30 Trips Around The Sun Box & Digital USB

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September 4, 2015 - 10:38am

7,852 replies

admin

Joined:
March 9, 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Helpful hints for using your USB:

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

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

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

Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
PDF
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November 23, 2015 - 10:03pm

#1001

outpost

Joined:
June 11, 2007

Reply from Dr. Rhino .....

Just received this ....... 'I apologize for the tardiness of this email. I have been advised by Dead.net that an official announcement will be sent out by the end of next week, regarding the ship date of your 30 Trips Around The Sun USB order. I have no further information available at this time. I am very sorry for the delays and thank you for your continued patience. Dr. Rhino'
November 23, 2015 - 9:50pm

#1002

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

Top ten first sets?.....

....Augusta '84 may just sneak in there. A rocker from beginning to end. Must Have Been The Roses being the only ballad. Stranger, All Over Now, Cumberland & MNS are all top shelf. What a trifecta to end the set!! Simply wonderful. Jerry was a beacon of light that evening peering through the opiate fog with authority. You go Jer....
November 23, 2015 - 2:49pm

#1003

sfrank115

Joined:
June 17, 2013

DJMac520

I know you are right - but that was the only way I can think of venting. I am really doing a project in class about this very topic, but we are using assumptions rather than facts. Thanks for the admiration :) I'm still truckin!
November 23, 2015 - 2:47pm

#1004

DJMac520

Joined:
June 18, 2009

sfrank115

With all due respect to a very well-thought out list of inquiries, you are never getting those questions answered by Rhino in a million years or with five million people ringing their bell (and keep in mind I am someone who cancelled their order last week, so I am among the great dissatisfied). Some of what you ask goes well beyond what they owe us as customers, it touches on issues that may be proprietary in nature and even if not, may have serious legal ramifications to the parties involved. For example, take the inquiry about a problem with the manufacture of the USB. If Rhino answers you no, that could be an admission against interest in any dispute with the manufacturer as to the manufacturer's liability. Answer "yes" and it could be a breach of confidentiality between those two parties in their agreement. Just aren't getting answers to those questions and frankly, you aren't owed that level of detail either most likely. But man I admire the effort.
November 23, 2015 - 2:04pm

#1005

sfrank115

Joined:
June 17, 2013

USB

I've written and called them a bunch of times, and there is no new information about the chip - just the same rhetoric! I totally feel everyone's frustration. Here is some of the email I wrote to them after asking a few questions about the USB chip, and got another templated 'generic' response...... Hi there Mac (Dr. Rhino), In all honesty, I feel that the email you just sent not only didn't explain anything, but came across as patronizing. I am doing a project for my class about distributing box sets via USB chips, and the Grateful Dead chip is a great model for this project. There have been two other USB chip releases that I can think of which have been extremely successful: The Beatles Apple USB Queen's USB Orb I understand that they were put out by huge record companies with a large budget, but it makes you question why Rhino has had such difficulty with this release. I believe as a 36 year old fan of music that USB music distribution is a great way to acquire music as well as have a tangible product. But since this 30 Trips mishap - I think people's trust in your company has been tarnished. Here are some of my questions: - Did you guys get a test product, and if so, did it work? - Was there a problem with the manufacturing of the USB chip itself? - Did the issue have anything to do with uploading the music? - Was the chip not big enough to hold all the music in 24bit FLAC & MP3 along with the PDF? (I have yet to see a small flash drive with more than 128gb) - Did you get the entire shipment in and realize that it wasn't correct - maybe the ID3 tags weren't correct? - Was the production sent offshore to be produced, and there was a communication error? The reason my teammates in class agreed to do this project with me was because of the lack of communication with customers. I mean, all you have told anybody is there was a 'production issue' and thanked them for their patience. In all honesty, you haven't given anybody a choice but to be patient. You have not offered any refunds - and thinking that a backstage pass from a show in 95 is a sufficient consolation prize for a two month delay on a $700 product is pretty ridiculous. I wanted to take on this project because I care about the Dead community, and want to help so this issue doesn't ever happen again. I mean, in the two months since we were supposed to get our USB chips, a new Dave's Pick has been released, The 2016 Dave's Pick subscription is now available to purchase, and all the Fare Thee Well shows are set to go out. I may not be the only who is dissatisfied with the level of customer service and information, but I am the person who wants to help make a difference so future Deadheads don't experience this frustration, and I'm offering to do it for free! No strings attached. I will get an A on my project with or without working with you guys - but why waste the effort? ______________ I basically got a BS answer - so, instead of emailing the BBS, try contacting these guys below. Maybe, if enough of us raise hell we will get a few more answers. The problem is how they've communicated with us. Dr. Rhino: Dr.Rhino@rhino.com VP for Rhino: ben.trask@rhino.com
November 23, 2015 - 1:29pm

