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"When we began discussing audio projects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead back in 2012, we knew we wanted to do something completely unprecedented. We could think of nothing more exciting or ambitious than a career-spanning overview of the band's live legacy focused on what best tells the story: complete concerts. Our first criterion was the very best live music to represent any given year in the band’s history. We wanted to make sure that there were not only the tent-pole shows that fans have been demanding for decades but also ones that are slightly more under the radar, but equally excellent. For those who listen to the entire box straight through, chronologically, the narrative of the Grateful Dead's live legacy will be seen as second to none in the pantheon of music history." - David Lemieux
We are more than pleased to announce the Grateful Dead's most ambitious release ever: 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN. Available as both an 80-disc boxed set and a custom lightning-bolt USB drive, the collection includes 30 unreleased live shows, one for each year the band was together from 1966 to 1995, along with one track from their earliest recording sessions in 1965. Packed with over 73 hours of music, both the boxed set and the USB drive will be individually numbered limited editions.
The 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.
The box also comes with a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years.
The USB drive version* will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Digital version of the book also included on USB.
Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD. This release is sure to sell out quickly so pre-order your copy today and stick around as we will be revealing a mighty fine selection of music, art, and much, much more right here.
(Looking for a smaller 50th Anniversary commemorative keepsake? September 18th will see the release of a four-CD version of the collection titled 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN: THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY 1965-1995. More on that here.)
ROLLINGSTONE.COM SONG PREMIERE AND EXCLUSIVE DAVID LEMIEUX INTERVIEW
Head on over to Rollingstone.com for the very first listen of "Morning Dew" 9/18/87 Madison Square Garden, David Fricke's exclusive interview with archivist David Lemieux, and the reveal of 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN's '69 and '84 shows.
*Helpful hints for using your USB:
Running the 30 Trips Player / Reader program:
On Windows – Navigate to the USB drive and double click the PCStart.exe file to run.
On MacOS – Open the GD 30 Trips drive, and double click the MacStart to run.
Viewing the digital book:
You can either view it within the program that comes on the drive, or by opening the PDF directly.
To view the PDF, open the PDF folder on the drive and the USB_bk_spreads_08-31 file within. Selecting the option within your PDF reading application to view as a “single page” might be preferable to viewing as a continuous document.
Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
PDF
Text
30 Trips Around The Sun: unbelievable!
No vinyl release??? This is a travesty! This would make for a killer set, probably 150 LPs; maybe Bear Family can do it.
30 Trips Around The Sun: seriously...
I certainly expect one of these shows to be picked for RSD.
It's all GWB's fault!
and Obama too. If we had real jobs this would be a no brainer.
Number of Sets
Can't really say if this method is reliable, but by adding x number of sets into the cart, and clicking add to cart, this will reveal how many are left. Like if you're able to add 1250 sets, but not 1300, than in theory there's less than 1300 left. It is strange, though probably not as strange as the "Add to Cart" method, that there's no mention of packaging for this release.
Conspiracy Vol 2 & E72
While I doubt there is an active plot to defraud 30 Trips Boxset buyers they did under deliver with E72 compared to what they said they would deliver. E72 was botched.
Does anyone remember the facts on this?
deadegad
If I remember correctly, there was a promise of a 'stash drawer', ticket stubs, "travel documents", a Map Poster, etc. None of that was in the actual steamer trunk, however, the book that did accompany the set was VERY well done. The price was great at $450 though, so if the lack of trinkets was what kept it affordable, I'm more than happy. I would rather this new set be $500 and have one book, rather than the tickets, pictures, pins, and posters that have accompanied all the boxes, except FW69 and E72 (coincidentally, these have been the most "bang-for-your-buck" sets).
You can see the early artwork here with the extra stuff that was promised.
http://www.thebestofwebsite.com/Photos/Music/Grateful_Dead/LargePhotos/…
E72 Trinkets vs $$$
Yeah that sounds about right regarding E72 and it is OK if it kept the cost down. Although the cd holders construction themselves were below par.
DEADEGAD - I sent you a pm
nevered "PM"ed, don't know if we get notification of them, but you should have one. Let's talk offline.
