• https://www.dead.net/features/winterland-june-1977-complete-recordings
    Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings

    Winterland June 1977
    The Complete Recordings

    The Shows

    June 7, 1977
    June 8, 1977
    June 9, 1977

    Boxed and Ready to Go!

    Sound the imperial trumpets! Bang the drum! Pop that champagne! Another Grateful Dead box set is comin’ your way! Yes, in the grand tradition of the beloved Fillmore West 1969 and Winterland 1973 boxes, comes Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings, a 9-CD box set that is sure to knock your tie-dyed socks off.

    At this point, we probably don’t need to hype you on the glories of ’77 Dead. It was a magical time for the band, which was reinvigorated by a plethora of great new material—“Terrapin,” “Estimated Prophet,” “Passenger,” “Fire on the Mountain”—and really hitting its stride again following the October ’74 to June ’76 performing hiatus. The group spent much of the first three months of 1977 recording their Terrapin Station album with producer Keith Olsen, and Garcia also managed to find time to complete the much-anticipated Grateful Dead movie (which opened June 1, 1977). The third week of April, the band embarked on what most Dead Heads agree was one of the greatest tours ever: 26 concerts in the East and Midwest in a little over a month—an awesome stretch that produced so many great shows, a few of them already released in the Dick’s Picks series and subsequently (and more, no doubt, destined to come out down the road.)

    So when the Dead returned to San Francisco’s Winterland for shows on June 7, 8, 9, they were pumped up and feeling good! They treated their hometown fans to three superb concerts that included excellent versions of much of their current repertoire, from the new combo of “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain,” to a truly colossal, more than 30-minute “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower,” “Saint Stephen,” “Terrapin,” “Good Lovin’,” “Not Fade Away,” “The Other One”… too many favorites to mention (you can see the complete song lists here). Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings contains every note recorded from the three shows, more than nine hours of prime Dead, all taken from the master analog tapes, restored using the Plangent Processes, and mastered in HDCD by that inimitable sonic tweakster, Jeffrey Norman.

    The nine discs are packaged in a beautifully designed box that includes artwork by Emek (you loved his crazy Winterland ’73 phantasmagoria); a 28-page booklet featuring a wonderful and illuminating new essay by Rolling Stone senior music editor David Fricke (who dubs this a “box of paradise and circus… six complete sets of inspired risk and collective explosion”); lots of great Winterland action shots by noted GD shutterbugs Ed Perlstein and Bruce Polonsky; and a couple of little pieces of period memorabilia we won’t reveal here.

    clicking here. We know you’re gonna dig it! And rest assured, there’s plenty more where this came from: We know you love the box sets; well, we do, too!

    -->

    —Blair Jackson

    15486
506 comments
sort by
Recent
Reset
Items displayed
  • Default Avatar
    kirkmc
    15 years 1 month ago
    Dancingbear
    Dude, you outed yourself...
  • Default Avatar
    Little Ben Clock
    15 years 1 month ago
    I've been drinking...
    ...so I've got it into my stupid head that I should order this, after convincing myself over the last three weeks that, regardless of how much I want it, I'm better off waiting due to the nonsense that other international customers have gone through. I guess I'm too weak to resist the bonus disc offer, despite already having the Playing>Drums>NFA>Comes A Time>Playing mp3 from the Taper's Section back in May 2007. I'll give it a go and buy three Estimated Prophets in the hope that I get a classic Help> Slipknot> Fraknlin's and a Morning Dew to write home about. In all fairness, I've only ever had one problem ordering from dead.net during the Rhino era and that was sorted very quickly (I received two disc ones and no disc two for Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 1). Still, the negativity - and don't get me wrong: it sounds like very warranted negativity - is a bit of a downer so I'm going to crap on about how good the Jerry Garcia Band / Bay Area 1978 release is. Get your hands on it. I guarantee Lonesome And A Long Way From Home is as good as ANYTHING you will find on this Winterland June 1977 boxset. I'll report back if my order is successful, if my credit card is charged 19 times, or if I am informed that I have the wrong star sign to order. Godspeed to you all. In the end, we've still got our favourite shows that we'll always be able to listen to and smile about, despite any silliness with official releases. PS. What's with the Wolfgang's Vault thing? 15 May 1970/late show is quite a release but, based on a lossy preview, I don't think it's mastered very spectacularly. As for the 150 odd GD shows supposedly due for release, I wonder what this means for dead.net...
  • Dancingbear.dk
    15 years 1 month ago
    Finally!!
    Now, at last, we're getting somewhere! (marye, are you listening?) Customer service just informed me that the new shop imposes a limit of $500 per order. Now, wouldn't it have been nice if they (and the ordering system) had told us that from the beginning? So, the first 2 orders below that limit were accepted, but not the third. Another new limit? So be it. Good luck to the rest of you.
user picture

Member for

16 years 2 months

Winterland June 1977
The Complete Recordings

The Shows

June 7, 1977
June 8, 1977
June 9, 1977

Boxed and Ready to Go!