#1006

DJMac520

Joined:
June 18, 2009

USB Order

Cancelled. Enough. I already have the physical box set and had bought both thinking that it would be great to have the physical box for a collector's item, but the ease of file transfer from the USB and not having to rip each disc etc. was how I would get the music to my ears most quickly. Well the delay really took away that advantage and the outlay of cash made no sense. While the way this has been handled is a travesty, I will at least give Rhino CS credit for allowing folks to cancel the order and refund the money.
November 23, 2015 - 1:17pm

#1007

outpost

Joined:
June 11, 2007

Dr. Rhino and Warner Music Group

Well, I sent emails to both asking for an update on the USB ...... surprise, surprise, I've not had a reply yet. Customer Service my arse ! (that's a UK expression, in case you're wondering !)
November 23, 2015 - 10:48am

#1008

antonjo

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Moses ~ 77

I just popped '77 in for the first time as this morning's drive-to-work soundtrack. LOVING the first set so far, they really come out swinging. Jerry's leads sparkle from the get-go on Minglewood & Deal ~ sweet Deal. They Love Each Other is a perfect version, and Billy does some fun little rolls in the peak bars of Jerry's solo. And I don't think I've heard a finer Looks Like Rain from this era ~ the dynamics from everyone during the finale, including Keith, are just lovely. And the sound quality is immaculate ~ love it when I can hear the cymbal subtleties. Looking forward to the rest of this show, especially if 2nd set is even better...
November 23, 2015 - 7:10am

#1009

Moses Quasar

Joined:
November 20, 2011

O.K....

Just finished with the 77 show. Here are the shows that have blown me away so far: 67,71,72,73 and now this one! Ive questioned Dave twice: the first was Daves 3. I thought that coming on the heels of E72 this show had a similar set list and would have been the same old stuff but upon listening that show rocked! One my favorite Other One's of all time! The second was this show. I thought there might have been a better 77 show for the box(4/23 maybe?) but once again Dave has proved me wrong! Jerry is simply cranking on this! The first set is great, second set even better! Great Scarlet>Fire, probably the best Samson Ive ever heard and the Terrapin is Superb! I like the early versions of Terrapin where it starts right in with a faster beat! The PITB and Wharf Rat are great too! Just a great show all around! More Spring 77 please!!! Im taking my time with this box and I listen to the shows several times before I move on! 78 today! take care folks!!
November 23, 2015 - 7:01am

#1010

mojobrojo

Joined:
November 29, 2013

Thrashing a non-corporeal equine

This crazy USB debacle...... a few of us have had troubles over the years-- all eventually remedied-- with Dead / Rhino Customer Service but most interactions are good. They are also two companies known for putting out a quality product and being pretty Fan-centric and responsive.This is so far out of the norm-- so NOT the way they normally operate-- and that's had me puzzled. And trying to assemble this Puzzle is tough with several critical pieces missing. Then it dawned on me...... "Non-disclosure Agreement". That's the one thing that would explain the uncharacteristic behavior and lack of useful communication between Seller and Buyer. And if there is an "NDA" between Rhino and whoever they unwisely sub-contracted the Lightning Bolt out to, that agreement may well contain a clause that even the existence of an NDA cannot be disclosed to the public-- not an uncommon occurrence. I have no inside information-- I'm just speculating--but at least my suggestion lies within the realm of possibility AND points the finger away from those beleaguered CS Folks who can only tell us what they're allowed to tell us.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Helpful hints for using your USB:

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

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

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

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

MAgs 72

Did u contact Dr Rhino directly or was this thru Dead net. Still waiting in Fl

Drpryan

I sent emails to both Dr Rhino and Dead.net, as well as calling customer service(twice). I hope you hear some good new soon.

