30 Trips Around The Sun Box & Digital USB

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September 4, 2015 - 10:38am

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admin

Joined:
March 9, 2007

"When we began discussing audio projects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead back in 2012, we knew we wanted to do something completely unprecedented. We could think of nothing more exciting or ambitious than a career-spanning overview of the band's live legacy focused on what best tells the story: complete concerts. Our first criterion was the very best live music to represent any given year in the band’s history. We wanted to make sure that there were not only the tent-pole shows that fans have been demanding for decades but also ones that are slightly more under the radar, but equally excellent. For those who listen to the entire box straight through, chronologically, the narrative of the Grateful Dead's live legacy will be seen as second to none in the pantheon of music history." - David Lemieux

We are more than pleased to announce the Grateful Dead's most ambitious release ever: 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN. Available as both an 80-disc boxed set and a custom lightning-bolt USB drive, the collection includes 30 unreleased live shows, one for each year the band was together from 1966 to 1995, along with one track from their earliest recording sessions in 1965. Packed with over 73 hours of music, both the boxed set and the USB drive will be individually numbered limited editions.

The 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.

The box also comes with a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years.

The USB drive version* will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Digital version of the book also included on USB.

Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD. This release is sure to sell out quickly so pre-order your copy today and stick around as we will be revealing a mighty fine selection of music, art, and much, much more right here.

(Looking for a smaller 50th Anniversary commemorative keepsake? September 18th will see the release of a four-CD version of the collection titled 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN: THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY 1965-1995. More on that here.)

ROLLINGSTONE.COM SONG PREMIERE AND EXCLUSIVE DAVID LEMIEUX INTERVIEW
Head on over to Rollingstone.com for the very first listen of "Morning Dew" 9/18/87 Madison Square Garden, David Fricke's exclusive interview with archivist David Lemieux, and the reveal of 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN's '69 and '84 shows.

*Helpful hints for using your USB:

Running the 30 Trips Player / Reader program:
On Windows – Navigate to the USB drive and double click the PCStart.exe file to run.
On MacOS – Open the GD 30 Trips drive, and double click the MacStart to run.

Viewing the digital book:
You can either view it within the program that comes on the drive, or by opening the PDF directly.

To view the PDF, open the PDF folder on the drive and the USB_bk_spreads_08-31 file within. Selecting the option within your PDF reading application to view as a “single page” might be preferable to viewing as a continuous document.

Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
PDF
Text

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June 3, 2015 - 5:27am

#7561

rrot

Joined:
October 3, 2009

The Dead

"The Dead should never do anything that everyone can't afford" is not a coherent philosophy, much less something that was ever the band's legacy or the spirit of allowing taping, but it is the essence of what a lot of folks here are saying. It's bunk. You know, In My Opinion, man.
June 3, 2015 - 5:23am

#7562

Indianadeadhead

Joined:
February 25, 2015

TICKETS

Just heard on Chgo radio more tickets for Chgo shows. 2 tickets per show on ticketmaster. Not sure when on sale.
June 3, 2015 - 5:23am

#7563

rrot

Joined:
October 3, 2009

Please

I understand -- but don't agree -- with the complaints: The set is too expensive, the "real" deadheads are excluded, not all the shows are great, Jerry wouldn't approve of such a cash grab! What I can't understand are the folks who make those complaints the reason the won't buy the set, but then turn around and say that they'll get the set by other means. OK, we get it. You really do want it. You just can't or don't want to pay for it, so you're gonna steal it by getting a ripped FLAC/MP3. Maybe don't tell us that, huh?
June 3, 2015 - 5:19am

#7564

Emanuel9

Joined:
July 8, 2013

Re: I Don't Get It: 30 Trips Around The Sun

Well said edwardbe, I agree whole heartedly. The price of this box set is more than some people pay for a month of rent or a car payment w/insurance. I work with individuals that live off of $700 a month (utilities, transportation, food, medication etc.). I am sorry, but for me, I feel that the legacy of the Greatful Dead has been tarnished with the price of this box set. I can't speak for the band, but, once again for me, this feels like it goes directly against the spirit that was behind letting folks record the concerts.
June 3, 2015 - 5:13am