Sound the imperial trumpets! Bang the drum! Pop that champagne! Another Grateful Dead box set is comin’ your way! Yes, in the grand tradition of the beloved Fillmore West 1969 and Winterland 1973 boxes, comes Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings, a 9-CD box set that is sure to knock your tie-dyed socks off.

At this point, we probably don’t need to hype you on the glories of ’77 Dead. It was a magical time for the band, which was reinvigorated by a plethora of great new material—“Terrapin,” “Estimated Prophet,” “Passenger,” “Fire on the Mountain”—and really hitting its stride again following the October ’74 to June ’76 performing hiatus. The group spent much of the first three months of 1977 recording their Terrapin Station album with producer Keith Olsen, and Garcia also managed to find time to complete the much-anticipated Grateful Dead movie (which opened June 1, 1977). The third week of April, the band embarked on what most Dead Heads agree was one of the greatest tours ever: 26 concerts in the East and Midwest in a little over a month—an awesome stretch that produced so many great shows, a few of them already released in the Dick’s Picks series and subsequently (and more, no doubt, destined to come out down the road.)

So when the Dead returned to San Francisco’s Winterland for shows on June 7, 8, 9, they were pumped up and feeling good! They treated their hometown fans to three superb concerts that included excellent versions of much of their current repertoire, from the new combo of “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain,” to a truly colossal, more than 30-minute “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower,” “Saint Stephen,” “Terrapin,” “Good Lovin’,” “Not Fade Away,” “The Other One”… too many favorites to mention (you can see the complete song lists here). Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings contains every note recorded from the three shows, more than nine hours of prime Dead, all taken from the master analog tapes, restored using the Plangent Processes, and mastered in HDCD by that inimitable sonic tweakster, Jeffrey Norman.

The nine discs are packaged in a beautifully designed box that includes artwork by Emek (you loved his crazy Winterland ’73 phantasmagoria); a 28-page booklet featuring a wonderful and illuminating new essay by Rolling Stone senior music editor David Fricke (who dubs this a “box of paradise and circus… six complete sets of inspired risk and collective explosion”); lots of great Winterland action shots by noted GD shutterbugs Ed Perlstein and Bruce Polonsky; and a couple of little pieces of period memorabilia we won’t reveal here.

—Blair Jackson

Display on homepage featured list
Off

dead comment

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

... as part of her job description, I guess she has to handle these wayward transactions on the store here. Why else would she get involved in this mess? That being said, I think the problem is with Rhino. I imagine they hired the lowest bidder to handle the merchandise, but that doesn't always prove to be the wisest choice. I can remember many, many issues with not only the credit card transactions, but with the product itself. Things like gluing the discs to the packaging, all the discs that are flawed and don't play properly, the Dead tour discs that had to be corrected through the Ratdog organization, not Deadnet (WTF), and the real kicker is the non-responsive "customer service" department. I mean, come on... I bet there are more than a few heads who don't order merchandise from Rhino, just because of the hassles involved. If you're patient, the intrepid buyer can find these goodies elsewhere on the net, and for QUITE a bit less too! Ya just gotta poke around...
user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

I regularly buy classical CDs from the UK. A lot of box sets aren't available over here that are available over there. I recently bought a 35 disc set which was shipped here via airmail from UK seller for 4.95 US. I got it in 3 days. Makes you wonder doesn't it?
user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

