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    "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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  • rrot
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    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.
  • Indianadeadhead
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    TICKETS
    Just heard on Chgo radio more tickets for Chgo shows. 2 tickets per show on ticketmaster. Not sure when on sale.
  • rrot
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    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?
  • Emanuel9
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    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.
  • jackstraw78
    Joined:
    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.
  • direwulf
    Joined:
    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?
  • fourwindsblow
    Joined:
    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
  • mato1949
    Joined:
    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!!!
  • Strider 808808
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    Seaside Chat
    Including the Byrds and the Airplane. The west coast rocks! "Book the bands Wayne and the people will come."
  • edwardbe
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    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?
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"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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15 years 11 months
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I hope there isn't going to be too many people regretting not buying. I want to see the inside of this box, how the CD's are packed and pictures of the book really bad.
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13 years 1 month
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Gearing up some shows waiting for this box...daves 8, dicks 13, and dicks 32 which are shows all around shows in "Boxzilla"... just passing the time!....
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17 years 5 months
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....I believe that the discs will be presented ala DaP with a hard foam laser cut "case" with slots ala a firearm case or something to hold a collection of Toy Story dolls ala Toy Story 2. Or they might be presented with a May '77 setup. Who knows? No Road Trips please!!....
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17 years 5 months
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They have been going fast this week end. Should be sold out tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest. I guess we will not see the inside of the box until the postman delivers it in 3 weeks. Can't wait. Rock on
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17 years 6 months
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Don't skip 7-28-82. A fantastic show, not officially released but great nonetheless. A fantastic TLEO. A top choice for release if you asked me. Funny, I haven't really latched on the other Red Rocks '82 shows yet, but this one has always been a favorite since I've been listening on tapes. Gotta get to those other ones myself just to hear if they capture the magic...
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15 years 1 month
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220 left - the 200 I ordered I've cancelled as didn't think I'd make enough profit back... Just kidding....but I might have a spare (through mis-ordering) taking offers over $1500 in 6 months lol Now where's the goddamn pictures of the inside!!
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13 years 7 months
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Our friend from Tennessee doesn't need me to defend him, BUT I'll say there is a place in that one for Jerry to soar. It's in the instrumental bridge part, where he often starts off with a carnival theme and often ends somewhere I could not have predicted. Not all of them achieve lift off, but many of them do. The repetition of the verse licks can be a little tedious if you're not in the mood for it. But that song would be far from making my list of "wish they never wrote it". That honor would go to LLR for me, at least in terms of songs from early on.
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13 years
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17 days until the ELEPHANTINE box ships.
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13 years 11 months
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I would agree that LLR can often be, um, pedestrian. But, I still remember being in the car as a teenager in 1979 sometime hearing that tune for the first time on a tape when my brother mentioned "doesn't Jerry's playing there sound just like rain pitter pattering deliciously over your mind?" Wish I could remember what tape it was. A Tempe tape, maybe. Anyway, since then I've heard a few versions where they blow the roof off bringing that tune to its end. Now, El Paso - maybe some of those early ones could get creative, but it never did much for any of the shows I was at. I would put it on my list before LLR. Did someone already put Day Job on the list??
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17 years 6 months
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It is only a few hours now until "Sold Out" gets posted Rock on
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15 years 2 months
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10
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12 years 3 months
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Get 'em while their hot!!!!
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9 years 6 months
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4
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9 years 6 months
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3
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15 years 11 months
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2
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13 years
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2
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9 years 9 months
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Slight change of subject from the countdown... I have deadbase 50 and have been wasting lots of time with it. I looked up the Fillmore 1966.07.03 show from this box and on Deadbase XI it has a setlist that matches a copy of this show that I have (I only have the first half). The additions to the Setlist on the deadbase 50 section changes "He was a Friend of Mine" to "Just a Hand to Hold." The copy of the show I have looks like only the first disc, so I'm missing the end of the show... however, it does have "he was a friend of mine" although, it almost sounds like it was from a different show... there is dead space at the end of the track and the sound quality of this song doesn't match the rest. Does anyone else have a copy of this show and have the same experience? Also, what is "just a hand to hold..." Never heard it. just killing time waiting for the big box...
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9 years 3 months
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I am thrilled I got my box set , wish my father were still with us to enjoy it, he took me to my 1st dead show at 10. What a long strange trip it's been
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12 years 6 months
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Finally. At least now those that can't afford it can lose the temptation. I am relieved
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13 years
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Okay let's start shipping!!!!
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9 years 6 months
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I couldn't agree with you more. I feel relief that it's finally sold out. I have known since the day it was announced I would not be able to get it and now I can finally stop scheming and dreaming of ways to make it happen. Should I just open up a credit card my wife doesn't know about and get it? Is this worth getting a divorce over? Ha! Congrats to all those that will have this treasure trove coming their way in mere days! Enjoy! I will get the 4 Disc compilation and be happy to have it.
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13 years
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Already on eBay, COMPLETE box for $1,195.00, FREE shipping, 10 watching per hour, it doesn't take long, does it?
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9 years 9 months
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I'm getting worried that my order accidentally got canceled... Just paranoia...
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14 years 1 month
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Same thing here Dusty.rambler. I went through and double checked my order when there was about 10 left.
