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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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  • simonrob
    Joined:
    Duke '78

    Also on Amazon Germany.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Good health to one(s) and all

    I second that emotion. Great to see you back, Mr Ones, and best wishes to you and your wife.

    Oroboros - nice review of 6/16/74 - that would have sat nicely as sleeve notes for the Road Trips release of this show. Along with 6/18/74, one of the best of the series. One of the best of any series, come to that.

  • smyler
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    Duke '78?

    Imwan is listing this show as a 3CD release from Rhino for September with links to pre-orders on Amazon for the UK and Canada (it looks like the US link has been removed).

    Possibly part of the forthcoming box set?

  • simonrob
    Joined:
    Elation and frustration

    I still haven't received my copy of #51 yet. This is the first time a Dave's Picks has shipped using DHL and it was going so well. My package was flown direct from LA to Frankfurt where it was put on another plane to Amsterdam where it arrived last Sunday. That was the quickest an order has ever reached the Netherlands. Better still, for some reason it was given directly to the Dutch postal service, avoiding both the customs and the dreaded payment of VAT and administration costs. It was all going so well. On Monday I received a message from the Post Office saying it would be delivered on Tuesday. Great! I would get it before August 1! On Tuesday morning I got another message from the PO saying "Sorry, delivery time has been updated. We are unable to deliver your package today." They also said it would now be delivered on Wednesday. Fine, that means I would still get it on July 31. Once in a while one gets such messages when its really busy at the sorting office. Today, July 31, I get the same message once again and was informed that it would now be delivered tomorrow, on August 1. It is summer holiday time so it isn't busy regarding the post. I guess all the postal workers must be on holiday or on strike. It is really frustrating to know that my Dave's Picks is sitting idly in a sorting office about 10km from my house. Hopefully it will actually be delivered tomorrow.

    On the bright side, major thanks to the Dead net Store for sending it by DHL instead of the usual slow UPS/USPS Mail Innovations. I hope they use DHL every time in the future.

    Edit: Back to elation...
    Despite this morning's message that it would be delivered tomorrow, less than two hours later, #4790 dropped through my front door. It appears that Deutsche Post stuck a new address label on top of the original US one, thereby confusing the Dutch customs into thinking it originated within the EU. Additionally, the package seems to have been immersed in water at some stage as it is very damp, almost falling apart. This has resulted in no damage whatsoever to the contents - thank you for the shrink-wrap! Also the outer package seems to have suffered quite a lot of abrasion, making the address details almost totally unreadable. Almost, but not quite, as someone at the Post Office had taken the trouble to work it out and had hand-written the street name, house number, postcode and city in ball-point on the package. Thank you PostNL, all is forgiven.

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    Good health to Mrs. Ones and everybody else

    Yo Mr. Ones, I am sorry to hear about Mrs. Ones health crisis. See: "phuqt up situation."

    Listen to 10 24 70s Attics of My Life

    Sincere wishes for a full recovery and a return to normal

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    So, I have a certain thing when it comes to....

    ....a new Hard To Handle I've never heard. The thing is, in my personal experience, it is the most flubbed song they ever performed. Finding one just exactly perfect is like catching a unicorn.
    Pigpen was this close to nailing it here though. Cred where cred is due. 🍻 🦄

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Yay!!! Mr. Ones is present and accounted for....

    ....albeit with not so great news.
    Thinking of you and your wife sir.
    And yes. Been through that.
    Chin up and play music. Soothes more than just the savage beast.
    A Cumberland just started. Yee-haw!

  • Mr. Ones
    Joined:
    …And many miles to go.

    Hey y’all. I’ve been away for quite a while. It’s been a very tough trip around the sun. I first got fed up with the hey now BS. Shortly after that found out that my wife had colorectal cancer.
    6 weeks of radiation & 2 weeks of chemo. Became a full time caregiver and stopped working for 8 weeks. Somewhere in there I got #50 with bonus disc. And just now spinning set 2 of the Scranton show. It’s difficult to describe what it’s been like (for both of us). Some of you folks have been through this and you know.
    I WILL say music has been a lifesaver, but it’s been extremely difficult to fully enjoy these last 4 1/2 months. The wife finally was able to get out of the house last Wednesday. A corner has been turned. I was so heartened by the couple of folks who mentioned me. Been back to work for 2 weeks now and life is a struggle. Maybe now I can really LISTEN to #50. I have not read any reviews of 50. I guess I should go back and read them. I’ll post when I can, but I appreciate the brotherhood (and sisterhood) around here. Don’t really care what #52 will be, I just hope to be somewhat back to normal and semi-rested by then. I guess you really CAN’T keep a good man down. Peace & love to all.

  • Oroboros
    Joined:
    51 arrived

    My first show was 6/16/74 (50 years ago?) and it was an awakening.

    We entered the Des Moines Fairground horse racetrack area with the Wall of Sound sitting in the middle of the track area. It is hard to describe how striking that 'Wall of sound" was sitting in front of us. It was simply immense.
    The Dead ambled out to tune up. There is Keith on his grand piano, Billy at his drums in the middle under this cylindrical-suspended-speaker-section, Phil in his shades, and Bobby with a flannel shirt (to ward of the cool breeze blowing in). But who is that in a red 'Mars Academy ' sweatshirt? It looks like a chubby Dustin Hoffman? No it's JERRY, he shaved off his beard! He still had massive sideburns ala the sixties.

    The Dead tuned up and began playing and off we go-"Bertha" yes!!!!!!!!! and the crystalline sound of that system. unbelievable, and Phil's bass took your breath away. And the Grateful Dead took me on a journey, of Americana, country, space, rock, jam, fable, fun, roller coaster, turn on a dime.

    My first Scarlet Begonias (which I thought it was going to be China Cat when I heard those first simmering leads), but I was then gifted with my first China Cat> I know you Rider later. Scarlet was a 'stand alone' back in those days, but was so perfect to hear that song that I would delight in hearing for decades to come. Mexicali, Row Jimmy, Around and Around and others were in that first set. Then the first break.

    Second set included a ethereal Eyes of the World that magically segued into Big River. That segue required a psychedelic whiplash collar to keep my head from spinning off the planet. Other new and old tunes. This is stupefying, I was thunderstruck with Phil's bass bombs and then a staggering Playin' in the Band to end the second set. My mouth was hanging agape, I look to my buddies, and they stared wide-eyed back at me. The Dead will be back for more? Another set? How much more can they show us?
    This was the old days and this was to be a 3 set show. I thought that I was saturated, no more wonder will fill this cranium. My buddy who had been at last year's show smiles knowingly at me and leans back with that Neal Cassady guffaw and we all break up giggling. Then yes, the Dead come out to astound us with more tales, mysteries, and celebrations,.... Set 3 Truckin' >Wharf Rat> Nobody's Fault Jam> Going Down The Road Feeling Bad and the encore was Casey Jones. Beyond belief...........

    Yes, I am constitutionally incapable of making a long story short.

    "Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself"

  • VirgoHead
    Joined:
    Arrrgh

    My 51 is seated in limbo a few hours away since Saturday afternoon. Brown doesn’t have it anymore and Blue says they didn’t get it yet. Don’t ever bother with customer service chat bots for either outfit.

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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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10 years 10 months
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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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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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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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