"Maybe you collect or maybe you pay..."
i think this is a terrific looking box set. i applaud those who put it together. i, for one, like the idea of some limited things, bonus discs, etc. i think very few people collect these as investments, but because of their love of the band, and the music. i like the idea of collecting. (personally, i love old vinyl. i wish i could come across a copy of the 1st album in mono, promo preferred!) i, for one, am priced out of this release. but that doesn't mean i am against this release!
but i digress. as much as i love all the special stuff, i do think that the music should be made available to all. look at smithsonian/folkways. EVERY album they have EVER put out is available to download or they will custom burn you a cd. you can even download any of the inserts they put in the original album!!! why do they do that? because they feel that their catalog is worth preserving, and worth being available to any and all. don't we all feel the same about the dead's music? historical??? rhino NEEDS to make money, or none of this will float. special editions pay the bills, but i think that does not need to come at the expense of availability. many people have been clamoring for 80's shows, for example. now, only 6500 folks will get a hard copy of, say, 10/12/84. that just doesn't seem right....in my opinion. i like what they did with e-72 box. you can get individual shows. are they stuck with too much inventory? i don't know. personally, i like the physical product, not downloads, but if that's the way i have to go, so be it. (for example, i think it's awful that the 4 iconic shows that made up the fillmore west box are not downloadable for people.)
my suggestion is put a premium price on collectables. those able to pay will pay. good for them! and it will be worth it!!!! but make individual shows available at a regular price for anyone who wants it. i don't think that reduces the value of the limited editions. if anything, i think it makes it even more special....!
$50 Shows
Selling single shows out of my box at 50 dollars a pop. Here are the shows that haven't already been spoken for:
1976
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983
1985
1986
1988
1993
PM me if interested in any of these. Doesn't require any payment now, I jus wanna know who wants 'em.
Also, Anybody notice how the 4 CD version has the digital file(CD mp3 or whatever) of Caution from 1965 and the big box does not?
-CJ
Road Trips Business Model
I'm not going to defend the Rhino business model.
The limited release model serves two purposes for them.
- It sets a time frame for purchase.
- It allows them to run something into production, collect revenue and pay for production costs in a set period of time.
The previous model created a production run, put items for sale on the web and allowed people to buy at will. Since expenses are typically due as they are performed (except royalties), well, you can see where I am going.
Back to road trips. There was no urgency for people to buy, so a lot of people put them off. Every four months or so another item came out for sale and the expenses that came with it. Excess inventory sat, in fact there's still some for sale. I bet it was not very profitable (D. Lemieux has said as much). People put off that RT or Winterland 77 box set until..
The limited release model simply puts a fire under our buts to pull the trigger. As such, it allows them to reliably put four DaP, a RSD, a Box Set and perhaps a whimsical release out each year and reliably pay expenses as incurred. It just takes some of the risk out of the game for them, and as you can see by the numbers (Dave's Picks subscription #'s are up 25% since its inception) it does work. Road Trips would not have continued forever as the numbers sold dropped.
So its either the devil you know, or the devil you don't know.
My two cents.
I do feel for the people that cant afford this box. I was actually hoping they put something out half this size for that reason, but the concept makes sense. One show for each year (almost).
Caution on the 4 CD version
It's pretty obviously to have the people that buy the box and don't have a turntable will have to buy the compilation to hear the 1965 Caution. Now that's great marketing ;)
'65 Caution
It's already been released on "Birth of the Dead," which is a pretty good release (although I listen to the live sides a lot more). I'm pretty psyched for the 45 that's coming with this box. I think they should should be releasing singles like this for RSDs.
A Fun Game
For those of you not buying the box but wishing you could (myself) I have invented a fun game that helps. I made my own box set that celebrates the Dead using only officially released product. You come up with your own, it really helps ease the pain.2/14/68-Carousel Ballroom. Road Trips Vol. #2 #2.
11/08/69-Fillmore West. Dick's Picks #16. Maybe my favorite release of all time. Dead heads like to say things like "melt your face" or "fry your mind". This one does that.
5/02/15/70. Tie. 5/02/70 Dick's Picks #8. Harpur College, Binghampton, NY.
5/15/70 Road Trips Vol. 3, #3. Fillmore East. Take your pick.
11/15/71 Road Trips Vol. 3, #2. Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX.
9/17/72 Dick's picks Vol. 23. Baltimore Civic Center. Classic 72 post Pigpen show.
11/17/73 Dave's Picks Vol. 5. Pauley Pavilion, UCLA, Los Angeles.
2/24/74 Dave's Picks Vol. 13. Winterland. Slightly pre Wall Of Sound with better sound. Great show.
