Spring 1990, Volume One Box

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August 8, 2012 - 10:43am

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jq171(document).ready(function (jq171) { jq171("h2.product_title").each(function(){ var title = jq171(this); var new_title = title.text().replace(' - SOLD OUT', ''); title.text(new_title); }); var covertArtDownloadMarkup = 'Looking for the digital cover art? You can download it here.'; setTimeout(function() { jq171('#digital_cart').append(covertArtDownloadMarkup); }, 500); });
What's Inside:
• 60 page hardcover Smyth-Sewn book featuring essays by Dennis McNally, David Lemieux, and Blair Jackson and photos by Jim Anderson & Mike Laurentis
• 25th Anniversary Tour Program
• Official Band Letters
• 6 Ticket Stubs
• 6 Cloth Sticker Backstage Passes
• 1 Tour Laminate
• Official 1990 Band publicity shot
• 6 complete shows on 18 discs
      • 3/16/90 Capital Center, Landover, MD
      • 3/19/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
      • 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada
      • 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
      • 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
      • 4/2/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Box Dimensions: 12-1/8" x 3-1/8" x 12-1/8"
Recorded and Mixed Live by John Cutler
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD
Original art by Wes Lang
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

Introducing The Next Box: Spring 1990!

And now for something a little different. This year's box set - Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 - offers six complete shows from the epic spring '90 tour, one concert from each city the band played, personally selected by Dead vaultmeister and archival release producer David Lemieux. The sizzling six are: 3/16/90 Capital Centre (Landover , MD), 3/19/90 Hartford Civic Center, 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum (Hamilton, Ontario), 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena (Albany, NY), 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) and 4/2/90 The Omni (Atlanta, GA).

In his "Producer's Note" in the beautiful book that is part of the box, Lemieux, who attended the first 10 shows on the tour, states, "To my ears this was the last tour that was consistently great, where every show is excellent, not a dud in the bunch." And Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's comprehensive and informative insider's essay in the box is titled "The Last Great Dead Tour." These guys know what they're talking about.

Basically, the band had been on an upward trajectory since Garcia's return to the road in the spring of '87, following his near-death the previous summer. Of course, 1987 was a trip in itself, what with the unexpected mega-success of In the Dark and their first hit single, "Touch of Grey." But the momentum just kept building with each subsequent tour, as Garcia got back up to full speed (and then some!) and the group as a whole was as unified as they had ever been since Brent joined the band in the spring of '79. New original tunes were popping up and the old favorites were imbued with a freshness and spirit that was so uplifting and inspiring. The band was having fun again, and it was downright infectious.

The group's fall 1989 shows-as documented two years ago on the Formerly the Warlocks box (two shows from Hampton, VA, 10/8-9/89) and on the 2001 release Nightfall of Diamonds (a single night in NJ, 10/16/89)- kicked the energy level up another couple of notches, as the band reintroduced such loved classics as "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!," "Attics of My Life," "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and "Dark Star."

And when the band hit the road in mid-March 1990, they had a bunch of other cool tunes to lay on their unsuspecting crowds, including the return of "Loose Lucy" (last played in 1974; it's not on this box), Brent's "Easy to Love You" (missing since 1980), a rollicking cover of the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," The Band's "The Weight" (with all four singers taking a verse each) and a lyrically retooled "Black-Throated Wind" (absent since 1974), which elicited huge cheers every time it was played.

Over these six shows, most of the cornerstones of the Dead's repertoire from the era appear-splendid versions of "Scarlet Begonias" > "Fire on the Mountain," "China Cat Sunflower" > "I Know You Rider," "Playing in the Band," "Uncle John's Band," "Eyes of the World," "Estimated Prophet," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "The Other One," "Terrapin," "Stella Blue," "Feel Like a Stranger," "Bird Song," "Let It Grow," "China Doll," "Box of Rain," "Morning Dew"; you name it. From the fall '89 breakouts come "Help-Slip-Frank," "Attics of My Life" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy." Among the still newish tunes are "Picasso Moon," "Blow Away," "Foolish Heart," "Just a Little Light," "Victim or the Crime," "Standing on the Moon," "We Can Run" and a couple that would get their final plays from the Grateful Dead on this tour-"Built to Last" and "Believe It or Not." There are stirring renditions of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Black Muddy River," rockin' takes on "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Iko Iko" and the only version of the full "Hey Jude" the band attempted in the modern era. And the "Rhythm Devils" and "Space" jams at the heart of each second set are as noisy-beautiful-scary-funny-intense-mysterious-wild as you'd expect/hope for.