#7565

jackstraw78

Joined:
April 10, 2014

Came to the same conclusion

Came to the same conclusion this morning. I'll figure out a payment plan for myself to get this paid off before it ships.
June 3, 2015 - 5:08am

#7566

direwulf

Joined:
October 15, 2007

Mhmm

I finally caved and bought one up this morning. The hold will come off the card in a few days and I can come up with a way to pay for it by September. The fact that a song from the band's first recording together and their final song played together are provided as a vinyl bookend is a fitting way to tie the days between together. The whole box is basically a personal museum exhibit chronicling the full life cycle of a mutant-freak earth-born organism delivered from the cosmos. Once I came to that conclusion I had to swindle my way in some how. I can change what card I want charged after the hold comes off correct?
June 3, 2015 - 4:57am

#7567

fourwindsblow

Joined:
October 13, 2008

30 Trips Around The Sun

I love this box. Gonna listen to it in reverse order I'm a sixties guy. Well, everybody's dancing in a ring around the sun Nobody's finished, we ain't even begun So take off your shoes, child, and take off your hat Try on your wings and find out where it's at. Hey,hey
June 3, 2015 - 4:54am

#7568

mato1949

Joined:
June 6, 2007

30 shows in a row

This is quite a spectacular release that is sure to spark a lot of hype, speculation, and emotions. Limited to 6500 box sets and 1000 USB copies makes this one of the rarer sets Dead.net and Rhino have put out. I also think that the phrase "Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD" holds a clue that, sometime in the not too distant future, individual shows may be sold via digital download. After looking at the show list, I find that I have several of these shows, some of which are excellent soundboards mastered by Charlie Miller. I've found in the past that some of the upgrades from Miller Soundboard to official release were not that much of an upgrade or no real appreciable difference. So if I can fill in the gaps of this collection by waiting for digital downloads, I'd much rather do that. Slick books with fancy essays and extras trinkets are nice, the 7" recording is just a trinket since I ditched vinyl and the turntable years ago. Dust collectors for other people to stroke their egos with. For me it is all about the music and only about the music because the Music Never Stopped!!!
June 3, 2015 - 4:45am

#7569

Strider 808808

Joined:
June 20, 2007

Seaside Chat

Including the Byrds and the Airplane. The west coast rocks! "Book the bands Wayne and the people will come."
June 3, 2015 - 4:40am

#7570

edwardbe

Joined:
June 16, 2007

I don't get it

Why has the band's musical legacy become so exclusive? Many of the folks who made them successful have been closed out from enjoying the recordings because of the rather large financial commitment required to participate, or even if they fail to subscribe to other offers. As someone who has been a fan since 1969, I'm both amused and saddened by the way this thing has evolved. I've never been opposed to the band reaping all the benefits that a free-market system can bestow - it's what drives innovation and investment. My complaint is with the discriminating of who can and can't afford a $700 box set and the warnings that if you don't buy this right away, you will not be able to purchase individual shows and almost by implication, you will not be part of the "celebration". What makes it worse is that these sets, ostensibly reserved for the most dedicated fans who will without hesitation part with $700, will end up on eBay for ridiculous prices. So much for catering to the real Deadhead. More money could have been made and many, many more fans could have been satisfied and felt a part of the anniversary by a far different marketing strategy. I really wonder how Jerry would have felt about all this?

