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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
Nope, Gone Away Again!
Apparently the crack equipment crew hard at work hasn't made everything just exactly perfect yet.
Yesterday my order status went from "Backordered" (mid-October shipping) to "in process" to "Backordered" (October 31 shipping).
Figuring out the ship date is becoming a little like trying to guess the setlist...
Well, my mother always told me patience is a virtue, but... it's getting hard to disagree with lowspark75.
October 31st Ship Date
That makes for a 45 Day interest free loan of $6.5 Million. Must be nice! I sort of feel like a patsy.
How About Another Diversionary Tactic?
What 5 shows are you most looking forward to?
Mine:
1. 11/10/67 Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA
2. 3/18/71 Fox Theatre - St. Louis, MO
3.11/14/73 San Diego Sports Arena - San Diego, CA
4. 10/3/76 Cobo Hall - Detroit, MI
5. 6/24/85 River Bend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
The 2nd set for 6/24/85 looks very interesting with a full 'That's It For The Other One' ('Cryptical' included). So a question for my much well informed fellow Heads:
When was the last previous time GD performed this (w/ 'Cryptical')? And did they ever perform it again (w/ 'Cryptical') after 6/24/85? Of course JG has to be included.
@ Lowspark75 Re: 1973
As others have stated DaP5 11/17/73 is a great show with well "Norman-ized" audio.
Honorable mention:
DP19 10/19/73 Oklahoma City, OK
RT4.3 11/21/73 Denver, CO (4 days after DaP5)
The following shows are incomplete, but still great listening:
DP14 11/30/73 & 12/2/73 both Boston, MA
DP28 2/26/73 Lincoln, NE & 2/28/73 Salt Lake City, UT
I asked in an earlier post if you'd be willing to re-purchase incomplete shows if now complete (returned reels etc.), these were some of the shows I was thinking of.
Diversionary Tactic
Cryptical was played 6/16/85 at the Greek, first time since 12/15/71 at the Hill Aud. In Ann Arbor, MI. They only played it 3 more times after 6/24 - on 6/30/85 at Merriweather Post and 7/13/85 in Ventura CA (at both of these they only played the part that precedes The Other One), and 9/3/85 in Kansas City MO where they played both sections.
I can't really answer which I'm most looking forward to because I've been going through the streams in chronological order and am into the 85 show already. I will need to listen again to let it all sink it but I remember being especially blown away by the 68,69 and 70 shows. There haven't been any duds. The first set of 76 is fairly standard, but the second set is unbelievable. Although there are lots of highlights on the 79 show (Phil's entry on The Other One, the Dancing->Franklin's), I've always preferred the following night of the two-nighter in Cape Cod. I was surprised at how good the 84 show was, major fun. The 71 thru 74 shows were not surprising, they were predictably top-drawer jaw dropping. The 75 show is, as you would expect, unique. It has a looser feel to it than the Great American, with prime Phil everywhere. Love the early Help-Slip, and it's interesting how they sandwiched out the Franklin's. The 77 show is very solid, but relative to other 77 we already have, it's not at the very top of the heap. I love the early 80's stuff and don't mind the patches. There are Scarlet-Fires on both the 82 and 83 shows and they're very different. For those that have never fallen in love with Brent's playing I'm hoping that some will after really listening to these. He was a really brilliant player, and they were fabulously lucky to have him.
Diversionary Tactic
Thanks wjonjd - so 1985 was it as far as complete TIFTOO. Too bad as I really enjoyed the 'Crypticals'. Some great jams could come out of the 2nd one.
You have me salivating anew with your descriptions of the other shows. As expected '68-'76 will probably be worth the price of admission alone. While I didn't expect a top shelf '77 (5/7-5/9), another '77 is always welcome. '79 was #6 on my list as I think Brent really gave "new life" to the band as much as I liked Keith.
Spring 1973?
Why, yes. I will have some. Thank you, Mister Lemieux.
@LetsGoCaps
You need to check your math my friend.
Even if they sold all 6500 boxes, and the 1000 USBs, which they have not yet done, that comes to $5,250,000 and not $6.5 million
Rock on
Diversionary Tactic #2
What 5 titles are you listening to while awaiting the BOX DROP? GD can be included.
1. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak And Blu.
