MAY 1977: Get Shown The Light Box

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February 1, 2017 - 2:34pm

1,389 replies

heatherlew

Joined:
October 12, 2016

CLICK HERE FOR THE
ALL MUSIC EDITION
SOLD OUT

What's Inside:

Four Complete Shows on 11 discs
• 5/5/77 Veterans Memorial Coliseum: New Haven, CT
• 5/7/77 Boston Garden: Boston, MA
• 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
• 5/9/77 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Buffalo, NY
• Sourced from the Betty Boards, transfered by Plangent Processes
• Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
• Artwork by Grammy-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
• The unreleased book Cornell ‘77: The Music, The Myth And The Magnificence Of The Grateful Dead’s Concert At Barton Hall by Peter Conners, published by Cornell University Press
• In-depth essay by noted Dead scholar Nicholas Meriwether
• Producer's Note by David Lemieux
• Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 15,000
• Release Date: May 5, 2017

WHAT DEAD HEADS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT...

NEW HAVEN 5/5/77
"Here is a prime example of the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ … It’s called synergy and the Dead wrote the book on it.”

BOSTON 5/7/77
“The music they laid down brought me places I had not been before.”

CORNELL 5/8/77
“...the single best rock performance anywhere, anytime, by anyone.”

“There was just some kind of magical connection this night between the band members and the band and the audience - some texture, or some type of cosmic or celestial force is in the room.”

"This show is, was, and always will be Mecca.”

BUFFALO 5/9/77
"...an awesome display of the Dead’s captivating power"

If you've been following this site for quite some time, then you will know we are often flush with hyperbole when it comes to our releases. We can't help it, really - for we, like you, are Grateful Dead fans above all else. Just like you, we've spent countless hours debating the merits of show over show, year over year. We've kept a watchful eye on your wish-lists and carefully considered how to make - excuse the cliché - your dreams come true. And once we've made our commitments, we are steadfast in our determination to conjure up those dreams fully-formed and nearly perfect. Sometimes these heights cannot be reached without physical and cosmic elements aligning, and that, dear friends, is why it has taken so long for us to bring you THE ONE and the epic shows that surrounded it. No need for even the slightest embellishment here, 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, has for decades, been THE resounding favorite; you've said it yourselves - the "holy grail" of Grateful Dead shows. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of Dead Heads like you, we are beyond pleased to finally be able to present this show and its brethren, the fabled four of Spring '77, in sonically pristine condition.

Limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies, MAY 1977: GET SHOWN THE LIGHT is a collection of what is unanimously believed to be the most sought-after previously unreleased complete shows the Grateful Dead ever played. Collected, traded, and debated for decades, "the beloved Golden Trinity" of Boston, Ithaca, and Buffalo, along with their New Haven prelude, have inspired fans to "get on the bus," converted critics, and even garnered national attention (Cornell was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry). But until now, you've never really heard them quite like this!

The Dead is in the details... how serendipitous is it that the notorious Betty Boards were returned to the archive just in time for the 40th anniversaries of these shows? Lovingly sourced from these well-reputed recordings, we invite you to experience four utopian shows just like they happened, to "be inside the music" as engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson intended. Whether you listen to each night on its own or imbibe the whole lot at once, we suspect you'll hear why every note mattered. Much like we were, you will be hard-pressed to determine which of these fine documents - will it be the understated but nuanced New Haven, Boston's festive fantasy vibes, the monumental catharsis of Ithaca, or Buffalo’s dreamy exuberance - is truly "the best." Does it really matter? We think not.

Due May 5th, we anticipate that this revelatory boxed set will sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks.

Looking for something a little more byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day.