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

"When we began discussing audio projects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead back in 2012, we knew we wanted to do something completely unprecedented. We could think of nothing more exciting or ambitious than a career-spanning overview of the band's live legacy focused on what best tells the story: complete concerts. Our first criterion was the very best live music to represent any given year in the band’s history. We wanted to make sure that there were not only the tent-pole shows that fans have been demanding for decades but also ones that are slightly more under the radar, but equally excellent. For those who listen to the entire box straight through, chronologically, the narrative of the Grateful Dead's live legacy will be seen as second to none in the pantheon of music history." - David Lemieux

We are more than pleased to announce the Grateful Dead's most ambitious release ever: 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN. Available as both an 80-disc boxed set and a custom lightning-bolt USB drive, the collection includes 30 unreleased live shows, one for each year the band was together from 1966 to 1995, along with one track from their earliest recording sessions in 1965. Packed with over 73 hours of music, both the boxed set and the USB drive will be individually numbered limited editions.

The 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.

The box also comes with a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years.

The USB drive version* will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Digital version of the book also included on USB.

Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD. This release is sure to sell out quickly so pre-order your copy today and stick around as we will be revealing a mighty fine selection of music, art, and much, much more right here.

(Looking for a smaller 50th Anniversary commemorative keepsake? September 18th will see the release of a four-CD version of the collection titled 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN: THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY 1965-1995. More on that here.)

ROLLINGSTONE.COM SONG PREMIERE AND EXCLUSIVE DAVID LEMIEUX INTERVIEW
Head on over to Rollingstone.com for the very first listen of "Morning Dew" 9/18/87 Madison Square Garden, David Fricke's exclusive interview with archivist David Lemieux, and the reveal of 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN's '69 and '84 shows.

*Helpful hints for using your USB:

Running the 30 Trips Player / Reader program:
On Windows – Navigate to the USB drive and double click the PCStart.exe file to run.
On MacOS – Open the GD 30 Trips drive, and double click the MacStart to run.

Viewing the digital book:
You can either view it within the program that comes on the drive, or by opening the PDF directly.

To view the PDF, open the PDF folder on the drive and the USB_bk_spreads_08-31 file within. Selecting the option within your PDF reading application to view as a “single page” might be preferable to viewing as a continuous document.

Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
PDF
Text

Sorry

Shitty day. My apologies.;0)

30 trips box

Hi dead land I just had to cancel my order am recovering from my 3rd back surgery I'm really embarrassed for even asking a miracle for this box set but I am don't want to tell my hole storyy so people feel sorry for me but this is now the only way I would be able to get my hands on this I'm a mojar 80s-90s fan so this is the best release by far for me if no one can all good peice everyone and I also have the 73 and 77 box sets with bonus CDs with both boxes I would give if I get the help

Loser

Loser from 3/24/90 simply SMOKES!

All the years combine ...

I've come to appreciate the band's 30 year journey as one long trip with many peak experiences. I can't quite wrap my head around a favorite era, but rather acknowledge there were some consistently strong years, show in, show out. Sort of like that roller coaster ride where the car slowly climbs upwards out of the gate, you just know you're going to enjoy the ride. 1967, peaking with the thrill of the initial rush, release and momentum that carried them through to '71 when they began a second ascent. Climbing to another mountain peak 1972, running in full tight jam-mode through '74. For me, another peak around 1977 although shorter and not quite as brilliant. Then some new sparks with Brent and the acoustic sets in '80. Must have dropped a second hit early 1987 which initiated a second-wave that spiraled upwards to space, gaining speed and transcending time through the Spring '90. After that it was all downhill from there, all-be-it a mostly soft landing. But looking back it really was all-good. I love this music!

30 years

Thirty years of rapture.

Guests

Hi bolo24, I'm late to the game of guessing guest appearances for this weekend, but what the hay. Guests = 2 First Guest = David Nelson I noticed weeks ago that NRPS are playing in Chicago this weekend, with a late show time each night. By the way, I (we) enjoy the clues you provide regarding the upcoming Dave's Picks releases. Do you mind giving us a clue for Dave's Picks 15 once the '50th Anniversary' weekend hoopla quiets down? Gracias muchas! -Andy

Ugh

Please ignore my previous post. My careless arse posted my guess to the entire board. I guess I'm disqualified (although confident in my guess). Y'all enjoy Chicago this weekend!