So far....

....I've checked out....66 67!! 75 76!!! 78 80 82 84 86! 89 90 91 92 95 ....Cobo is the winner so far. Cozy, smooth and spot on....notice the gap? Yeah, me too....

best song of the year

Best Dancin is 76. even better than 77?I could not afford the physical boxset a few weeks ago and I am still hesitating about the most expensive USB key I ever bought. 1967: is that some Live anthem of the sun? my first grateful dead album. I have to reconsider my position To blow a few candles for 50 years?

1993

After listening to the embarrassment of riches from 1976, 1984 and 1968, I thought I should tone it down with a show I figured would be a letdown. WRONG! The show opens with a strong Bucket, much better than 92. I was joining the band in singing virtually every song on the opening disc, Bertha, Peggy-O, Queen Jane, Cassidy and Casey Jones. Jerry was strong throughout. The only letdown for me was Broken Arrow, not a personal favorite. Disc 2 was great too, but I loved Disc 3 with The Wheel and the encore I Fought The Law. During the show it occurred to me that my favorite cut on So Many Roads is Whiskey in the Jar, which I remembered was rehearsed in February 93. Jerry was interactive and it was fun listening to the band banter back and forth. I was curious how much later this show occurred and sure enough it was a little over a month, the big guy was still in good spirits. Considering the year, I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely listen again. On to 73!

'93 reprise

Just got the 9/93 vine ripped last week. Have been enjoying listening to these shows in between the intense sessions listening to the 60s stuff. I had never heard this tour until now. Jerry's new guitar sound. Vince fully assimilated. Some real nice tunes and shows in this run. Miller-ized for your listening entertainment.

Tours.....

....THAT'S what makes them grate. Every tour had a different sound. Sometimes, the tone would change within tours. That's what makes them what they are. Had a friend of mine come over the other day. Not a music fan, but a sports fan. After watching the Mets beat the Cubs (boooo), I put on some Providence '78 Dead. After three songs, (and us bitching about baseball instant replay), I asked him what he thought of the music. He waiting a bit, then responded with, "They sound...American." My thought exactly.... p.s. he didn't leave until the first set ended. We spent the last couple songs just listening. Then he shook my hand and left....I may have hooked one....

re: Cobo '76 Dancin'

Gotta love overeager Bob coming in a sentence early on "Can't forget that Motor City"...It made me chuckle. He must've really been rarin' to belt out that lyric. Same kind of thing happens during Jack Straw on the 'Leaving Texas', Fourth Day of July' lyric at Manor Downs 7-4-81 (nice show btw). But, agreed. Cobo '76, nice Dancin' with Phil soloing into the reprise.

How 'bout a WORD from someone IN THE KNOW?!?!?

Where's my Lightning Bolt? Where's _any_ NEWS about where my Lightning Bolt is? My SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLAR Lightning Bolt!!! Where is it??? What's the Story??? HELLO.......?!?!?

Cover art for 30 trips around the sun/box number?

Somewhere I found the cover art for the new box set. Could someone please tell me where to look for it? Also, I could not find anything telling me what box number I received. Any idea where to look for that? Thanks for you help. Mr. Pete---------> aging hippie

the number is on the scroll

Number 1 question that has been answered on this thread.

@Mr. Pete

I don't know if this is what else you were looking for, but this page is a very nice resource for GD album covers. Thanks to whomever mentioned it here.https://picasaweb.google.com/106465427611350658328

Number?

Pete look on the top of your scroll it will be numbered. unless you got a Miracle Box then well your in for a whole new treat!

Thanks for the cd cover info/miracle box?

Thanks for the help finding the cover art for the box set. I appreciate it.What is the miracle box vs. the regular box set? Mr. Pete---------> aging hippie

1976

I must have missed something. Was disappointed with all but disc 3, and this was one I had looked forward to. Listening to some of the positive feedback on it, I clearly missed something; will be revisiting today. Thanks

Passaic '77....

....whoa! Monster first set. Let's recap. Minglewood Deal (!) Mama Tried TLEO Looks Like Rain Peggy-O Lazy Lightnin -> Supplication Ship Of Fools (!) Estimated Brown-Eyed Women Music Never Stopped ....simply outstanding / mind blowing. Once again, Betty outdoes herself. Sounds perfect. Just begs to be played loud. Just started the second set. Phil comes hard and fast right out of the gate. The band was raring to go that night.... ....as far as Cobo disappointing, go back to it later Minas. Or turn up the volume. I have been very vocal about that show, as you all know. Can't forget that Motor City indeed!....