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February 19, 2017 - 11:01am

#721

Alain

Joined:
June 8, 2007

Frosted

I find your post very interesting. There are certain interpretations of songs that, for me, go beyond music, which are not only very good music, but awaken something rare in my mind - but not systematically. A bit like a mystical experience. For me, the pieces of Cornell that we talked about are sometimes open doors to these magical moments. As for my English, I use Google's translation tool!
February 19, 2017 - 10:42am

#722

Alain

Joined:
June 8, 2007

Hello, FloridaBobalooToo

A Parisian Deadhead greets you. You seem to know Paris. When I attended my first Dead concert (at L'Olympia in Paris), I was an 18-year-old boy. I am now an old man who sometimes walks in the Jardin du Luxembroug. At my next walk along the banks of the Seine, I will think of you.
February 19, 2017 - 10:42am

#723

frosted

Joined:
August 8, 2016

Wow Alain

That was a really good and interesting description of the Cornell Scarlett/Fire. I should take some English lessons from you. Those Scar/Fires and Morning Dews from Cornell are my favorites too, and are mostly what makes Barton Hall unusually good for me. Like Keith said also, I find the post '71 St. Stephens to be a bit ponderous, and just lacking the crackling edge of the earlier ones, though still plenty worthy on 5/8. I find that there are certain and a limited number of Dead tune versions that transcend what is normally just music to me, and become what seems to me more like a journey, or a place they take you along to, which can vary from listening to listening. Not really in a trippy way, but this place is rare and built inside the mind, and goes beyond the normal listening experience. I think the first time I experienced this was the Dark Star sequence on one side of my early LP of Live/Dead way back when. It doesn't happen every time I listen to those type of tunes' versions, but when it does, it's what makes this band different than any other to me. As much as I like a lot of different versions of Scarlett/Fire, when I listen to every note and phrase, and loudly with earphones locking out other distractions, the Barton Hall version is the one that brings this to me most uniquely. Of course, for others on this board, your mileage may vary.
February 19, 2017 - 10:01am

#724

FloridaBobalooToo

Joined:
February 17, 2017

Bonjour Alain!

I love the fact you're in Paris digging the Dead.I wish I was watching the old guys play boules in the Luxembourg Gardens today, and then over to the Place de Contrescarpe for a beverage or two. Maybe down to join the young folks by the river later..........
February 19, 2017 - 9:56am

#725

Vguy72

Joined:
June 29, 2007

Shots fired over the starboard bow....

....all Phish heads are posers? Lol. Some maybe, but not this guy. Slept in this morning. Going to see Ween tonight at the Brooklyn Bowl. Had to rest up. Big fan of Gene and Dean and I have never seen them. That ends tonight....
February 19, 2017 - 9:55am

#726

KeithFan2112

Joined:
August 6, 2014

May 1977 x2

Bertha from Buffalo gets a lot of attention on Heady Version. Never heard it. Like Gollum, I've had these dhows, but don't lite to them. I did check out Scarlet / Fire, and it sounded hot, no doubt; I just didn't find it to be leaps and bounds above others - bu that could change once I hear the Full Norman a binch of times. There was also a time when I listened to the 3 Morning Dews from Spring '77 in order a few times (5/8, 5/22, and 6/7). They were all great, I recall, and I believe the closing flutter of guitar strumming went on a bit longer at Cornell; however I don't remember feeling like it was that much better than the other two. But that being said, I've still yet to give Cornell an extended study, and I know shows grow on us with repeated listening. I'm hoping that Cornell ends up having the best version of every song played there, by the time I'm into it full boar. Will Brown-Eyed Women really top DP 29, DaP 1, and DaP 12? Tall order, but I'm hoping. Will I find something exceptional about Estimated Prophet that holds a candle to the 1978 versions, which IMHO are much better on a good night than their '77 counterparts. Will I enjoy St. Stephen? I've never really enjoyed the post-hiatus versions as much as '69-'71. They're mostly throwaways in my mind, neither transformative nor exciting. If I listen to the Ladies and Gentlemen's version side by side with any other post-hiatus vesion, I'm always floored by '71, and bored by post-hiatus...but I'm hopeful for Cornell. I have a feeling the magic will be similar to DaP 1, which is how 5/5 was described: sum is better than the parts of the whole. Not sure if my comments came off as critical of Cornell, but if so, what I'm really trying to say is that I sm really looking forward to it, and that hope it delivers in spades! I'm really looking foreward to Buffalo. Help / Slip! / Franklin is such a kick-ass opener, and the rest of the 1St set is full of my songs. The 2ND set Cones A Time im interested in, and even the Sugar Mag / UJB is supposedly much better than other '77 renditions. I think I'm going to enjoy Boston a whole lot too (I hear the Mississippi Half-Step is one of the all time best, and I think we get a rare '77 Wheel, which is one of my favorite post-hiatus performed tunes). Jimbo - I also love DaP 18. It truly realizes the full potential of that year. I would say it's in my top 5 Dave's Picks. I find the shows hit or miss in '76. I felt 30 Trips missed, for me at least. Very flat sound and I guess flat performnce up until end of disc 2 / and parts of disc 3, where I recall some cool jamming.
February 19, 2017 - 9:53am

