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.
Taping the grateful dead
Daverock posted about that book Oct. 4 on this thread.
Sounds worth investigating Vguy.
Give us a review when you get it.
Cheers
VGuy - After All Is Said And Done
FirstShow is right, it was DaveRock that mentioned it awhile back. I have a pretty good Dead library now, so was holding off on buying this one (especially because it’s one of the pricier ones) until some folks here declare it to be “The One”. I’m in such a losing streak with lousy purchases lately, in music and in books, that I’m afraid management is going to send me down to the minors to get my game back. I’m hoping this one is a good one. We await your scouting report, VGuy.
Tractors and traffic lights do vex me.
A final note on ticket prices...
Today is the first day of public sales for the Dead & Co final tour. I took a look at the prices and I stand corrected...they are nus and beyond standard inflation. Now I should preface this- during the presale and even now shows that have lawn seats available are reasonable, sort of. I got lawn tickets to Starlake and they were $51 a piece. Deer Creek for example was similar. However for some venues GA lawn are way too high; I think the Gorge is $180. As for seats, some of these pieces are just bonkers. I saw prices at $300, $400, $500, and even higher depending on venue and seat location. At least one venue, the pit was $700 per ticket. None of these were verified resales either, just the going rate. I have a feeling that these prices will drop some and eventually all of these shows will sell out or close to it. I am fine paying the minimum for one show to roam the lawn area. That will be plenty for me.
OK enough of that.
1990 Spring and Summer
Recently I came across a seller on eBay that had good prices on individual shows from the Spring 1990 and The Other One box sets. I passed on those boxes (and the Fillmore West 69) when they came out. I have been fairly successful piecing together The Other One box, but the first box, Spring 1990 has been more difficult to put together. Secondary prices , eBay and otherwise, are high for the complete box sets and sometimes even worse for individual shows. Anyway this seller has made me offers on top of his already good prices for these individual shows. I decided to take the plunge and get the Spring 1990 shows I was missing.
I really do feel that 1989-1990 was a great ear for the band. I have been listening to the all of the Spring 1990 shows again and they are just great. However I really do like the summer 1990 shows that I have listened to as well. So I am really looking for the #44.
I am holding off on getting the MSG box because I really want to put the time in listening to these 1990 shows again. I hope I don't miss out on the 17CD set but if I do, I will just go with the digital download. If it wasn't for these deals on these Spring 1990 shows that I came across, I think I would have just went ahead and got the MSG box. I will continue to check out everyone's reviews on the MSG box. From what I have seen so far, it seems to be a hit.
$700 for pit is stupid
It doesn’t sound as good up close as it does FOB.
This was my last D&C show, GA floor, pretty sure it was $99.
Compare set 1 (near stage) to set 2 (in the sweet spot between the big speaker systems above the stage sides).
For set 2 I was next to a single stand with 2 separate mic setups and recorders.
Sounds a lot better in person back there than up front, and it’s also noticeable on the video.
youtu.
be/ZpB6
kMvJgzA
Piece those back together.
Ticket$
The most I ever paid for a GD show was $35 for Soldier Field shows but they always had an opening band.
91 Roger McGuinn
92 Steve Miller
93 Sting
94 Traffic
95 The Band
FTW was $200 each night after prices were changed, but I got mine for less through mail order.
Mountain
Dmcvt - so cool that you were able to see Mountain and in particular, at Bowdoin. What an awesome campus and town. I’ve always felt that Mountain was a very underrated band. Mississippi Queen gets all the hype, but Nantucket Sleighride is one of my all-time favorite songs.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get tickets for that particular show because I was six.
Yup. The absurd ticket prices for Dead and Company were brought up last tour. Melatonin is much cheaper and will put you to sleep just as fast.
My thoughts exactly, CSMACAUBET!
Well said. :)
p.s. AJS, I just about spit out my beer reading your comment about Melatonin! :) I felt kind of bad paying $120/night to stand with 40,000 Heads in a football stadium back in 2017, so certainly am not paying for the latest farewell tour.