Of course, we understand that some of you may have other favorite shows from this tour you wish were included on this box. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them. But at 18 discs, this is still the second largest Grateful Dead box (after Europe '72: The Complete Recordings) that's been released, and the non-inclusion of any other shows from the tour definitely does not preclude their future release! But this seemed like a more manageable way to go, while still giving a sense of the tour's amazing depth and breadth.

Besides the discs themselves, Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 has much to offer, including: a gorgeous 60-page hardcover book containing copious color photos by Jim Anderson and Michael Laurentus, unique artwork by Brooklyn-based fine artist Wes Lang, fascinating business letters and communications related to the tour, a detailed historical essay by Dennis McNally, a Producer's Note by David Lemieux and individual show descriptions by Blair Jackson; a reproduction of the Dead's 1990 tour program (printed and sold later in '90, for the fall and Europe '90 tours); tickets and backstage passes of all six shows; a band publicity photo from 1990 by Ken Friedman; Dennis McNally's tour laminate; and reproductions of the colored 8x10 sheets GDTS sent out with hotel, food and other information for each city on the tour.

With recordings made by longtime Grateful Dead recordist and producer John Cutler, mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD, you just know it's gonna sound great-and it does!

So, that's the skinny this time 'round. This box is limited to just 9,000 numbered copies - please note, this is the only time these shows will ever be officially available on CD. There will not be an All Music Edition and single shows will not be available physically. Due to ship out August 31st, we anticipate that this extraordinary set will sell-out, so order your copy today!

If you're looking for more of a bite-sized taste of the '90s, Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It, a 2-CD set featuring a handful of favorites, will be in stores on September 18th.

-Blair Jackson

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September 5, 2012 - 6:06pm

#371

Star Dark

Joined:
September 5, 2012

Subjectivists Beware

Subjectivists beware. OK, then… Fans with even a rudimentary understanding of phrasing, articulation, etc. are painfully aware of the decline in Garcia’s playing from Fall ’89 through ‘95. As time marched on, his solos meandered (sometimes lacking any sense of direction or cohesion) more and more often. At the very end, his mind and fingers – numbed by Persian and diabetes, respectively – were rarely capable of anything beyond guitar 101. THAT SAID… As amply demonstrated by this wonderful box, Garcia still had some mojo left in Spring ’90. Just as importantly, the rest of the band was ON FIRE. While some moments signal the decline (ref. Jerry’s struggles during 3/30’s strangely overrated pre-drums segment), many others convey a palpable joy. The band was clearly enjoying itself, and their energy comes through loud and clear on these disks. Well worth the cash (if you can tolerate the shorter solos), and definitely the Last Great Tour. Very nice Job on the "extras," too! Now where’s that "Gems of ’85" box? :o)
September 5, 2012 - 5:10pm

#372

rbmunkin

Joined:
February 24, 2009

Pig and Bob fired

"Both Pigpen & Bob both came very close to be fired from the band in the late '60's due to the fact that they were not providing the proper foundation for Jerry to play off of" "Very close"? No, they WERE fired because Jerry was pissed at their laziness and that they wouldn't do as he lead them to do. It WAS Jerry's band no matter what anyone wants to think. Then the rest of the band played under a different name - Mickey and the Hartbeats. http://www.amazon.com/Heartbits-Can-Pass-Acid-Test/dp/B000I3QHM4 Some of it was recorded. See the album: Heartbits: Can You Pass the Acid Test ? But Pig and Bob refused to leave and came back into the fold.
September 5, 2012 - 5:10pm

#373

rbmunkin

Joined:
February 24, 2009

Disc arrived cracked

"anyone have the inside as to when the replacment discs will ship?" Your guess is as good as theirs!
September 5, 2012 - 3:01pm

#374

PhilBNY

Joined:
June 12, 2007

Disc arrived cracked

This is a great set.. remastering is excellent.. the only bad part I had was that there was one disc that was cracked in the box (disc 2 from Civic Center - March 19,1990) . Is there any outlook on replacing disc that arrived cracked. First it was a couple of days.. then Sept 5... anyone have the inside as to when the replacment discs will ship? Phil
September 5, 2012 - 9:25am

#375

deadegad

Joined:
February 2, 2011

Box Set Packaging ... And a Europe 1990 release!!!!

I mentioned the possibility of a Europe 1990 release because on the back of this releases black tour program there is a Europe 1990 poster. Is that a hint? Does anyone remember if during the Spring 1990 tour were there programs that had the upcoming Europe 1990 tour logo/adverting??? I was at the Frankfurt 1990 shows and would of-course love a Europe 1990 box-set.
September 5, 2012 - 6:47am

#376

katky111

Joined:
October 23, 2011

Superlative!