Tonight's opener

For some reason I'm thinking shakedown or help/slip frank opener, help/slip possibly to start 2nd set If not 1st

Wow, Minas

I'm a '68-'77 guy, and we're all entitled to our opinion, but maybe "travesty" is a bit of hyperbole? Spring '90 might not be a "just exactly perfect" tour, but it's definitely the best run since Summer '85, and possibly since Spring '78. 3/24/90 is an all-time show, and there are some seriously great moments to be had in 3/16, 3/22, 3/29, 3/30, and 4/1. One can definitely hear Jerry's decline from '77 on (with mini-revivals sprinkled throughout), but I don't think even '95 is a "travesty". It's just not as good as '90, which isn't as good as '77, which isn't as good as '74, and so on. I agree that FW69 and E72 are THE releases so far, but you can't listen to 26 shows for the rest of your life. Try Spring '90 again. It's still better than anything without Jerry on it, and you may be surprised. At the very least, it keeps the REALLY good stuff ('72-'74) from getting stale.

Howdy Mr Jack Straw

I think Mina's post was implying a travisity in regard to the ravage that drugs brought on the band. Maybe the music isn't to his liking, but the point that Jerry could be with us in Chicago this weekend, but isn't, is the product of bad choices.Writing on these boards can be a difficult way to make ones point. I could be wrong, but that's what I got from it. Cheers to all. 3 shows left, wow.

1980 in Lakeland

My profile picture is from this,show. Think I got a tshirt with the Dead Ahead pict. Tampa, Daytona, Reddick, Micanopy and Orlando friends along. Great show. I've got the Jester shirt on.

Seminole Steve

Let's hear it for F L A

Instead of blowing my money on fireworks....

....I blew it on tonight's show. But, that's not really blowing it, now is it?

just bought a simulcast ticket for 7/5/15

:))) Air conditioned theater in a big seat. Yeah.

You and me both, Vguy

I was checking out a few snippets of last night's show on YouTube and it was really quite good. The nostalgia bug bit me hard and I just had to get the ppv for tonight. Got my wine in hand, and ready to rock. Happy 4th all God bless America, and God bless the Grateful Dead

Cumberland repeat....

...fukin A. Best song to decide on...

Yep. A good move.

Now I wish I was there.. but some years you can't do it all, now.. can you. Glad I can at least stream it. ..and yes, Dantian.. enjoying a good bottle of red myself.

Mr. Bob Dylan

Here's to hoping Mr. Tambourine Man himself shows up tomorrow night.Cheers & Happy 4th folks! ;)

Grateful Phish!

I've been a Dead fan since '76 when I heard a radio show from Boston Music Hall. Got tons of music, like so many do. Since '99 I've been really loving Phish and I think this line up with Trey is just pure heaven. :). Happy 4th everyone!!

Grateful Phish!

Feel the same, Jim

After watching some of last night's recaps, and getting all teary eyed and sentimental (wife walked in and was like, "Are you OK?" lol) I was actually looking for tickets online this morning and scheming about going to Chicago last minute. She was not down with such craziness, though. Sure wish I was there now.

Absolutely!

I actually got teary-eyed. Seeing the guys together again having so much fun... Just brought back so many memories.

set list?

Can someone post the setlist or a link for tonight's show? Any thoughts or reviews? A while back I posted about telling my cousin about purchasing the new box and how I was a bit embarrassed to tell him how much it cost. He called me this morning and said he couldn't resist yesterday and spent almost $800 on two tickets for him and his girlfriend last night. He was pumped about the show and that almost inspired me to buy the PPV. But the only option on Comcast seemed to be $40--I've got plenty of video that I virtually never watch so pulled out Crimson White and Indigo and watched that instead. Pretty kick ass show and Phil is on. Maybe I'll spend the money tomorrow night...

