Friend of The Devils: April 1978 (Dead.net Exclusive) [19 CD]
WHAT'S INSIDE:
Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL 4/6/78
Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL 4/7/78
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL 4/8/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/10/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/11/78
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC 4/12/78
Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 4/14/78
Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV 4/16/78
Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson
Newly restored and speed-corrected audio by Plangent Processes
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman
Liners By Author Steve Silberman
Artwork By Acclaimed Artist Matthew Brannon
Limited To 10,000 Individually Numbered Copies
Dead.net Exclusive
It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit
.... April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit
Sportatorium - April 7, 1989
when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net
Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978
This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'... It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk
We're hitting the bullseye with the eight previously unreleased stellar shows that make up FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978. Filled to the brim with peak performances from the Grateful Dead's post-hiatus period, this collection captures the historic tour where "Drums" begat "Space," morphed into "Drums">"Space" and cemented the Rhythm Devils' second-set power move from the music business to the "transportation business."
Spring 1978 finds the Dead consistently weaving spontaneous magic, showing signs of great promise and potential - from the no-nonsense rock'n'roll in Tampa, where scholars cite the first "Drumz" leading into "Space," to the lengthy communal get down in Pembroke Pines to Jacksonville where the twain emerge fully formed, offering the primordial opportunity for "soul retrieval." It's evident in the dynamic range delivered on back-to-back nights at the intimate Fox Theatre and through the laid-back unity of the band's performance in Durham at Duke, a comfort that carries over to Virginia and West Virginia where the playing is unbridled, bursting with momentum, threatening to carry itself away. And nowhere can you hear that more clearly than through Betty Cantor-Jackson's original recordings, reliably crisp, bright, and vivid.
Individually numbered to 10,000 copies and exclusive to Dead.net, FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978 has been mastered by Audio Engineer Jeffrey Norman using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection’s custom box, which features a removable wave drum. (We invite you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil.) Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set’s original artwork. The collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.
Alaska will be eventually released....
....Vegas odds are in favor.
Impatient conekid is the best conekid.
No offense to Scranton, but Disc 3 is delightful.
And to piggy back prior comments. Phil is indeed in your face. Damn straight!
The NFA is prime Lesh.
Happy Birthday Jerry.
Meet up '24
If Duke is 2024 muatm that would be great cleaned up and all, but not included in the box?
Duke Caveat
Lest we forget that Jerry experienced a mike malfunction during the first two numbers,
although the Dire Wolf turns out to be a nice instrumental. I vaguely recall us singing the Jerry part during the Jack Straw opener...for encouragement! Jerry gives us major payback with Peggy O, and that was the exact moment I met the future Mrs. Big.
Any Danger of Squelch?
I recall that the generally excellent Dick's Picks #18 (2/3/78) (released 24 years ago!) suffered in spots from some bandy squelch, timbres distorted, signals not just exactly perfect. Any danger of that on this box? Was that a specific tapes or show issue there?
I'm getting tempted to order this. And this should be a non-issue but the dubious artwork is not whetting my appetite. Although this very tasty Half-Step on the Listening Party is quite something.
Peace!
Friend of the Devils indeed....
....Bob Lopes is in town. Jim In MD is going to be in town soon.
Meet up at Sphere is the plan tomorrow.
Jim & Co going to hang at our humble abode for a couple of evenings.
Been a long time coming.
🍻
Mayer slammed his index finger in a truck door a week ago.
The fret hand. Word is he is learning to play with three fingers. Word on the Shakedown Street re last nights show is that he pulled it off.
The Days Between indeed.
Friend of the Devils Incomplete!
Are there any plans to reissue Dave's Picks 37 which is the missing show from this run for the 15/4. Be nice if it was reissued as download for those of us who missed the original release.
Dave's Picks 37
Hi there!
I can send it as whatever file format you want - suggest a wav or flac - just give me an address and I'll wetransfer it
Ian
Friends of the Devil, yes indeed!
I'm a devout Dead Head and collect most everything related to the Dead. I've been following the dead since Terrapin Station was released. My first live tape exposure was to part of the 4/11/78 show. I often contemplate the box purchases for a few days (and then end up buying them anyway). This box is a no brainer. I almost didn't even need to read the setlists because I could start to hear the songs from memory just by seeing the dates. Needless to say, I have to have this box. These shows are jems, My one complaint is Jems should be boxed as such. The artwork to this set is a deterrent. I have been collecting rock and jazz show posters for 40 plus years; initially because of the way they tended to capture the essence of the music. I'm sorry Mr. Brannon, but this artwork is not a match to the music of this era for me. It reminds me of the doodles I used to do on my junior high notebooks. Other than that, what a nice collection of shows!
Jems and Box Art
Hey DS BGE, I notice the source for some GD shows on the archive are tagged as "SBD.GEMS". Is this the same as "Jems", and can someone explain to us in the great unwashed, what that means?
