• https://www.dead.net/features/europe-72/holy-s-it%E2%80%99s-complete-europe-%E2%80%9972-box-over-60-discs
    Holy S#%*! It’s the COMPLETE Europe ’72 Box! On Over 60 Discs!

    $450.00
    Europe '72:
    The Complete Recordings


    Hey now! Due to overwhelming demand, surprising even those of us with huge faith in the Europe '72 project, the entire limited edition run of 7,200 boxed sets has sold out in less than 4 days. We thank you beyond words for your support and belief in this unprecedented and wonderful release.

    After lengthy discussions, we've decided we don't want to deprive anyone of this music, some of the finest the Grateful Dead ever performed. Of course, we're keeping to our promise that the boxed set and all of its accouterments will not be made available beyond these 7,200 boxed sets (and wait until you see the case in which the music is housed, the hard-bound coffee-table book, plus all of the other cool surprises we've been unearthing!). But, we're going to offer just the music, all 22 shows, more than 60 CDs, more than 70 hours of music, each show housed in its own packaging, for the same price as the boxed set, $450 including domestic shipping. Although perhaps not as cool as the boxed set, the bottom line is that the most important aspect of Europe '72: The Complete Recordings is going to be made available to all, the music.


    - David Lemieux


    " class="border" style="border: 0pt none;" allowtransparency="true"> --> " class="border" style="border: 0pt none;" allowtransparency="true"> -->

    Because you dared dream this might happen one day… Because you went down to the Gypsy Woman and offered up your first-born to try to make it happen… Because there are enough passionate Dead Heads at Rhino/GD who thought it might be cool for this to happen… It’s happening! Coming in September is a gargantuan, beautifully designed EUROPE ’72 MEGA-BOX SET containing ALL 22 SHOWS of what is arguably the greatest tour the Grateful Dead ever played, on a whopping 60+ DISCS (over 70 hours of music!). Bet you didn’t see that comin’!

    Really, at this point we probably don’t need to lay on too much hype about how wonderful the music is: Chances are, if you’re even considering buying a copy of this stunning box, you already know how amazing the Dead’s tour of Europe in April and May of 1972 was. To review briefly, though, the Dead’s first tour outside of North America took them to all sorts of historic and unusual venues in England, Denmark, West Germany, France, Holland and even tiny Luxembourg. Many members of the Dead “family” came along on what was really an extended working vacation that was designed to both expose the Dead to new audiences and also reward the band for their unlikely conquest of America during the preceding two years. As a hedge against the costs of the nearly two-month trip, the Dead’s label, Warner Bros., paid for the band to lug around a 16-track recorder to capture the entire tour… and we’re glad they did!

    This was a band at the top of its game, still ascending in the wake of three straight hit albums — Workingman’s Dead, American Beauty and the live Grateful Dead (“Skull & Roses”). It had been a year since the lineup had gone to its single-drummer configuration, six months since Keith Godchaux had been broken in as the group’s exceptional pianist, and this marked the first tour to feature Donna Godchaux as a member of the touring band. There was a ton on new, unreleased material that came into the repertoire in the fall of ’71 (after “Skull & Roses” was out) and during the spring of ’72, including “Tennessee Jed,” “Jack Straw,” “Mexicali Blues,” “He’s Gone,” “Comes A Time,” “Ramble on Rose,” “One More Saturday Night,” “Black-Throated Wind,” “Looks Like Rain” and Pigpen’s “Chinatown Shuffle,” “The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)” and “Mr. Charlie.” (Sadly, this was Pigpen’s final tour.) All those future classics were interspersed with songs from the aforementioned “hit” albums—such as “Uncle John’s Band,” “Brokedown Palace,” “Cumberland Blues,” “Casey Jones,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Bertha,” “Not Fade Away,” et al — and then were topped off by loads of big jamming numbers — the Europe ’72 tour produced spectacular versions of “Dark Star,” “The Other One” “Playing in the Band,” “Truckin’,” “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider,” “Good Lovin’,” “Lovelight” and even the early Pig chestnut “Caution.” And that’s leaving out a truckload of other tunes, too! There wasn’t a clunker show in the bunch, and many are acknowledged today as classics. No doubt you already have some favorites.

    Through the years, there have been a few releases of material from the Europe tour—starting with the 3-album Europe ’72 which knocked our socks off in the fall of that year, and followed many years later by material from a pair of German shows and the fantastic 4-CD Stepping Out, culled from the group’s eight shows in England. Incredibly, though, only one full show from the tour has come out previously: the excellent 4/24 concert in Dusseldorf, Germany, released as Rockin’ the Rhein in 2004.

