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    Road Trips Volume 3 Number 1

    Oakland, 12/28/79

    The latest installment in our Road Trips series, now entering its third big year (and ninth release overall) is bound to become a favorite. Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1 is the complete show from December 28, 1979, part of the sparkling run that has already given us the excellent Dick’s Picks: Vol. 5 (from 12/26/79). You’ll recall that these year-end concerts, held at the Oakland Auditorium because Winterland had closed down for good the previous New Year’s Eve, were the first holiday shows featuring new keyboardist Brent Mydland, who joined the band in April 1979.

    The new lineup had been gaining momentum with each passing tour since that spring, and by December was truly hitting its stride. It helped, too, that the band was in the midst of recording their Go To Heaven album, so they were really playing together a lot during this period. This 12/28/79 concert is a blast: a super high-energy rock and roll show that also has its share of spacey jams and exploratory passages. The first set includes standout versions of “Sugaree,” “High Time” (rare enough that it always felt like a treat!) and “The Music Never Stopped,” while the second set opens with the always potent pair of “Alabama Getaway” > “Greatest Story Ever Told,” turns deep and introspective with “Playing in the Band” and “Terrapin,” and then later turns into a non-stop party with “Uncle John’s Band,” “I Need A Miracle,” “Bertha” and Good Lovin’.” If you’re not wiped out after that, the double-encore will waste you—“Casey Jones” and “Saturday Night”!

    The sound on both discs is spectacular (it’s hard to beat great reels as source tapes), and as always the CDs have been mastered to the exacting HDCD spec, because you would accept nothing less. The colorful accompanying booklet contains a number of excellent Jay Blakesberg photos from those Oakland Aud. shows, as well as a typically inspiring essay by the always poetic Dead scribe Steve Silberman.

    So it’s a win-win. A slam-dunk. A no-brainer. For more info on all the goodness packed onto these discs, click here. And when you finally come to your senses and decide that you can longer live another day without Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1, you can order it here.

    —Blair Jackson

    Track List

    CD 1: Oakland Auditorium Arena, December 28, 1979

    1. SUGAREE
    2. MAMA TRIED>
    3. MEXICALI BLUES
    4. ROW JIMMY
    5. IT’S ALL OVER NOW
    6. HIGH TIME
    7. THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED
    SET 2:
    8. ALABAMA GETAWAY>
    9. GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

    CD 2: Oakland Auditorium Arena, December 28, 1979

    1. TERRAPIN STATION>
    2. PLAYING IN THE BAND>
    3. RHYTHM DEVILS>
    4. SPACE>
    5. UNCLE JOHN’S BAND>
    6. I NEED A MIRACLE>
    7. BERTHA>
    8. GOOD LOVIN’
    9. CASEY JONES
    10. ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT



    15687

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  • wilfredtjones
    14 years 11 months ago
    disc 2
    On the way home this evening, I noticed some 'chirping' during one of the jams on Playing probably related to the master tape, and not intentional from one of the band members. Right now, I'm of the opinion I can probably attribute it to wow and flutter (if I'm using the correct technical term) and not disc skipping. This is usually attributed to the 'ravages of time' somewhere in the notes, or in the announcement of the release. However, I saw no 'caveat emptor' at all this time. Maybe I missed it; anybody catch one? I'll listen more closely to the disc and let you know what I find. In the future, maybe we can hope some of these disclosures will resume to be made, i.e. audience or other tape splices (as in the Yale Bowl Road Trips) and other analog issues (see the 'Eyes of the World in Dick's Picks 3 for a very obvious example). By the way, the 'Terrapin' that starts disc 2 is sublime. Jerry is feeling it both in his vocals and playing. This is up there with my top versions of this tune, and it's one of my favorites. Happy Listening.
  • rrussell8
    14 years 11 months ago
    I also have some problems
    I also have some problems with the second disc of the RT set. It doesn't skip exactly, but seems to have blank spots. Anyone else experience this? Happy Trails
  • Default Avatar
    ken herrick
    14 years 11 months ago
    Comments & Complaints
    I hate to but I have to agree with those that say the service HAS GONE TO HELL! My preorder arrived on time but all I got was the shipping envelope! NO CDs. After 3 phone conversations with "Customer Service" , all of them from somewhere on the other side of the world & 2 of those with someone on a cell-phone that kept breaking up, I got the replacement order but the 2nd disc of the Dead CD is unplayable. From what I've seen here I'm not alone by any means either. And I agree with the post that said that this kind of service is a far cry from what the Dead were & are about. Someone needs to wake-up & fast.Ken
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Submitted by frogstorm on

Oakland, 12/28/79

The latest installment in our Road Trips series, now entering its third big year (and ninth release overall) is bound to become a favorite. Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1 is the complete show from December 28, 1979, part of the sparkling run that has already given us the excellent Dick’s Picks: Vol. 5 (from 12/26/79). You’ll recall that these year-end concerts, held at the Oakland Auditorium because Winterland had closed down for good the previous New Year’s Eve, were the first holiday shows featuring new keyboardist Brent Mydland, who joined the band in April 1979.