Also, like GD eras, cover art is a matter of taste. Annual box set releases usually far surpass the first glimpse provided with their announcement – the real deal is expanded in unexpected directions with many surprises. After checking out the FOTRDs poster (which is pretty cool), I can't wait to see the actual box. (BTW: I thought the cover on Dave's 51 is . . . well. . . kinda basic, with no fully developed box coming to the rescue. The music inside is already more than making up for the visuals.)
Jems and Gems
Jeff,
My apologies. Had just gotten out of bed and my spelling was off, Jems should have been gems. SBD is soundboard. (I collect SBD, not fond of AUD, just my sound preference). I have a Utica '73 show that is a SBD. GEMS. I sourced that from online and believe GEMS is: Graphic Environment for Mulitmedia Storage.
I own 18 or so of the box sets, suffice it to say that beyond that, I have an expansive collection. I take the GD seriously. I also collect posters and prefer the Kelly/Mouse, Rick Griffin aesthetic. Of the boxes I own, I wasn't thrilled with the MSG "In Out of the Garden" artistic design either, but I did find it whimsical. I'm not arguing the quality of music or content. Simply my artistic preference.
'78 was "my coming of age and Dead enlightenment period," so I have to have this box. Art is subjective, no doubt. Given the size of my collection (and home) and the fact that I literally budget for Dead music each year, at some point I'll have to stop. I imagine that will be driven by the timeframe of the specific box release and/or the value of the package to me based on appearance and the storage space it consumes.
Just finished listening to DP 51 a second (enjoyable) time. The cover of it, as a tribute to the Office's, Michael Scott (and Scranton) (right down to the dead song related desk tchotchkes), coupled with the music itself, put a smile on my face.
now that we have reached beyond #50
I am often asked what I'm going to do with all these Grateful Dead Cd's, lp's, downloaded SBD's and burnt shows from the internet including 2 digital storage bays full of complete shows. I really don't have any offspring to leave them to and I'm the only one besides my better half that even listens to the Dead in my family. I know, it's not the kinda thing that one thinks about while on that quest to be a "Dark Star completest", but as life happens and uncertainties occur sometimes, I wonder about that and if, if something was to happen, who would benefit and appreciate this 45-year obsession. Causes one to pause and contemplate.
Surgery on Thursday, 5-hour procedure, 7 - 10-day hospital stay, 6-to-12-week recovery time.
We will get by, we will survive.
Box set design
The most important thing for me is how the cds are packed. Can I get them out without risk of scratching them, or do I need to remove them from the box after the first listen and house them in separate plastic or paper holders. That's the question.
I don't know what will happen to all my stuff when I slip this mortal coil. End up in a charity shop or a skip, I suppose. Won't bother me, where I'm going!
Box set design. Same Issue!
I have a massive music collection and am not a young guy. Was on the phone with someone 2 years ago buying a certain poster for my collection. The seller had a warehouse full of posters and had just found out he had cancer and we were talking about the same thing. Neither one of our kids could care less about what we've amassed.
I liked his response to me. " We're Deadheads. Enjoy your collection. Look at it, listen to it, love it. When were gone, maybe someone tunes into it. If not, it becomes one with the earth, just like us. who could ask for more? Man, just enjoy it today."
That works for me.
we will get by
@ Pt barnum , just asking the same question for my gd collection. It took me such time, all dicks picks & nearly all dave's, 2 years unsubsribing. The best serie starts from dicks 28 to 36, for me.
Cheers pt barnum, life day to day is not easy, but nothing can match life itself...
My music collection....
....told my son and my wife some of what I own is worth some $$$.
Ask high. People will pay.
Shit PT!
5 hours, No Bueno!
We’ll be thinking good thoughts Thursday!
We’re are everywhere, and we’re with ya!
Yeah, think same thing about all this crap, especially when I get stuff I won’t listen to…same with all this gear? Ah well, like BGE’s buddy says (and Brent ; )
“Ah, what the hell” enjoy it for its intrinsic value, not it’s extrinsic.
Hmmm, sounds like someone, or maybe REX, should set up a “donate your awesome collection for charity” division. You leave your precious to the org, they have specialist who knows how to get good price, efficiently, and the proceeds get paid forward to do some good! I think that’d be cool, and I bet the boys would dig their art/life’s work continuing to go Furthur too!
Oroborus/Charity
Oroborus, I think that's a fantastic idea about donating records, cds, and posters to charity. I have tons of records,,CDs and old posters that would bring a lot and it would be nice to have someone who could get the most value for them so it could go to charity.
They should have a slot open…
They should have a slot open in this box for the William and Mary show to be placed in.
All the best PT Barum
I'm usually apprehensive about surgeries, but am always reassured by the professionalism of the medical team, amazing 21st century technology, pain meds, nubile nurses, etc. Hospital food even seems to have gotten better. All the best on Thursday. As you can tell, everyone here's pulling for you! Onward.