    Until now, that is. Jeffrey Norman, who has been the primary mixer of Dead archival multi-track material for the past 15 years (Fillmore West ’69, Ladies and Gentlemen…, Rockin’ the Rhein, Nightfall of Diamonds, etc.) has spent many months toiling over the 16-track masters from the tour, and will continue working on the mixes through the Winter and Spring, employing the high-tech Plangent Processes transfer and restoration tools, trying to get every show to sound “just exactly perfect” (as Bob Weir says) for this release. You might think you’ve heard that intense “Dark Star” > “Sugar Mag” > “Caution” from Copenhagen, but I guarantee you’ve never heard it sound this alive! Mastering to HDCD specs is two-time Grammy-winning engineer David Glasser of Airshow Mastering. Needless to say, all the songs that turned up on previous Europe compilations will be appear in their proper show contexts, and in the case of songs from the Europe ’72 album, without overdubs that were added later (where possible).

    The packaging is, as you might expect, first rate. Each show is its own Digipak, with its own liner notes by top Dead scholars (including David Gans, Steve Silberman, and Nicholas Meriwether) and attendees of some of the concerts, and many never-before-seen photos. Additionally, there is an enormous book worthy of coffee table treatment featuring hundreds more photos and a comprehensive essay by yours truly (Blair Jackson). The box will also contain other memorabilia and ephemera from the tour.

    A rough sketch of the potential packaging.
    Check back soon for more product images.

    At $450, this clearly will not be a box for everyone. In fact, this individually numbered boxed set will be limited to orders placed with a maximum of 7,200 boxes produced. As a special bonus, the first 3,000 orders will receive a personalized copy. Due to the huge manufacturing costs (wait 'til you see it! We're doing something unlike any other boxed set release ever! It's exceptional!!), we need to hit 3,000 sales before we even go into production. If we don't reach 3,000 by April 1st, the boxed set won't be able to happen. This isn't a gun-to-your-head sales pitch. Rather, we want to be open with you about the realities of this release's massive scope and ambition.

    -->

    So dig deep, raid the penny jar, take a weekend job at Jack-in-the-Box, beg your kindly ol’ grandma for some of your inheritance early… Yes, it’s an extravagance, but jeez, you (or your loved one) deserve it! This is way cool.

    26589
2824 comments
sort by
Recent
Reset
Items displayed
  • I Woke Today
    5 years 9 months ago
    Is the "All the Music Edition" still available

    besides looking at the resale sites, are the All the music edition of Europe '72 still available on the Dead website for purchase?

  • Default Avatar
    Gergg
    6 years ago
    What to hear after this

    I've been neck deep in this box for a month and its awesome. I'm pretty close to hearing the whole tour but have lost track to be honest. If I wanted to dig this deep into another batch of Dead that would represent the band's next step in their development after the 72 tour what would it be?

  • marye
    6 years 4 months ago
    alas no
    these were all snapped up years ago, though you may find someone willing to part with theirs.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 7 months

$450.00
Europe '72:
The Complete Recordings


Hey now! Due to overwhelming demand, surprising even those of us with huge faith in the Europe '72 project, the entire limited edition run of 7,200 boxed sets has sold out in less than 4 days. We thank you beyond words for your support and belief in this unprecedented and wonderful release.

After lengthy discussions, we've decided we don't want to deprive anyone of this music, some of the finest the Grateful Dead ever performed. Of course, we're keeping to our promise that the boxed set and all of its accouterments will not be made available beyond these 7,200 boxed sets (and wait until you see the case in which the music is housed, the hard-bound coffee-table book, plus all of the other cool surprises we've been unearthing!). But, we're going to offer just the music, all 22 shows, more than 60 CDs, more than 70 hours of music, each show housed in its own packaging, for the same price as the boxed set, $450 including domestic shipping. Although perhaps not as cool as the boxed set, the bottom line is that the most important aspect of Europe '72: The Complete Recordings is going to be made available to all, the music.


- David Lemieux


Because you dared dream this might happen one day… Because you went down to the Gypsy Woman and offered up your first-born to try to make it happen… Because there are enough passionate Dead Heads at Rhino/GD who thought it might be cool for this to happen… It’s happening! Coming in September is a gargantuan, beautifully designed EUROPE ’72 MEGA-BOX SET containing ALL 22 SHOWS of what is arguably the greatest tour the Grateful Dead ever played, on a whopping 60+ DISCS (over 70 hours of music!). Bet you didn’t see that comin’!

