Spring 1990, Volume One Box

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August 8, 2012 - 10:43am

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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

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August 6, 2012 - 1:48pm

#901

SPACEBROTHER

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Interview transcript of Davd Gans, Phil Lesh and John Cutler...

""Gans: The "Dick's Picks" stuff is stereo master recordings that were made at shows on reels, or DATs, or whatever. The stuff in *this* series is from multi-track material, and it's from a much more limited collection of possibilities, obviously -- Lesh: That's right. Gans: -- but there was some stuff from 1971 that became the "Skull and Roses" record; there was a bunch of recording in 1980 of acoustic and electric material; '89 and '90 was the stuff for. . . Cutler: "Without a Net." Gans: "Without a Net," and from which you took this. Are you, every time you go for one of these, are you examining the entire body of stuff, and choosing something, or were you -- Cutler: Well, again, it depends on who the "we" is, because now Phil is hopefully coming in with a couple of choices we have to decide between, to get going and mix; Dick listens constantly to everything, he starts filtering stuff through Jeff and myself; or I, who was lucky enough to have recorded a lot of this multi-track stuff, at least since the '80s, kinda know what's there anyway, and so we go through it. We don't necessarily -- we couldn't have listened to everything from "Without a Net," that was like 50 shows I recorded for that, so there's lots of stuff there to come out. I think now, we're always faced with the fact of, if a "Dick's Picks" comes out, and there was five songs on there that are also gonna be on the Vault release, that are *also* on the video -- I mean, it gets very difficult. We try to orchestrate it so we're not putting out the same stuff at the same time, from various eras. We'd rather put out --"" the rest of the interview can be found here... http://www.well.com/conf/gdhour/gdh.logs/Lesh-Cutler.html
August 6, 2012 - 1:39pm

#902

mstaggerlee

Joined:
June 30, 2007

The NEXT next box set

OK - here's MY totally unrealistic choice for the next box set ... ALL of 5/15/70.On this day, there were Early and Late shows at the Fillmore East, each of which featured and Acoustic GD set, followed by a New Riders set (this is Pre-Buddy Cage - Jerry's on Steel!) and then an Electric GD set. Truth be known, I've already put this together for myself, from the LMA, and it's a GREAT listen - around 8 hours worth! I say it's unrealistic, because Rhino does not have a deal in place with the New Riders, but maybe they could get it together with the "co-operation" of Kufala, the outfit that DOES have the Riders archival franchise. So ... No prayer, right, Dave?
August 6, 2012 - 11:50am

#903

fourwindsblow

Joined:
October 13, 2008

I agree...

The E72 box and Warlocks box could have sounded a lot better .
August 6, 2012 - 11:39am

#904

One Man

Joined:
May 17, 2011

Audio Source

Seems like a reasonable response that the 2-track reference tapes (DAT) sounded great and thus were used. I do think this could have been made clearer from the start. I'd rather this result than the rush-mix we got with the E72 box and the Warlocks box. (And anyway, no one seems to agree with me that those two releases could have sounded MUCH better.) So production costs were low this time, and Rhino will increase its profit margin, and that is the American Way. A cool $1.8 million gross. No beef with that. The same thing happened with the Winterland boxes and no one complained ($11.11/CD with no mixing costs). We'll never again see a value like the Fillmore West Complete Recordings box, obviously ($7.50/CD and newly mixed extremely well).
August 6, 2012 - 11:32am

#905

fourwindsblow

Joined:
October 13, 2008

Thank You!

"We are using the live John Cutler mixes for this box set, owing to the fact that we feel that sound is as good or better than anything we could have replicated in the studio by remixing the multi-tracks. The Grateful Dead's longtime engineers, John Cutler and Jeffrey Norman, spent considerable time checking out these live mix tapes, and they decided that these recordings are as good or better than can be reproduced with a remix." This was the best decision on which recordings to release.
August 6, 2012 - 9:42am

#906

simonrob

Joined:
June 7, 2007

Yes, thanks for passing that on.