Pass
I’m gonna pass on D&C. I think these prices are just ridiculous and this band is not that good
Edit: i’m kind of bummed that DP 44 is not a 4 disc release this year. I really thought that this release was going to be a ‘91 show. I see a ‘91 boxset in our future though. ‘91 Boston Garden would hit the spot.
Hmmm . . . odd error messages about posting lynks?
p.p.s. Maybe someone already mentioned this, but there is an interview with the bootleg cassette art guy (Mark A. Rodriguez) on AllMusic; just opened that page to see what was new and saw a lynk! to the interview there. Some of you already mentioned that artist and his new book.
aahhh . . . If I spell "LYNX" correctly, then it won't let me post . . .
One other thing re D&C...
the band members don't NNEEEEEEEDD the money; methinks they plenty comfortable
and deservedly so
Best of...
I finally got a low number on a box. I'm not going down to the basement to verify, but it was like 2173 or something. I'll take it.
Been listening to these shows for days... been walking around the house just letting some discs play over and over, really feeling this one in my bones. Got such a nice, gentle vibe. Exactly what I need during these dark times.
I consistently stick up for Dead & Co. and will again. If this is the end, so be it. No it isn't Jer and Phil but they've been out more or less for a long time now. I can't stomach John Mayer's solo career but this works, as a guitar freak, for me.
I'm seeing the Folsom shows in Boulder as usual. You cannot beat a beautiful night in Boulder... times I spent walking barefoot across the campus grass on acid, tossing a frisbee back and forth with a teenage girl, watching out for the raccoons... best times of my life.
Can't wait for this send off. If you get it you do, if you don't, well, sorry.
Be well everyone. Except election denying repugnicans.
\m/
I Expect This Kinda Shit from Mick Jagger But ...
... not from Bob Weir & Co. $750 a ticket? WTF?
Pretty stoked about DaP 44. The July 1990 shows on DaP were a real ear-opener for me, much better than I expected and thoroughly enjoyable. Expect this one to be equally good: set list looks good, it seems to have a great rep. Can't wait!
My first concert was the Faces. I used to love those guys! Still do, really. I was in junior high. My friend's mom drove us and dropped us off, his sister picked us up. I think tickets were like $3.50. Didn't see the Dead till '79, with lots of '70s metal (Sabbath, Aerosmith, Zep) and punk (Clash, Ramones, Patti, X and Black Flag and all the LA bands) in between. I don't think any of those shows cost more than maybe $7.50. Those were the days.
Seriously, Bob? WTF?
Taping the Dead
1stshow - that's right, cheers. I read about it in a British mag called "Shindig!"-and very well reviewed it was, too. Good magazine.
It's been a while since I read a book on The Dead, but I'm reminded now of one that ThatMike mentioned last year, which reviewed October shows from all eras. That looked attractive to me, but I never got round to getting it. Now's the month, though.
Incredible run of historic Dead shows upon us, from 10/19/71 through to 12/31/72. The surrounding years were great too-but that period of time really shines for all eternity.
My first shows were
T.Rex - May 1972
David Bowie December 1972
Hawkwind February 1973
Black Sabbath March 1973
Genesis April(I think) 1973
Things picked up speed after that - The Stones in September 1973.
Of the bands other people saw early - Chuck seeing Cream in 1968 stands out for me.
With ticket prices, for me, if a band is worth seeing - it's worth seeing. Having said that - no one's worth going hungry for. Not at my time of life, anyway.
750.00?
really? this is how the remaining members want to be remembered. Going to get tickets to the xmas jam in Asheville, this year, Phil is back. I was originally upset that Phil left the remaining members, now, not so much. Bobby, Billy and Mickey, this will be a black spot on your legacy. Let's hope that as you rake in these last millions, they will tide you over until you go to be with Jerry, let those that have retired to the great stage in the sky be your judges. I will not be attending this money grab.