The new lineup had been gaining momentum with each passing tour since that spring, and by December was truly hitting its stride. It helped, too, that the band was in the midst of recording their Go To Heaven album, so they were really playing together a lot during this period. This 12/28/79 concert is a blast: a super high-energy rock and roll show that also has its share of spacey jams and exploratory passages. The first set includes standout versions of “Sugaree,” “High Time” (rare enough that it always felt like a treat!) and “The Music Never Stopped,” while the second set opens with the always potent pair of “Alabama Getaway” > “Greatest Story Ever Told,” turns deep and introspective with “Playing in the Band” and “Terrapin,” and then later turns into a non-stop party with “Uncle John’s Band,” “I Need A Miracle,” “Bertha” and Good Lovin’.” If you’re not wiped out after that, the double-encore will waste you—“Casey Jones” and “Saturday Night”!

The sound on both discs is spectacular (it’s hard to beat great reels as source tapes), and as always the CDs have been mastered to the exacting HDCD spec, because you would accept nothing less. The colorful accompanying booklet contains a number of excellent Jay Blakesberg photos from those Oakland Aud. shows, as well as a typically inspiring essay by the always poetic Dead scribe Steve Silberman.

So it’s a win-win. A slam-dunk. A no-brainer. For more info on all the goodness packed onto these discs, click here. And when you finally come to your senses and decide that you can longer live another day without Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1, you can order it here.

—Blair Jackson

Track List

CD 1: Oakland Auditorium Arena, December 28, 1979

1. SUGAREE
2. MAMA TRIED>
3. MEXICALI BLUES
4. ROW JIMMY
5. IT’S ALL OVER NOW
6. HIGH TIME
7. THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED
SET 2:
8. ALABAMA GETAWAY>
9. GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

CD 2: Oakland Auditorium Arena, December 28, 1979

1. TERRAPIN STATION>
2. PLAYING IN THE BAND>
3. RHYTHM DEVILS>
4. SPACE>
5. UNCLE JOHN’S BAND>
6. I NEED A MIRACLE>
7. BERTHA>
8. GOOD LOVIN’
9. CASEY JONES
10. ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT



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16 years 7 months

Submitted by vegafleet on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 04:18

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I too never got Road Trips 3.1, despite preordering in October and having my credit card charged in November. Multiple emails to MARYE and customer service were for nothing. When you do get thru to India on the phone, they promise to investigate and get back to me (they have never gotten back to me) and refuse to credit my credit card. I also am never buying from Dead.net again. I am trying now to get the 3 cd set from ebay. I'll pay more but at least I'll have an assurance that I'll get it. I have been defrauded and ripped off by GDP. I have been emailing and calling about this for 2 months now but I give up, life is too short. GDP should not use the bonus cd hook to sell cd's they can't ship. It only frustrates and penalizes the fans, it is a ripoff and only enriches the sellers in ebay (how did they get theirs in large quantities?) And GDP gets to keep my money! Never again.
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Submitted by vegafleet on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 04:27

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One more thing: They offer free shipping when you order sets in combo (i.e. RT3.1 and Let it Rock), and then go ahead and charge you for the shipping anyway. It seems the whole scheme of this website is now to ripoff customers. It didn't use to be like that.
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Submitted by stuman on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 05:19

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The Old Renaissance Faire Grounds from August 27, 1972. ??Nobody would be able to buy it , at least not from Dead.net !! However it would be nice to be able to vine out copy`s that already do circulate as bootlegs..
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Submitted by Captain Stormfield on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 13:09

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Time to start the wondering 'bout the next release. I see some are already doing so. I've been wrong about nearly every guess I've made since the series has started, so I guess I'll just keep my guessing to myself. Nevertheless, I AM eager for a new release... For Pure Jerry? That awesome JGB Halloween '93 show from Brendan Byrne would be sweet. One of the finest versions of Shining Star in existence. Just wishful thinking.