DL's answer is as complete as one could wish for and also revealing. I can well believe that the live mix was to DAT. I don't know when they finished recording shows on 24 tr. for "Without a net" and making simultaneous 2 tr. live mixes, but "View from the vault I soundtrack" (July 8 1990) was produced using 2 tr. digital tapes. However "View from the vault III soundtrack" (June 16 1990) was produced using 2 tr. analog tapes, so that clarifies nothing about the storage medium - but the medium is insignificant compared to the sound quality.
August 6, 2012 - 9:23am

#907

stoltzfus

Joined:
January 13, 2010

Thank you, Dave!

"To clarify, these are not stereo PA mixes; these are the live mixes John was producing in the recording truck." IMO, that is as close to actually "being there" as is possible in 2012. Truth be told, the DaP system works better for me ($32 from time to time vs. several hundred $$$ all at once). HOWEVER, box sets like this are extremely welcome. The day will come when I can realistically consider purchasing them (as I could BC...before children.) Whatever...keep them coming!!! I remember a day when live releases like this was the stuff of fantasy. Blair, I remember, directly in Golden Road, you wrote a blurb along the lines of "can you imagine Buffalo 77 on CD?" Releases like this at the time would have been a happy foos-ro-DAH! 8/27/72!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Summer 85 box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREEK BOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 6, 2012 - 8:59am

#908

cosmicbadger

Joined:
June 13, 2007

thanks

wellt that anwers that very nicely thanks Dr Lunchbox and David L. Nice explanation, but it could perhaps have been provided in the first place. One thing not mentioned, but which I believe to be true, is that the live mixdown was made onto Digital Audio Tape (not cassette as claimed by someone earlier).
August 6, 2012 - 8:40am

#909

Dr. Lunchbox

Joined:
March 8, 2009

Source

I emailed Dave inquiring about the source for these and this was his response: "We are using the live John Cutler mixes for this box set, owing to the fact that we feel that sound is as good or better than anything we could have replicated in the studio by remixing the multi-tracks. The Grateful Dead's longtime engineers, John Cutler and Jeffrey Norman, spent considerable time checking out these live mix tapes, and they decided that these recordings are as good or better than can be reproduced with a remix. There is an aliveness and a clarity to John's live mixes that would be lost in the remixing process. This decision was the same decision Phil and John made in 1997 when they released the Terrapin Limited (3/15/90), for which the live mixes were used. John's live mixes were always great, but the Spring 1990 mixes are virtually flawless. Believe me, John and Jeffrey have huge amounts of audio integrity and they wouldn't have put their names on this project if they didn't feel these mixes are excellent. Personally, I think they sound phenomenal, as does everyone involved who's heard them. I gather Rhino will be putting up some sample clips (one might be up now?), and that will give you an indication of the quality. To clarify, these are not stereo PA mixes; these are the live mixes John was producing in the recording truck." Hope this helps!
August 6, 2012 - 8:13am

#910

bambini

Joined:
January 3, 2011

spring 90

I'm on board for this one but not thrilled by the choice. I know David L and the others have made outstanding choices in the past releases. I hope this release will change my mind. and I 'm wrong. I know those who make the choice are very excited by this tour. As for the whole package no real problem, I just wish the powers that be gave us a little warning about the price. I am glad to see six shows instead of 3 and that the shows were picked from the tout. I was hoping for a 79 box but did not expect it. I see the spring 90 tour as technically perfect. Although tecnically almost perfect I don't see the band taking risks. In the video by David L he talks how Brent is the Mvp in Many ways for this box and tour. The thing is if jerry was where he should have been there would be no such talk. Jerry Garcia leading the band made the gd into something transendental. When he was on it was like a jazz great like coltrane or dexter gordon. I read somewhere when bruce hornsby came into the band he was yelling at jerry to play. I think in the later brent years jerry got lazy and let brent have the space to dominate with his keyboards. Jerry's playing seems more adventuous with his solo stuff at the time and post brent dead. I hope the box blows me away but can't believe it will compare with the fillmore 69 , winterland 77 and 73 or europe72 box in music quality.

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

Senior citizen ?

I'm not a senior citizen - I'm just old !

ah...