Passaic '77....second set....

....The Wharf Rat into Playin is as good as it gets imo. Holy shit....

Passaic '77....encore....

....prior to the encore, Phil comments "Thank you. It's good to be back." Then they kill U.S. Blues like nobody's business. Phenomenal show....Thanks Jerry, Phil, Billy, Mickey, Bobby, Donna, Keith, Betty and Dave. You made my Sunday....

Every Show I Saw after 1987, Branford sat In. True Story

http://gratefulseconds.blogspot.com/2015/10/30-trips-listening-hint-1-e…

GRATEFUL DAD!

I am avery proud and happy dad. My almost 4-year-old son just asked me to play "Fire On The Mountain" by the "Skeleton Band" (what I call the Grateful Dead when I talk to him). We're listening to the '83 Worcester show right now. LOVE IT!

4/15/70

I had this tape about 30 years ago when I first really got into collecting tapes. I thought it was a good show, but my tape was only fair at best, too much hiss. I'd probably give it a C+ at best. Only listened to a few times.Years later, I got it again in a cd-r trade, or was it a b&p deal. Performance was excellent, but the source tape was decent, but better than the original tape I had. Finally in 2015, I get a sonic upgrade as if I was listening to Bear's original master tapes of this show. This time, Candyman really came alive as if the band was in my car. One of my favorite versions of Candyman Thanks Jer! Before that, Man's World is also one of my faves. Thanks Dave & company for the inclusion of show in this box. One of the best of 1970. It also brought me back thinking to when I was a 7th Grader in the 1969 - '70 school year. I was only a 13 year old kid at the time and getting to know the the larger outside world around me, national and international news and other events. I do remember hearing about that 1st Earth Day as it happened in NYC and Philly. I was aware og the Grateful Dead, but didn't really hear their music until Truckin' got airplay in early '71.

ranking indeed

1. 912. 74 3. 92 4. 76 91 is a killer and outrides without a net , will rotate a long time... next up are 68 , 78 and 93

uv1

thumbs up , you have done a good job on your son....

30 trips

Hello everyone,this is my first post but I have been reading them from preorder days. just finished listening to all of the shows in order and must say THANK YOU GDM & RHINO. love all of it , every show from every year has something special to offer. I understand the nature of vault tapes and their possible short comings, and think their choices of shows were fucking sweet! hope you usb stick people get your shows soon. also would like to say I own most every comercial release from the dead and in my opinion the second spring 1990 box set is the best sounding multi-disc set ever released by them. also the first spring 1990 box sounded like shit (if you are going to release a pricey box set at lest make sure it sounds worthy of dong so), so much so that as soon as a i heard the second one I dumped the first knowing I would never listen to it again. did not even burn copies it was/is that bad in comparison to the seconds greatness. just my not so humble opinion, bye for now legalize it!

GRATEFUL DAD! [part 2]

Thanks, @purpleerik69. I forgot to mention, my son has also been coming into my room to look through the new Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics book! He loves turning the pages and looking at the pictures.

O.K....

Finished digesting '71. Great show!...I think '67 and '71 are my favorites so far. Taking my time, savoring through this box! This '71 has some great moments. The whole show rocks! The Rub is great and the Cumberland is one of the best. On to '72 tomorrow, one of the ones Ive been waiting for. Take care folks!!!

surrealistic

Good post. I have been listening sequentially to the box and am up to '82. So far I have been happy with every year, and in a state of bliss with others. I also recently got the Spring 1990 TOO box set and completely agree that the sound of that set is excellent.

what is the story of....

I'd heard if you got a "miracle" scroll, you'd get your lightning bolt usb stick BEFORE Christmas!

how much memory do the lossless files for the box use

Ok, so here is a question for all of you who have put all of this lovely music onto your computers: How much memory does the lossless files for the entire box use? I may need to get a new external hard drive... I am looking forward to listening to the music in this big beautiful box, a.k.a the marriage-wrecker, as it has come to be fondly known in our house.

uv1 Grateful Dad

well , i have a baby grand-soon now only three months old , we bought the toddler here on dead.net store and took a photo , unfortunately i am not that " modern " that i could upload this picture - showing me with baby Arthut in his first GD-toddler. So we have our Grateful-Baby-arthur right here in Austria.......and to your son : the road is long , may it be full of love and good music !