#727

Alain

Joined:
June 8, 2007

I totally agree with you,

I totally agree with you, JimInMD. Many Dead concerts are "the best". Cornell is one of those (and not the least). When I listen on December 31, 1972, it is the best concert I know. When I listen on August 27, 1972, May 19, 1974, or the first concert I attended (May 4, 1972), it is always the best concert. And there are so many others ... Thank you for the original Morning Dew!
February 19, 2017 - 9:48am

#728

MaineHead72

Joined:
January 25, 2015

Ray of Sunshine!

Excluding the initial ordering fiasco, this is the first REALLY GOOD NEWS of 2017! Many thanks to everyone involved in the process, and I look forward to TAKIN' A STEP BACK come May!
February 19, 2017 - 9:42am

#729

icecrmcnkd

Joined:
October 20, 2015

5-8-77 is not overrated

It's on the pedestal where it belongs.But it's a big pedestal and there is room for other shows too. Like many people posted a few weeks back, it was the best sounding cassette tape in the collection and the show was smokin'! Eventually other good sounding cassettes came along, and eventually I was getting metal cassettes that were 1st or 2nd gen from DAT, but some were shows where the band sounded like an orchestra on Valium (great analogy Alain). I'm ready for this Box.....but May 5 is a long way away. Heinz ketchup song: "anticipation, it's making me wait" Deadbase 50: I thought it was sold out but it's on this site for $89.99.
February 19, 2017 - 9:19am

#730

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Great Post Alain

I will blow this quote.. but I think its in McNally's book. That of David Crosby who referred to Grateful Dead improvisation as mid-air, real time sculptures. Works of art. As for Cornell being over-rated? There's so much hype around the show its hard to say it is not deserved. I always interpreted comments of hype vs. hyperbole to mean not that Cornell is over-rated, but more this is what they did night after night.. Perhaps there are many shows that are as good as Cornell. In other words, the hype, legend and lore is deserved.. its a great show, but there are a lot of great shows and arguably many that are as good, perhaps better. Fair statement? Anyway.. great post, I had to chime in and support it. That Scarlet Fire is one of the great ones.. and I've never met a Morning Dew I did not like. If anyone out there has not heard Bonnie Dobson's original, its worth knowing at least where this song originally came from.

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

CLICK HERE FOR THE
ALL MUSIC EDITION

SOLD OUT

What's Inside:

Four Complete Shows on 11 discs
• 5/5/77 Veterans Memorial Coliseum: New Haven, CT
• 5/7/77 Boston Garden: Boston, MA
• 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
• 5/9/77 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Buffalo, NY
• Sourced from the Betty Boards, transfered by Plangent Processes
• Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
• Artwork by Grammy-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
• The unreleased book Cornell ‘77: The Music, The Myth And The Magnificence Of The Grateful Dead’s Concert At Barton Hall by Peter Conners, published by Cornell University Press
• In-depth essay by noted Dead scholar Nicholas Meriwether
• Producer's Note by David Lemieux
• Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 15,000
• Release Date: May 5, 2017

WHAT DEAD HEADS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT...

