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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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  • outpost
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    USB File import
    It took a few hours to get everything imported into iTunes, but actually no more work required than doing the same thing for CD's (probably would have took longer with 80 CD's)1. Copied the whole USB to my desktop to a temporary folder. 2. Converted all the FLAC files to Apple Lossless, with XLD. 3. Imported into iTunes. 4. Renamed tracks titles (removing the 'live at etc'), and track numbers, into correct set order. 5. Replaced all the original Apple Lossless files with the new iTunes versions in my desktop folder. 6. Backup the whole Folder to a backup drive and delete the desktop version.
  • dantian
    Joined:
    nab
    "Sure, on low quality settings." I'm talking CD quality WAVs, i.e. 44.1/16. Takes less than 5 mins. "...I don't trust my hearing enough for it to be the only metric I judge correctness." You don't see the irony of that statement?
  • Ziffle
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    @Across the Rio - the USB stick
    Yes, the .mp3 files are not tagged correctly, they will not import to iTunes in the order, although they do play back fine in order directly from the USB (not iTunes). I put the stick in the USB input of my Oppo player. Everything (FLAC & .mp3) is fine and in the correct order. Just now listening to 1994 Scarlet-Fire ... Superb! It's a little unreasonable to expect GDM to predict how each person intends on using the files on the USB. Were you to clone the USB to an HDD or other USB and play directly from it, the FLAC files are in the correct order. Yes, they should have included the disc tag for iTunes import, but I don't believe that it would take anyone with an elementary understanding of iTunes more than a few seconds to add the number "1" "2" or "3" to the disc tag for the folders imported as disc 1, disc 2, or disc 3. Any additional manipulations to the file names and transcoding to different formats is entirely optional and up to the personal interests of the individual. The USB provided works just fine out of the box. The .mp3 files show up in the correct order on my Oppo and in my car. The FLAC files are in the correct order directly played via the Oppo. I'm transcoding to WAV purely out of my own personal interest, and it is my personal interests that are creating extra work. But they should have included the disc # tag, and they should give us the printed book as a thank you for persevering through the inconvenience. Oh well. By the way, why would anyone want to bother with the .mp3 files when we have lossless 96kHz files?
  • Across the Rio
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    Ziffle
    Glad you are happy Ziffle. But not everyone bought the USB for the same reason or approach you did. To do what you suggest would take me more than the 12 hours I described to find and learn the processes you speak of. And there is no discounting that Rhino itself sent an email explaining that the numbering is wrong and needs intervention - so defending them, when they admitted they screwed up the numbering (which is the major issue) seems odd. I never understand those who defend a company that itself says it screwed up. Anyway, they sent us sets that need work, no matter how you look at it. The FLAC is in folders like CD's and needs work, the mp3s are in a single show folder that is completely unusable as is - and it was the format I wanted for use due to file size and storage issues that swayed me to the purchase. Again, glad you are happy with the way you got it. I think you are wrong that everyone who bought it had the same mindset approach you did.
  • Ziffle
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    Tempest in a teapot
    A lot of moans and groans from some of the USB group and some side (snide?) commentators. GDM messed up by omitting the disc number tag. However, if you are importing to iTunes in a compatible format (ALAC or AIFF or one of the lossy versions, but why do that?) it is easy. Every time you import a show, do it one disc (folder) at a time, and do a batch disc number assignment. Takes but a moment. There is one show (San Diego, I think) that has a couple or three songs out of order. Yawn. Take thirty seconds and change the track numbers manually to move them to the end of the show. If you transcode to WAV (but I think that I'm the only one) it is a little more difficult, because WAV doesn't support metadata (Broadcast WAV does, but I'm not aware of any software that will provide that as an output format). As far as file names are concerned, no scheme will ever satisfy everyone, and therefore they gave all the information. If using a Mac, there are numerous useful scripts for batch operations available for download at Doug Adams website [http://dougscripts.com]. I like "Search-Replace text tag" and "Increment Number tag". These two are a big $2.00 each if you use them for more than ten days. A bunch of posts below Galvinzed pointed out that GDM have effectively given us clones of the master tapes. I'd go even further, because what we have has been processed to correct for analog wow and flutter, and have been given some judicious equalization. What we have received is better audio than the raw tapes. Wish everyone here the best for 2016!
  • jrf68@hotmail.com
    Joined:
    Moving on...
    Drive-By Truckers-The Tough Sell -The Living Bubba ...get some :)
  • jrf68@hotmail.com
    Joined:
    '66 Trip & Ray Manzarak
    Indeed it does remind me of the Doors style of keys at times. Side Trip-Saw Echo & The Bunnymen in '86 or '87.Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke. Ray came out and played with 'em for a while and did a few Doors tunes with 'em. One of my favorite concert memories....just too weird. Still have the ticket. I think it was because of the Lost Boys soundtrack. Also,give Bedbugs & Ballyhoo a listen.....tell me ya don't hear Ray.
  • dallanW
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    Joined:
    USB Arrival
    Yeah, got mine too. Sound is very good. I only found one tagging problem so far. I'm just dragging files that I copied to hard drive onto my flac player for Mac which is called Amarra. Sure I'll run into some issues that I'll have to fix but for now I am finally listening to the music.
  • prafter
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    Joined:
    USB Arrival
    Mine arrived last night after 7:30. I was able to play it directly on my computer without downloading it...songs are in the proper order. I attempted to download the '67 Shrine show, 6 files did not work and I erased the whole thing. It'll be easier to rip the discs to the computer than having to re-tag all these.
  • jrf68@hotmail.com
    Joined:
    How disappointing...
    The rest of these bolts may end up collecting more dust on the warehouse shelf than Spring '90 Too.I thought about getting one and now am soooo glad I didn't. Good luck out there.
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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 10 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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12 years 11 months
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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 4 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 4 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 5 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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14 years 11 months
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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 5 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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12 years 10 months
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17 days until the ELEPHANTINE box ships.
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13 years 9 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 4 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 1 month
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10
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12 years 2 months
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Get 'em while their hot!!!!
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9 years 4 months
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4
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9 years 4 months
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3
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15 years 10 months
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2
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12 years 11 months
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2
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9 years 7 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 2 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 4 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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12 years 10 months
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Okay let's start shipping!!!!
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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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12 years 10 months
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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 7 months
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I'm getting worried that my order accidentally got canceled... Just paranoia...
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14 years
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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 5 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 7 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 5 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 5 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 5 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 6 months
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Nice Seinfeld drop at the end!
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9 years 7 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 7 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 9 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 7 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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12 years 10 months
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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 $699.98+ TAX gets me.
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17 years 4 months
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It seems the message board part is tied to the BOX SET.Because it's sold out, when you click the main page link, it brings you to the USB purchase page. No msg board. So go to store>Music. Click 30 trips box set. here you are.
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9 years 7 months
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Thanks Wilfred. This section was recommended a while back, but the page wasn't working. I'd gladly use this space if it is operational!
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15 years 6 months
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Now that it's sold out maybe they can start shipping it tomorrow? I can't believe there's still people that don't know what on this...it's 30 shows complete and they're 1 show from each year...they have the show and track list...let's put this way you'll be busy for at least a year listening to the 30 shows on top of the shows you have already...I assume 99% of the people who get Dave's picks got this one too...i'm kind of uneasy about the price but who can say it's cool I can pay 700$ 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 5 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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