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 18, 2017 - 8:06am

#781

alvarhanso

Joined:
January 16, 2014

Scarlet> Fire

Was listening to the digital single at work a few times yesterday, and it brought smiles to my face for 25 minutes at a time. The only sad part is now having to wait to listen to the rest. I cannot wait to be siting there reading the Cornell book as New Haven, Boston, Cornell, and Buffalo are screaming out of my speakers. If Dave's 23 is an 80s show, that's cool. If 24 is another one, cool beans, just make sure Althea is on at least one, and Foolish Heart and Blow Away make one, too. The riches we're going to be receiving for years to come will definitely be worth it. Though considering I'm thinking about adding the vinyl as well, I'm not sure my bank account is as happy as I am...
February 18, 2017 - 8:02am

#782

KeithFan2112

Joined:
August 6, 2014

May 1977 TOO (The Old One)

I'd mentioned that I began listening to this last week in order. I've had a difficult time getting long sessions in with it, but I have been listening to it and I'm up to Chicago night two. I've always liked this Scarlet Begonias / Fire On The Mountain, despite two flaws that only a Deadhead would pick up on: the short performance of Scarlet, and a conspicuous transition into Fire On The Mountain. Otherwise, it's top 5 material in my head. Jerry's guitar is super-prominent, like DP 29, Billy is a driving force that rocks up the tempo (I believe it's Billy), and Donna puts forth some of her best kitty-cat cooing on record - so beautiful. Vocals are perfect, thanks Jerry, guitar soloing is inventive and melodic, piano is piano-ing just right (and of note is the fact that we're hitting that spot in May where Keith stops with the Polymoog). It's in the band's legendary history that he didn't like playing it, and I agree - piano better.
February 18, 2017 - 7:24am

#783

chumdead

Joined:
August 25, 2008

Cornell 5/8/77 (3cd)

After that proverbial turd in the punch-bowl thursday,i pre-ordered from that place named after a famous river.I can only be so loyal.Thanx to everyone that helped me with the down-load yesterday.Don't forget it's yoko ono's birthday today.Happy Listening!
February 18, 2017 - 7:05am

#784

TwistedCrank

Joined:
September 10, 2007

Cornell cut into Promised Land

I hope the start of the Cornell show on the CDs includes the missing start. That's they way that show has always started and always will start. Just sayin.
February 18, 2017 - 7:03am

#785

Syracuse78

Joined:
July 15, 2010

5/8/77 Limited?

I've read a few comments about frantic fans having trouble buying the Cornell show. I know the web site had its customary issues when they announced these releases (have they EVER handled volume well????), but I was under the impression that Cornell would always be available individually and just the box and the vinyl were limited. True?
February 18, 2017 - 6:49am

#786

Mr. Jack Straw

Joined:
August 29, 2013

LoveJerry

I'm with you on the boxes. Now that they're available, Berkeley '72, Boston '76, and Winterland '77 should take precedence before anything else (except Ark '69).
February 18, 2017 - 6:45am

#787

Mr. Jack Straw

Joined:
August 29, 2013

I wonder

I wonder if the Thirty Trips set accelerated the urgency to obtain these Betty reels. While there are certainly some all-time great releases in that box (11/10/67, 2/22/69, 9/24/72, 9/18/74, 9/28/75, 10/27/79, 9/18/87, 9/10/91), there were so many SQ issues (early eighties) or cuts/splices that needed to be corrected (11/14/73, 4/15/70, 5/16/81). Also, some of the years had some puzzling choices that could have been corrected by the presence of the Bettys. I know some may like Cobo '76, but what if 6/11, 6/14, or 6/29 had been there in it's place? 4/25/77 is likewise a great show, but now Swing '77, 10/2 and 10/29 are available! 3/18/71 over Felt, Ann Arbor or Capitol Theater '71? I dunno. 11/14/73 is a candidate for best show in the set, but it contains so many patches, that I wonder if TBTB would have selected 3/16, 3/24, 4/2, 5/26, or 6/22 if they had the option. It's a moot point now, and we can look forward to a stacked Dave's series over the next 5 years, in addition to a Berkeley '72 and Capitol '71 box.
February 18, 2017 - 6:41am

#788

LoveJerry

Joined:
March 19, 2015

Re: 80s & 90s

I think single 1 show CD release is the best way to go for 80s & 90s. That way Dave's Picks doesn't get watered down with mediocre poor sounding shows like Colorado, but the 80s fans still get their taste. Pretty safe to assume if the DaP series only had 2 shows from the 60s & 70s, it would have died out after season 2. I wouldn't want to see another box set from the 80s or 90s at all (I already spent $750 to get 17 shows that sit on my shelf next to the 13 good ones, with the exception of 1979 and few Feel Like A Strangers). As far as im concerned, Rhino already has my contribution to that period. If it HAS to happen (80s /90s box), I hope it's not until well after the bulk of '71 - '76 is released, as well as 1978 (up though April). Otherwise, it's just wasted time for me. But I doubt we'll see a box set from those years anyway, based on the length of time it took Spring '90 TOO, and Formerly Warlocks to sell out (and perhaps July 1978). Rhinos vault release marketing program is all about the quick flip. Anything that takes more than a year is a brick in the road to no more vault releases, at least on CD.
February 18, 2017 - 6:36am

#789

Amy from New York

Joined:
October 1, 2016

1977

I was a high school kid when I scored a copy of Cornell University 77 --thanks to really cool people out there in the tape trading community. I hit my first show in 81 and by then this was already four years old, but old enough for me to really have an appreciation for this particular year. So when this was announced I pounced on it. I got all jammed up in the Barton Hall Website Order Release Debacle of 2017, but luckily was able to get my order through. So I am going to be a happy head in May when this and the Felt Forum show arrive. Oh and I just dug up my original copy of this tape on a TDK SA90. I wish I knew who the original taper is, but let me just send a hearty thank you to all the tapers. You are a wonderful tribe! and you have my undying respect and gratitude.
February 18, 2017 - 5:28am

#790

Syracuse78

Joined:
July 15, 2010

Re: Cost of Box

I haven't read all the responses, but see that (not surprisingly) the subject of the cost of the box and whether it is "fair" has come up. My impression from what I've read in the past and from Dave's talk is that they had to buy the masters from whomever had them. If that is the case, and especially with all the hype, er interest in, the Cornell show, that price tag, with years of lawyers wrangling, could have been pretty substantial. I'm not sure if that has been mentioned here or even if it's true.

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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