The combined aesthetic of music, artwork, and packaging is simply unparalled. It my sincere hope that Rhino and GD re-up their partnership for the long haul, as the merger of Lemieux & Co. on musical selection/remastering with Rhino's production flare have yielded a mastery of the craft. The shipment packaging typifies the extraordinary commitment to detail and quality found within: My order arrived in a large box that accomodated both poster tube and the music with copious plastic air pillows to buffer empty space and even wadded paper towels in the ends of the rolled poster to protect against rub on the endcaps. The sound is bright, lively, and Brent-acular! I have back-to-back 17 mile runs set for this weekend that will now pass - as with many future outings, I'm sure - with added haste as I tour from Atlanta to points north... As another suggested, 'If you're on the fence, then by all means jump!' - beg, borrow, but don't steal to make it happen...you won't regret it. Love and Peace, KAT
September 5, 2012 - 5:58am

#377

rrot

Joined:
October 3, 2009

delicious end of post (maybe not so yummy, YMMV)

the package you produced is beautiful. I know I'll want to look at at what's here again and again. In the tour program, I love the full-stage shots in the center spread -- and the huge Phil portrait and the over-the-shoulder capture of a pounding, grinning Billy K. are just great. The night-by-night photos in the hardbound book are maybe not as spectacular (you set the bar pretty high!), but still very worthy. The stage shot behind the contents list is terrific and I particularly appreciate all of the little light-show shots. Overall, just a huge improvement over anything you could have given us in an individual-show release, or in a CD-size-only format period. Well done. Keep it up! Oh, yeah, the music is mostly pretty good too ;^)
September 5, 2012 - 5:43am

#378

rrot

Joined:
October 3, 2009

Nothing here now but the recordings?In the future

Please, please, more box sets like this one! These beautiful BIG photos are a pleasure to see. They recapture (and improve upon!) some of what was lost in the transition from LP to CD packaging. The puny notes and pix in ordinary CD sets bear no comparison to what you're giving us here. When you're doing a project like this one, there's no question that it deserves the best possible presentation. If the only thing that mattered was the music, it would be clear: Anyone could have heard these shows, all of them, and more, dozens of times via archive, torrent, or tree, and in pretty damn good sound quality, too. And so too with whatever you're planning to release next. It's pretty much ALL out there somewhere, whatever we want to hear, for free, now. But when you release something, you're inevitably making a mark -- putting down a sign and saying hey, maybe THIS is worthy of some *special* attention. I think in the case of this particular run, you were right to try to make that point. And I think the package you produced is beautiful
September 5, 2012 - 2:52am

#379

SPACEBROTHER

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Holy Crap - The Weight!!!

Even though I attended the Omni run in 1990, and tend to be partial to late era Brent, the first set from 4/2/90 is some of the greatest music the Grateful Dead ever performed, right up there with the best of FW '69, E72, May '77, 8/27/72, ect ect ect... The version of the Weight from 4/2/90 alone is worth the price of the box set, and some. Priceless. They could do no wrong at this show. Jerry is clearly inspired and taking the full initiative on this night, just like a well seasoned pro! Just exactly perfect indeed!
September 4, 2012 - 10:43pm

#380

outpost

Joined:
June 11, 2007

Box Set Packaging ...

I look forward to every vault release, but on the subject of packaging, I'm now a firm believer of less is more. My Europe '72 Box sits on a shelf, and never gets opened. The music is ripped to iTunes. My favourite boxes are the Golden Road and Beyond Description, along with the Vault Box. Nice and simple, with class.Anyways, someone mentioned a Europe 1990 Set - that would be cool (for me a least)

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

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What's Inside:
• 60 page hardcover Smyth-Sewn book featuring essays by Dennis McNally, David Lemieux, and Blair Jackson and photos by Jim Anderson & Mike Laurentis
• 25th Anniversary Tour Program
• Official Band Letters
• 6 Ticket Stubs
• 6 Cloth Sticker Backstage Passes
• 1 Tour Laminate
• Official 1990 Band publicity shot
• 6 complete shows on 18 discs
      • 3/16/90 Capital Center, Landover, MD
      • 3/19/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
      • 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada
      • 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
      • 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
      • 4/2/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Box Dimensions: 12-1/8" x 3-1/8" x 12-1/8"
Recorded and Mixed Live by John Cutler
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD
Original art by Wes Lang
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000

Introducing The Next Box: Spring 1990!