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9 years 6 months
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How about a little more info on the box, if we can't get any pictures? Who did the artwork? Are all the CD covers by the same artist? Are they digipacks, sleeves, those DVD sized things from the 1977 box or something new and even more difficult to be put a shelf with the other CDs? Is the box number going to be on the single? What is the "box" constructed with? Does it really contain a scale version of the cardboard cut out that was inducted into the R&R Hall of fame? Does it ship on the 18th or is that the day it is scheduled to arrive?
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9 years 9 months
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I think it would be really cool if the artwork for each show was a reproduction of the poster or flyer for each event. I've done this for my catalog of shows and always think that the artwork of the show helps me feel the vibe for the show better. New original art would be cool, but as this box documents the Dead's journey through time, I think artwork from the time of the show would be cool.
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17 years 6 months
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I wouldn't be surprised to see these (complete sets, not broken up) going upwards of $2000 or even more in second hand markets after they start shipping. An investors wet dream if you are one of "those" types of people, and with lots 'o money. Myself, it's all about the music and my personal enjoyment of listening to it, which to me is priceless with no monetary value. I see investors and salesmen as those with no real emotional attachment to the product. Just the money they can squeeze out of it...not that there's anything wrong with that.
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9 years 6 months
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Yes that would be cool to have the actual poster art as part of the cover. The later tours didn't have many show specific posters, but they always had a nice tour poster with contemporary poster artists that were worth grabbing.
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9 years 6 months
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I guess having bought one I'm an investor, so with that in mind I hope many people sell individual shows from their boxes, for insane amounts of money.This will make my still complete set a better investment, that pays dividends every time I look at, play with or listen to it's contents. I wonder if it'll fit in my safe deposit box?

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10 years 7 months
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Nice Seinfeld drop at the end!
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9 years 9 months
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They didn't "have a few more left" this time (like DaP 15). I'm imaging if orders are canceled they will not offer them back for sale until everyone who ordered got one. This would give them spares for damaged products or dropped orders from their site crash when this thing first went up.
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17 years 6 months
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speechless and grateful. faith in the human race restored... email box full, and one amazing friend on the eastern seaboard. it's why my musical life revolves around this band alone.
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17 years 5 months
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....looks like Rhino's abacus was calibrated just right.... ....congrats Brian. I thought I saw your finger up in this Internet parking lot....you deserve it....
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17 years 5 months
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....just checked mine. Says backordered but not cancelled, so I think I'm good. Dead.net has not failed me yet....(crossing fingers and toes. Ouch.)
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13 years 6 months
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That question went unanswered..(at least when I asked it). I'm curious too, it can make the difference between something cool and something really special.
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9 years 9 months
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I really like the art work from May 77' and from Spring 90 Too, however those were 5 and 8 shows respectively. The art for this 30 year box will hopefully be more diverse. I think both of the previously mentioned boxes really fit the time... How are they going to capture art from a 30 year span. This mystery makes me giddy just thinking about it, and now that we are so close to delivery, I say DONT give us a preview of the art. I can wait 3 weeks for a surprise!
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15 years 11 months
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Was on main page and clicked the link to boxset and got everything on this page except the comments - waz up wit dat? Before this page goes away I am interested in a show by show discussion that someone mentioned earlier. Is this something Mary can pass on to the webmasters? I am planning to in sequential order from the start. Now that it's sold out, break out the videos discussing the shows please!!! Dave vs Wild! With special guest appearance by Bear Grylls showing Dave how to ride a whale with just a few of his bumperstickers and a 50th totebag.
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9 years 9 months
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I brought this up a while ago and saw some interest. Would live to see that here or created elsewhere. I think it would be cool if 30 threads were available at all times so anyone could discuss the show they were listening to. I looked into creating a free forum and it's possible, but I don't have the time right now to invest (planning my wedding). If dead.net can't create this for us, can someone else take the lead here and find the right forum? Steve-something.tv was mentioned. I checked it out and was unimpressed as any topic can be created so it would be hard to find the various threads, but I'll go where the discussion is.
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13 years
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Now that GARGANTUA has finally...SOLD OUT, will TPTB at least think about releasing each show individually, a la, E72 TCR, or is the consensus here on this forum is that's not going to happen? And while I'm at it why not a "sneak" peak at what's inside, inquiring minds (at least mine) would like to know what my $699.98+ TAX gets me.
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17 years 6 months
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It seems the message board part is tied to the BOX SET.Because it's sold out, when you click the main page link, it brings you to the USB purchase page. No msg board. So go to store>Music. Click 30 trips box set. here you are.
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9 years 9 months
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Thanks Wilfred. This section was recommended a while back, but the page wasn't working. I'd gladly use this space if it is operational!
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15 years 8 months
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Now that it's sold out maybe they can start shipping it tomorrow? I can't believe there's still people that don't know what on this...it's 30 shows complete and they're 1 show from each year...they have the show and track list...let's put this way you'll be busy for at least a year listening to the 30 shows on top of the shows you have already...I assume 99% of the people who get Dave's picks got this one too...i'm kind of uneasy about the price but who can say it's cool I can pay 700$ with no problem it won't set me back much...a few lawyers and doctors maybe...but i'll be entertained for at least a year so it's worth it I guess...worth it where I couldn't pass it by either.
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17 years 6 months
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It works, I check it every day. And, I think I'm the one that recommended it. Great reads, and you'll find mvp's everywhere (most valuable posters: e.g. 'hockey john') Good luck with your wedding planning. So glad I eloped!
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