Tickets for D&Co
Yep, the close-in seats for D&CO in Boulder are non-starters for mere mortals like myself. However, you can get GA tix in the rear-side sections for 90 bucks (that's total including all add-on fees & tax plus you get a seat). I've got GA seats for all 3 nights. Last year I did the same thing, and you'd be surprised how clean the sound is – two huge, tall speaker towers loomed over that end of the field. The center stage screen and 2 big screens beside it dazzled. Plenty of seating, and you could sit different places each night if you want. Unless you have GA Pit tix and get there in time to elbow your way to the front of the stage, you're not gonna have an intimate experience with the band anyway, and us old guys' bladders are guaranteed to get antsy. Even if you have reserved seats in the close-in reserved sections where I've sat up until last year for mucho mas dinero, you're still gonna be watching the show on the big screens. Just a thought.
I doubt anybody on this thread confuses D&Co with the GD, but lots of us who never saw the Grateful Dead, are happy to chase the echoes. And there's nothing like a gathering of the tribe in the Rockies. Looks like next year D&Co are hanging it up. One last chance I don't plan to miss. It'll be interestung to see how the torch gets carried forward by Mayer, Burbridge, Chimenti and all the other players who've been inspired by the GOGD. Onward.
Chasing the echoes
There was an element of that when I saw them in 1981. It wouldn't have been like that if I had seen them consistently from the early/mid 70s on into the 80's I don't think. Then I would have witnessed them change gradually. But as it stood, the only music I had heard by The Dead in 1981 was the officially released albums - Live Dead, Anthem and American Beauty being the pick of the crop. They had obviously changed tack a bit by the time I got to see them. Still good at the time - but they didn't play the types of music that drew me to them.
Some Men Will Rob You With A Six Gun
And Some With A Fountain Pen & TicketBastard
These prices I’m reading for tix are crazy. I cannot justify that kind of money for a show, even prime seats.
It was pouring rain, cold wind this morning, and I drove by all these souls bundled up against the elements at some theatre, and I see a sign saying “Demi Lovato - One Night”, so it clicked. I know the name, but couldn’t pick her or her music out of a police lineup, but gotta hand it to the hardcore fans lined up at 9am ish in that shite weather. I was curious how much the tickets were - tix start at $70 (about $55USD) for this singer. Not sure if that is a rip off or not!?
As for the crazy nutty prices quoted here for the D&Co, I just cannot imagine you can pay that kind of money and ever think “Great deal!” Even THE best shows you have ever seen were made all that sweeter because you got $15 tickets, can you believe it, 3rd row, etc etc. You pay crazy money, and invariably, you are going to be a little disappointed, maybe I should have got the furnace fixed for that money, or I could have seen a few other club shows for that money etc.
I had respect for Petty and Pearl Jam trying years back to neuter gangsters like Ticketbastard from ripping off the fans, but even they eventually acquiesced.
Ole Woody knew what he was taking about.
Happy 49th Anniversary Wake Of The Flood....
....that's it. That's the post.
Ever see ball 4, about 8 feet outside the strike zone,
get called strike two?
I don't have time for this shit.
WOTF in 23,
MH in 24
BFA in 25
SYF in 26
RFK will be released with WOTF
a Europe 74 with MH
6 17 75 with BFA
October Winterland box with SYF
Saturdays are cool
Just Gotta Add
Phil is just killin' it at the Capitol Theatre tonight. Good and fresh. Get some.
Three guitarists on fire and it's got Harp. Holy crap. He's 80 what?
And Happy 75th Bobby
There's a sucker born...
...now may I show you the egress for a $1 more. The Dead and Co. Prices are verified resale tickets and surge pricing. Band has nothing to do with those prices. Scalpers are trying to maximize people's panic and FOMO so they buy all the tix they can fix high prices and see how many can't handle the stress. Wait closer til show time the prices will come down and there will be seats at door and there will be people with extras. Don't buy now make the scalpers regret their decisions and adjust the prices, it will happen. Tix for turf at fenway I got on Fanpresale for 220$ each, I don't think that too much at all considering a gallon of milk where I live can be upwards of $9.