And now for something a little different. This year's box set - Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 - offers six complete shows from the epic spring '90 tour, one concert from each city the band played, personally selected by Dead vaultmeister and archival release producer David Lemieux. The sizzling six are: 3/16/90 Capital Centre (Landover , MD), 3/19/90 Hartford Civic Center, 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum (Hamilton, Ontario), 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena (Albany, NY), 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) and 4/2/90 The Omni (Atlanta, GA).

In his "Producer's Note" in the beautiful book that is part of the box, Lemieux, who attended the first 10 shows on the tour, states, "To my ears this was the last tour that was consistently great, where every show is excellent, not a dud in the bunch." And Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's comprehensive and informative insider's essay in the box is titled "The Last Great Dead Tour." These guys know what they're talking about.

Basically, the band had been on an upward trajectory since Garcia's return to the road in the spring of '87, following his near-death the previous summer. Of course, 1987 was a trip in itself, what with the unexpected mega-success of In the Dark and their first hit single, "Touch of Grey." But the momentum just kept building with each subsequent tour, as Garcia got back up to full speed (and then some!) and the group as a whole was as unified as they had ever been since Brent joined the band in the spring of '79. New original tunes were popping up and the old favorites were imbued with a freshness and spirit that was so uplifting and inspiring. The band was having fun again, and it was downright infectious.

The group's fall 1989 shows-as documented two years ago on the Formerly the Warlocks box (two shows from Hampton, VA, 10/8-9/89) and on the 2001 release Nightfall of Diamonds (a single night in NJ, 10/16/89)- kicked the energy level up another couple of notches, as the band reintroduced such loved classics as "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!," "Attics of My Life," "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and "Dark Star."

And when the band hit the road in mid-March 1990, they had a bunch of other cool tunes to lay on their unsuspecting crowds, including the return of "Loose Lucy" (last played in 1974; it's not on this box), Brent's "Easy to Love You" (missing since 1980), a rollicking cover of the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," The Band's "The Weight" (with all four singers taking a verse each) and a lyrically retooled "Black-Throated Wind" (absent since 1974), which elicited huge cheers every time it was played.

Over these six shows, most of the cornerstones of the Dead's repertoire from the era appear-splendid versions of "Scarlet Begonias" > "Fire on the Mountain," "China Cat Sunflower" > "I Know You Rider," "Playing in the Band," "Uncle John's Band," "Eyes of the World," "Estimated Prophet," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "The Other One," "Terrapin," "Stella Blue," "Feel Like a Stranger," "Bird Song," "Let It Grow," "China Doll," "Box of Rain," "Morning Dew"; you name it. From the fall '89 breakouts come "Help-Slip-Frank," "Attics of My Life" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy." Among the still newish tunes are "Picasso Moon," "Blow Away," "Foolish Heart," "Just a Little Light," "Victim or the Crime," "Standing on the Moon," "We Can Run" and a couple that would get their final plays from the Grateful Dead on this tour-"Built to Last" and "Believe It or Not." There are stirring renditions of "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Black Muddy River," rockin' takes on "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Iko Iko" and the only version of the full "Hey Jude" the band attempted in the modern era. And the "Rhythm Devils" and "Space" jams at the heart of each second set are as noisy-beautiful-scary-funny-intense-mysterious-wild as you'd expect/hope for.

Of course, we understand that some of you may have other favorite shows from this tour you wish were included on this box. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them. But at 18 discs, this is still the second largest Grateful Dead box (after Europe '72: The Complete Recordings) that's been released, and the non-inclusion of any other shows from the tour definitely does not preclude their future release! But this seemed like a more manageable way to go, while still giving a sense of the tour's amazing depth and breadth.

Besides the discs themselves, Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 has much to offer, including: a gorgeous 60-page hardcover book containing copious color photos by Jim Anderson and Michael Laurentus, unique artwork by Brooklyn-based fine artist Wes Lang, fascinating business letters and communications related to the tour, a detailed historical essay by Dennis McNally, a Producer's Note by David Lemieux and individual show descriptions by Blair Jackson; a reproduction of the Dead's 1990 tour program (printed and sold later in '90, for the fall and Europe '90 tours); tickets and backstage passes of all six shows; a band publicity photo from 1990 by Ken Friedman; Dennis McNally's tour laminate; and reproductions of the colored 8x10 sheets GDTS sent out with hotel, food and other information for each city on the tour.

With recordings made by longtime Grateful Dead recordist and producer John Cutler, mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD, you just know it's gonna sound great-and it does!

So, that's the skinny this time 'round. This box is limited to just 9,000 numbered copies - please note, this is the only time these shows will ever be officially available on CD. There will not be an All Music Edition and single shows will not be available physically. Due to ship out August 31st, we anticipate that this extraordinary set will sell-out, so order your copy today!