Really, at this point we probably don’t need to lay on too much hype about how wonderful the music is: Chances are, if you’re even considering buying a copy of this stunning box, you already know how amazing the Dead’s tour of Europe in April and May of 1972 was. To review briefly, though, the Dead’s first tour outside of North America took them to all sorts of historic and unusual venues in England, Denmark, West Germany, France, Holland and even tiny Luxembourg. Many members of the Dead “family” came along on what was really an extended working vacation that was designed to both expose the Dead to new audiences and also reward the band for their unlikely conquest of America during the preceding two years. As a hedge against the costs of the nearly two-month trip, the Dead’s label, Warner Bros., paid for the band to lug around a 16-track recorder to capture the entire tour… and we’re glad they did!

This was a band at the top of its game, still ascending in the wake of three straight hit albums — Workingman’s Dead, American Beauty and the live Grateful Dead (“Skull & Roses”). It had been a year since the lineup had gone to its single-drummer configuration, six months since Keith Godchaux had been broken in as the group’s exceptional pianist, and this marked the first tour to feature Donna Godchaux as a member of the touring band. There was a ton on new, unreleased material that came into the repertoire in the fall of ’71 (after “Skull & Roses” was out) and during the spring of ’72, including “Tennessee Jed,” “Jack Straw,” “Mexicali Blues,” “He’s Gone,” “Comes A Time,” “Ramble on Rose,” “One More Saturday Night,” “Black-Throated Wind,” “Looks Like Rain” and Pigpen’s “Chinatown Shuffle,” “The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)” and “Mr. Charlie.” (Sadly, this was Pigpen’s final tour.) All those future classics were interspersed with songs from the aforementioned “hit” albums—such as “Uncle John’s Band,” “Brokedown Palace,” “Cumberland Blues,” “Casey Jones,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Bertha,” “Not Fade Away,” et al — and then were topped off by loads of big jamming numbers — the Europe ’72 tour produced spectacular versions of “Dark Star,” “The Other One” “Playing in the Band,” “Truckin’,” “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider,” “Good Lovin’,” “Lovelight” and even the early Pig chestnut “Caution.” And that’s leaving out a truckload of other tunes, too! There wasn’t a clunker show in the bunch, and many are acknowledged today as classics. No doubt you already have some favorites.

Through the years, there have been a few releases of material from the Europe tour—starting with the 3-album Europe ’72 which knocked our socks off in the fall of that year, and followed many years later by material from a pair of German shows and the fantastic 4-CD Stepping Out, culled from the group’s eight shows in England. Incredibly, though, only one full show from the tour has come out previously: the excellent 4/24 concert in Dusseldorf, Germany, released as Rockin’ the Rhein in 2004.

Until now, that is. Jeffrey Norman, who has been the primary mixer of Dead archival multi-track material for the past 15 years (Fillmore West ’69, Ladies and Gentlemen…, Rockin’ the Rhein, Nightfall of Diamonds, etc.) has spent many months toiling over the 16-track masters from the tour, and will continue working on the mixes through the Winter and Spring, employing the high-tech Plangent Processes transfer and restoration tools, trying to get every show to sound “just exactly perfect” (as Bob Weir says) for this release. You might think you’ve heard that intense “Dark Star” > “Sugar Mag” > “Caution” from Copenhagen, but I guarantee you’ve never heard it sound this alive! Mastering to HDCD specs is two-time Grammy-winning engineer David Glasser of Airshow Mastering. Needless to say, all the songs that turned up on previous Europe compilations will be appear in their proper show contexts, and in the case of songs from the Europe ’72 album, without overdubs that were added later (where possible).

So dig deep, raid the penny jar, take a weekend job at Jack-in-the-Box, beg your kindly ol’ grandma for some of your inheritance early… Yes, it’s an extravagance, but jeez, you (or your loved one) deserve it! This is way cool.