Great guitar work-outs mixed with mid-60's R&B/Soul
2. Richard Thompson - Still Deluxe.
If you should purchase this do yourself a favor and get the deluxe 2 CD version with 5 additional songs. These aren't alternate/demo/live versions of songs already on the album, but 5 fully realized outtakes that should have/could have been on the main album.
3. Los Lobos - Good Morning Aztlan (or 'Kiko')
I'm looking forward to the new album. It seems like you can never go wrong with these guys.
4. Genesis - Live at the Philadelphia Spectrum 9/18/07.
A friend sent me a soundboard(?). Not being much of a post-Gabriel listener, I was pleasantly surprised at the mix of old and new material.
5. GD - DP33 10/9 & 10/76.
2 afternoon concerts opening for the Who. 'Nuff said.
Finally got It
So I finally have figured it out. All of you are marketing Bots designed to bleed me of every last dime. I will stop listening to you from this date forward.
BTW, I just picked up the 73 Winterland also, for $108.99. This must be the last one because now the cheapest new version is $273. I had been eyeing it for a while but after posts on here I figured I better grab it.
But after this, "No more Soup for You"!
Oh yeah, what were the other 73DP?
@LetsGoCaps
And even it was $6.5 million sold, 1% interest for 45 days comes to about $7150 dollars.Are you really going to complain about that while Rhino works out all of the kinks?
I mean c'mon. That's peanuts to a big corporation
Rock on
Gary Farseer / DP73
Hi Gary - See my post to Lowspark75 post #59. There's also DP1 12/19/73 Tampa, Fl.
It's Been Announced
Dap 16 is 3/28/73 Springfield, MA - good stuff
DaveStrang/Diversionary Tactic #2
1. Heartless Bastards - ArrowErika Wennerstrom's Austin-based garage band extraordinaire.
2. The Word - Soul Food
Sacred Steel by NMAS, Robert Randolph and John Medeski
3. Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow is My Turn
From Carolina Chocolate Drops, covering lots of great tunes. Great voice.
4. Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Great songwriting and a voice beyond his years.
5. Africa Express - Terry Riley's "In C"
Malian musicians with Brian Eno and a couple other western musicians doing their version of Terry Riley's legendary piece. If you like Bombino, Tinariwen and Ali Farka Toure, check this out.
Re: Trey Interview
Great stuff UV1! Must have been great to be there. Thanks for sharing!
pre-order (new meaning)
Yeah we were charged long ago...and we can listen to it but i'm listening off of my computer not a stereo system with an amp machine...I kind of got off the dead for awhile so I won't anticiapate the box too much...now we have a dave's pick from a pretty good year 1973...for me the whole pocket of 1969-1973 was just flawless you would never disappoint me with a show from that period...then if it's too good I might get the dreaded fare thee well tour...to be honest I hate to get it but i'm intrigued by the Phish guitar player...I heard some of it on you tube and thought the dead people will do better with the mix then anybody on youtube can...of course it'll cost me 200$ something to really think about...I definitely won't order until it's been released.
Africa Express
That sounds fantastic! I am a huge fan of everyone mentioned in the description, so I will definitely hunt that down. Thanks for the suggestion.
Posterity
Here – as I await another 80 CDs of music from the Lost Boyz and wonder how to rearrange my shelves to show off Boxzilla – is a left-field question out of thin air…
Bear with me: would be interested to hear your views.
I have a moderately large collection of music (almost 2000 CDs plus a whole bunch of vinyl and some virtual stuff). I've never been a taper or tape exchanger but I have pretty much all GD official releases. My first Dead show was in '70: I'm a Euro-Deadhead so I caught 'em in '70, '72 (a lot), '74, '80, '81 and '90. As a whole my music collection is pretty wide-ranging and contains all the good shit from Early Mediaeval through Bach and Mozart to Smithways folk, the jazz and blues greats and rock'n'roll, right up to good "newer" artists such as Wilco, Ryan Adams, Mercury Rev, War On Drugs, The National etc….with a lot of Motown, country, "Americana"…
You know what I mean…it's not rubbish. No Abba.
So here's my question: I'm in my sixties now. My wife and music? Meh. My teenage daughter? She has a good grounding - loves the Beatles, Stones, Bach and Beach Boys she was brought up on - but now listens to that horseshit and rap that teenagers listen to. So what am I going to do with this fabulous and lovingly compiled collection when I'm dust?