I'll miss you the most, rbmunchkin. By the way, a ) I wasn't referring to actual musical criticisms such as yours (much as I mostly disagree with yours), and b) when you said "So I'll stop here" I just knew you wouldn't stop there. Neil Young: "Youre the kind of man, you know, that likes what he says/ I wonder what it's like to be so far over my head"

2 Cents

There have been a number of comments and some name calling regarding people who are wondering about their order(s) or are having issues with quality. I think there is value with bringing these issues up in this forum. If someone simply states their case then others may be able to help them describe how they resolved a similar problem. For example: "A disc was cracked. I called customer support and they didn't know what to do". Someone else may have had success resolving the same problem and could therefore help others with their experiences . What I think is of lesser value is people "blowing off steam" by making disparaging remarks about Rhino, dead.net, or others who's comments don't agree with them. It's one thing to offer suggestions it's another to level insults that don't accomplish anything except perhaps to alleviate one's frustration. Then again, I'm not into control so if it's working for you ... enjoy. I've had four "pre-E72" issues with bad discs in the past. Mostly issues with blobs of glue. While, for the most part, these problems were resolved I understand the anxiety associated with purchasing these recent sets because they're limited editions. It's not easy to listen S90 or E72 quickly to locate quality issues with the discs. You've got to be quick because you never know when replacement discs may disappear! As a wise man once said "What a grind, the stress is killin' me" :) My suggestion is that Rhino, Dead.net, or whoever is in charge have a clear policy regarding replacement discs, replacement sets, etc. so people can make a rational decision as to whether they want to buy the set or not. Sending back a limited edition set because of one cracked disc makes no sense IMHO. All that being said. I'm very much enjoying the music S90. I'm indifferent to "the stuff". However, the shot of Bill and Micky in silhouette is wonderful.

too much 89-90

the last two of three box sets are fromm the late brent era. Now there is talk that spring 90 is also a possiblility. People complain too much 70s. For the life of me I don't understand how anyone can compare the 70s ot spring 90. It is one of the greats jg in music leading the band as opposed to ensemble playing. All it took was one listen to some of the 73 bo for me to put spring 90 on the self. There is all this great music in the vault and why release medioce stuff. Brent is not that good and Jerry is without a doubt the heart and soul of the band. The release of so much late era stuff is not what the legacy of this band should be. Was the fat elvis the equel of the young vibrant elvis or is it subjective

Can't we just get along? Who said that in a post here?

We could just start over. I think the antagonistic posts started for only one reason that I can think of - some people didn't want others posting what they were posting. What other possible reason? So I vote for letting people say what ever they like except let's try to be civil. If you don't like people complaining about the service, the shipping, or even the music, just don't pay attention to those posts but don't try to force them to shut up. If people want to compare GD eras, let them. If you don't like that kind of thing, ignore it. The "name calling" came out of people wanting others to shut up about these matters. So the bottom line rule to make it more civil again might be this: don't like a post? Ignore it instead of replying to it. Simple.

Right on bambini

You are right. There is no comparison. The GD were best when they were young, no doubt in my mind. "Was the fat elvis the equel of the young vibrant elvis or is it subjective" Not subjective; objective, in my subjective opinion! Chew on that. ;)

a few cents more

Rbmunkin,I appreciate your call for civilty, and I concede my Neil Young quote was harsh. Bottom line for me is, these threads are, by and large, just a drag to wade through anymore. I don't know who else remembers the previous website where discussions for each release were about the release, and the music therein. There was a glorious debate over Dick's 21/Richmond '85, two thirds of posters singing its glories and the other third decrying how overrated it was. Whatever side you were on, it was a healthy community discussion about the music. Today, the posts are overwhelmingly a customer service complaint forum. Who wants to read it? If you're not being served by GD customer service, why not send Marye a PM and get on with your day? I've had a few issues over the years, and I dealt with them without burdening everyone else with my tale of woe. Ok, there are obviously issues, and maybe a post or two is warranted, to alert the rest of us to check our Landover discs for duplicate show dates, for example; but often the same people post the same thing every day ("still waiting in Abilene" ~ dated August 28, 29, 30, & 31). Or they revel in thumbing their nose at Rhino's or GD's incompetence, with intentional hyperbole and venom, as if they take pleasure in the failures. Basta. If there's a forum where people actually want to trade stories and debate 1970 over 1990, or which shows in the box are the best or which boxes and Road trips are the best and why, please tell me where it is. This one's a drag anymore.