Possible guests

I think Bob Dylan is touring Europe right now so he seems to be doubtful for tomorrow night. Funny that there's been no chatter about Bolo's latest contest. My first thought was that the best guess would be no guests at all since that might somehow take away from the "core four" who are already sharing the spotlight with Trey and Bruce (and Chementi). But I was/am really hoping for an appearance by Donna Jean; and David Nelson seemed to be a natural fit since NRPS is in Chicago. If he wasn't invited to play on Ripple or FOTD it seems doubtful he'll be there tomorrow.Since so many people made the same guess at the very first minute in the last contest I decided to go out on a limb with a far out guess: Keith Richards. The Stones were in Indy on the 4th so maybe he'll stop by for a Satisfaction encore or first set closer. Actually, that sounds beyond ridiculous. What was I thinking?

Possible Guests TOO

Yes, no chatter about guests. In typical fashion, I missed the time for the Bolo contest (significantly). So in the five min or so it took to think up some names and check their tour schedules, I realized every fucking body (except me) is in Chicago right now. Melvin Seals, David Grisman, David Nelson, Mahatma Gandhi, Elvis, Roy Orbison, Janice, Jimi (I can do this all night.).. So I frantically put five names down, quick, and hit send, quick. Only after I hit send did I began to give it some serious attention, but surly in jest.. I am no better at solving Bolo clues than I at double Jeopardy. one edit: for me, Jorma would be a welcomed guest. He did a masterful job on Sugaree at the Dear Jerry show, really special. Plus, did anyone else besides me pick up on what a beautiful new guitar he was sporting? A magnificent instrument. By the way, what about Phil's (new to me) bass? Another spectacular instrument, real art and I'm happy to see these guys use them.

Setlist Chicago 7.4.15

been tryin Space, it's ruff out there...Set:1 Shakedown Liberty M&MU Standing on the Moon Tennessee Jed Cumberland! Rooster FOTD Deal Set:2 Bird Song THE GOLDEN ROAD!!! Lost Sailor> Saint of Circumstance!!! West LA Fadeaway (THIS is when Bruce & Trey took hold of the drivin') Foolish Heart> Drumz/Space!!> Stella Blue> Saturday Night ~~~~~~~~~~~~ US Blues (Fireworks to orchestra music, with Phil on stage mock-conducting, classic stuff!!) set:2 pre-drumz was well over an hour... & was absolutely fantastic! ♤

Chicago

To Go OR NOT To GoSure I Would Love to be there through the good, bad, and ... I'm in Northern Michigan, I think I hear it across Lake Michigan. Yes, Satellite radio with pre-show commentary from our Tales from the Golden Road Boys. Just to hear the music Kicks Ass. Saw 1st Santa Clara thru nugs/MLB (trademark/steal your face) Think I'll stream video again Sunday. SOUNDS GRATE!!!

Oh Chicago

Man, I sure wish I could make a show this weekend. The universe worked completely against me starting from before the mail order, Ticketmaster on sale date and a number of other attempts to score a ticket for any show. I watched the PPV on Friday and it has only made me wish I was there all that much more. Damn I live close to Chicago and got totally shut out from a once in a lifetime experience. ;( A lot of it is nostalgia, but, when it's done, it's done, and all that will be left will be the memories. I'm lucky that I got to see them as often as I did when Jerry was alive and am Grateful for that. Admittedly, it's going to be tough to not sulk for a while though for missing out on this weekend (I tried)... ...unless they decide to say "fuck it, we're not ready to retire yet". Wishful thinking....sigh...

Set Lists...

I couldn't help but think that a couple of these set lists would have really pissed off some folks here. I went Friday and loved it, and couldn't believe how much of Blues For Allah they played. No disappointments for me, and Ripple is my favorite song on the planet, so to hear it semi-acoustic for the first time since Radio City was truly special. Seems like there have been two shows out of four where they haven't ventured beyond '78 in their set list, with night 1 in Santa Clara being the most focused on early stuff. I'm going with my wife tonight and looking forward to another memorable show. I thought about my Friday show all day Saturday. I can't remember the last time that happened after a concert. I would think there would be no guests based on the first 4 shows, except for Bolo's contest. I think it would be cool if the opened with Tomorrow Is Forever, sung by special guest Donna Jean Godchaux. But I don't get to officially guess, since I am already basking in the glow of my recent Bolo Contest. Have fun tonight. I'd be very surprised if the set list was as "mundane" as last night. Either way, I am sure there will be tears shed.