I mean, hey, I may live another twenty or thirty years (although looking at the world sometimes I hope I won't) but the way I smoke and drink there's a fair chance I'll go Jerry's way. I don't ever want to think of this lifetime of music being dispersed to the four winds.
What to do? Any ideas?
@ Paul Bandey
Write up a will, or a living will, and will your music collection to a person or persons or an organization, such as a library or school or a broadcaster that will benefit (but not financially) with your collection.
No more soup for you Gary Farseer
Nice Seinfeld reference. I have thus far been unable to control my grateful dead purchasing impulse, but good luck to you. And I'm sure you mean AFTER picking up DaP16, right? Also, as I gather you are a Seinfeld fan, have you checked out Curb Your Enthusiasm? Larry David is the man.
re: posterity
I've done some thinking along these lines as well. I'm a lawyer, so, might be predictable that I would recommend that you put something in your estate plan about it. That also means taking some time (in your case and mine, a LOT of time) to catalog what you have to make it easier for the person who has to deal with it after you're gone. Include a "notes" field (in addition to a "category" field if you like). I have some signed CDs (and first editions of books), so I would put that note in there.
A friend passed away a few years ago, and his widow sold his extensive CD collection to a (bay area) local music store, but that might not always be a viable option, and the price might come to be minimal as fewer folks want physical product. Maybe there will come to be marketplaces for this stuff in bulk, though shipping 2000 CDs would be expensive. Maybe put them on an external hard drive in .wav files? Just some ideas . . .
posterity
Yep. Down to earth advice, as I would have expected from a born cross-eyed fellow deadhead. Thanks. But who, which etc? Maybe Wavy Gravy and Seva could take care of them all...but Wavy's probably got a sell-by date similar to my own...and death don't have no mercy. Holy shit who to trust?
Charlie3
Yep grabbed the DaP16. Had to, can't wait to spin it. I now have at least 1 year of new things to listen to, even if I make 2 shows a weekend. What a darn predicament. As far as Curb Your Enthusiam, I have seen a few episodes. Just got in on the Amazon Prime sale 2 weeks ago, and plan to start streaming some of the shows. I mean, that, and the free 2 day shipping is a dream come true for money saving.
posterity
Thanks, Mr Frampton. I do indeed have a coupla 2T external discs waiting for the day I have the time - or seven dwarfs - to rip 'em all! As for the music store option, fuhgeddaboutit: I recently did a triage and took a shitload of reject CDs to a store here in Paris (where I live) to sell them on. They took about five per cent of them for something like one euro each and sent me back home with the rest. They want Rhianna or One Dimension or Johnny fucking Hallyday or some goddam French rappers. No taste here. Name me one Frenchman who listens to Gillian Welch (as I am doing as we speak). Now, if I can only rip 'em all before that catch-colt draws the coffin cart, someone - or some worthy cause - is going to get a really nice gift in a small package!
@Paul Bandey
Paul, I am a "Euro-deadhead" as you, and I ask myself exactly the same issues as you.I own almost all official productions of the Grateful Dead, and many other music (jazz, rock, African music, French music, classical music ...).
Often I wonder what all this will become when I am no longer on this Earth. What will become of Europe '72 box, with the book of the box in the last pages which my name is in the "special thanks to"? Today I do not know anyone around me who would be interested in this collection patiently and lovingly grown over the years.
Serpent Of Dreams
Thanks for the recommendations. I have the 1st 'The Word' and have really enjoyed it. Ryan Bingham and Rhiannon Giddens w/wo CCD have been on my purchase list but I haven't bought either so far. I'll look into 'Heartless Bastards' and 'Africa Express' will be on my purchase list now as well since anything with Eno is, at the very least interesting.
I've always found the best way to hear of new or unknown music is to ask others vs. radio or other media.
Thanks Bob
I feel a lot better about the $700 loan they take out from me. I'm just getting bitter as I sit and wait.
shippin da box
I am no expert, but I too believe the 10/2 physical address double check bodes well for shipping this week. I believe as others discussed several weeks back, that a huge bulk shipment is what they are after; to help keep shipping charges down. I believe after 10/2 they started printing shipping labels in bulk and are affixing them right now. I think pallets of boxes should start going out the door soon.