BTW, I forget to comment on the price. I did order the set even though I thought it was pricey. However, a lot of work goes into producing this set. The sound has to be brought to modern standard as much as possible. Jeffrey Norman has done excellant work in this regard on all of the issues. The artwork, package and notes are all done to a high standard and I appreciate them. Someday when I'm in the old folks home with my headphones on and a crazed look I will appreciate it all even more. These issues are relatively small volume and must turn some profit to be viable. I am glad to have them and don't want to be forced to rely on poor sounding alternatives to get my Live Dead fix. I would rather have a product like this rather than a download. Perhaps choice of format makes sense for those who don't care about the art, notes, etc. I am happy that this organization is still producing the music for the fans who appreciate the added sound quality and added content of these productions. To me they become valuable artifacts of a time long gone in many ways.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Folks, if I'm understanding the problem correctly (those who are reporting this latest variation): 1. Some of you are still unable to log in using your email address or by any other means. 2. Some of you are able to log in using your email, but your order won't go through. If this is the case, please PM me your email address in question, and in the case of #2, what, if any, error message you're getting. I'm very sorry for the trouble. Thanks.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

that Rhino CDs - the regular, buy-'em-anywhere releases are great. Great packaging, problem-free CDs etc. I've never had any problem with any of them. So why are there so many problems (well documented all over this site, so I won't list them again here) with their GD releases. The sound quality is great and David Lemieux & Jeffrey Norman have to be congratulated on that. I guess that there was a clause in the deal to sell the vault to Rhino that stipulated that these guys, amongst others, were kept onboard. But when it comes to the physical product - discs and packaging and the marketing thereof, it all seems to be done as cheaply as possible. There must be a reason for this and I suspect that it is that there is just not a big enough market for the Grateful Dead anymore. The band themselves ran into this problem which is why they sold the vault to Rhino in the first place. How many copies of Road Trips releases do they sell? A couple of thousand at most I would guess. Not enough to make money on them if the normal Rhino quality standards were used. As I have said before, companies are in it to make money and as such there are no sacred cows anymore. Oh.. Wait... India is full of 'em.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I've commandeered the header of the "Got Issues With Your Store Order?" topic for posting updates on the various craziness. Short version right now: 1. People may be a little slow getting back to you for a bit due to trying to address the uber-issues. 2. You SHOULD be able to log on to your store account using your email address and your existing Store password (remember, these are a separate entity from your Dead.net ID and password). If this is not happening speak up soonest. 3. Due to software misbehavior, some of our non-US folks have been getting charged VAT on your shipping charges. This has been fixed. If your order already shipped with the charges in place, you'll be getting a refund for them soonest. If it hasn't shipped yet, they charges will be removed. Again, if your mileage varies, speak up. 4. The international shipping charges being quoted are completely from outer space and have no relation to any known reality. We know this, we're working on it, stay tuned. Thanks and more as we know it. ME
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 2 months
Permalink

Put it and the Dick's Picks catalog out on VINYL and I'd be a happy camper. I'd gladly pay the premium... and I'm sure others would to.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Hi marye. As usual you've gone above and beyond. "4. The international shipping charges being quoted are completely from outer space and have no relation to any known reality. We know this, we're working on it, stay tuned." = music to my ears. Frankly I'm still umming and ahhing about whether to get the set when I know I could wait and get it for half price in a year's time sans bonus disc (meaning the bonus disc is worth approximately 60 Australian dollars!) but thanks to you I'll at least have the option of a realistic international shipping price instead of the fanciful figures appearing at the moment. Thanks again for your efforts.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

For the shipping calculated from the red pill, will our orders need to be placed again? Because if you chose fast shipping because it was cheaper, and it turns out that the blue pill gives you the correct USPS rates, I'm sure most of us would want the USPS rate, which will end up being the cheaper one.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

This is good stuff, I'm sure. However, how about the Greek 84 or 85, just to name two? Just a thought...
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

