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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
@stars1074 30 Trips sticker
Hey friend, if you have not secured a 30 trips sticker, PM your addy, and I will send you mine.
Last Night's Listening
I played '76 and '78, as I said I would, at work last night/this morning. There may have been a song or two I liked from '76, but '78 was the standout of the two. I was REALLY impressed with the 'Let It Grow' and 'Samson And Delilah'. Jerry was... I really need new phrases for this. He was on fire, but I always say that. He was harnessing lightning on those songs. And both Bobby and Donna were going for broke on S & D. That Providence show is my favorite '78 show so far. I mean, I've only heard DaP15, DP25 and The Closing Of Winterland besides this one.. but of the 4, this one's my pick.
@lowspark75
My man, you MUST check out DP 18! Disc 2 may be my favorite single disc in the entire DP series.
Dane County
Gotcha.. and that one HAS been on my purchase list. Just got bumped down when I decided I needed to focus on DaPs.
Re: Post Hiatus Let It Grows
I've been onto '78 Let it Grows since spring. Some are on fire. Haven't gotten to '76 or '78 yet in the box.. but yea, there's some guitar wizardry in some of these versions. Gunpowder meets gasoline.
Don't get me wrong, I love the full Weather Report Suites.. but give the post hiatus versions a chance and they really seem to get their legs late '77 and into '78.
Then there are the early '80's versions. Dicks 13 is a good example, but there are quite a few better ones.
Post-hiatus LIG
Agreed, Jim. As much as I love the WRS-LIG full sequence, especially this time of year, many of the post-hiatus LIG's are so focused and intense. There are many to choose from, but the version from "Crimson, White, and Indigo" immediately comes to mind, but that could be because I had "a moment" with that one.
Crimson White and Gunpowder Guitar Licks
Funny you mention Crimson White and Indigo. The last few times I have watched/listened to that.. its the first set that got all the attention, specifically the Memphis Blues, Let it Grow and Blow Away. I got into it this summer a couple times.
Good stuff, thanks for reminding me. ..had a 'moment' can only be a good thing I am guessing.
C, W, and I LIG
Definitely a good moment. Before moving to Virginia, I worked in Indianapolis for a year. When I began working there, I commuted from Louisville every Monday for the week. I would get up and leave before sunrise every Monday morning. It was Fall, and the mornings were crisp.
If you are familiar with I-65 between Louisville and Indianapolis, it is a flat stretch of mostly corn fields and treelines. In Fall, the trees are the color of fire and the fields are gold, often with fog on them in the early hours.
I was driving north one morning, listening to the first set from C, W, and I, and daylight was approaching. As the boys hit the first "Let it grow! Let it grow! Wide and clear...", the sun bursts over the horizon and shone on a treeline of oaks and maples in peak color change. It was like the Earth was on fire, but in a good way. It was spectacular!
Agree All Around - DP 18 is The Bomb
...I have to agree, I can still picture where I was when I heard DP 18 for the first time....my teeny tiny studio apartment in Adams Morgan/Washington DC laying on my bed....my jaw slacked and dropped when that Music Never Stopped came on, and the two-part jam at the end was like the energizer bunny...it kept going and going and going...to a relentless crescendo. And yeah, Disc 2 - amazing. The Eyes of the World is perhaps one of the best ever played, it is absolutely ferocious.
Let it Gow - 76 - 79 - 82
Road trips Fall 77 and Daves Picks 12 (LIG=skull-splitter nominee) has some primo performances of "Let it Grow"
a few more -
**9.28.76 = Dicks Picks 20
Let it Grow ->
GDTRFB
**9.2.79 = first LIG of Brent era
Terrapin Station ->
Let it Grow ->
Jam ->
Drums
7.28.82 = Red Rocks - not the best LIG, but sweet transtions in the unique sequence, especially between He's Gone and Truckin'
Let It Grow ->
He's Gone ->
Truckin'
And now one of the ALL-TIME Contenders that includes the full WRS --------- 7.19.74 !!!!! 5 count em' 5 exclamation points
PRELUDE->
WEATHER REPORT Part 1->
LET IT GROW->
SPANISH JAM->
EYES OF THE WORLD->
CHINA DOLL
Let It Grow
Am I alone in considering the Let It Grow appeared in Without A Net as an absoluty fabulous version, with a concise jam, inventive and burning ?
