Grateful Dead

Four shows in and one to go.

This is one the best sounding two track box sets they have ever put out. Man, just unbelievable sound quality. And then there are the performances.
Every night is different. The Loose Lucy on 6/9 really sticks out as a perfect example as Jerry really gets into it and adds some impressive guitar work that I have never heard on this song. Any given night. Such a mellow vibe to a good chunk of the 6/9 show.

Hope you all get your issues worked out on this box so you can enjoy to the fullest.

10,000, was probably not enough given the demand, but given the last couple of years of not being able to sell out 13,000 to 12,500, you can't blame them for reducing the numbers.

Charile3 - yes, I agree with what you say. The inclusion of the stage announcements transforms the box into a valuable cultural document, as well as a musical one. The tracks aren't just floating in space. We as listeners might be, of course. I won't necessarily listen to all the talk when I play the cds, but their inclusion does add to the whole.

I've had a chance to go through this box and listen each show once so far. All discs have played fine, there was a small speck of dried glue or something on one disc but it came right off easily and did not affect playback. The packaging arrangement is not my favorite, but it worked ok and I did not have the problems that others have reported with the cd holders. The tip someone put on here about removing discs by placing your finger in the center hole of the disc to slide them out instead of holding the edges of the disc also helps to make it easier to remove the discs. It is a shame that there are folks having trouble with discs in this box, the music is great.

I may be biased as 1973 is a favorite year for me, but the music in this box is well worth acquiring in one format or another, and I am glad to have it. I am looking forward to working my way through the box for a second, more focused listen. I also think it would be nice if they released all music editions of the boxes that sell out, certainly won't affect my enjoyment of the music.

Yeah, there was a lot of talking between songs included in the Wattstax box set, a lot of praising the black community and the individuals organizing the concert, a lot of preaching about the inherent worth of every individual (I Am Somebody) and aspirations of self and community improvement in the face of adversity and discrimination, and a whole lot of pleading for people to get off the playing field, including a pretty detailed description of the financial implications of the crowd not getting off the field. While there were times that I found myself thinking, enough already, will everyone just get off the field so we can get back to the music, I have to admit that the inclusion of all of that material really captured the vibe of the event. And the music is fantastic, I don't think there was a weak performance in the whole concert, or the associated recordings.

Given the problems with the CDs, I'm now glad I was late in buying them like so many others. Especially since I live in Germany and exchanging CDs is probably more complicated than if I lived in the US. Nevertheless, I will get the single box with the Washington concert via Amazon, even though I had to read there in the meantime that some customers also had to return this box because of two defective CDs. Or Amazon exchanged the box maximum twice, then that's it.
Even if there should be the live concerts remastered on the net and even in a better quality (which surprises me honestly), so I'm still of the opinion that the artists should get the money earned. Simply because there are hardly any music groups that release such nice boxes as GD. What I unfortunately don't understand: If already the boxes like the current one are sold out after one (!!!) day, why aren't simply higher editions produced? Second editions for all I care. Gentle Giant has also managed to do that. Because I go meanwhile on the Keks that felt many people buy the GD boxes only as an investment or they want to hawk afterwards most-bidding. I want to LISTEN to the CDs!

Dennis - I got the 6 cd version of that Wattstax box, which seems to have the same basic design as the 12 cd one. Nice looking box.There's some great music in there, in between the mc's telling the crowd off, giving them educational lectures and giving each other awards - check out The Rance Allen Group.

Figure I throw this one out.

My box came with only one or two disc flopping around, but all were incredibly tight, but no glue. I too found the best way to extract from box without ripping box was the center hole technique.

I just got in the 12 cd set Wattstax '72 Soul'd Out (The Complete Wattstax Collection). The packaging was the same basic design, slit's in cardboard with disc stuck in. Except none were flopping around and all came out without a bit of argument. Not even a chance of ripping the box. Box says this was done by "Concord" (a Craft recording).

So just for the sake of argument, it is possible to make this type of package without flopping disc, glue or possible tearing.

FYI - haven't dugged heavily into this yet (still ripping), but it funny it has 20 minutes tracks of MC begging the people to clear the field. The MC did have his moments. "I need everyone off the field, the show can not continue until you do. Yes, I'm talking to you sister in the blue dress, get off the field. Walking from one side of the field to the other is not clearing the field",,,, it was funny, but 20 minutes! (1,2,3 take a step back :-) )

If you see this check personal messages

Also, Dick's Picks #15 Englishtown 9/3/77 disc 3 replaced automatically.

1: I'm finally through Santa Barbara 5/20/73. This show, to me, is a little more up front and in your face than Des Moines, and you can feel the energy. Another great Box of Rain, but TLEO is the big surprise. Jerry is really struttin'
his stuff. Got a scuff or something on disc one resulting in brief moments of static on Tennessee and The Race is On.
Not gonna whine about that, which brings me to:
2: For those of you who collected all the Dick's Picks, does anyone remember when #9, 9/16/90 MSG, was released, and subsequently we received a replacement for disc 1 WITHOUT EVEN ASKING? Not that my disc 1 had a problem. but THOSE were the days of quality control and customer service...just sayin'.