''' NOW WEIR TALK'N'' This is what I would love to see,'' all the time''!! ''THANK YOU''!!! PEACE
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Hmmmmm..... I've been on the fence about this one since the announcement ... Though it looks incredibly scrumptious, I just gotta hold off for now. Maybe if I have some sort of windfall, otherwise I can't justify the 100 smackers. I really do appreciate all the work put into these things - the remastering, the artwork, the packaging... and I try to buy everything that comes down the pike, but I'm gonna have to wait till a used one pops up on Amazon or some such. Drag to miss out on the bonus disc, but I suppose one can't have everything. I do have a couple of holes in my Dick's Picks collection, I guess as a consolation prize perhaps I'll fill one of those Dick's holes. Wait, what'd I just say?!
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I guess you just had to be there.I never really did pay much attention in economics class, so thanks for the lesson. :) Mato, I like your reasoning and thanks for getting the humor in that last post, I got a really funny image in my head after reading your discription of the boys in Indian dress, tie die turbans, the whole bit, All in a meditation circle during space, jaming away. If money is everything, and money is the root of all evil, .... I never claimed that I would ever know what Jerry or the weather might do, it just seems...wrong and totally profit driven and against all the dead stood for. Can one change ones values that one has lived by all there lives? I just can't see Jer sitting on a pile of gold. I guess I am a little naive, but money is not everything. :)
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Unkle Sam is right. As an individual it is not so hard to retain the values we grew up with in the '60's. I sometimes feel totally out of place because I am not striving to be rich the whole time. Hell, other values are more important. The corporate culture these days is not like that at all, unfortunately. Wealth and profit and the accumulation thereof is the only driving force. Here in Europe its called capitalism, in America it seems to be what the American Dream has become. It doesn't make make for a better or more caring world.Around 20 years ago in Kathmandu there was a great band called Bong Jibbah. The band comprised a broad multinational spectrum of expats and they used to play, amongst other fine tunes, a mean version of "Hard to handle". Not quite an Indian version of the Dead, but possibly as close to that as ever existed on the subcontinent. Those were the days. Whacked-out gigs at the Yak & Yeti. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

In partial answer to the question, the logic underlying the existence of the various shipping options is that apparently UPS is faster and cheaper than USPS once the package is over about a pound. However, since we have quite a few alternate realities slugging it out on that one at the moment, I'd recommend letting the dust settle a bit if you haven't ordered yet, and if you have ordered and wacky shipping charges persist, hold onto that documentation and we'll get it straightened out.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Marye, I live in France, and order lots of stuff from the US. While UPS is faster, it's certainly not cheaper than USPS; a few pages back in this thread, I posted a link to their rates. By USPS, packages that size take a week or so to here, hardly a problem. Also, as another poster pointed out, UPS has high fees for "presenting things to customs". I'm not sure if that applies in all countries - I haven't seen it here in France very often - but it could effectively double the cost for some people.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

guess we need to wait and see what we're actually dealing with. Theories have been wrong before!
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

This is a definite must. I have long considered this particular 3 night run to be one of the best the dead ever had. All three nights the band is smoking and the tunes are incredible. The terrapin > dew night one is just wow... I know there is always 5/8/77 dew greatest ever talk but check this one out... its up there. The Other one night two is freaking incredible and hel > slip >franklin night three just ising on the three night run cake. Yeah I'm a '77 homer (gdhead77) but I dare you to compare this three night run to any other... Impossible not to enjoy this one.... Rhino is on the right track now.... next up how about some awesome red rocks runs? marty
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 8 months
Permalink

...still waiting for Cali '93 ...still waiting for Cali '93 ...still waiting for Cali '93 ...still waiting for Cali '93..........................!!!!!!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

You know, it seems that no matter what is relaesed there are plenty of people ready to complain about it. Has everyone forgotten about the year or so when nothing was released. We should feel happy for what is released and soak it up as much as you desire. You don't have to buy everything. As fans, we all favorite eras, songs, shows, venues, etc; but it is all Grateful Ddead and anything is better than nothing at all. I personally don't see how anyone can complain about this box set. It's a three show run from a very popular year. I want to take the time to thank everyone involved for bringing us all this fantastic music. I look forward to each and every release and enjoy all of them when they arrive. It's like Christmas morning everytime. I promise you this. I WILL NEVER COMPLAIN. No matter what is released. KEEP THEM COMING. One request. It would be awesome if the download series was restarted.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I can't recall ever seeing a company so thoroughly botch their customers' online retail experience. Even though countless businesses are able to successfully run online stores, and have done so for years, Dead Rhino acts like they have to reinvent the wheel for every release. And that's just the technical side. As to the various business decisions being made, we can all question them and make suggestions, but ultimately we will never know the reasoning behind them. I for one cannot understand the decision to not offer all these releases as downloads. Road Trips, full concerts, select runs, whatever...put the music out any way the marketing strategy dictates. But why limit the sales to only packaged discs? I have no desire to spend $100 for boxes, booklets and artwork when all I want is the music. I would have purchased these downloads in a heartbeat (at a reasonable price) but I will be forced to find the music elsewhere at a later date. I am in the advertising/marketing industry and I find it heard to believe that any box set sales lost to the download option would not be offset by the additional sales volume through that medium. Reading these posts it seems the disgruntled European market alone would reap a huge amount of lost revenue. But perhaps it all comes back 'round to the technical side - considering all the issues they have now maybe figuring out the download option is just beyond their capabilities right now.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

