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    Dave's Picks Vol. 51: Scranton Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, PA (4/13/71)

    Look out Big Boss Man, Pigpen's on the loose! We're shedding our lovelight on the not-to-be-overlooked Spring 1971 tour with DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 51, featuring the complete unreleased show from the SCRANTON CATHOLIC YOUTH CENTER, SCRANTON, PA 4/13/71 AND the 2nd set from the previous night at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA on 4/12/71.

    These gems find the original Grateful Dead quintet delivering some of their most inspired, energetic, and tightest performances. There's a dab of WORKINGMAN'S DEAD, a splash of AMERICAN BEAUTY, a great foreshadow into what would soon appear on SKULL & ROSES. And you'll need nearly all those fingers (or those toes) because - count 'em - there's eight classic covers ("Mama Tried," "Hard To Handle," and a rare "I Second That Emotion," to name a few) done as only the Dead could do them with Mr. McKernan and his magical harmonica.

    Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 51: SCRANTON CATHOLIC YOUTH CENTER, SCRANTON, PA 4/13/71 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering.

    P.S. We had a little extra room on Disc 2, so please enjoy the final five DP48 bonus tracks to complete 10/24/70, St. Louis, MO.

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  • dmcvt
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    still waiting

    Funny that 51 arrived at my Maryland friends last Saturday while tracking still can't determine exactly where the one headed to me might be, perhaps somewhere in Connecticut on its way to Vermont, eventually. Dead.net gets bonus point for getting Dave's to Europe so fast, but hey now, deliveries in the US of A a week or more apart?

  • Danehead
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    The King..

    Hi Gary - thank you for the story of seeing Elvis - was that shows in Florida on the spring tour ? The cd - is that; "from Georgia to Florida" ? Yes - the downhill slide started in mid 75.. 2 sad years left, but his final recordings at Graceland are very moving.. BW from Copenhagen

  • frankparry
    Joined:
    Thanks

    Thanks 1st Show!

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Salutations all

    And especially to the biff day boys!

    Good luck to Mr Frank!

    Greetings to the north!
    Bet DL and company are working extra this year as you would suppose that they’d be doing something special for the big six o next year. Since they always work on things well in advance, you would think “whatever” would be in process?
    Be nice if they did another Boxilla, OR!!! A mega box, featuring several mini boxes of different key tours that you could purchase complete at a substantial discount, or just pick the ones of personal interest Ala carte at a premium…?
    So between “that”, this years box getting finished up, the next Dave’s, and he’s prolly already onto the next couple, so well, yeah, Dammint Dave, quit smoking whatever that weird alien shit the squatch keeps lighting and get back to work!!
    Got to get down, to the miiiiinnnnneeeee!

  • proudfoot
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    FWIW

    My introduction to Elvis was back in the mid 70s as a kid. There was a frequent TV commercial for Elvis' greatest hits for mail order.

    They would play snippets of various tunes as a crawl displayed the tracklisting.

    This was before he passed

    Maybe I can find it on u toob

  • Gary Farseer
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    DANEHEAD

    I was the one that posted about seeing Elvis in 1975. Actually 2 shows out of the 5 he played. I made the comment that "fat Elvis was good Elvis." I have since had a change of heart. Why? Because I read a local newspaper article about Elvis' 5 show 1976 run, where the reporter reported he was overweight, sloppy, and at times a bit incoherent. That made me realize that he did not become fat Elvis until the period between the May 1975 and May 1976. Best I can understand is that there must have been a major increase in all types of substances prescribed by the good doctor. I guess closer to Dr. Propofol with the King of Pop. In 1975, he was much closer to Vegas Elvis. He was still relatively thin and he still commanded the stage and was very active. Kissing a whole bunch of ladies. If he had been close enough I would allowed him to kiss my forehead. Just kidding, maybe the big ring on my right hand ala the pope. Again, just kidding. Both shows were upper deck. It was an incredible couple of concerts to see. In 1977, he sold out another 5 shows but passed away. I heard that people that did not return their tickets made a killing off of them decades later.

    I have since then found a recording from this 1975 run of shows on cd. He, of course, did primarily have the same set lists. He also mixed things up a bit. Moving a few songs in and out of each show. I also found a killer picture and a ticket to one of the 1975 shows. Not sure they match up with the shows I say. That is the great thing about some mothers (and fathers), they never value anything of their children. My mom threw away the Elvis tickets a couple of years afterward. Needless to say...well I won't continue down that thought. I was fortunate to find the ticket and picture when an estate in Nashville Tn was being sold off. I think you can probably find the recording on Ebay.

    Got a lot of past posts to read. Have had crappy internet the last few days. Trying to find out about the gremlins.