LIG / WRS Dial-a-Melt
The 11/4/77 (DaP 12) performance of Let It Grow is a notch above most. The jam is spectacular, very Santana-like.
For a WRS that stands out, take a listen to the Beyond Description Bonus Disc (it's from one of the October '74 Winterland shows that they recorded for the Movie Soundtrack, but it's not the version that was released in the movie or CD). Bobby sings his ass off in Part 1 like no other version.
Without A Net -- Top Notch Grateful Dead
Love everything about that release, good call Alain. I just scored 2 copies of Without A Net on vinyl !! Oh boy !! one sealed and the other in pretty good shape.. Unfortunately it was not for the price my friend found it for,, he found a sweet copy of Without A Net 3LP for $1.00 !
for a late 80's "LIG"
7.17.88 - is one of top quality
Without a Net Vinyl
To compliment Analog Productions' recent audiophile vinyl release of Reckoning, they should release and audiophile Without a Net.
Meriwether's book
I finally got around to read the extra long "liner notes" / book / essay, or just plain "Shadow Boxing The Apocalypse: An Alternative History of the Grateful Dead" by Nicholas Meriwether.It's a very good read, it covers just over 30 years of the Grateful Dead if you include the "Prologue: New Year's Eve, 1963." Very well researched and authoritative from Meriwether's point of view. It reads year by year with the selected show included and other details that is just plain facinating. Most of everything he covers in this tale has been already known to Dead Heads for years in various points of view.
If you haven't read this essay yet, by all means take the time to read it.
I also have been reading most of the submitted stories from the Dead Heads. I read one story of someone who tripped on LSD of their first show and were clean and straight for all other following shows that this person saw.
My own story is similar, but smoked a lot of some really potent marijuana before my first show, and every show after that I saw clean and sober. I only had to "put up" with the beautiful smells in the arenas that I saw the Grateful Dead in, namely The Spectrum in Philadelphia and Madison Square Garden in New York City and a few other places.
Worcester '83
Actually just listened to this yesterday unaware that this was the anniversary. Interesting show but definitely not worth occupying phone memory. Does have an Uncle John's Band, though. Overall not in same league as other 30 trips shows I've heard so far. 87 much better.
Worcester '83 - has been on the tip of Dave's tongue
for a while, so I think that is the one he wanted out there.
I like April 83 shows
4.12.83
4.13.83 and to close out the tour is a barn burner
4.26.83 !!!
And dang it !!! What about a soundboard for 6.24.83 ? Some extra hot playing in quite a few of those 1st set tunes
Candyman ->
Little Red Rooster
Althea
Hell In A Bucket
Deal
and killer second set !!! Check it out people 6.24.83 !!!!! Holy Cow
'74 and '75 and some stats
On my 2nd listen of '75 right now, and it's better than I thought. Sure, a little rough around the edges with some lyrics and new tunes, but the jams are sweet. I'm a bit biased and Help>Slip and Music Never Stopped are some of my favorite tunes, not to mention Franklin's Tower.
'74 also grew on the second listening.
In terms of stats, here are some notes on some of the rarities on 30 Trips. Here are the songs that had seen the fewest live releases on CD (not counting video/downloads) prior to 30 Trips, taken from the wonderful Grateful Dead Lyric and Song Finder site at http://www.whitegum.com/intro.htm:
No previous releases: Tastebud, Cardboard Cowboy, Don't Need Love, La Bamba, Days Between, I Fought the Law, Salt Lake City, Samba in the Rain, I Just Want to Make Love To You.
Once: Keep Rolling By, Don't Mess Up a Good Thing, Gangster of Love, You Don't Have to Ask, It's a Man's World, Tomorrow if Forever, Seastones, It Takes a Lot to Laugh It Takes a Train to Cry, Broken Arrow, Corrina, So Many Roads, Way to Go Home, That Would Be Something.
Twice Cream Puff War, King Solomon's Marbles/Stronger than Dirt/Milin' the Turkey, My Brother Esau, Liberty, Visions of Johanna.
Thrice: Ain't It Crazy (The Rub), On the Road Again, Hey Jude Finale, The Same Thing, Maggie's Farm, The Last Time, Wang Dang Doodle.
Four times: He Was a Friend of Mine, In the Midnight Hour, Mountains of the Moon, The Race is On, Hey Pocky Way.