Jeff
Please don’t misconstrue my comments. The slowness of play by D&C has been widely discussed. I am glad that people are enjoying the music and “keeping the spirit alive” if you will. The music is just not for me. What I do begrudge are the outrageous ticket prices.
Sir James is correct. Phil always brings it. Catch a show at the Capitol Theater if you can at a fraction of the cost. DSO and JRAD also put on great shows. I caught both Phil and Bob’s bands this year.
I liken it to the three little bears. Phil likes to speed things up. Bob likes to slow them down. Garcia had it just right.
After all is said and done book thoughts....
....if you collected tapes back in the day like I did, this book is a goldmine. Holy flashback Batman. The first half is page after page of homemade tape covers, and there are a LOT! Even spotted a couple that I have.
Second half is interviews with some of the well-known tapers.
Book is laid out nicely.
Cool stuff.
(I still have my tapes)
The Other Ones
I doubt we'd have even heard of Phil and Bob if they hadn't had the good fortune to hook up with Jerry Garcia. Both of their styles, from what I can hear and understand, developed as a response to Garcia's playing. Take him out of the picture, and what have you got?
D&C, etc.
I am very glad they did this project and if they say it is time to close the curtains, I respect that.
The ticket price thing is unfortunate, I think Dennis' take had the most clarity. If the prices are too high, don't go, if it's worth it go.. have a blast.
Gotta respect Led and Jeff's take, that's the spirit.
The single thing that frustrated me with all this was, I believe, a ticketmaster decision. It seemed to me they pushed substandard tickets at a high price on the presale, then when the regular sale came to be.. low and behold there were many better seats for sale at the same price I more than once paid for what turned out to be shit seats. A greedy move that gouged and crapped all over the 'preferred' fanbase.
I would gladly to go a D&C show if it came easy and pieces fell into place. I avoided the ticket process this time, I had my fun and if it doesn't come again I am content. Less hassle and less money is attractive too, so if it comes easy I will see you there if not, see you on the other side.
With all that I wish all of you a great weekend and a great transition into fall. Darkness falls and seasons change. Gonna hit my last show of the new box and get some shit done. As you were, happy Sunday..
The Astros are cheaters....
....all my homies hate the Astros.
I was rooting for Seattle, but the teams I root for usually lose. I'm bad juju.
Knights off to a good start and the Baby Sharks are winless so far.
I'll take it.
Current listening? The new King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard release.
Impressive stuff. Y'all should check them out. They come with the highest Vguy recommendation, and I'll never steer you wrong.
Music is the best.
Yeah, fuck the Astros
That's not a political statement
Right now I am asking the musical question, "What about Gainesville?"
Shakedown Street into Franklin's!!!
YES!!!!!
Clarity on ticket prices
HI All- the other day I quoted some ticket prices and I was slightly wrong. Some of the prices I quoted were for verified resale. Others were not as they were listed as 'Official Platinum" but yet they prices were still sky high. I did not view things thoroughly enough on the first go around due having some good vino during my attempt to look into those prices in more detail. With that being the case there are still many venues that have GA lawn tickets that reasonable. Lawn is always my preference these days for most shows partly due to cost. However I like to be able to move around so having that ability is also something I want. Given that lawn is my go to even when ticket prices are not stratospheric in cost.
Like others have said, it is very likely tickets will be available at a much lower cost closer to the date of the shows. I am happy with one more show, a local one at that. Outside of this Dead & Co final tour, I am not really inclined to see anyone else except for Phish. Phish continues to play at a high level and I am still hoping for a late fall/early winter mini tour leading up to NYE at MSG. If not, I will check them out next summer.
p.s Happy Birthday Bobby!
Just show up at the gates....
....and wait until the show starts. Hang out like vultures and make sure your phone is charged.
The resellers will start shedding hard.
Pick that shit up.
If you don't mind missing the first song that is. My friend told me this. And he was correct.
It's not really considered "beating" the system. Let's just call it "bending rules."
Rock on and go see live music.
p.s. don't watch sports.
My cheapest ticket price......