    See there are a lot of Elvis comments to read, more later.

    Really enjoyed 51. Also saw many shows I consider better GD. I listed to the Attics 7 or 8 times. It is just so good. Attics was the last song I heard them play. First song (First Set Opener) was Playing in the band. So nice sandwich Playing/Attics. Not bad at all, and no real fat Jerry.

    Edit: I also heard that a bunch of people made good money off of their 1977 Skynyrd tickets which sold out before plane crash. That would have been my only true Skynyrd concert.

    Edit 2: Thanks Danehead, I ordered the box!

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    Dave's probably partying with Sasquatch

    Ol' Squatch moves quickly around the NW and B.C.

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    Frank

    Hope it all goes well. I had the full knee 12 years ago and it was worth it. Those first few weeks are tough but by 3-6 months you'll feel like you again, but even better. Best of luck.
    Thanks to all for the birthday greetings! Definitely will be playing Dead today. And 51 will be here later this afternoon as well.
    Cheers

  • That Mike
    Joined:
    Old & In The Grey

    Happy Happy to 1st Show & TN John, and welcome to the 67 Club, 1st Show.
    I had to settle for the “economy” Neil Young box, because it comes as the same time as Dylan’s box, so it’s about the economy, stupid. In fact, I’ve been buying Dave’s al a carte for a while, and #51 got a pass from me, too. I’m glad people are obviously enjoying it, but it just didn’t thrill me to get more 1971, when so many eras of the Dead seem untapped or overlooked. Only so much discretionary spending to go around.
    Hopefully Dave has some Box news soon. One of my kids lives in Dave’s area, and he and his wife and friends do a lot of camping out in the BC Wilds, so I told him if he ever sees a strange man in Dead gear speaking into a camera sea-side, or by a moving river, to tell him to put down the fishing rod, and get back to work.

  • frankparry
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    51 arrived in Nottingham

    It’s here in record time! Just as well as I’m having a full knee replacement on Friday and was worried I’d miss the delivery. Anyway, this’ll smooth the waiting.

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Dave's Picks Vol. 51: Scranton Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, PA (4/13/71)

Look out Big Boss Man, Pigpen's on the loose! We're shedding our lovelight on the not-to-be-overlooked Spring 1971 tour with DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 51, featuring the complete unreleased show from the SCRANTON CATHOLIC YOUTH CENTER, SCRANTON, PA 4/13/71 AND the 2nd set from the previous night at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA on 4/12/71.

These gems find the original Grateful Dead quintet delivering some of their most inspired, energetic, and tightest performances. There's a dab of WORKINGMAN'S DEAD, a splash of AMERICAN BEAUTY, a great foreshadow into what would soon appear on SKULL & ROSES. And you'll need nearly all those fingers (or those toes) because - count 'em - there's eight classic covers ("Mama Tried," "Hard To Handle," and a rare "I Second That Emotion," to name a few) done as only the Dead could do them with Mr. McKernan and his magical harmonica.

Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 51: SCRANTON CATHOLIC YOUTH CENTER, SCRANTON, PA 4/13/71 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering.

P.S. We had a little extra room on Disc 2, so please enjoy the final five DP48 bonus tracks to complete 10/24/70, St. Louis, MO.

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A delayed first listen because I was holding off for yesterdays car ride down to Deer Creek for this weekend's Phish shows. With the first set, the drive was straight toward a massive thunderhead that just sat there on the horizon getting bigger and bigger. And when I got into the second set Drums, somewhere near a place called Angola, things started to get really dark..... caught some ripping lightning bolts tear down from the sky. Was an absolute thrilling match to the garage-rock style energy of the show.

Is there a Big Railroad Blues that rocks harder than that? And how about Phil?!? He's absolutely on fire here. Effortlessly playing both the pocket and the leads.

I'll have to go back an listen to the Pittsburgh material as it was sort of a let down following up after Scranton.

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In reply to by FiveBranch

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1STShow - I went to nearly all the March and October shows at the Rainbow. It was an elaborate old cinema which played host to loads of great bands, including a great run of shows from Dire Straits. I lived in Highbury at the time, just a short walk away. Next time I saw Grateful Dead was in Paris 1990 when a group of people loosely associated with the fanzine Spiral Light hired a coach over. And then the final ever UK shows at Wembley. Fun times.

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In reply to by frankparry

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Time for a Bruce release.

Yeah, my DaP51 still has that new plastic smell.

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Just got to the liner notes. Pretty cool story about the Kiel Opera House show and the recording.

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In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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Too funny.

Thanks for the smile.

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Let the guessing games begin.
Maybe somewhere in the 88-91 era?
But it could be anywhere. Dave has tricks up his sleeve and cards he isn't showing, lol. It's all welcome if he thinks it is worthy.
Cheers

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Check email and IM.