Five: Nobody's Fault But Mine, C.C. Rider, Smokestack Lightning, I Will Take You Home, Blow Away, Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues.
Also, FWIW, if you just count the discs, Box of Rain (161) doesn't make an appearance, and would have come in right behind Brokedown Palace as the most played tune not to appear in 30 Trips, save for the vinyl.
Anyway, I think I'm go to play around with the first ten a bit before moving on to the middle third of the box. Enjoy them out of order and compare them, etc.
Let it Grow
I've always thought the 12/31/85 Let it Grow as one of the greatest ones ever done.
Broken Arrow
I did notice that was in one of the shows but keep forgetting to play it. I assume it's the Robbie Robertson Broken Arrow? I've only ever heard HIS version a few times, but really liked it. I'm really interested in hearing the Dead do it.
Bottle of Rain
Been listening to the 9/93 east coast run. I like the Dead version of Broken Arrow.
Was this always a Phil song?
@lowspark75
It's good, but Phil handles vocals. Just thought I would mention since Phil's voice can be polarizing among Heads:)
Yup, that's it
....Lowspark....it's the Robbie Robertson one. Funny thing is, the first time I heard this song in like, the early 90's, it was Rod Stewart doing it (no idea it was Robertson's). I recall first hearing Phil sing this one and was perplexed, wondering why he was singing a Rod Stewart song from the '90's?!?!?! Now it makes a little more sense...learn something new every day boys!
DP 18 (Sixtus/Matchewy/Lowspark75)
Serendipity...I listened to the 1st set on my walk to work this AM, only to arrive and find it a forum topic - how cool was that?
Seeing as I consciously chose to listen to it, I completely agree with you all. But don't overlook that first set - it set the evening's tone IMO. And that version of It's All Over Now...is absolutely one of my faves. A harbinger of what was to come.
Broken Arrow
There's a pretty good version of this song on the live 1999 Phil and Friends CD, "Love Will See You Through."
Yea, Phil brought this into the GD repertoire.. so there's a good bit of variation in his vocal delivery among performances.
If you haven't checked it out before, that's a great CD. Jorma and Kimmock share the guitar duties and theres a couple Hot Tuna covers mixed in for good measure. ..and an exceptional version of Broken Arrow.
Alain....
Without a Net was for a long time my most fave album by the boys , was 92 when i bought it , that was before the time of CD and bootleg-CD for me. So i head Live/Dead , Without a Net and the Studio Albums to go with for a couple of years.....what a cool time it was to hear them jam with Branford first time.......
DP 18 1st set's
Has my personal favorite Brown Eyed Women as well. Great Dicks Pick.
Still waiting in ATL, cont.
Called customer service again today, was transferred to speak with a supervisor. Was again told that orders were being shipped out in the order of when they were placed and that all the boxsets should be shipped by the end of month. Now, either people in Georgia and Florida are the only ones being vocal about not receiving their box, or someone is not being truthful here. I'm curious if anybody living in other states or outside the southeast is still waiting.
Dreams...
Lovin' this box so far! I'm going chronologically. Dream Bowl is magical. Side note: there are three CDs or sets that stand out in my mind for the Summer of '92 and they are One From The Vault, Without A Net and Evening With The ABB. Nuthin' but the finest of quality. Peace.
Oh yes and Phil you've been in my thoughts lately. Get well!
RE: Broken Arrow
I've always liked the 8/22/93 Autzen version. The entire show is pretty good, too. I lost my friends going in, and when we met up after the show, it turned out we were about three people away from each other the entire show and didn't know it.
drshakedown
Yeah '78 has some gems. DaP 15 is a fantastic show. It's also cool to hear the later in the year shows with songs from Shakedown Street . The Closing of Winterland has some nice stuff on it - Stagger Lee, and I Need A Miracle are outstanding (is that Bobby playing slide on Stagger Lee? if so, it's one of the times it truly sounded good; but there are so many guests on that show, I'm not sure). There is also that wonderful return of Dark Star that goes into TOO.
DP 18 of course is solid all the way through - love the Music Never Stopped, Estimated Eyes, Samson with extended intro jam, and the Playing -> Wheel.
Some nice moments on the Egypt compilation - Iko, lone Fire on the Mountain (really like this), and Shakedown Street.