NEW HAVEN 5/5/77
"Here is a prime example of the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ … It’s called synergy and the Dead wrote the book on it.”

BOSTON 5/7/77
“The music they laid down brought me places I had not been before.”

CORNELL 5/8/77
“...the single best rock performance anywhere, anytime, by anyone.”

“There was just some kind of magical connection this night between the band members and the band and the audience - some texture, or some type of cosmic or celestial force is in the room.”

"This show is, was, and always will be Mecca.”

BUFFALO 5/9/77
"...an awesome display of the Dead’s captivating power"

If you've been following this site for quite some time, then you will know we are often flush with hyperbole when it comes to our releases. We can't help it, really - for we, like you, are Grateful Dead fans above all else. Just like you, we've spent countless hours debating the merits of show over show, year over year. We've kept a watchful eye on your wish-lists and carefully considered how to make - excuse the cliché - your dreams come true. And once we've made our commitments, we are steadfast in our determination to conjure up those dreams fully-formed and nearly perfect. Sometimes these heights cannot be reached without physical and cosmic elements aligning, and that, dear friends, is why it has taken so long for us to bring you THE ONE and the epic shows that surrounded it. No need for even the slightest embellishment here, 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, has for decades, been THE resounding favorite; you've said it yourselves - the "holy grail" of Grateful Dead shows. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of Dead Heads like you, we are beyond pleased to finally be able to present this show and its brethren, the fabled four of Spring '77, in sonically pristine condition.

Limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies, MAY 1977: GET SHOWN THE LIGHT is a collection of what is unanimously believed to be the most sought-after previously unreleased complete shows the Grateful Dead ever played. Collected, traded, and debated for decades, "the beloved Golden Trinity" of Boston, Ithaca, and Buffalo, along with their New Haven prelude, have inspired fans to "get on the bus," converted critics, and even garnered national attention (Cornell was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry). But until now, you've never really heard them quite like this!

The Dead is in the details... how serendipitous is it that the notorious Betty Boards were returned to the archive just in time for the 40th anniversaries of these shows? Lovingly sourced from these well-reputed recordings, we invite you to experience four utopian shows just like they happened, to "be inside the music" as engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson intended. Whether you listen to each night on its own or imbibe the whole lot at once, we suspect you'll hear why every note mattered. Much like we were, you will be hard-pressed to determine which of these fine documents - will it be the understated but nuanced New Haven, Boston's festive fantasy vibes, the monumental catharsis of Ithaca, or Buffalo’s dreamy exuberance - is truly "the best." Does it really matter? We think not.

Due May 5th, we anticipate that this revelatory boxed set will sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks.

Looking for something a little more byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day.

Screwin' th' pooch!

The Grateful Dead and Warner Music Group hate money.

Is it May 5 yet?

I want my licorice!! Got my confirmation email at 12:08 pacific time. Took 10-15 min to get the order placed. Good luck to the others, keep trying. This is the one Box Set that needs to be 20,000 or 25,000 copies. Maybe even more.

Fish On!

Yay! Not too bad, only an hour and somethingormumble to get through after 20 Checkout page crashes and 4 or 5 timeout kicks on the 800 number. I'll have to look at my card and Paypal for duplicates -- trust but verify! I is a happy bunny today.

been confirming payment for four hours

..............

I'm not one to

I'm not one to complain......but, WTF- 3 hours now, even tried to get through on the phone....Gotta say none to pleased.

argh

I've gotten to the very end a few times and then it craps out when I "Complete My Order". I am either not getting this at all, or 5 copies will arrive...

sadly

will not let me select payment type...ever....load on phone, computer and get thru the phone call....sweet jesus. "keeps just saying your order cannot be completed at this time because there are no payments options available for it"...seriously.

tired

perhaps consider smoke signal next time. may be more efficient.

HELP

been trying for 4 hours to order.........what do I do???????? If I miss out on this I will considered death too kind.....