All requested items put up.

Let me Know if gotten.

Dennis

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Let me say this: The King was a pretty big influence on Weir's vocal style, if ya ask me. Cue up just about any version of Around and Around and you'll see what I mean.

Last five!

McCoy Tyner: Sahara
TTB: Let Me Get By
Dap #51
Lee Morgan: Cornbread
Dylan: 11/19/75 (from the Rolling thunder box)

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I don't recognize any Elvis influence in "Not fade awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

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One more: think of the way Elvis would sing Looks Like Rain. And then think of how Weir does sing it. And maybe imagine Bobby handing out scarves to women in the front rows.

Too bad Elvis didn't do a Dead tribute album. Maybe if he'd lived longer. He could've crushed Big River, Love Light, Fire on the Mountain. Would've been fun to hear him try The Other One.

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was a song that I thought Bobby would like to cover.

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Phil Lesh

They shared a few covers - Johnny B. Goode, Promised Land and See See Rider come to mind. Also Hey Jude. Hard to decide which of them did the worse version of that one!

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Dont forget; Garcia did "Thats all right, mama" and "Mystery train" - with his solo-bands - the "King" and the Dead also shared Madison Square Garden - Elvis did a live album there in 1972 - one of (if not the..) the first full, uncut shows to make it to vinyl - back in the day..

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A drummer! Still blows my mind that Ronnie Tutt was the drummer for 2 guys in the mid-70s, Elvis and Jerry. He was a tasteful, masterful drummer. Jerry treated him pretty shabbily on his firing, not letting him know, which was compounded by Elvis's death months before, but they made pretty awesome music together.

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sang with Elvis and the Dead. Elvis and the Dead both played at the Cow Palace(probably a lo of other places too).

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yeah man, got em, thanks a bunch, just so...awesome.

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Future Dave's Picks...? If they have the reels?
03/17/67- Winterland Arena - San Francisco, CA
03/18/67- Winterland Arena - San Francisco, CA
03/19/67- Fillmore Auditorium - San Francisco, CA
Would make a grooovy cover too!?

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This sampler cd from the Archives Vol III ( and a pin) arrived in the UK less than 8 days from the first mention that it was on the way. Well done Greedy Hands and DHL.
Even more unusually, both the NYA and Rhino sites said that these items would only be sent out in advance to customers in the US, overseas customers would get them with the box. I hope that dead.net continues to use DHL for their deliveries.

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9/26/81

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In reply to by daverock

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Got to remember he didnt like hippies or "drugs." He got some DEA token/badge from Nixon. He didnt have problems with the Dr prescribing his drugs but hated that others didnt take the same path.

I love him and his music, but the person, uuhmmm.

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He could sing.

End of story.

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In reply to by PT Barnum

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Great documentary with Donna Jean in it.

Great stories.

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Got 51 today - fine slice of the "5-man-bar-room-Dead-band" 1971 - keep 71 comming.. Elvis recorded "Big Boss Man" in September 67, and did it (a lot..) live in 1974 and a little in 75/76/77.. BW from Copenhagen

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Didn't see any good versions of Steve Vance’s cover art for Dave's 51 online. I was about to scan mine that had just arrived, when Copperdomebodhi came to the rescue. He made three versions: 1) Scranton, PA 4/13/71 (art from the CD cover & booklet); 2) Pittsburg, PA 4/12/71 (set 2); 3) St. Louis, MO 10/24/70 (the 5 final tracks that complete Dave’s 48). Plus I snagged the gif from one of the deadnet newsletters. You'll have to scroll down:

"3 w dot"
dropbox "dot" com/sh/qx5j9ydoc7bzm8z/AAD8yK_vCv_kQ-oLkLJQVCEla?dl=0

Enjoy, pass ‘em around, and let the music play (LOUD!)

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Is this true? I would love more 1981 releases. Great energy.

I just ordered the MSG box. Arriving this week. Looking forward to some good early '80's...

THIN

I would assume everything is speculation or hope right now...

Thank you Jeff I got the email from D box, I did make my own cover art this time though with a photo I took for the first time, it came out pretty good.

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Thin.. you dont think it is 9/26/91..

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Who put this out there and even showed a script type picture shot of this being the 2024 Box Set?!? IT was on the picture of the script actually showing it as an store.dead.net blah blah....obviously someone found this behind the IT wall or something???
WHY the f is this not the box set this year??? I mean I get it that those April 1978 shows are popular, even gimmicky(Jerry at Duke), and OF COURSE Betty Boards....but lets be honest: the setlist are VERY repetitive, Jerry sounds out of tune in most of the shows, and a bit...ummm, tired, Keith sounds like he is simply plunking notes on a 1978 Sears electric piano(he sure doesn't sound like late-1971 when he joined, and Donna is simply high-pitched screaming on a lot of tunes.
BOTTOM LINE - How was the above title showing up as a dead.net exclusive on that javascript pic shot, and now it's not the 2024 BOX SET- maybe later this year?!?!?!