Back to the music

I think I've read the objective-subjective debate maybe fifty times on the internet. To paraphrase the last 30 years of feminist philosophy: It's really hard to prove what is or isn't objective, but we can still learn from each other. So with that said, here's my take on my first real attempt to get into post-70s dead. The jamming is more restrained, but still great. Bobby is actually taking a lot of interesting risks, which work out more often than they should. Jerry is audibly more technically skilled if less engaged. The big thing for me was learning to like Brent. Here's my take on him. Brent is like Donna in that he brings something that doesn't always fit with the band when he's the focus, but he unquestionably does wonderful work in a supporting role that really adds to the overall sound. It took me a while to come around on his voice, the tone of his keyboard, and all the staccato chords. But once I got over it, I really started to appreciate this music. I think it's been said before, but CD's 2 and 3 of 3/19 are really exceptional. Sound quality is very good (but not at the level of the 1977 Winterland set). Phil is a little quiet in the mix.

Replacements shipping.

I had contact with both Dead net and Dr. Rhino about over a week ago about these cracked discs. Both parties returned my phone calls and E-mails. Once again, I noticed my voice-mail flashing. Dead net called back sometime last Friday or Sat. to let me know that replacements will be shipping this week. The person said I should recieve my replacement sometime after the 5th and to allow up to 10 days. I have to say that once the ball got rolling I did receive both e-mails and phone calls from Both Dead.net and Rhino. Here is hoping. Both parties seemed sincere so I believe they are trying to correct this situation. Really loving this box. Cycling through the 3/26 Knickerbocker show again. The bulk of the shows I attended were from 76 to 93, with a few shows in 94 and fewer in 95, and my favorate years are from 69 to 74, but revisting these shows have given me a greater appreciation for some very strong later era Dead. Good Stuff. Hopefully no one is offened by my update!

70's vs 90

First, let me say that my favorite period of the GD is the 70's. But that may be due to the fact that I saw the bulk of my shows from '73 to '81.Of course the band evolved over time. I would expect nothing less. As has been said before by others here, the whole is greater then the sum of the parts due to synergy. Of course Jerry was more prominent early on. After all, Bob had been his student when he was younger so I don't think anyone should expect him to be on Jerry's level as a guitar player. 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. By the spring of '90 of course Jerry had cut back a bit. But that was probably due to the fact that after 25 years, and 10 with Brent, he was happy & comfortable to do it since the band had evolved into a well oiled machine with a great deal of coheseivness. I think this 1990 box is the bomb! The band is stellar and hitting on all cylinders. I think each member contrubutes beautifully and produces a rich & full sound. I think Jerry was rejuvenated at this point and I think he was proud of the music they were all putting out at this time. Sure, he had cut back a bit but it was because he no longer had to carry the whole band by himself. I am loving this box an have listened to nothing but since it arrived a week ago. Rock on.

Ahhh!

Shipping confirmation emails came this morning. Followed three hours later with email stating the extra shipping money I had paid had been refunded to my card.....the wheel turns

1990 Box Set

I have hard time with gripers. Makes me think of Jeff Duhnam and "Walter" (the old ragger) but at least he was funny.Yeah me too. I'm 1971-1981 but i discovered that the (very) latter yrs of the GD were also outstanding (1988 ? and certainly 89-91). This Spring 1990 is a killer string of shows. Congrat's Monsieur Lemieux & Co. PS: ...? Spring 1981 ... or finally ALL of Oct 1974 (ok...) or all March 1977 Winterland ... Peace

1989-1990

I only got to see 3 Keith and Donna shows, all during the Terrapin and Shakedown years. I was lucky enough to be around for those 1976-1977 shows, and love the Dicks Picks and GD download series from those years, especially 1977. I saw many more Brent shows , all the way from the beginning to the end. After the near-death experience it took several years for Jerry to fully recover his stamina & playing (and sometimes vocals) . The Truckin up to Buffalo DVD is a brilliant example of just how great the 1989-1990 shows could be when Jerry was really on again, and how much Jerry loved playing with Brent and the energy that created to drive the music to another level. Before deciding to drop $200 for the vanishing Spring 1990 release I sat down yesterday and listened to Dozin at the Knick all the way through. Brokedown Palace sealed the deal for me. It was like going back in time,and when the EQ settings are just right it's almost as good as actually being there again , if only that were possible : )