Also have not gotten to the 30 Trips show from '78 yet...
a good '78 Let it Grow
From around the same time as Dick's Picks 18, Chi-town 1/31/78. Both the AUD and SBD are good listening. I'm personally careful with this one though, some of Jerry's licks have a certain earworm quality to them for me, much more so than other versions of this song.http://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1978/1/31-5/let-it-grow
P.S. I've finally jumped into 30 trips. First show I went for was Cobo Hall '76. Highly impressed with it, though hard to get used to the edits between songs in the first set. No interminable pauses between songs. It's probably like this on the master, it's still a little weird to go from song to song in the first set without a break between songs where there would normally be one. Also, besides the well known China Cat tease out of Not Fade, I'm pretty sure I heard Bob play a few notes of it as well in the jam out of Good Lovin'. All in all, a very nice show with some x factor showing up from Scarlet Begonias on through to the end of the show. One of the things I like about '76 is that some shows exhibit a little taste of '74 (like Playing in the Band and also the Phil soloing into the Dancing in the Street reprise) and foreshadowing of '77 (heavy during Scarlet Begonias). I was also able to get a good chunk of listening in on 10-21-83. Cumberland Blues in the first set really stood out for me, as well as the drum solo and space leading into Truckin'. I stopped listening after Truckin' so I will have to recue the segment right about there when I'm ready to resume listening. The next show after that one will probably be Lindley Meadows.
Mags72 - they aren't telling
Mags72 - they aren't telling you the truth. I am also in GA and I ordered mine within minutes of getting the email announcing the box. I STILL do not have it. One of the supervisors told me last week that they haven't finished making them all yet. Not sure what to believe at this point. What a colossal screw up. No way in hell am I going to let them do this to me again - I'm going to cancel my order for the Fare The Well box and just get the best of set at Criminal Records. At least I'll get it when everyone else does. You wait - I'll bet we get Dave's Picks before we get the box.
I Feel Your Pain
No love over here in Cabbagetown (ATL) either. But ya know what? I don't care that much. I'm on a huge Miles Davis kick right now anyway. And for some reason, my streams still work -- good for background music while executing chores!
Guilt
If I could drive my box down to GA, I would. So sorry all.
I think whoever posted that the unshipped boxes have not been delivered by manufacturer or production is probably right. Makes sense. Unfortunate, I can only hope when yours is delivered, you are as pleased as I was.
Hang in there.
re: unshipped boxes
A nice gesture would be if they were all made to contain miracle scrolls.
2/11/69 Fillmore East vinyl
Anyone see this mentioned? I was checking amazon and stumbled across a vinyl version to be released 12/11/15. $110...
http://www.amazon.com/Fillmore-East-2-11-69-GRATEFUL-DEAD/dp/B0161H1LUI…
QC?
It finally arrived today after being shipped on October 9th. It actually arrived faster than usual from Mail Innovations so I guess that is good. Quality control is for sure lacking with this box set though. I got ticket stub for 5-27-93 and guest pass from 3-22-95.
next to cassette?
...I hear they're making a comeback! Don't we all long for the halcyon days of wow and flutter, hiss, and your machine eating your tape? haha
I can't find my Limited Edition Number
I can't find my number (#598 of 6500, etc) anywhere on the 30 Trips box set. Am I missing something?
What is the story of the
What is the story of the miracle scrolls? Do you get your money back? Do you get to pick the next DaP? Do you get to pick the next guest guitarist for the Not Quite Grateful Dead?
Faximac - Your Number
Check the top of your scroll - number is there.
Took yesterday off....
....played The Wall & the new Los Lobos release. Tonight it's Zenith '90. Sounds a bit muddy. Nowhere near the Spring TOO fidelity. Minglewood caught my attention....I would have picked one of the Germany shows, but that's just me. I'm also posting during the first set. Mayhaps the second set impresses?...
7/31/82 second listen
I've reassessed my view of this show and love it in all it's full 33 year old cassette tape glory.
So far, I have yet to listen to the shows from '71, '73, '74, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '88, '91, and '93 - '95. '82 is the first one I've revisited. There's so much to discover and rediscover in this box that it's going to take a while to get through. Dave's Pick #16 will be shipping in a week or so and I likely won't get to that for a good while after it arrives. Maybe I'll do a special '73 day and listen to DaP 16 and 11/14/73 back to back.
product sku
081227955892