Display on homepage featured list
Off
Feature type
Tags

dead comment

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

This release is going to make some people very happy and a whole bunch of people really sad.
user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

I think its a good deal
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

This was my idea, a giant Europe 72 set, just so everyone knows. Okay, it was pretty much everyone elses idea too.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Don't tell me this is going to be another dead.net clusterf*ck... I'm trying to order, and there is no international shipping option...
user picture

Member for

13 years 10 months
Permalink

Really!?! They had to wait until AFTER Christmas to release this. I guess I'm filing taxes early this year. I love box sets!
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

They would limit this to one or two per household/account. I can visualise someone out there buying up the bunch and reselling them for $5000 (or more) a pop.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

now this is something special! thanks GD!!will it be better than the "Genius of Miles Davis" box set? Probably not...but looks to be the best GD box set ever!!! Let's keep these coming!! how about a box set the complete '80 acoustic shows or maybe the complete summer tour 1985? woo hoo! labor day can't come quick enough!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 9 months
Permalink

You need to sell 3000 copies before you can put this into production? $450 x 3000 = $1,350,000 You need 1.35 million $$ to start production?! $450 x 7200 = $3,240,000 You'll make a total of 3.24 million $$ on this box set and end tally... Isn't that a bit overboard? Can we please take Dead.net and the Vault public with an IPO so we can invest in the stock --- because $3.24 million increase in revenue with $1.35 guaranteed as upfront costs would be a sure winner in my portfolio. Congrats on becoming multi-millionaires !!! (of course, I'll be selling some other memorabilia to purchase this set...just thought we should see the ramifications of this insane price scheduling)
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I agree SPACEBROTHER. This should be limited to one to two per household. Don't see this happening due to the need to hit the 3,000 by April 1st.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 9 months
Permalink

Well, you would have to buy after the 3,000 mark to resell. It's hard to resell something that's personalized for ....you. ...and what do they mean exactly by personalized...?
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

and double wowzers.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Looks like they just put your name on it somehow. When you order, there's a field you can fill in with your name for the personalization, or a nickname or anything else.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Still no shipping options appear for international customers, making it impossible to order the box at this time. can't complete order by phone either. very disappointing.
user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

Trouble doing the checkout process... You can specify whatever you want for the personalization. I was just going to put my name, but you could put something clever on the 2nd copy to sell on Ebay like "so long and thanks for all the benjamins".
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

13 years 10 months
Permalink

It no longer recgonizes my account. I had to create a new account and still it refused to accept my order. Now I do not know if i have zero orders, one order, or two orders.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

The phone numbers don't seem to work either... Sigh, more of the same.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 10 months
Permalink

I'm really looking forward to this box set... But I can't place the order. After creating a new account for ordering (apparently separate from my old dead.net account), I always get an error message when placing the order. Too bad... If I do get the order placed I will be counting the days (OK, weeks) until September. -- Dave
user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

The checkout page also says your credit card isn't charged until it ships in September. I doubt there will be a problem getting to the 3,000 limit, but be sure you put in a credit card that will be valid later on. I had issues with the To Terrapin/Road Trips bundle a couple years ago and lost out on the bundle savings (all of $3 and possibly shipping) because of it.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Good point about expiration. Also, if you have a limit on your credit card, and it happens to get changed during a week when you've charged a lot of stuff, it may end up getting refused. (Though I'd guess they'd contact you and you could straighten that out.)
user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

says the CART is broke give them hour (give or take)
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

They could have tested it. It's a new system, at least compared to my last order (the acoustic Garcia). It seems a bit iffy...
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I will pass along all these concerns.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I am buying this without blinking. This is THE Holy Grail imo. Thank you The Grateful Dead, David Lemieux, Jeffrey Norman and all involved!
user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

I called 1-800-CAL-DEAD and they wouldn't do the order over the phone. They said to give it an hour... On this site if it ain't broke you wonder if they did it right.
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I would be far more interested in just the discs without the bulky, expensive box, and book. I prefer packaging that takes up as little space as possible. Production costs would come way down without the unnecessarily fancy packaging and more people could afford and enjoy this music. I would like more information about the dimensions of this proposed box set. The bigger it is, the less interested I am.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Three Vinyl records10 cds and now the rest of the story . . . Cool deal 60 (+)? discs for $450 hmmmm 22 shows is 66 discs (3/show) 450/66 is just under $7 per disc or $21 per show (Furthur charges $25) plus the photos and cool 'rememoiries' of the tour by attendees and the personalized touch sounds like the deal of the century and if it's a pre order then the cash won't be collected till shipping so the 3000 pre-order limit is not about the money but the desire for a box set of this magnitute Kudos to rhino for attempting this at this time Kudos to the staff in the vault for dedication to perfection and here's to Searchin' for the sound The Sky Was Yellow And The Sun Was Blue People Stopping Strangers Just To Shake Their Hand.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