Thanks DS BGE
Thanks for the deciphering the "GEMS" acronym for me. I always wondered what that meant. According to wikipedia, it's "a graphical programming language for real-time audio processing." Hmmm. . . seems to work pretty well in the hands of Miller, Tobin, Waddell, et al. Still a sorta mystery to me, but not as much now. Thanks!, "Geff"
Godspeed PT....
....tis but a fleshwound.
Vampire Weekend is a really interesting cool sounding band.
I'm going in.
Anniversary show 8/4/79 Oakland Auditorium/ P.T. Barnum
45 years ago I was up at the Oakland Auditorium for the first time (but certainly not the last ) for a rocking evening with the Good old Grateful Dead. What a blast! The first time Garcia played his Tiger Guitar, the first time the Dead played Althea, Lost Sailor/Saint of Circumstance. The good old days. P.T. Barnum, good luck on your surgery, I'm sure you will be fine. I've had a few, next thing you know you wake up and its all over, just seems like seconds.
Miscellaneous
Vampire Weekend - one of my kids is a fan, he saw them play about a month ago, with Mike Gordon’s band opening, who he said were pretty good. We try to introduce “our” music to one another, but honestly, VW was a swing and a miss for me. Meh.
Oro - Fantastic idea about donating collections to charity. My kids show little interest in inheriting my modest collection, including music books, etc, so why not get it out to a true fan. I don’t want my 30 Trips box to just end up with someone “mildly interested”, for example. Collections are mana for the devoted.
PT - I wish you the best on Thursday. Operations can be reason for apprehension, but they are also THE best sleep you’ll ever have. As they say in Gaelic, “ Sláinte!!!” (Good health)
Artwork - I think the artwork on the new box pretty neat, almost in the style of Jean Basquiat, and a nice change from the overuse of the regular cartoon skeletons of previous boxes. I still think the Pacific NW Box was the gold standard for graphics and art, pretty hard to beat. But it’s not about the outside, always about what’s inside that matters.
PT Barnum
My thoughts are with you.
Getting old sux. However, I believe that medicine in general is way better than even 20 years ago. Generally docs know how to control pain and give proper time to rehab. I know as I was just moments away from death just a few years back. I believe that it took over 50 doctors to think about all systems to figure out game plan to save my life. I too am putting off surgeries, which is never good. Sending positive thoughts your way for a speedy recovery.
My brother had to have major back surgery a few years back. Took surgeon 12+ hours to finish. My brother was in a horrible car accident in 1981. As a result, a cyst grew and attached itself to the spine. The doctor had to delicately cut the cyst out without leaving him paralyzed. When I met with him afterwards you could see how swollen his hands were. He was in his early 30's. The reason it took so long is, he had to take breaks to rest his hands and to eat. I told him, "I know you are ready for more advanced robotic surgery." He responded yes.
So I am with you this week and all the way through rehab. Get well out brother!
G
Getting better
No question medicine is getting better all the time. During the covid lockdown I had 4 surgeries including back surgery. 20 years ago they wouldn’t do it. Now a great success. From almost not walking to walking into work every day. Very nice
Medicine getting better
I'd agree with that. After a very minor operation last year, on coming out of the anaesthetic, I was asked if I was in any pain. Nope. He then asked if I would like some morphine, in case I experienced pain over the next hour or so. I said....go on then. When I was discharged later the same day, they asked me if I would like to have a bottle of morphine to take home with me. Very considerate. Not like in the 60's, when they just gave you a biscuit - if you were lucky.
Glad to hear…
folks positive thoughts on Docs etc.
Been fortunate to mostly stay away from those bastards lol.
But, things change lol
Few I have had, have been good, especially the first surgeon.
Have some outpatient surgery end of month, supposedly this Doc is “da man”!
Does Dante so only 10-14 days recovery, versus 4-6 weeks old school via sliced and diced, and it’s (hopefully) outpatient! They used Dante on TOO, and she only had to stay overnight, with dramatically different recovery, for a hysterectomy! Amazing!
About the gas: when your just coming round again, and they come check on you, and if it’s a busy place they’ll want to nudge you along. Professionally and politely, but…so when I had my last colonoscopy and the nurse comes and asks how I’m doing, I give her this shit eating grin and tell her I haven’t felt this good in forty years lol Then, when they know your all good and try to get you going, I asked her if I could just please sit a few more minutes and “enjoy the ride” lol
Poor girl didn’t know WTF to do with me lol Man that propofol is good sheet!
So see PT, yinYang like most things ; ) Hopefully your docs are as “caring” as Daverocks ; ) !!!
Anesthesia
Well known fact that us "druggies" pop up faster after being put under. We just have more experience. I have surprised a couple of post-op nurses that way. "Oh! You're up already?"
Cheers
Talking about disposing of collections
I have the following, I could do with raising a bit of money and i don't listen to them anymore:
Europe 72 trunk £600
Winterland 73 box with bonus disc £100
Winterland 77 box with bonus disc £100
St Louis box £100
Warlocks box £40
postage at cost anywhere in the world at your own risk.
Send me a PM 🙂