I know one thing, I do not know much...
@ Paul Bandey/Posterity
I'm in the same boat. I'm in my 50's with 4000+ CDs and more box sets than most people have single CDs. I'm keeping an eye out for any nieces or nephews or any family member who shows the same music obsession as I do. If not I'll request it be sold and the proceeds be donated to Habitat For Humanity or any other worthy cause.
Re: Posterity
You raise a very good question Paul; we have very a similar scenario and I too wonder where my vinyl/cassette (almost exclusively live recordings)/CD/digital collection will all go. Seems a shame to think it'll wind up in a dumpster.
A library interested in expanding its volumes is what I always come back to, yet before too much longer it's conceivable none of my collection will be easily played. And then there's the subjectivity of my collecting...i.e. my tastes are not everybody's so why should it be kept together after I'm gone?
Probably the best thing to do is digitize what you think you will listen to over the next many years and start selling the physical collection. Might as well recoup some of your financial investment. Presumably your time (listening) investment has long since been amortized by your ongoing enjoyment.
@DaveStrang
I couldn't agree more about the best way to learn about new music and broaden one's listening horizons.
Hope others chime in here with what they are currently listening to.
Oh and I liked your HFH suggestion for what to do with a large collection...
@ Serpent Of Dreams
I'm fortunate to be very close with all my family members and know if no one wants the collection they'll do as I ask. They contributed roughly 5% to my collection as Xmas and birthday gifts. Ideally I would like it to stay in the family but all good things come to an end.
Watchya listening to these days?
This afternoon it was the 7 Walkers disc from 2010 in my car. As I was reading this thread it was Johnny Halladay's Noir C'est Noir and other fun music from Johnny via youtube.com. This morning driving to work it was classical music via Philadelphia's Temple University WRTI as I usually do. Yesterday afternoon it was GD 5/3/72 Olympia Theater Paris - a part of the E '72 box. At work I am subjected to the hard rock sounds of Disturbed, via my work parter's hard rock/metal/punk tastes.
Dave Strang
thanks for the advice...the 50th anniversary has definitely tore me a new one.
So now with the Winterland box and the 50th box, that is 4 complete shows in a row!
I have to learn how to be a little more selective, but I am keeping purchases below my goal of an average of $15/disk.
@ Paul Bandey
It's a tough dilemma. I'm an estate-planning/probate attorney, so I guess I come at this from a slightly different angle. Fortunately, my 12-year-old son is gradually becoming a pretty cool kid. He likes the Dead (a lot) and he absolutely adores the Who (we're going to see them together on their last tour soonish, if Roger Daultrey survives. So I think he'll get my stuff. Born Cross-Eyed had a great idea, except that my experiences with public libraries are that, too often, the stuff isn't taken very good care of, and ends up being gradually destroyed. I might recommend picking a favorite charity, one that is near and dear to your heart, and either auctioning the stuff online (Ebay or such) with the proceeds going to that charity, or just giving it to the charity and allowing them to do the auctioning. Either way, if you don't have anyone close that you think will cherish it the way you do, at least whoever is paying $$$ for it online is probably just like one of us. They want it, they're willing to spend good $$$ for it, and they'll most likely cherish it and take just as good care of it as you did. I look at it as "paying it forward", but all the while obtaining some $$$ for your loved ones or for your favorite charitable organization. Just don't let a person who won't love it like you do just sit on it and let it collect dust.
Posterity
I wonder/worry about my "collection", in the end you're dead sooooo. I have a buddy who collects and restores Cadillacs, we always joke 5 minutes after we're dead our family will be loading our stuff in the dumpster.
My kid likes a lot of music, so it might be in good hands. I do point out to him certain thing not to sell cheap (like Europe 72). I have a goodly amount of vinyl (about 12' of LP's) about 300 45's (mostly top 40 from Early 70's), about 600 old 78 RPM records from mom. My LP's go back to my childhood lp's, faux Chimpmunks doing Beatles songs and other kid type things. I have several "picture" disc that may be worth something. I have an original Leonard Nimoy album, "the two side of Leonard Nimoy" (on the "Dot" label). I have about 14 "banker" boxes filled with cd's. But the most work has gone into my hard drive collection, I've spent years on that bad boy. I got about 500,000 songs/6000 artist on it. All in order & labeled. I keep this very backedup and have several offsite backups. I work on this almost everyday, correcting track syntax or adding new stuff. I worry my son who likes the collection will not keep it up to date and backedup and when the hard drive goes bad (which it will), bang it will be gone. That thought irks me a little since I have so much time invested into it.