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MSG box is way better than most that do not have it realize. Sure the sound is different from a Betty Board as it is on cassette. But, it does have a great stereo image. That image, in my own opinion, does have the line arrays embedded in it. To date, I havent even run the MSG box thru the equalizer, but I am going to. Just thought of that now.

My home town arena is 50% the size of MSG. And I mean 50%, as the local arena was built with MSG's blue prints; only, dimensions are 50% smaller. When listening to great sounding groups, say like Yes, we always sat in the upper deck directly in the middle (straight on shot of the stage.) This allowed us to have great stereo sound out of an old concrete arena.

The playing within the box is superb.

G

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It's easy to make a script, put it up on a monitor and make a screenshot of it. That doesn't make it genuine. Various punters searched for the script but none found it. The conclusion was that it was a fake, but some people obviously believed it.

Conclusion: Never trust a Prankster.

Archiving 7 18 89
First set nice
Will do 2nd later

"Ain't noways tired" Jerry ain't tired during US Blues 4 12 78
Jumpin' Jer Flash

I know it's 2024. But hearing 7 18 89 makes me yearn ("I yearn, George") for being AT a GD show. 35 years gone.

Whoever did the shorelines beckon prank needs to be...

Remember, it's shoreLIGHTS, not shorelines. The prankster let loose a tell.

A few hours of work and then back to Alpine

One more: the cover art for the sleeve of the 5/4/77 is totally off the mark for the glorious GD on the disc. I really dislike the tagger image (taggers deserve to have their fingers broken). Opportunity to create my own cover art, I say.

Oh boy, “that would be something”
Fine show from another great under represented year!
Yep, need to hit that MSG box again soon…

Baked Alaska: as much as I’d enjoy that fantasy box, I’d much rather have this April 78. The Alaska shows are good, but I think I recall only one being exceptional? And I’m unfamiliar with the 70 shows, but even IF they were on primo recordings, would that be enough to justify using up a coveted “once a year only” box slot?
But hey, sorry your not happy this go round. Maybe it will be a late addition, perhaps just in time for the holidaze? Remember when they used to market for the holidaze? And maybe sometime you’ll get shown the light and find a new found affinity for April 78? Whatevs…it’s all good!

The Golden Road (to Unlimited Devotion.)

I Second that Emotion.

Not Fade Away.

The Call of two songs and the response of one.

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In reply to by Gary Farseer

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....play a Dicks tonight.
I picked out #30. Bo Diddly y'all!

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In reply to by Vguy72

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had to be towed to mechanic. (Of course towed is an out dated word)

After car was loaded, the drive said "Thank You Big Boss Man."

Nice.

It is amazing how 99% of the people react when meeting them, you treat them with kindness.

Of course, you have to learn how to watch and scope manipulators.

He was genuinely kind also.

That is all.

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In reply to by Vguy72

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Did Dick's 30 a couple of weekends back. Just love the Bo Diddly.

Cant remember which song he has a minor discussion about you got to "Eat it, eat all of it." If memory is correct.

Has to be a reference to we ate the acid, especially at that Hell's Angel benefit. Haha benefit, right.

This is a very good Pick, one of my favorites. Very raw era, with just guitars and drums and vocals. Sometimes the recording goes into the red (surprised it doesn't happen more often, honestly), but a wonderful delight for Phil plans, of which I am a huge one. You get to clearly hear some of his unorthodox choices, Me & Bobby McGee is especially revelatory; with no keys, Phil has to be more of a rhythmic anchor, and he adapts to it well. I get why Doc loves this era so much. Very potent. Not a huge fan of Sugar Magnolia, but was digging the ones on here quite a bit.

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I've listened to this release 3 times. Each time when it gets to Big Boss Man I think "Is that Jim Morrison singing?" Anyone else get that sense?

I think the fake out has to do with Pig sounding a little extra soulful / sexy on this tune. Plus the vocals are pushed forward, yet a good warm vocal mix.

All said, really digging this release. good energy, good vibes!

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LATVALA

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Too early to talk about 53?

2/21, 22/73 Assembly Hall perfect four disc Dave's Pick.

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https://store.dead.net/en/grateful-dead/special-collections/daves-picks/daves-picks-vol.-51-scranton-catholic-youth-center-scranton-pa-41371/081227817480.html