Grateful Dead

Nice source tape information for the box sets DeadVikes, I was curious, but not enough to check them all and see.

Currently spinning DP 6 for a little taste of '83 in anticipation of this box.

The marketing of Box Sets has definitely varied through the years, but I don't think they have ever been marketed like Dicks Picks, which were all two track recordings or cassette masters. Some had the old caveat emptor, while others talked up how good the recordings were (see Dick's #33).

Box Sets to Date:

2005-Filmore West 69-Multi Track. $79.99
2007-Winterland 73-Two Track. First use of Plangent. $99.99
2009-Winterland 77-Two Track. $99.99
2010-The Warlocks-Multi Track. $68.99
2011-Eurpoe 72-Multi Track. $450.
2012-Spring 1990. Recorded in Multi Track. They used the Cutler two track down mix.$199
2013-Spring 1977-Two Track. $139
2014-Spring 1990 The Other One-Multi-Track. $229
2015-30 Trips-Two-Track, cassette masters and Multi Track.$699
2016-July 1978-Two Track. $139
2017-GSTL 1977-Two Track. $139
2017-RFK Stadium-Multi-Track. $64.99
2018-PNW-Two Track. $189
2019-Giants Stadium-Multi Track for the 89 and 91 shows. I am not sure about the 87 show. $159 for Blu Ray edition.
2020-June 1976-Two Track. $149
2021-LTTR-Two Track. $199
2022-MSG 81-83. We are all assuming Cassette masters, but I don't know if they disclosed this. "Newly restored and speed corrected audio. "$179.

I'm more than happy to refer them to our old friend Caveat Emptor. These tapes simply weren't made with commercial expectations in mind.

Thanks all, for such thoughtful commentary on the tapes, and bias, and eras, and tours, and years, and, and, and, and....I knew this was the place to drop the question. Can't wait for the new box to arrive!

3 9 81 is awesome
3 10 81 is awesome
Not that familiar with the 82s
10 11 83 is awesome
10 12 83 i have never heard

Youll be glad to have this box. If the 81s and 10 11 83 dont do anything for you...I would be quite surprised

I love, love Dave's Picks Vol. 8, 11/30/1980. Jeffrey Norman did a fantastic job with the Matrix. The audience sounds great but the Matrix sounds better. The soundboard is very good, but as noted sounds a little thin.

A great release and a go to for me that is still in regular rotation.

... and I appreciate your willingness to share your unbiased and non-judgmental thinking. A comment on one or two of your points. Since my first live show over 40 years ago, I became an avid collector, even tried my hand at being a taper-hanger-on ... Having a clean SBD was nirvana, because somehow, those shows were wonderful performances (IMO) AND the sound was clean and clear. But there were plenty of audience tapes that featured great performances and the sound was bearable (for me, the Hollywood Palladium in August, for example). The other factor for me is the shows I've been to ... whether SBD or Aud, they are all special and hold a special place in my memory banks, regardless of quality and performance. And on to another point of yours regarding review of any particular year. For sooo long I ignored 78 and 79 shows .... either didn't have enough good material in my collection or was unimpressed with what I'd heard at the time.... I always think of Tennessee Jed being the example ... it went from a quick, boppy, tight moving tune in the 72 time frame to a slow, ponderous, plodding, molasses-filled puddle of goo in the 78/79 time frame.... at least that's what I thought for a long time. I've since come to enjoy 78/79 (but really like 80 too!!) much more ... either because of being exposed to great performances, or because of the great recordings (Betty boards from summer of 78). Again, thanks for your thoughtful analysis!! .......tcc

Listened to 11-30-80 last night, sounded really good and the band was smokin’.
Gainesville matrix, Gainesville matrix, Gainesville matrix…….

Wow.. there's a lot to unpack here. First, thanks Oro for putting something this difficult together.

It's hard to argue there is no bias in how we perceive. Our brains scan, absorb, look for and recognize patterns every waking hour. Patterns on top of patterns and we are quick to recognize a familiar pattern, then we classify it - and so it is.. fact (at least in our own grey matter). That's how those cool optical allusions work, we process until we have it 'figured out' then we move on even if we are wrong and the source was/is some form an illusion or some form of bias.

I agree with your era argument too.. a good show it is a good show and even with bad shows there might a shining moment or three that makes it worth it (thinking that Visions of Johanna from 3/18/95 for example). I've also always said the later years would be viewed differently if they were better recorded or Betty recorded. There's a great 82 show you tossed out on the pick of the day thread that sounds really very good for a cassette master, what happened in 83, 84 and 87? Some of those boards do not sound very good at all and these shows and years are lost to most. It could be the crowd got rowdier and louder, lots of factors at play and there are good sounding boards from these years. But I think we know Healy mixed it up some sound better than others. I also think Don Pearson getting involved with taping helped as did the gradual shift to PCM DAT's.

Point being.. if we are going to take that extra step beyond listening and grade or judge, the recordings and the performance must be measured somehow or at least accounted for. Gestalt is the word I am thinking of. The whole picture (soundscape).

I vary from you a bit that audience recordings when well done can be superior to soundboards, ignore matrix efforts a minute. I agree with what you are saying in the years when board tapes declined.. but I don't think it's necessarily a bias to like really well-done soundboards over a really well done aud or matrix. So true, it's not what it sounded like being there, but it's a purer distillation of what the artists were doing on stage before it hit the airwaves, speakers, crowd noise, that passing jet, etc. Those passing jets are a downer.

I'm not disagreeing with what you wrote, more adding context and an opinion. I like the subject matter and it's not something that is easy to put pen to paper.

I need to give this more thought.. a very interesting topic.

I did buy this box. With the exception of the few cassette masters on 30 trips, this is the first box set that is comprised of cassette masters. This is a turning point, the first box sets were only multi-track and they were quick to advertise this.. two track were Dicks Picks (now Dave's) and box sets were multi-track. So we have entered a new era. I certainly hope they smoke, I bought this box. It's a little risky though. Can't wait to listen for myself, most of these shows will be first listens.

Keep it alive folks, that's all I have for now. My image is that of the Indian leaders sitting in a circle in the teepee, talking, listening, adding to, and taking a hit off the peace pipe to contemplate what has been said.

Well said and true in my book. I think Gainesville is a perfect example. Aud is all we got and it's smokin"!