Can't order

Pathetic!!!! 3 hours of trying and still getting nowhere. And no official explanation or apology either.

Still trying

Am I the first to say their 15,000 number was way low?

frustrating

I've been trying to order since the announcement and have had no luck at all either online or through the phone. I'm trying to be patient but how have they not invested in a modern website at this point (or planned to maybe have 1-2 more people manning the phone). If i miss out on this release because of an outdated website i'll be pretty crushed....

Me too

the fact that this is this limited and this is how the roll out goes is fucking insulting for someone who has shelled out so much money to y'all over the last ten years. My wife is not happy that I am spending the evening doing this to funny.

Still trying...

For those of you who have gotten an order through...has the confirmation e-mail come quickly?

Still trying...

For those of you who have gotten an order through...has the confirmation e-mail come quickly?

Theirs a certain stink in the air....

and it's not the one I like. I can already tell there will be many pissed off people coming out of the wood work in the coming hours. Gwwaarrr payment type confirmed and then 504 timeout error ?!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!

I've been waiting for these to become available on disk for a long time!!! I can't even pre-order. Crashes, demands that I enable cookies (they ARE enabled), various messages about websites being forbidden. ARGH!!!

I've Learned Over The Years

Never order ANYTHING from dead.net on the first day. This happens every time, see E72 among others. This will take at least a few weeks to sell out. But agree, 15K, that's it???!!!

403 Forbidden

This is the story of my day trying to place the order. Just that error. I'll get up to entering credit card, but it's just a tease. Maybe the box doesn't actually exist - this was just to fuck with me all day.

WTF

After several hours, I don't know if I have ordered this once, twice or all 15,000 copies. Okay Warner Bros et al, I give up. I have faithfully bought every damn release for decades now and when you finally offer the gold, you give us loyal fans the worst experience since that night on Southern Comfort and hash oil. So, with respect, stick your all time amazing 1977 box.

I feel your pain

on the verge of scrapping my Dave's Picks subscription and collection over this nonsense. I hope the media outlets that promoted this release will also cover the absolute failure of the company to provide a stable platform to order.

I've literally been

I've literally been 'proceeding to checkout'....FOREVER. And have been hung up on hold like 15 times at this point.

What a downer . . . this is really unacceptable.

Still trying - it's almost now become a personal battle just to try to checkout. Terrible service for a dedicated customer base.

"Everyone just relax, we've got you all night long"

I wouldnt sweat it too much. Remember the initial surge for the E72 release did the same thing and that was for half the #. Even then it worked out and they were taking orders for at least a day or so afterward before it sold out. As for the #'s consider what they did for Veneta and it still isn't sold out. My guess is the 15k number is based pretty precisely on the sales data showing the true demand and that everyone who is paying attention over the next few days will get an order in. I suspect this will sell out by next week though.

Hey Donald

Is it the fault of the press, or Hiliary? I guess you will say it is all woking perfect.

Shit

Can't get no satisfaction! Guess it wasn't meant to be. Still, very disappointing. Reminds me of the Obamacare website rollout. Total disaster.

NOT COOL,

Thanks Dead.netFor making what should have been a great and joyous experience and turning it into a agonizing, frustrating 3hrs and counting nightmare! Ive had bad trips that were better than this. One would think that with the amount of money these releases generate (2.1 Mil on this one alone) One would think that the online ordering would be a bit better. Next time release it on amazon! The Dead were always about changing things up and embracing new tech and innovation. Ive been through this several times and on other occasions placed orders and then received phone calls about how the ordering was all screwed up. I can forgive an occasional rocky release but every time starting with the Europe box set! Come On Man, make some new arrangements for online purchasing!

Thank you...for talking me off a ledge

I remember the 72 debacle well and I came out with trunk so I guess I should chill out a minute. This is just insanely annoying, especially after this has occurred before with them.