The cheapest I paid for a ticket was $1.01, to see Jerry Garcia at The Concord Pavillion on 9/7/81. Queen Ida and her Zydeco Band opened the show. What a deal! The show was a benefit for a local radio station, and
that was the price for tickets
The last show I attended
The last show I attended was Jackson Browne at the Albert Hall, 5 or so years ago. l paid £60 for two AAA tickets at a charity auction, i was the only bidder. We didn't go backstage after the show, what would I do there at my age? He was very good, really enjoyable. The hotel down the road cost us £150 for the night, but there you go. The first show I ever attended cost 50 pence (about 75 cents in those days maybe), Genesis at our local club in Autumn 1972. It was always 50 pence unless the band for the night had a single in the charts when the promoter put the price up a bit. He was a decent bloke,must have lost money many weeks, there was a show every Sunday, but seemed to be in it for the music and to see us all enjoy ourselves.
music for free. And not.
The least expensive gigs I went to were free festivals in the mid 1970's. With hitching there would have been no money spent on transport, no money spent on accomodation - I didn't even have a tent at first. The main band I can remember seeing was a spacey group called Here and Now, and Nik Turner who had recently left Hawkwind. The fag end of the hippie era.
The most expensive gig would have been The Stones in 2003-black market ticket, trains, hotel - I even had a meal before that one. The Stones was the better deal, for me.
So if Dead and Co mean as much to someone as The Stones meant to me, I'd say it is worth it, even if it is expensive.
Daverock
Agreed about Garcia, but that is not unique to this band. Where would The Doors be without Morrison? U2 without Bono? Countless others.
I recall hearing an interview yeas ago ( I can't recall the source so I could be mistaken) with Garcia contemplating where the band members would be without him.
When the kids had killed the man
AJS - I may have got this wrong - but I'm not sure if either Phil or Bob actually played bass or guitar before they met Jerry. They both literally learned to play in counterpoint with him -which may account for their unusual styles. I have never heard anybody who played either bass or guitar like they did. Which was part of what made the band so unique, of course.
It's curious when some bands lose their guiding light - and go on to be successful in their own right. Off the top of my head, I would say Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac and New Order - who developed out of Joy Division - were like that.
It doesn't happen with most - as you say - The Doors weren't very interesting without Jim Morrison, and I can't imagine The Jimi Hendrix Experience would have sold many tickets without Jimi Hendrix.
When Bob Weir files his taxes....
....does he list his number one occupation as stealing women from their men?
So, I just found out....
....that Umphrey's McGee is playing here in February. Tix $35 (nice). Anybody here ever seen them?
Umphrey's
VGuy- I have seen them before. Only once about 15+ years ago. They were very enjoyable. They are combo of what I can best describe as a Zappa-Prog rock jam band. They are all talented musicians and they are band I would like to see again for sure. I am not familiar with their originals, but the tend to throw in some covers. When I saw them, the played a nice version of Led Zeppelin's "Fool In the Rain". I think they are worth checking out.
Mountain of Love....
Great for Leslie West & Mountain to be mentioned here...one of the few times I was able to see them they were third on the bill at the Olympic Auditorium in LA, 1970...Second billed was Johnny Winter (with Edgar) and headlining was Frank Zappa and The Hot Rats Band...fried to the gills on Orange Sunshine...this little hippy dude was walking through the crowd dosing anyone who wanted to...he had a long fringe suede vest with "Sunshine" embroidered on the back...he passed by us twice....By the time the opener (a band called "Wolfgang" that Graham was promoting) finished we were definitely on...Mountain came out and tore it up...West was such a big man it looked to our fried eyes that he had a violin strapped on, not a guitar....
Umphreys
Hey Vguy this is a band you want to see. They rock! I've seen them about 30 times and am never disappointed. They are a true jam band with most songs in the 12 to 20 minute range. Their collaborative and improvisational skills are awesome. Very talented. I've seen many many shows/bands over the years and they rank right up there with the Dead in how much fun and enjoyment I've had at their shows.