I, personally, relish the beautiful art and colors. It means a lot to me sentimentally and adds to the experience of the music. So much music can easily just be ripped off on the internet these days and the Dead already compromise so much by letting people bootleg their music. If you want a good download just get a bootleg. Having a nice release like this means that the band and their producers put a lot of time and caring into making a decent product which means a lot, really. There isn't a whole lot of that going around anymore. **Sobs** I get all emotional when I listen to Jerry. Its nice to know I have a friend who cares about me even though he is dead. That means even more than all the money or anything in the world!!!
user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

@Simonrob I have both 1972 shows in Holland (Amsterdam is on 4 cd's, great Other one / Bobby McGee / Other one / Dew!) My Rotterdam cd claims on the cover (back & front), that I also downloaded, Rotterdam civic Hall. On the spine, it claims Rotterdam civic center. They do mean De Doelen hoewever, or so I've read, can't remember where. Other info on the cover: The Chinatown shuffle appears on So many roads (I know), but also that they played the FINAL Caution and the FINAL Who do you love. Is that true? Greetings from Roland Bruynesteyn in Horn, Limburg
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

When i was given a couple of cassettes of live dead in the 80's i didn't return them and say "hey the quality of these tapes really stink""this is only a half show i wanted a complete show"hell i was happy to have anything.Now i purchase what i want and pass on what i don't which isn't much.The way i look at it is any Dead music is better than no Dead music.So for all you complainers out there if you don't want it don't buy it, and if you can't afford it i am sure you can get somebody to lend it to you for a listen, and lastly the chances of them being able to predict everyone's favorite show is just downright foolish.I have been married for 18 years i have heard enough complaining to last me 2 lifetimes this is my escape quit messing up my escape.
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

Just getting a chuckle about those who are complaining about the complaints. One guy even promised to never complain even thought the point of his post was to complain.Personally I'm pretty stoked about this release and will certainly buy it in a couple weeks after I've scraped the money together; but I do think that this is exactly the place where heads should go to express their opinions about a release. Many of the "complaints" have raised some very valid points: downloads should be available and would probably benefit the record company; the shipping is screwed up somehow; this box is tough to afford for many potential buyers; it is frustrating to try to explain your problem to someone in India, especially when you've had very positive experiences with customer service in the past. One thing I noticed is that there are very few complaints about the music that's being released. Three complete shows from a popular year--that part seems to be going over very well with only very few exceptions. This box set is going to make a lot of people very happy; some just may have to jump through a few hoops to get it.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

"4. The international shipping charges being quoted are completely from outer space and have no relation to any known reality. We know this, we're working on it, stay tuned." I, too, am concerned about this - having already ordered, I feel I am in no way in control of what I may end up paying or what postal variation I may get. "... if you have ordered and wacky shipping charges persist, hold onto that documentation and we'll get it straightened out." No disrespect for you, marye, in what what must be a truly thankless task. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! THIS IS A TRULY FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE SCREW-UP. Laughable - wherever the buck stops (ha ha ... as if), the axe should fall. How do these people stay in business or keep their jobs? In my work, this would see whoever offended down the freaking road ... As someone else has noted above, this BS is far beyond anything I have ever encountered before in online retailing.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 8 months
Permalink

this shop is tailored on U.S. buyers who receive the stuff pretty much on time, while the European buyer is left on the mercy of the Continental Net Dealers who get their stuff earlier and so are free to get you scalped for more than 18$ a piece, if you are burning to get the stuff ! p.s. still waiting for Persian Soundz (the 90's mega box)!!!!
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Continuing our off-topic (Winterland '77) discussion about Holland '72 - Thanks for the info whereby you agree that the Dead played at "De Doelen" in Rotterdam 11 May 1972 as opposed to playing at the non-existent Rotterdam Civic Hall. As "De Doelen" was (re)built in 1966 and is the only decent sized concert hall in Rotterdam it seems the most likely venue. I don't know because I wasn't there - I was still recovering from the Bickershaw Festival 4 days earlier where the weather left something to be desired (massive, massive understatement). I have also read somewhere that "Caution" and "Who do you love" were played for the last time in Rotterdam (the sequence was Dark star > Drums > Dark star > Sugar magnolia > Caution > Who do you love > Truckin' > Uncle John's band - a monster second half of the second set). Unfortunately I no longer have any idea where I read that these were played for the last time here. I downloaded the Rotterdam show from the Internet Archive a few years ago. Now I see that both the Amsterdam and Rotterdam shows are only available to stream from the IA. Why should that be? Neither show has been officially released and I was under the impression that downloads only got pulled when they would compete with an official release. The only officially released songs that I know of are "He's gone" from Amsterdam 10 May (Europe '72) and "Chinatown shuffle" from Rotterdam 11 may (So many roads). These two shows would make a fine 8 CD box and who could possibly complain about that. Certainly not me.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