If you're looking for more of a bite-sized taste of the '90s, Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It, a 2-CD set featuring a handful of favorites, will be in stores on September 18th.

-Blair Jackson

Good news

let's just hope the ordering process is not the nightmare that was Europe '72!

-

I learned from the '72 box, which I almost missed out on. Been hitting refresh all morning, got mine. *whew*

c'mon

No shipping option to Canada?!? C'mon - you think you'd have it together by now ...

How About Less Merch And More Shows

This Whole Tour Is Worthy Of A Box Set !! And you're putting out the 30th from Nassau!?!?! Not the 29th !?!?!?!?

fingers crossed

ordered without a hitch...hoping that it will be OK. No foul ups pleeeeeease. If you order make sure you print or save the orrder confirmation....

Also without a hitch

And order confirmation email received...

5 out of 6

Overall, a pretty nice set! I would've included BOTH Copps Coliseum shows and left out Hartford, but otherwise great choices! 2/25-7/23/90 all circulate in SBD, but 3/21 and 3/22 are the two shows most in need of an upgrade and this was the chance to hear both night's in all their glory (I know, I hear it coming, "That's not really a consideration..."), but maybe it could be once in a while, like once a year. 5 out of 6 is pretty good though!

now thats what i'm talking about.

very happy to get a run of brent shows. my only real complaint is the one 'blow away' has already been released as part of the 'dozin' at the knick' compilation. i think i'll let it slide though. big thumbs up for the killer artwork!

order confirmation in!

This is not my favorite era. I did not order the Warlocks (together with Terrapin the only official cd I do not have). But I have to have THIS and now I will, at least it looks like it. $28 for shipping is still way more than Amazon would charge, so the box better be big and clunky...

.

You guys have lost me.

Limited edition, box set. Fancy packageing, basically a $200.00 price tag, thats over $30.00 a show. I just can't seem to wrap my head around this one. I've got several of these shows in audience, soundboard and matrix versions and I almost never listen to them. The 90's were never my favorite shows even though I did go see the boys when they swung down to South Florida in that period. All this just seems like a bunch of hype to extract the maximum amount of money out of the fans. I think I'm done with GD Merchandising, Rhino Records and the whole slick corporate game you guys have been playing here the last few years. I'll keep collecting shows via trades, downloads, and kind gifts from the other like minded Deadheads out there. Ya'll have a really nice day.

I about fell out of my chair

I about fell out of my chair when I checked the site today. Thanks so much all!

Wonderful choice

I do wish they would release on vinyl. I won't buy any new stuff on CD. CDs unless it is something that I just have to have are history for me.

BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE!

I don't like this Dead era, so I won´t order it, but the package is really breath-taking! Delicate and beautiful! For those who are into 1990 Dead, enjoy it!!!

WOOOOT!

Life is Good! I miss you Jerry & Brent...

Meh...

...more stuff that I've had in fantastic quality for years. SURPRISE US !!!! You folks that don't know what etree is will enjoy it though.

Ordered it, but wow....almost half the price of '72 Europe Box

I wish Dead.net folks would respond to valid questions about why things like this are so expensive. The Europe '72 Suitcase was $450.00, but at least it has 22 full shows....this has similar contents (book, etc.), but only 6 shows...I'm sure it will be cool, but this is way overpriced! Sure, to some extent I should shut up since I was willing to order it, but still...

Good and Bad

It's awesome that this is being released! I even attended the three Omni shows, and this release marks the first official one that I was at, to come out. Sadly, the $200 price tag is currently out of my budget and seeing as it's limited to 9000 units, I'll likly miss out on it. :(

No 3-25-90?! ;)

3-25-90 was my first show and it was probably the best I saw in about the 40+ or so I managed to see before Jerry died. The Bird Song, Eyes, Crazy Fingers - the entire show was great. Hell, even Touch was perfect that night. Anyway, I've ordered this and can't wait to get it. Thanks Dave & co. for all your work. Now how about 11-30-80!

I wish I could afford it...

...but I can't and I won't.Why do they have to include all the doo-dads and the fancy packaging? Is it really in the GD spirit to make something like this so expensive, available only to those with too much disposable income? There is no way they can do this and then say, "It's all about the music." I'd like to hear these discs and if they were available individually or in a package that kept the cost down I'd consider it. But this is not my favorite Epoch (not to say overrated, but it is) and one or two of these might have represented the tour just fine, considering we already have "Without a Net" and "Dozin' at the Knick." It would have made a superior Road Trips release (in the original spirit of the series). It could be a 4 to 8 disc compilation that would include every song's best performance and tell the story of Spring 1990 just fine. But where's the profit in that, eh Dave? Too bad that just being a Head who loves the music isn't enough to get me into the exclusive club that Dave and his enablers at Rhino have built. I guess I'm just supposed to kiss their asses and thank them for letting me peek in the window. But I can't hear a thing.