Just received my package

True, I did have a minor snafu, but customer service was helpful and these things happen. Of course, I was hoping to have this earlier, but without any cliche, this was absolutely worth the wait. I was absolutely blown away by the gorgeousness of the packaging, the detail right down to how it smelled, the artwork, the design of the box, the layout, everything. Normally, I would be listening to this right now, but I had to leave a post. I am so overjoyed with the visuals that even if each disc hissed like an old Maxell, I'd still consider this money well spent. Lots of complaints, but Rhino, David, Wes, and all the people behind this project deserve a major, major THANK YOU and kudos with a capital K. From the moment this was announced, everyone was spot on from the listening parties each week to the videos and stories behind the project to the 24 hour dedicated customer service, this has been an awesome experience. I know not everyone is happy for one reason or another, but for a night, there is one super happy kid in Chicago who has nothing but smiles, smiles, smiles. Thank you folks. Truly appreciate this magnificent gift. Please keep up the good work. Jon M. Chicago Happy

Arrived today.

I was cooling out in my recliner when I heard the familiar sounds of the mail dude's jeep. I sprang from my chair and was peeping out the window. Sure enough he pulled out a large box and placed it on the doorstep. I opened it to find a tube containing my poster and another box. This is the best box packaging yet. This box is what Europe 72 should have been like. Really nice, love the books and the extra poster. I'm listening to a show right now through my Bose headphones. The sound quality is very good, I'm a happy camper. I was really worried about cracked CDs and scuffs, seems like many have had bad luck. I checked each one, all look good. My DP3 is home, now my S90 is here. Guess DP4 will round out 2012 for releases this year. Hopefully next year things will be a little more squared away. Really hope everyones gets their music this week. S90 is a great release, if your still on the fence about getting one, better jump now. Peace and happiness to all. Phil

Extravagant Packaging too Expensive

In the future, please release CD box sets without the extravagant packaging. These are difficult economic times. It would be appreciated if you could release nice CD box sets for the smallest cost so that fans can afford them. A simple slipcase box and small booklet is enough. This oversized deluxe packaging just increases the overall cost and shipping cost too and makes it less obtainable and desirable to fans. Make it your mission to release the best music for the least cost and we will be grateful fans indeed!

30 years = 1st (15) vs 2nd (15)

God bless the Grateful Dead for allowing us to have this discussion!Apples vs Oranges! Youth vs Wisdom! Yesterday vs (less) Yesterday! What they did TRANSCENDS.

finally

Mine came today, 560, and the tracking still hasn't updated

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)

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!

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

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 ;^)

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

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.

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.

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

Disc arrived cracked

"anyone have the inside as to when the replacment discs will ship?" Your guess is as good as theirs!

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)

Volume Two

Although it may be a while, I look forward to Spring 1990 Part Two. Hopefully this set is successful enough so the remaining shows from this tour are also released. If 3/29/90 is included in a subsequent set, success of part two is virtually guaranteed.

fingers crossed

we're only a few weeks away from the announcement of dave's picks volume 4. lets hope its something from the '60s or '80s.

SORRY-OFF TOPIC

Will an article/ thread be started here at Dead.net about the November release of Jerry live disc or the release of Jerry/Merl complete Keystone recordings release due this month? The Jerry website now has some signs of activity. Good news, no?

Spring 1990

Arrived in Italy today, box beautiful and incredible sound I have no words.Great job Thanks

I knew it...

Having seen the Sunday show in Hartford and the Saturday show in Albany I knew it was only a matter of time before these magnificent shows were released to us. I got my box two days ago and am just overwhelmed at the absolutely fantastic job Rhino did with this and all the goodies inside the box with the music. I'd rather spend the money for great music than bad food... that said.. I think guts of the box (the music) is worth every penny. IMHO that is.

Can i have a free set?

Hey dead.net how about a contest or lottery and the winner gets a free 90s box set.

