grubby little mitts in August.

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I'm a big fan of DaP 6 12/20/69 and 2/2/70 with 12/21/69 bonus disc with its two Dark Stars, DaP 30 1/2-3/70 with its great setlists capped off by that massive Dark Star> St Stephen> The Eleven> Lovelight, and DaP 10 12/12/69 and bonus from 12/11/69 scratches a similar itch, but I gravitate to the bonus disc for the whole Dark Star> St Stephen> The Eleven> Cumberland Blues, That's It For The Other One> Cosmic Charlie, because that's just fantastic. And now we add these two shows to that collection. Nonplussed on the box, but I reckon I'll likely get it sometime prior to release. The setlists are quite good, and only one Little Red Rooster.

Just listened to the Little Sadie and High Time in the Listening Party on my tablet speakers, and quite liked it. Jerry is in fine fettle.

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Sounds like an oxymoron to me, but who cares!! It’s primal 1969, JUST before 1970, which we ALL(well, almost all) have been clamoring for!! I simply CANNOT WAIT to unwrap this and push play!!

Thanks Dave, Music is the Best!!

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I will take a GD sbd from the '60s ANY day of the week, and the Dallas show has long been one of my favorites. I'm VERY glad that it's being released and that 11-2 show is no slouch although I've never heard it complete and never in this kind of sound quality either. I'm very happy these shows were chosen, can't wait to get my hands (and ears) on them. Thanks once again to Dave, Dick, Bear and the whole GD family.

Jeffrey Norman works for the GD and also the OSF, which has been digitizing Bear's 1300 reels. OSF is about two-thirds done with digitizing so possibly ~400 reels to go. Probably that's what Norman was doing.

Meanwhile, only weeks to go until two unique '69 shows are in our hands.

I'll have to quiet down for a while about NINETY SIXTY-EIGHT, just because Dave gave us a nice dose of late '69.

Heh heh heh... we don't need any contests here, this whole crowd is foaming at the mouth for this release. Jim, you sure know how to get folks riled up. (What the hell are "banana boxes"?)

In fact, the good doctor and I had often discussed how early, short shows shouldn't stop Dave from putting two together to meet the DaP three-disc rule. Here we are.

A good shout out to all who made the past couple months on this forum worthwhile with good discussions of literatue and music. I only have about 7-8 books to read and tall stack of CDs to listen to, as a result.

And thanks to Dave L. for an inspired choice. (I'm getting the 3-9-81 show and leaving the box alone, but sure wish I can get my hands on 3-10-81 at some point...)

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7 years 7 months
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Its about time, one worth opening.

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In reply to by TJPD2

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ask any supermarket for them, very sturdy, heavy duty cardboard, great for storage. Not entirely closed, usually an opening at top and bottom. Check recent shipments for tarantula hitchhikers. Shucks, no release listening party for the 60s bunch at Jim's bear battered beer caches?

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Oh myyyyy! I don't post very often here, but I've been watching the discussion/speculation on DP 43 for months. I figured DP43 would be 1980s for sure (hello, box set) and in that regards I was hoping for a 1985 release. I didn't dare hope for '68-'69. I'm glad to be wrong!

I've never heard either of these shows - super excited for this release. I keep various Fall '69 rips in my car - 10/25, Dick's Picks 16, the DaP 6 Bonus Disc - so it's going to be nice to change things up. This time I even went and bought an extra copy so that I can wow somebody who will only realize what they've missed out on when they are sitting in my passenger seat. That's ~$40 well-spent. @Dave thanks buddy, this kinda drop is what keeps me subscribing year after year.

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In reply to by Obeah

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totally awesome

Daves in a (banana) box

loooooove it

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15 years 1 month
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Didn't know about the Dallas show. Double 1969 goodness - how sweet it is!

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14 years 1 month
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What I have:
Cold Rain
Midnight Hour
Seasons (this song is unknown to me, a first)
Mama Tried
Next Time You See Me
Good Lovin'
Big Boss Man
Casey Jones
Dancin'
Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't

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I have this one archived in my cassette collection. Saw many shows at this venue. Great acoustics.

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10 years 11 months
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Just looked up the setlists for these and saw Dave for once way undersold the length of the two Dark Stars, one 30, the other 24! Nice. But how about I've Been All Around This World? Always loved it from hearing the Garcia Grisman version, so stoked to see it's on here wih Little Sadie. Such a treat to hear Jerry sing these in such a strong voice. Now to avoid listening to the whole shows for three more weeks...

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I know it makes me not a ‘head’
But no

Pig’s “white boy blues” makes wants me want to barf every time.
Hahaha i hear him open his mouth and it’s like I want to jump off a cliff

I hear somebody brag about a “half hour Lovelight” ?
Thanks, I know exactly what show to skip. 

Seriously no

ughhhh

We can all jam and no despite I hate it I’m not selling to at cost hahahah

There are people out there.

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17 years 2 months
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...deadhead but certainly a fool of high caliber. I agree with the Lovelights...sometimes, but damn take that tone and put it in the garbage where it belongs. The provenance alone of these tapes is enough to get my brain drooling and my ears lubed up.

Looks like they've reconnected the modem at the asylum. Nurse Ratchet must be on her first vacation in a few decades. 😬

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For those of you wondering why artist Matt J. Adams included her, have a look at the cover of "Live/Dead".

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…Oh Boy! 2 (two) “Primo” Primal Dead performances in one release (Pick)
“There’s Nothen left to do but Smile Smile Smile!” I’m as happy as a Pig in Mud! Lol ! 🤠
Have a grateful day my brothers and sisters.
there’s not a better feeling than having grateful fans dig’n The continuing Amazing Artworks involved year after year! Love it!
Take care folks , have a grateful day!
🙏❤️💀🌹

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