better review of 7.4.15 on the FTW Complete boxset thread...

agreed 'cuse that 1st set last night took a minute to come together & the list wasn't so awesome (check out my extensive review on the FTW Complete boxset thread) but that second set was dizzying......where u sittin tonight?? tryin to say hey to anyone on this thread who's in the house!! (DEFINITELY see u later, Rory!!) everyone have an EPIC final show, wherever you're enjoying it!!! Not Fade Away opener tonight!!!!! ♤

We'll be in section 332.

sweet, thanx...

...hope to meet u later!

Trade

Hello everyone just wanted to no if anyone was interested in trading I have 73 box and 77 box both with bonus CDs am looking for Dave's picks 1-10 if anyone wants to make a deal pm me thx

Jim, re: Possible Guests

I didn't know Grisman was in town, thanks for the heads up. I would love to see him make an appearance, it would be very fitting.

can someone post link?

can someone post link to live broadcast please-7/5/15

Link

mlb.dead50.com should work. They're getting a late start.. I think you still have time. ..yes, Dantian, would love to see half the other bands that are currently playing in Chitown sit in for a song, including the Dog. Good times..

miracle link

need miracle link please

I totally agree with you. I

MinusMorgal--I totally agree with you. I went to my first show in 1985 and ended up going to 23 overall. Most were great, a couple not so good. But now I find myself only listening to shows up through early 1978. I can't listen to anything after that, including any of the shows I went to. I'm kind of glad I didn't know how great the early stuff was back then.

Buzzed & honest...

How anybody could find 3-29-90 a travesty is WAAAYYY beyond me.One of the greatest recordings of ANY kind of music of all time. Uh...in my opinion.

Fall 94

Was listening to some shows from fall 94 over the weekend (mostly because it was my last favorite tour) and man, Oct was something else....definitely some stinkers, but between 10/1, 10/5, 10/14, 10/18 and others, there was definitely something fun happening with the band! Hope everyone enjoyed the shows this weekend!

The contest that wasn't

Well, so much for guessing the guests - a big "nada!" I had been hoping for Donna Jean on a couple tunes and at least a cameo by Robert Hunter, but I guess this really was all about the "core four." Needless to say, no one guessed "zero" and "nobody," so I'll roll the prize(s) over to another contest in the future. So, farewell to "Fare Thee Well." Some great moments in those 5 shows. In the meantime, life goes on. And the music never stopped.

30 Trips...

OK, now can we see the box? pretty please??????

Re: jrf & 3/29/90

I got your back on 3/29, jrf, one of the truly great shows in GD history. I have had a good board of that show for as long as I can remember. There's youtube coverage of a good bit of that show also. but when I cycled through Spring '90, in its entirety.. it was the under the radar shows that captured my attention. I thought 3/14 and 3/28 sounded fresh and spirited. Sometimes its how a show compares to expectations that's grabs you. A lot like the Fare Thee Well shows, exceeded my expectations. My views are much like rdevil's. I have my favorite shows/era's/styles, but what I like certainly spreads beyond years and band lineups.