I wish I could afford it...

I guess I'll just listen to "Without a Net" and dream about being worthy of Dave's and Rhino's attention.

who's steering this ship o' fools?

1990? $200? while i agree w/ Lemieux - "....the last tour that was consistently great....", with more than two decades of gems available prior to '90, this selection stymies me a bit. yes, i did the tour, yes, i have the boards...i just can't justify shelling out the cash for what is basically a pedestrian year in GD concert history. guess it's a case of different strokes. enjoy the music! peace,love, jerry.

Silver discs at $11.33 each

For good, not great, shows. I'll wait until this is offered at 20% off, since it won't sell out. I *might* be tempted then, but will probably still pass. Yawn.

doo-dads

I remember all the complaints about not enough "swag" with the Europe 72 release and now there is to many doo-dads. Give the listening party a listen. Sounds good to my ears. Keep in mind there were two previous box sets that were nine discs (ten with the bonus disc) that were released at close to $100.00.

2 cents

I tell myself everytime a new release is announced not to do it, but I can't resist commenting, even though I know I will be attacked by the Deadheads with unlimited income who are happy to fork over $$$ for anything that the Dead release. The Europe '72 box was $450, AND very expensive when you just look at that big number, but only $6.25 per disc, a very fair price when looked at like that. This release, with shipping factored in (there was no extra shipping charge for Europe 72 for US customers at least) is $11.85 per disc. That's more than $5.50 more per disc! That's insane. Is it that much more expensive to remaster these shows? Have costs gone up that much? Does Deborah Koons need a new 8-series BMW? We'll never know. I certaiinly am not making as much money as I did before the recession and, while $214 will not affect my life one way or another, I am very grateful to say, I just can't spend it on this. It seems wrong. Not to mention the fact that as I grow older I am becoming less and less interested in material possessions and all the bells and whistles added on to these releases just seems like waste. So I agree with at least one or two previous posters here re: the high price. I'll have to make do with what I have, and hope that my purchases of 30 of 36 Dick's Picks, the Fillmore West '69 box, the Europe '72 box, both Winterland boxes, and numerous other releases will be considered sufficient to pay off the debt I owe the Dead for allowing the free circulation of their music (only being a little facetious there, I am grateful that the Dead have allowed the free circulation of their music). This despite the fact that I am not a real Deadhead since I only saw 9 shows, and was born much too late to have enjoyed them in their prime. Let the attacks begin.

2 cents

sorry again

eee

oops, sorry

PEOPLE...

If you have a decent internet connection and a little time you can get all these shows for free, in soundboard quality that is 90% of what these remasters are. Stop whining about dave and rhino screwing you. Learn about torrents, download traders little helper and go to etree.org.

Sorry but I'm going to pass this one up!!

I own every release (yes inded, absolutely every one ever put out by the GD!) but I won't own this one!! A whopping $33 per show for 1990 era Grateful Dead? YAWN!! No wonder they decided to dress-up the packaging. Just like putting lip-stick on a pig! Just not good enough. I'll grab one 1/2 price on E-Bay come the end of September! Sorry GD/Rhino, I work for my money! Maybe you should too!

If you don't have anything nice to say...

This isn't Dead Flames, guys (rec.music.gdead)! To the person who complained that the one Blow Away was already released on Dozin at the Knick: Check the song lists again -- there are 2 Blow Aways. To each their own. I didn't buy the Europe '72 box, but I am buying this one (even though I already have the 25th anniversary program.) Thanks to David Lemieux & everyone else involved in getting this out.

lessons learned

Even though I STILL have not listened to all of the Euro '72 box, I'll probably pull the trigger on this one too -- I agree with David's opinion that this tour was the band's last hurrah...In the meantime, I'm glad to see that the folks responsible for these releases appear to have learned some lessons from the less-than-smooth roll out of E72: -Taking the "build it and they will come" approach rather than the "get 'em in line and we'll decide whether (and how) to serve them then"; -A normal ordering process -- if you want it, buy it; -A ton more memorabilia than was included with E72, not really my priority, but I did like the little stuff they used to include with the Pure Jerry releases and lots of people were disappointed with what little came with E72 box; -Making their intentions unmistakably clear insofar as future releases goes (no all music addition, and no single-show physical releases, implying that download releases are a distinct possibility). So, all in all, and even if this release doesn't float your boat musically, I think we should all be pleased with the way in which it was handled. Hats off to everyone involved!!!