But like I said, I'll be dead, sooooo
Listening to / musings
Dave's Picks 16 sounds great to me..I'd be game for just about anything as I broaden my horizons, but I would say that setlist seems tough to beat.
Speaking of '73, I'm in the same boat as boblopes, no bonus disc in '73 but in '77, which I have in May '77...haha, I guess that's an OK problem to have but I would have liked some new music and as I'm seeing, '73 has alot to digest.
I have not done any streaming or even considered it for 30 Trips; when just about everything is new to me, no reason to jump the gun there.
Currently listening to 5/4/72..I've slowed way past where I wanted to be on the Euro '72 box, but still enjoying it while taking those sidetrips, so it's not worth rushing. This Dark Star seems to have some weird rhythmic vibe that has gotten in my head, probably my favorite since the 4/8 one so far.
As far as listening to currently, in a global sense, I took everyone's great advice here and been checking out some of the other 'country rock' acts while reading through that book, Are You Ready for the Country. Spent the most time with Sweetheart of the Rodeo (great reissue edition by the way, well done) and the Flying Burrito Brothers first album.
Also listening to Houndmouth today, we are seeing them tomorrow night in a little bar / club. I'm not super familiar with them yet, but I have liked the vibe I've heard (Sedona is the 'popular' tune).
I'll second the praise for the Rhiannon Giddens album (and the CCD in general). I love her voice, not to mention the diversity of the selection on the album...from Sister Rosetta to Geeshie Wiley to Odetta to Dolly, while giving her own vibe, that's pretty impressive.
Been checking in on the Dylan tour and heard a snippet of the new Sinatra / Ray Charles cover on Youtube (really liked it), but haven't looked into any boots yet.
garcia
Teach your daughter how to sell on-line for when your dead...hell she can get 1,500 for the 30 year box set...hundreds for most of your box sets...regular cds once you open them are worth pennies for the most part...independent CDs are worth more because of supply and demand laws...but keep buying grateful dead box sets as your contributing to your daughter's future...i'd get off rap ASAP that could destroy her life in more ways than one...buy her beach boys box set if she'll burn her rap records in the yard.
Orpan Collections to the Adopted
If any of my Deadhead friends with a touch of gray need my contact information to bequeath their lovingly curated collection to me upon their passing, feel free to PM me. LOL!
Ashes, ashes; all fall down.
Dylan..
Not to rehash last weeks topic again, but.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=30&v=pwh1INne97Q
That's fast.
french rappers
Paul, I thought Gillian Welch was a french rapper???? Damn, I better toss my tix to see her and Dave's Machine next month!
Dave/Crypticals
Dave,those crypticals got a....little wobbly the summer of 85. Not sure we needed anymore of that, unless they were gonna rehearse that beotch!
Individual shows - update
OK guys - a few of you know but I have a pretty serious eye op to pay for coming soon - so I'm trying to shift the remaining shows asap. EACH of the following now ONLY $45US per show inc shipping from oz (sent day i get box):
Email me at gilmourstephen@hotmail.com
ShowS available still are
68
76
77
78
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
88
90
92
93
94
95
Also taking offers on scroll, single and book from box as a set or per item
Hey Stephen1971
There's a guy under the moniker WaysandMeans that I think wants to buy some from ya.Send him a PMHe's chatting it up over on the 16 thread.
;)
Can't Take It With You
Yep, it's a question without a good answer. Once you're gone, your stuff eventually dissipates whether your heir(s) care about keeping the collection together or not. If the first generation keeps it, the next won't. Or if they do, the one after that won't. So why worry about it? I say enjoy it while you can and let your loved ones know if something has particular value. My wife knows the box sets are out of print and sought after on eBay. She would probably sell them and give the dough to the Southern Poverty Law Center, my charity of choice.
And now for 30 unheard (by me) shows, soon to arrive on my porch. This box probably has good resale value. That is, if you keep it all together like this:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
Yee-haw!
product sku
081227955892