It might be nice, but don't forget that it depends on the quality of the tapes they have.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

That one song from each of the Holland '72 shows has appeared on high-quality GD releases (as opposed to 2-track Dick's Picks etc.) indicates that the shows were recorded well. Whether or not the whole shows were recorded and it all went smoothly and is suitable for release is something that presumably David Lemieux could answer. What is well known is that the quality of the music played at those shows is certainly good enough and that only one song from each show has seen the light of day on official releases should not be enough to preclude the release of the complete shows. I remain hopeful. For my part, that is enough on the subject for the moment - I will now spend my time getting worked up about the imminent arrival of Winterland June '77. Did you notice that? I got back on topic right at the end there!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Yea, I'm looking forward to it too. These are three great shows. I just hope they can get the international shipping thing worked out soon.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

These comments only reflect those that take the time to post their dissatisfaction. Imagine how many people get to checkout, see the shipping charges & close their browser window, or don't even bother due to the cost of the box in the first place. Those that buy ANY official releases, let alone highly priced ones are collectors, and are a dying breed. Everybody now has the ability to get this release for free with a few clicks. The only thing that stops somebody is ethics - loyalty to the artist or copyright laws - and in either case, you have to come from a position of relative privilege where you've got a few hundred $$$ to dedicate to stuff that's otherwise available for nothing. Loyalty can get eroded very quickly when the backing organization makes the customer service so completely frustrating on so many levels (price, shipping charges, packaging snafus, etc). Normally, that sentiment would cause a business to stand up and take note, but when every aspect of that business is contracted out, there isn't really anybody left that cares about anything but the bottem line, which I imagine for the Dead, is shrinking very quickly.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I must agree with bliss 100% on his observation about loyalty and how quickly it can be eroded. Unfortunately, in this case Rhino have a monopoly on the vault, so loyalty does not really apply in the same way. Indeed one has the ability to obtain any of this stuff with a few mouse-clicks. The issue then moves from loyalty to the realm of ethics. Having grown up in the '60's with the culture of that time - and of course the good old Grateful Dead - my ethics and principles do not permit me to go searching into, shall we say gray areas. That said, over the years there have been many officially sanctioned sites (such as the Internet Archive) where I have been able to get almost any show I want as a download and have made full use of such sites. In the long run if nobody purchases from Rhino, they will stop releasing stuff and nobody will benefit from that. I must admit that I have a reasonable and steady job and am therefore in a position to purchase these releases. Anybody not in such a position will undoubtedly have other views and ideas on this and it is certainly not up to me to tell them what is right and wrong. The last thing I would ever suggest is that people should only have access to the Grateful Dead if they have enough money to entitle them to access. I am sure that the band shared such a philosophy, at least when they were a performing unit. They were in the forefront of the free music for all idealogy with tapers sections and tape trading etc. The advent of the internet has made this whole business a lot less simple from an ethical standpoint. Don't ask me for the answers, but I do know where I stand personally.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I posted a my revised remembrance of the June '77 Winterland shows on the Favorite Tours thread.Just for another look at this deal. However, I can understand the concerns, complaints, and consternation with this offering. That said, like some of you, I did order this offering to get myself a better version of those days past. And if I squint my eyes and lean in just right..............;o} The Truth is realized in an instant, the act is practiced step by step.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I am thrilled by the prospect of getting this set - it includes the one and only show I ever caught by the GD. My anger is preserved solely for the process of obtaining it. What? We should just accept this crap service without comment like Grateful little peons?
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 10 months
Permalink