1975 is the show I want and there's no substitute for it.
And then I'm off the bus.
Your turn.
My last show was 20 years ago tonight....
....Shoreline '95. Still have not listened to it since the bus broke down. I remember sitting on the grassy knoll outside the venue with my buddies watching TWO separate fights/altercations in the lot, thinking "this ride is gonna be over soon". Foreshadowing is not usually one my better talents btw...
....check out that San Diego Sports Arena set list from the '73 30 Trips entry. Esp the second set. Truckin'->TOO->Big River->TOO->Eyes->TOO->Wharf Rat, Uncle, GDTRFB->Sat Night. Whew!! This show is three days before my favorite DaP at Pauley....should kick ass....
I stand by my view..
....it is thirty shows, lacking any continuity, relation, or coherence other than one from each year. Given the vast amount of documentation of the dead, even if we limit it to official releases, we learn nothing from this one a year pickings. Sorry, I am coming from an academics perspective, and that is what I mean by "historical". With the Europe box we heard the development of songs, jams, themes etc in the course of one of the Dead's most important tours. If there was next to no documentation of the Dead, then a release with an example from every year would perhaps reveal stuff about the band to many for the first time, but that is not the case. This is the sense in which I believe the significance of this is manufactured---one show from each year, it sounds epic, it sounds important, but what is it really---well one show from each year, so what? Any one out there saying, "Thank God, finally a show from 1977, never heard what the band sounded like that year!" This is not a criticism per se, it is just to point out that the marketing (and this is what marketing is about, after all) is, in this case, manufacturing the importance of the release at the same time that they are trumpeting it. As yourself this---if you had to evince the interest of the Dead to someone who is not familiar with the band, and you were given 80 CDs with with to do it, is this what you would use? Not I, for sure. The box set itself is historical in many senses, largest box to date, etc and so forth, but don't confuse the medium with the message!
Hey grateful prof........
Dude, could you just relax and chill a little? Take it easy man..... It's just a box set of awesome music...... Jeez.... What's the big deal?..........maybe you should take a little break from all this box set excitement?
mhammond's game
As long as I can use the shows that made up some compilations...also, from 1981-1987, 92, and 93 there tends to be only one release per year, so I'm not going to bother listing the obvious picks.
1968: 2/14/68
1969: 2/28/69
1970: 5/2/70
1971: 4/29/71
1972: 4/26/72
1973: 10/19/73
1974: 6/28/74
1975: 8/13/75
1976: 10/9/76
1977: 5/19/77
1978: 2/5/78
1979: 12/26/79
1980: 11/30/80
1988: 3/27/88
1989: 7/7/89
1990: 3/24/90
1991: 9/25/91
who's going to figure out . . .
Which songs are NOT represented in the box? Hopefully it won't be the cause of new whining.
Checking out some setlists....
....the 1992 entry from Copps Coliseum looks promising too. Bruce was there.
Hell In A Bucket
Althea
Same Thing (good dust off)
BE Women
Mexicali Blues->
Maggie's Farm (love the versions with Mr. Hornsby)
Bird Song
Promised Land
Shakedown Street
Women are Smarter->
Dark Star->
Drumz->
Space->
The Other One (with the "in the circle" coda)->
Standing On The Moon->
Lovelight
US Blues
hmmmm....
Mr. Jack Straw
Well played. My only objection would be 4/29/71 from Ladies and Gentlemen. Probably my favorite official release after Dick's Picks 16 but too butchered to include as a "show". God I wish they could put that run together and release.
Historical, FWIW
This is a document (the music and the stories, artwork and photos collected in the book) of a cultural phenomenon unique in and to American history. That's pretty neat.
Just imagine if we had something like this documenting a choir (lets call then Jehovah's Favorite Choir) traveling the Appalachian church circuit from 1865 to 1895. Would that be worth $700 bucks?
And there are 2280 of them left. (the number this morning was about 2580)
costs
This is an amazing box ... but having just had my job terminated and the cost of shipping to the other side of the world so prohibitive, this will be the first Dead release I will pass on in about 20 years. Of all the times to release something as 'must-have' as this..
BTW, my suffering wife, who has never understood the GD despite being subjected to years of hearing them in the car, in the kitchen, during movies she's watching, over breakfast ... well this week she burst into my study while I was loudly listening to Playing In The Band from the recent '72 Dave's Pick and excitedly exclaimed, "Where's Donna?"