@Swiftundertoe - ALAC = 25GB

I ripped mine ALAC and size consumed was about 25GB.

@swiftundertoe

WAV I've got 43.5 GB.

Grateful Dad also

My 4 year old daughter now has my box. Emptied it out and now it has bracelets and her cd's in it. At first I was cringing.....but hey, if you want some brownie points with the kids and the wife....its a solid move.

So Far

I've listened to '66 '67 '68 '69 '70 x2 '71 '72 '73 '74(and part of it a second time) '75 '76 '77 x2 '78 '79(first two discs only) '80 '81 '91 I started '82 and stopped during the first song.. TERRIBLE sound. Also started '87 and stopped it probably 3 songs in. Just wasn't feeling it and there were people around who probably were feeling it even less. It's possible I am not going to appreciate the shows after '81 as much as some of you others will. Because of this, I've started revisiting earlier shows. '77 is still surprisingly underwhelming to me after two listenings. Guess I was spoiled by all of the '77 shows I bought and listened to in the few months leading up to receiving my box. '76 didn't blow my mind like some people. '75 and, more so, '78 have been the surprise hits for me so far. Of course '67 and '69 were amazeballs, but those didn't surprise me as much as '75 and '78. I definitely feel a second listen for '71-'74 is in order so I can have a more fully formed opinion on them. Those four just kind of ran together for me.

surrealistic - agreed - Spring 90 TOO

Best sounding box/release, I think that one is it also.. I am really curious to know if they will do the first 6 shows again like Spring 90 TOO mix ? In my opinion, those were the better shows from the run for the most part. With the 1st set of 3.16.90, near the top of list for favorites of the tour. Let The Good Times Roll Touch Of Grey New Minglewood Blues Peggy-O Queen Jane Approximately Loser Black Throated Wind Bird Song Blow Away

79...

So far my favorites are 79 and 67. The sound and feel on the Cap Cod show is simply magical. On the other hand, I though 1994 was disappointing after hearing rave reviews: while Help/Slip/Franklin is good, it's painful to hear Jerry struggling with his strings, and missing notes.

1973

I'm trying to get to disc 3, but the China->Rider on disc 2 keeps me hitting the rewind button. The transition jam from one song to the other is utterly spectacular. It reminds me a little of the transition on DP 12.

Artists

Kid C and Betty Cantor Jackson are artist with the way the have made the Dead sound. They are responsible for a big part of the bands legend. If they stayed on longer I think other era's would get more love than they have recieved. The seperation of the instruments on their recordings are head and shoulders above Dan Healy and john Cutter no disrespect. I did not relize the difference until listening to this box. I have also noticed that the recording from 76 I love the best have been recorded by Betty. The Dan Healy tapes sound have that lack of seperation and crispness of the Betty's. Please try to get at least some of the Betty tapes for release.

Grateful Dad: redux

I'm digging the Grateful Dad shares. My 9 year-old son had pretty good taste with Levon Helm/The Band, the Kinks, and Zeppelin among his favorites. His favorite animals are turtles and tortoises. When I was tucking him in recently while he was finishing up his bedtime reading, he was reading a reptile book. He asked if I knew what terrapins were. He's been a longtime fan of "Tennessee Jed" (Levon's version from Electric Dirt), and he's long known I love a band called the Grateful Dead, but I figured it was time for his proper introduction. I grabbed disc 3 from DP 29 (May 19, 1977 from the Fox in Atlanta), and I put that on for him (he listens to music at night while he falls asleep, just like his old man and my old man before me). He was mesmerized by Terrapin, and I could only imagine what visions the lyrics stirred in the mind of an imaginative 9 year-old. I envied his wonder and experience. When I came home later and went in to check on him, he had Terrapin on repeat and was asleep in the position he lays when he is listening intently. He's been listening to that disc at bedtime for about 3 weeks. Last night I was driving with my son, with the 76 Cobo show playing. PITB came on, and he said,"Hey, I know this song."

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