DaP4

Primal Dead from '68

Worth Every Penny

My set, 5538, arrived today! The packaging and presentation of this box are top-notch. It is clear to see that a lot of time was spent on this project. Love the high quality ticket/ backstage pass replicas and the hardcover book. It's handy to have while listening to the shows. Most importantly, the music is gorgeous. If I didn't have neighbors, my apartment would have already crumbled to the ground. For anyone hesitating on purchasing this set, bite the bullet and go for it. We all know how amazing '89-'90 was for the band. This collection is a pivotal piece in any fan's collection and should not be missed. Thanks to David Lemieux and everyone else involved in getting this out to us. It is much, much appreciated!

Primal Dead From '68

YES!!!

I will be passing on this one

Hi, I can tell this is a very good recording, very good stereo separation on my laptop. Maybe, the 2 disc sampler. Just not a fan of This Dead. I was crazy about the GD movie, especially the bonus disc, it is incredible sound quality. I really enjoyed the Garcia tribute, that was a surprise that was so good. I am angry that they really messed up so much of Europe 72. Garcia is playing at a super high level. And the first half of the Europe 72 set is really bad sound quality. I miss the GD Almanac at least once or twice a year. I know alot of people love the later Dead, because the, 90s dead is all they had experienced. I wish the Dead had not given away a few Dick's Picks to Real Gone music, they are selling Dick's Pick's 36 in Philly for almost 60 BUCKS . jIM.

Dave's Picks 4?

Where are you guys (or gals) finding out about DP4? I'm really hype if it is '68, but would love to know where this info was made available. Is there a site or something I'm overlooking? Thanks for any help folks!

Dave's Picks 4?

DP 4

I am guessing that we are getting a long awaited 1967 set! Considering that all previous releases thi's year were featured in 30 Days of Dead last November. A release from 1967 is long overdue. My guess that it will be a composite of of 8/4/67 and 10/22/67, plus some other bonus stuff. Hopefully it will be a 60's release! Or a release with some acoustic music on it! Unleash the 67!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 60's shows are far too few and far between as vault releases!

DP4 ...

I'm just saying that what I'd like it to be ..... they were pushing the boundaries in '68.

Lol

Darn you outpost!! You got me excited as hell thinking some 60's were on the way. Lol, but I'm with you brother...a 67 or 68 show would be most welcome! Honestly, ANYTHING from the vaults is most welcome. Patiently waiting some news.....

Primal Dead From '68

For those of you jonesin' for some primal Dead, check this out: http://www.arthurmag.com/2009/08/06/heavy-primal-dead-from-october-12-1…

My Spring 1990 Box arrived yesterday

I don't care at all about the packaging & extras (which ARE all very nice and well done) - I only care about the music. I can say that I substantially underestimated how much I thought I would love this set - I'd forgotten (even though I attended Spring 1990 shows) just how great the music was on that tour. I am a "71 - 73 Dead guy" and didn't believe that this box set would amount to much (even though I did buy it). Man was I wrong. The recording quality is absolutely unparalleled - and the band was "on". I've only listened to the first 1.5 shows - but I am VERY glad that I spent the $200.

If you haven't yet

Follow that arthurmag link, folks! Searching Grateful Dead there reveals other fine reads. Many thanks bolo24!

Dave's Picks #3

Nice of them to stream this for us :)Now this is what I'm talkin' 'bout! I've only listened to it once but it sounds GREAT! And a bit unique. Many of the usual recognizable songs are a bit differently sung and played. My guess is since it's early in the career of the Europe 72 songs, they evolved by the time they got to Europe. Great stuff.

Primal Dead

Thanks bolo24! Just downloaded the 10/12/68 show. THIS is my kind of Dead. Just wondering if I'm downloading the easiest way: when I download a show, the songs show up in a folder and I have to double click each song individually, one at time, to load it onto iTunes. Is that the way? No easy way to convert the whole show at once to iTunes?

Thanks Bolo24, love this

Thanks Bolo24, love this stuff. I do hope we get a 60's show for DP4. Maybe next years box will be 60's. Always plenty to go around. Been listening to 1990 stuff all week, this 68 show is really nice. Hope everyone gets their music this weekend. Phil

1968>1990

product sku

GRA9900088