Nice Package...well

Looks like a nice package, but it's a bit more than I can afford right now. I'll be looking forward to the "little sampler" available on 16 September. Peace

Listening party does not work on Ubuntu :-(

I would love to listen to the Listening Party, but it does not work on Ubuntu. In the past, I could listen to the Listening Parties by selecting the Microsoft format. Can anyone help?

Sorry but the hype and the

Sorry but the hype and the price and all the other silly extras just are not enough to pull the trigger on this price tag. it's a lot of dough for six shows. and then the revelation that these will NEVER be released as single shows.. it feels like extortion. enough..!!! this is where the frustration comes from and people rely on "alternate' means of obtaining recorded music. i just want value not smoke and mirrors.

Yes, "doo-dads"

I was not among those who complained about the lack of extraneous dreck in the E 72 release. But I did question the price and the needless "doo-dads" driving up the price of this latest profit-taker.If "It's all about the music" then just give us that, keep it affordable to Heads with jobs (not investment portfolios with Bain Capital) and we'll but it.

Another intimidating/overkill set that should be scaled-down

Honestly, I would rather have a two-show release from this tour, maybe Cap (16th) and Hartford (19th) in the same vein as the Formerly the Warlock release. No doubt these are all killer shows. I am so glad to see my favorite 1990 Grateful Dead show (3/16) finally getting released, however, for those of us who own the boards to most or all of these already circulating shows, 200 bucks for 6 shows is WAY too much. Even with the fancy packaging and the essays, to me its not worth it since I've already heard and can listen to the boards of these shows, even if the HDCD sounds a little more polished, I still won't drop 200 bucks. Many people who would probably buy a smaller scale set will probably be discouraged from spending that much, though I'm sure there are enough millionaire Dead-Heads to buy and sell out this set. Let's face it, most of the heads that were touring 70s and 80s are pretty wealthy by now and this seems like the target market that Dead.net is selling to. I love supporting the remastering and releasing of classic Dead shows, especially if it involves 87-91 Grateful Dead, but this is too overkill for my working-class wages.

doo-dads

I agree that the doo-dads are not really required but my point was there was enough complaining on the last box set about lack of swag that on this release the swag was overdone. They do listen and sometimes react. Be careful what you complain about. I would have preferred an all music edition with a bonus disc thrown in. Most likely the Dave's Picks will see a price increase next year also to around $30-$33 per show (release). This is just an indicator.

Suh-weet.

Hey, Nice surprise. I did not see this coming. Already placed my order. The bitching has already started. If you don't want it, simply do not order it. I'm very happy with the release and will play it all when it arrives. I have read so many comments from those bitching that we never see a 90's release. Well here it is in amazing box. I grabbed a poster too. Thanks David, looking forward to listening to GD all week. Happy Birthday Jerry, thanks to all involved in bringing another great historical archive release to us fans. All you whiners, need to move on. Coconut Phil

single shows will not be available physically

well that is not very comforting... if it is truly limited should these not be available at all as single shows??? I take it this means there WILL BE downloads avialable for purchase at what I expect may be a much lower price than $33 per show. Don't be surprised if sales don't fly off the shelves due to this... anyway I am in on this and I do think someone actually took the time to pick shows that may be less widely distributed as SBDs on torrent sites which is a step forward. This was a great tour and really Brent's last great stand... I am psyched to hear waht a remaster of a 24 track recording will sound like and to compare it to the terrapin station 3/15/90 release which is excellent. I will continue to support the band as much as I can... yes there is so much available for free but as a community let's not abuse that and support the commercial releases as much as one can. Good stuff (except for the little marketing gimic of limited "physical" release...)

I Totally Agree with msgsec74

It is the music that is the most important part of the purchases I have made or will ever make from Dead.net. I really appreciate it when I recieve good quality disks that are well packaged. The artwork is nice, but bells and whistles will drive the price up on anything. I would still buy the music if it was only released as a FLAC download. I went to all 3 nights at Nassau and I remember the show on the 30th was an FM broadcast and it just didn't have the energy or the passion of the 2 previous nights, both of which are near the top of my list of favorite show that I attended. It baffles me why the 30th as well! Just my 2cents... none the less I'm in! Kevin

Smiles, and more smiles

Thanks guys. Getting everything "just exactly perfect" before it's announced is the way to do it. I've been waiting for the Hammertown shows for a long time. I hope there are no problems.

i take it...

you take it that there will be downloads?? I wouldn't bet on it. Let history be your guide: were there downloads for the Winterland boxes? E72 shows? The Warlocks box? You are reading too much into the text that isn't there. The message very much looks to be: You Snooze, You Lose; Now Or Never. "most of the heads that were touring 70s and 80s are pretty wealthy by now" Bwahhahha hahaha haaaaaa!!! Yeah, sure they are. Millionaires, mostly.