True love = when your wife can recognise a pre-Donna show!
Songs
I totaled up all the songs in this release, and found some interesting numbers:
Most played: Not Fade Away (10) (not including Drums or Space)
Runners up: Big River, Brown-Eyed Women, Me & My Uncle, One More Saturday Night, The Other One (9 each)
Under-represented: Box Of Rain, China Doll, Crazy Fingers, Iko Iko, Lazy Lightnin> Supplication, Mississippi Half-Step, Throwing Stones (1 each), Alabama Getaway, Black Peter, Casey Jones, Mama Tried, Row Jimmy, St Stephen, Touch Of Grey (2 each)
Over-represented: Saint Of Circumstance (5), Comes A Time (4)
Not enough 80s on this set
They needed to put more 80s on this set.
manufactured significance
Manufactured or not, what's significant about this box to me is that it contains a ton of kick ass shows. Well, that and the price...the price is pretty damn significant as well.
I was REALLY feeling sorry for myself a couple days ago when the news broke. I saved and made plans but this is way more than even the Europe box and that price would have been pushing it. But sometimes you just have to be a grown up and accept your limitations. It's not Rhino's fault that I have teenage kids or don't have more disposable income.
I've said many times that it's all about the music and not the trinkets and books but I have to admit that I enjoy pulling down the physical product from the shelf. But I'll be content (after some reflection) to purchase the shows I want most via download when they're made available. However, if you have to purchase the entire box as a download, well, that would be disappointing. I might even become a whiner, or a complainer.
But what a great collection: significant and spectacular shows from every era.
"Historical Document"/ the 65 Caution
Grateful Prof, as a former History major (stopped at the BA), I think I see your point. But, outside Academic standards, this is the CD equivalent of a Coffeetable Pop-history photo book. It's a gloss. I don't think there is any profitable way that Rhino/GDM can create a Academic-level document of the Dead. It was coffeetable books (on Military tech) that got me into History, so maybe that means this box is a possible gateway for the wider public to become aware that The Dead have a history beyond "Truckin'" and "Touch Of Grey"!Sure the '65 Caution appeared on CD on Birth Of The Dead", but this is a new mastering that makes the recording sound better than you have ever heard before. At least that is what R/GDM would say! I am sure they would say that is why you do NEED to buy the 80 discer AND the 4 discer!
I can't "afford" this box and I don't want to find room in my home for the book and packaging, but there are about 10 shows here that I WANT. Am hoping that i will find some miracle money or that the shows will become available individually or in smaller boxes. Also may split a set with someone uninterested in 79-95, but that path requires sacrifices of desire (67 and 75 are two must-haves for my shelves).
4 years ago I was sitting pretty financially and would have ordered this box the minute it was available. The Europe 72 set made me so happy! I'm glad for the people who are in that position now with this box, but I am sad for me and all the others that this is "putting a hurtin' on".
SimonT
Love that story.....I've had a few of those myself with my wife....allow me to offer another true love translation.....True love= I think I'm gonna sell the Europe 72 box so I can buy the 30 trips box guilt free...... (My wife) you are NOT going to sell the Europe box!! I bought you that, just buy the 30 trips box, it looks awesome, you deserve it....... Love that woman
Sry to hear about your job... Hang in.... One door closes, another one opens....
On the Dead Archive site....
....if you look at the list of top downloaded shows of the week on the right side of the screen, the top five are different versions of the '76 Cobo show. What's up with that!!
Archive.Org - '76 Cobo
It must be the cowbell solo by Matthew Kelly on Looks Like Rain.
…I learned the hard way on
…I learned the hard way on the E72 Box and couldn’t let this one pass by… my order went right through and it took about 2 min to receive my confirmation email.
$700 is no small expenditure. And this is no small offering. But for less than $9/disc, there is some outrageously good material in this set. The Shrine Expo was my first bootleg, and if the sound quality of the Morning Dew sample is indicative of the rest, this show alone is a treasure. The shows for 68, 69, 70 and 71 are all powerful and have many, many moments of the rolling thunder that these years are famous for. The other shows are all well documented in many online forums and, while opinions will always be what they are, there is a lot to like in each one of these shows. And considering that Jeffery Norman and associates will have had their hand in editing and adjusting the sound from the source recordings for all 30 shows, I’m looking forward fidelity that’s up to his high standards.