Ordered

I may have been one of the first to order and had no issues to speak of. The confirmation email came in at 12:48pm CST - I think I made the order about 10 minutes prior. Good luck everyone, I am sure it will work out. Someone mentioned earlier that you have to allow cookies on whatever browser you are using. I used Safari.

3 hours;

5 dropped calls; innumerable error messages; 4 failed order confirmations...I'm out.

Still screwed up

I've tried again to confirm my order, twice, and it sends me back to my cart. Phone is hopeless; email gets a form-letter response. I hope that everyone who tried to order today gets their order.

Fault

No any way you slice it it's the fault of people who should have been prepared for the onslaught. This is pathetic

Giving up and going to bed now.

No doubt by the time I wake up in the morning they will all have sold out. Thanks for the generous limited release!!! Much appreciated. May the rest of your Betty Boards rot in your vault!

So They Show Me A Product I Want To Buy

And I can't. How F'd up is that? If I'm frozen out and this thing sells out that would be a deal breaker for me and Dead.net. Anyone with me? Let them know. This is unacceptable.

Sounds like the only people

Sounds like the only people to get one ordered before 1:15 or less. Wow, Dead.net better offer up some sort of response or expansion of copies available if this is how it gonna be.

Just slips away when I try

I had an easier time getting into Red Rocks without a ticket! I'm walking away for a while. I've felt this feeling before. Think I'll go join a protest rally and get back to this later.

Frustration

After several hours wasted on both the computer and phone... I give. Gonna go burn one and pray they up the 15k number so we all get a shot. Jerry said the music should be free. I'd be happy with just free from frustration. Maybe Putin doesn't want this music out :) My biggest wish actually is that Betty gets paid for her talent and work. Thank YOU Betty !

Should not have a 15k limit here

That is just silly. I can't even get to checkout, just an error code. Warner in charge is a disaster.

mhammond12

I'm kinda in the same vein as you. I've been a loyal junky for years now and if they sell this out I'm done as well, that's just too insulting and I'm going to torrents and free downloads from illegal sources. I'll keep my money from now on if its not being invested in solving these problems.

can't wait!

Ordered my copy around 2:30 EST with no hassles. Best of luck getting through everybody. Looking forward to this release coinciding with the warmer weather. Cheers, Matt

Confirmation E-Mail

Gbow22, once the knee-deep order hoolpla ran all the way through and completed, my confirmation e-mail arrived within five or ten minutes. Endeavor to persevere! Edit: The Scarlet-Fire MP3 download from the post-purchase link is pretty tasty too!

-

It's Bush's fault.

poor release planning

I have been trying on line and via telephone since I received the email (as obviously have a lot of actual individual fans seeking one set) This is clearly not working as it should and it will be a shame if the only way many of us loyalists could consider getting this is at drastically inflated resale prices -- not what I would expect many fans would appreciate or want to participate in

Resist we much

Please hire a Stanford freshman CS major to help you figure it all out. Later.

my order went thru finally

i was ordering, got timed out. went to my 'history', pulled up the shopping cart page and completed the order, received an email confirmation from the grateful dead within a minute or two. whew!

Dang

I could post a scribe about how I am not buying anymore, but the fact is that the dead releases bring me so much joy. So, instead, just a plea - c'mom folks, we are trying to give you our hard earned cash. The technology to handle this volume of traffic exists, so please get on board.

Why would this be so limited

Why would this be so limited in production?!? The most sought after shows and then limited and website problems.

May 77

Have been trying to order for 2.5 hours, this is worse than Trump's National Security performance.

Tired with limited editions

You guys sell records like dealers sell drugs : get it now, or it's gone ! And of course, once you have paid, the dealer doesn't show up. On 3 Dave's Picks releases I ordered I only got one about 2 months later. They had to send another disc for another release (took me 4 months to finally get it), and I finally got my money back for the third... I'm still waiting for Dave'sPicks vol. 21... By reading all these comments I'm not sure I'll drop 140 $ then pray for 3 months to get the records. If it's so complicated to ship a disc to France, then simply don't pretend you can.

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