For over a week i have tried to get my order through. Total value of my order is over 400. I have tried many times every day. I really like to collect these cd`s and other stuff. Normally it would be unacceptable to have such a lousy service but with these products I have been patient. I have been thinking that maybe these people in the store are not professionals but people who have been part of `GD community`. I dont know but who ever they are this cant be so difficult. I have never seen a netstore which is working so poorly like this one. Never. Not even some fifteen years ago when first netstores appeared. Only conclusion is that they dont really understand how much customers and money they are loosing with this lack of competence. Or they dont care cause some money is coming in anyway. Somehow the joy is lost with whole thing. Always some troubles with orders or getting tickets to not even nearly sold out concerts. Should we complain? I dont know, maybe I just should walk away.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

If you can't buy it, you can always torrent it. I think all of us posting here want to buy these releases, but when it gets to complicated, you just give up and find another way...
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Standard (Varies) $11.99 I still think twelve US dollars is too much for postage but at least the price is coming down slowly. The other options are still hilariously expensive so I'm not sure I trust this "Standard" option.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

While the shipping thing seems to be better, I am still unable to place an order. I get "order processing" for a while and the "unable to process order". The smell just keeps getting worse. Happy Trails
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

So what about us who placed orders in the first days? Will we get to change our choice of shipping methods (and prices)? Marye?
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I was able to place an order through the call centre. I understand that if you delete cookies before you place your order on the web site it may work. I'm not prepared to buy anything to test that theory. Happy Trails
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

good question. I'll see what I can find out; this does need to be addressed. Thanks.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

My initial reaction to this release was "Oh WOW! Great! Let me get my copy as soon as I can." After the fiasco of dealing with customer service in India, with a nice enough man who had no idea who the Grateful Dead were, my attitude changed to total frustration. Mainly because after many years of purchasing CDs from the Grateful Dead store with checks, we're talking about everything from "One from the Vault" to all of Dick's Picks, Vault releases, special deals, Road trips, Download series, T-shirts, mugs, calenders, and paying for everything via check, with no problems ever, all of a sudden my money isn't good enough for Rhino because I don't choose to have a credit card. Even Paypal would have been an acceptable alternative because I'm still off the main part of the finacial grid. Next I have realized that I already have all of this material. All three nights of Winterland, two nights with excellent CM soundboards which sound exceptional and one night a HS matrix which literally sparkels. My disapointment has vanished and now I'm filled with joy that I don't have to give my money to Rhino to enjoy these shows, artfully remastered and martrixed by very skilled and talented individuals. So I wish all my fellow freaks out there in the Interweblinkcyberland jungle all the best. Have a happy day and remember that no matter how screwed up those corporate wankers get that the only thing left to do is, "Smile smile smile" "When I die bury me deep, put two speakers at my feet, pair of ear phones on my head, and always play The Grateful Dead."
user picture

Member for

15 years 6 months
Permalink

Boy, I was nearly scared off by the horrors of pre-ordering this CD box, posted previously...but I went ahead and set up a new account--and jettisoned the thought of paying with a personal check. (It worked well for all the orders I'd placed since Dick's Picks Vol. 1, but, oh well...) The process was a breeze and my pre-order has been confirmed, so many of the glitches in the customer service transition must be getting cleared up. I feel for the international customers, however. Would the store ever consider PayPal as a means of remittance? If marye and others behind the scenes haven't received enough kudos for getting the store back up to running order, then I'm sending mine out here and now! No problem!! Here's looking forward to a bountiful GD77 harvest in October, and may you have the same!Still looking for a bonus disk for Road Trips Vol. 2 #2--1968. Let me know if you're looking to unload one .
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I see at least one person has mentioned that they were unable to order the box set online. I'm in the same boat and called customer service who told me that the order processing system was down and I couldn't order online or over the phone until it was fixed. This was last Thursday or Friday. I tried again today with the same results. Does anyone know the status on this problem or if there is another way to order? Just curious as to when this will be fixed. The box looks great! I just pulled out my Winterland 73 this weekend and istened to the whole thing. Mmmmm, mmmmm good stuff. Thanks!
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

please send me a PM with the account name/email address, and also please clarify whether you can't log in at all (on the Store site) or it lets you log in and refuses to process the order. Some people are having these problems and others aren't, and we're trying to figure out why. Thanks.
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

Thank you Marye! Just sent you a PM with all the info.
user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

Mary: Help. I orderedthe boxset and got an order number. But I can't verify it in my customer account. Any idea what to do? Thanks
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

send me a PM with your order number and account name and I'll see if we can track it down.