jrf68 / jackstraw2222

jack straw - thanks for getting what I was saying. jrf68 - I'm saying that I have no choice but to listen to a show like 3/29/90 in its proper historical context, which is in comparison to performances by the "old" Grateful Dead. For me and many others, it stings the ears to hear Brent Mydlands backup vocals and keyboards on songs like Cassidy, The Wheel, Bertha, Eyes of the World, Estimated Prophet etc, and by comparison, it is a travesty (in the literal meaning of the word); which is to say, a substandard, inadequate representation of something that was originally much better. His vocals just don't sound good on those old songs to me and many others, so it kind of ruins those songs for us. That's all I'm talking about. Never in a million years could I put on Bertha from 1990, compare it to any performance between '71 and '78, and say, yeah, this is the better version. I'm just not a fan of that plinky keyboard sound or overwhelmingly loud Hammond organ; and Brent sounds like he's struggling for breath when he sings, so it just results in this quotient that KILLS old Grateful Dead songs. That's how I can say it's a travesty. What I was really asking was how can the fans of these shows not feel the same way? I haven't really heard an answer. I've gotten a lot of flak, particularly in the PMs (which I won't reply to - man up and say it in public), but really, I'm just asking how? Maybe it's simple and the folks that love it have never heard Bertha performed at Venetta or a number of times on Europe '72; or perhaps they don't like tube amps or tape hiss - I don't know, nobody has said. I would add - I may be one of the few Bruce / Vince fans, as I do enjoy some stuff from their era. I know Jerry wasn't sounding so hot by then, but I'm saying that the keyboards and backing vocals aren't ruining the performance for me. I'm looking forward to the 30 Trips representations from these years.

Declining Vocals

..have to agree with you on declining vocals. There are some horrendous out of tune vocals in the early years too(Pigpen, of course, excluded). I guess I am solidly in the corner of I'm in it for the songs and I'm in it for the jams. Watching Fare Thee Well come and go, I forgot how much the rich fabric of songwriting affects me. Got to give it to the band for creating a rich tapestry of material to play with. That's a big part of the legacy for me. Let there be songs, to fill the air. Anyway.. to all parties, I bet the glue that binds us is stickier than the forces that separate us. We are talking about the same band, just which snippets of time cast the strongest spell.

Travesty?

Does anybody honestly believe that the Dead would have broken sales records at Soldier Field in 2015 and sold $200-$700 CD box sets entirely based on what transpired prior to 1979 and had the Dead stopped touring and recording during the Keith and Donna era? This music has touched each of us all in each our own way and everybody has their favorites. For me, I'm drawn to the high energy and intensity level of the Brent era.

Not being kind to the Brent Era

Just to preface, my 40 some odd live attended GD shows were from 85-94. With the bulk of them taking place in the travesty years. And yes I now most certainly prefer 68-78 shows but to say that the 3/29/90 show & other peak moments from those years are a travesty because of Brent's plinky keys & out of breath vocals is just plain old rude & insulting. I am most certainly an anti midi, anti bad 80's keys & anti non tube amps kind of guy. But there was still plenty of magic in the air, just not as much as years prior. The 3/29/90 show was indeed the best GD concert I have ever attended. I don't feel the same way as you that the songs were ruined. They are basically different interpretations paired with different sounding instruments & amps. But not as radically different as a 1968 Dancing to a 1978 Dancing. Time marches on & yes things do change, but I am particularly happy that the band carried on after 1978. My wife certainly does not look like she did 25 years back, should I simply move on? I think your point has been made and you can choose to ignore anything post 1978. But realize you are slighting those of us that are enjoying this current reunion and the 80's era. That being said I really had a blast last night catching the simulcast at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Been a great celebration the last couple of weekends seeing so many people get their Dead on. Cheers to the core 4 plus Bruce, Trey & Jeff!

Hunter

I was not at any of the shows, I'm curious if Robert Hunter's contributions were specifically highlighted/thanked as part of the gigs. Or those of any of the lyricists.

Hyperbole [hahy-pur-buh-lee]

noun, Rhetoric 1. obvious and intentional exaggeration. 2. an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as “to wait an eternity” or "the Dead with Brent were a travesty". 3. a travesty of idiomatic convention employed with reckless abandon in a polarized society for which reasoned and proportionate reaction has become anathema. Good grief!/K

Spring 90 T00

One of my favorite shows is 3/25. Another is 3/21. I think the Albany run and the Copps "mini-run" are fantastic. and I agree, 3/14 is an awesome show in itself! Take care folks! Daves 15 any day now people. Waiting for that '71 show announcement!

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