1990 GD for $215.00?

No thank you. 1990 GD is not my preference and $220.00 for 6 shows of meh 1990 GD is not worth my dukats. Sorry, but either lower the price or do another box of pre-'85 Dead. I'll save the cash.

way off base again rhino

200.00 for six shows, didn't pay anywhere that much to see them live back then, what a ripoff. Once again, rhino shows it's ass. I won't risk the money for this, should have been 10 or 11 shows for that cash, and the best ones left out, why, why do you do this to us on Jerry's birthday? Happy birthday Jerry, I know you would have never have had any part of this crap.

Turn it up!

On this new (very stylish) interface, I can't see the names listed with the comments. I can read all the comments (for good or ill), but can't see who wrote them. So there's no confusion, this is Yoda- the Other One rocks! p.s. A big thanks to marye and the Tech Wizard for their help in fixing the glitch

Wes Lang Indian Skull

I can't decide whether the "Indian Skull" artwork honors the native Americans whose ancestors we slaughtered and whose lands we occupy by force, or whether it's more commercial exploitation of their traditions. I wonder what Wes Lang has to say about it? I wonder what opinions any native Americans out there have? Offensive? Cool? Who gives a flip? The boxed set looks awesome... But that's 2 days pay and we have kids to feed.

Wow!!!

I can't believe what a bunch of winers deadheads have become... No one is telling you that you HAVE to buy this... You don't like it? Don't buy it!

I knew the kvetching would start quickly.

i can much more easily buy a dave's picks ($32 total) When I get a new job, i will get this. i am listening to Dozin'ATN, and after many months of GD70s, 60s, and even 80s, it has a great clean sound. like i said elsewhere, even 30 years into the long, strange trip, the music still surprises. I know getting this pack will surprise me pleasantly. THANK YOU, GD ptb!

Well

I must confess to being a bit surprised by the scale of this - the second biggest box - as the follow-up to the biggest box. In that respect I can understand the dismay of some folks regarding the price. It doesn't really come as a surprise that it is again a limited edition - Rhino know pretty accurately how many they will ship quickly and probably have little interest in how many more they could sell over the next few years. It would appear to be a high-quality production regarding the box itself and the bits 'n' pieces that come with it. It would seem that they will never get this right for everybody (probably an impossible task) as some will want it as cheap as possible without any trimmings and some are happy to have loads of stocking-fillers, knowing that it will bump up the price somewhat. Regarding the price, we are getting twice as many discs and twice as many doo-dads for twice the price of the "Winterland" boxes, and a bigger physical box to boot, so there is surely no grounds for complaint there. It is hard to see exactly what the six 3-disc sleeves are - I hope for "Digipaks" as opposed to the paper sleeves of "Europe '72" which attracted so much criticism. Most box sets of this magnitude have plenty of extras added and this does put the price up. Bearing in mind the extras and the fact that there are 1/4 the number of discs as compared to "Europe '72", one can reasonably expect the price per disc to be higher. If you use the price per disc or show of the Allman Brothers' archival releases as your benchmark, you should be grinning from ear to ear every time something comes out here! Although it is in no way my favourite era of the Dead, as far as I am aware it is all top-notch stuff, probably the best of their later performances and their swansong in my opinion. I am sure many will disagree, particularly the younger listeners (absolutely no offence meant here) who grew up with the Dead in the late '80's and onwards. I was pleased to note that ordering was flawless and problem-free this time around - a big thank you to Rhino for at least trying to avoid the ordering problems that have occurred in the past. I hope they have succeeded and that everything goes smoothly in the ordering and shipping processes and that the end result is of the desired / required quality. I'm really looking forward to getting this in my greasy paws - after the customs man has studied it thoroughly and decided that the economy will be better off if I make a sizeable contribution to the treasury! Thanks in advance to everyone who has laboured to get this out to us.P.S. Canada is a different country to the US so I guess that for shipping to Canada one should choose "International" shipping like all other denizens of the rest of the world. SimonRob

Great late era choice

It's not a fit for my budget and current state of GD addiction-affliction (need some '76 and '78 about now, actually). But I would order it if I thought it would help our collective cause down the road to see this sell out. I take it this will sell out given the high reputation of the tour. I loved the Nassau shows! I am amazed at 9000 though, up near the level of the subscription series run. I would have guessed fewer.

product sku

GRA9900088