Form many of us, Grateful Dead music is in our sonic DNA and resonates like no other. I love the Grateful Dead and their music. And I’ve accepted that the Grateful Dead are gone and that their recorded music is now part of a multi-million dollar business transaction. Rhino paid a handsome price for its rights to the vault- we can be sure they will try to sell as much as they can however they can. And I personally hope they continue to do so.
I don’t always like every release that comes out (or the way that some of them have come out). While I have most of the releases, there are some I chose not to buy. Are there other shows I wish I saw in the 30 Trips box set? Of course!! I’d love to have seen 11/5/85, or 9/2/68, or 3/26/87 and a slew of others. But they will come.
For now, I’m looking forward to sitting outside a fine autumn day in September… Santa Clara, Chicago, and all the other hype will be over, and I will be cranking up the volume on the sonic journey that this box set contains. And loving THE GRATEFUL GODDAMNED DEAD!!!!
can't resist
mhammond12, I can't resist this sort of thing so I'll give it a shot. And you're right, reminding myself that I already have a ton of great releases that I can't possibly listen to as much as I'd like does help to ease the pain.
Two From the Vault 1968
Thelma 1969 bonus disc
5-2-70
10-31-71
9-21-72 wish I could include several shows from this year; can't believe I didn't choose Veneeta
11-11-73 again, this could be a several way tie, 10-19 is up there with 12-2
6-28-74
8-13-75
10-9-76 really love DaP4 too
5-22-77 flip a coin, or several coins--lots of great releases from this year
4-24-78 sentimental favorite
12-28-79
1980 JGB After Midnight
1987 Ticket to New Year
3-27-88
1989 Downhill From Here
3-15-90
Skipped some years where there weren't a lot of choices (it occurs to me that the new box would probably resolve that problem) and fudged a little with JGB in '80.
Confirmation lag.....
Well I thought I pre-ordered the new box set the day it was announced-via my iPad. Got lots of "lag"while the order was processing, and I figure it just timed out. So I thought about it for awhile and told myself, I should use the money elsewhere anyway, and I will just get the four disc set... Then tonight I get a confirmation email! Well I guess that answers that question. Now I'm excited all over again. The shows I'm most looking forward to are ones I already have, but I don't care. Remastered quality will give ya goose bumps! Can't wait. :)
Well said!
It's definitely not cheap, but I figure this music saves my soul and bring more enjoyment than many other more expensive things. :)
Well said!
It's definitely not cheap, but I figure this music saves my soul and bring more enjoyment than many other more expensive things. :)
Re:Rdevil Re:Game
Agree with both rdevil and Mr.Jack Straw. 1972 is impossible to pick one. So many great shows from E72 alone then you have fall into winter post Pig. Maybe we should have a 1972 by month game. Then 1969. Then 1977. Jeez! What a band!
Wow, your attitude is
Wow, your attitude is really... weird. There has to be some historical significance to the shows? You're just putting your personal opinion over what is probably a very complex project for the band (i.e., David Lemieux) to realize.
What you want is a box of classic shows, but many of them have been released already: 2/13-14/70, 8/27/72, 9/3/77, etc. This box has to have shows that haven't been released, and ones where the tapes are in good enough condition. I know that there are lots of tapes where the entire show isn't releasable; that's the point of the Road Trips series.
It's a compromise; life is a compromise; every Dead concert was a compromise: they couldn't play Dark Star every time.
Yeah, it's really tough. I
Yeah, it's really tough. I understand that they tried to change the fabric of space/time to allow more than ten years to be in the 80s, but weren't able to figure out how. If Jerry were here, he might have been able to do it...
Two possible future box sets
There are still two smaller box sets I'd love to see: one with the October 1974 run at Winterland, with all the full shows. The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack box set is great, but there's a lot more good stuff in those shows.
The second is a Pigpen tribute box set. They really need to pull together a half-dozen CDs of his best stuff.
Just saying...
(Listening to the May 77 box set today.)
I'm easy....more music = GOOD
Easy on the socio-political/economic/psychological analysis of a box set folks...this is starting to sound like a Genesis/Prog rock forum!
So sad. Sold out
Paid last night. Went to place my order. I'm so so sad. What are chances some being on eBay? I'll pay
Today.......
Is the day that I will know if I can purchase this box set, hopefully the wife & I will get good news. HAPPY FRIDAY, DEADLAND!!!!
product sku
081227955892