It's 60 discs, says so above. $7.50 a disc. Fair price, IMO. Just a lot to shell out at once. Let's hope there's no more big box sets this year.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

The same thing happened on furthur.net when they announced the NYE run at BGCA SFCASite was hit hard and then down for the count Came back the next day and all was fine. Bet it's the same here. So Take Ten. Roll a fatty and check back Stroll on down the avenue and see the sites Listen to Europe '72 (again) The Sky Was Yellow And The Sun Was Blue People Stopping Strangers Just To Shake Their Hand.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Why don't you just put them on Ebay yourself for five grand? Anytime you announce a limited number of copies available, you invite the resellers to snatch these things out of the hands of those who deserve them, the fans who have kept this band relevant (and fed!) for 25 years after Garcia's last notes were played. Now, on the other hand, if individual shows are going to be available for sale in downloadable format, that would be, as they say, Happy Time.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

My guess is they don't want to take the risk to press too many and get stuck with them at this price. So pressing what has been ordered makes a lot of sense.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I cannot get past the "Checkout" button. Earlier when I tried I got as far as the login page where it refused to recognize my password. Give it a while, I thought, but now I can't get anywhere. Is demand so high? If I do eventually get to checkout and login, will I then be confronted with no International shipping option or an absurd shipping charge? Ho hum.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I got everything done before the rush only to find that international customers cannot select any shipping option and so it is impossible to process the order without a shipping option. Sigh.........
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years
Permalink

Since I already own all the official releases of this tour, I'd like the opportunity to buy individual shows. I'd also like to buy downloads, since I no longer feel the need to own big box-set productions (just the music, please, and thanks).
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

15 years 10 months
Permalink

I agree. There will be some "investors" buying these. In fact if the price goes high enough, I myself may sell my copy (provided I can get through to buy one), after I have digitized the contents for my personal use. It's the nature of the beast I suppose. We live in an imperfect world. In regards to the 1.3 million dollar earlier post. I can not stay quiet. I must speak. That post looks a lot like right-wing-talk-radio-inspired bull pucky. Like the right-wing AM talkers it hand picks the "facts." I'm sure everyone else noticed this too, but what those figures do not include is the cost of producing the set. Yes, the sell will bring in 1.3 million, but the cost going out will be -- I have no way of knowing and won't pull numbers out of my arse as some folks do -- but at approximately $7.50 per disc, the profit margin has to be close. There are physical costs to producing CDs not to mention that Jeffery Norman, as well as all the lesser people involved in the project have to get paid. (That's right I placed Mr. Norman above the rest. That guy works magic.)
user picture

Member for

14 years 6 months
Permalink

why don't these guys have the right to make money like anyone else? $450 for 60+ discs is hardly a ripoff. what the hell do you know about their production costs? if you don't like the economics, just pass on it. and shut up.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I'm already envious. Guess I'll have to put $500 aside for the Spring '90 tour box when that comes out. I'd sell a kidney for that.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

it wouldn't be Dead.net without spirited expressions of opinion.
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

can't order, just trying to get the shipping prices, won't go to cart, can't find out anything, guess I'll try again later.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

To be fair, as a big classical music listener (and purchaser), this set is well above the cost of similar classical sets. However, those sets have generally amortized their production costs during the release of individual discs, so the lower price is logical. On the other hand, there's a Dutch label, Brilliant Classics, that has done a number of big boxes with original recordings for around a buck a disc. I have no problem with this price, though. As others have said, it's not that expensive per disc, and a lot of people did a lot of hard work to get the music to us. That's nothing to sneeze at. I'm glad I can afford it, and contribute to making it viable, and I hope there will be more big sets in the future. Though I can't see what they'd do for an encore after this; perhaps Spring 77? Ever Winterland show ever? Every Fillmore show, West and East? As long as they keep releasing more music until I die, I'll be happy.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Got as far as the login only to find (again) that my tried and trusted password is not being recognized. Doh!
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

Hell, if nobody can order, I guess it'll be available for a while :)
user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

The system is down. They are working on restoration-no one is getting through right now. I called CAL DEAD and got a knowlegeable, affable person.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

As I sit here listening to 4/24/72, trying every now and then to place an order, the different error messages are amazing. It's like the site is going through every possible type of error, unless they're just random...
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

my password did not work either..had to open a new account. What a great time to install a new system. What a great time to forget the international customers (again) grrrrr