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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
Happy Deadhead X`mas...
to all of you here , i do enjoy this little thread of wise an not so wise thoughts.And yes i am thankful for my family to be around ( quite a big one with kids , grandchildren and parents ) and i am thankful to be alive on this plante with eyes to see and ears to listen.
Just like Deniswilmot said : thank you Rhino and Mr L for Boxzilla and the Fare Thee Well box too ( which landed at my door on Dec.23rd ! ) - you made the soundtrack of my Life !
Fox Theater '71
Hey all, or more specifically those with the physical box set, I was just curious whether on the CD cover it states the '71 show is from May 18th, 1971 or March? Because, as far as I can tell the show is from March, but my digital cover art says May.
Fox Theater '71
It's definately March.Here's a link to the proper cover: http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/m/mIgWRhNbQPidte1-YiGmSyw/140.jpg
Sorry about the quality. Can't log into imgur at the moment.
Dicks Picks 5
Sounds like a good morning to bust out 12/26/79. Still one of my favorite vault releases. Dick got this one right.
O.K....
Im on the 86 show. Im ensconced in my 16 show sojourn through the 80s and 90s and havent been disappointed yet..Not that I thought that I would be!..In Dave, I trust! 82 is my favorite so far and this 86 show is right up there! For a short show it rocks! Of all the Scarlet>Fires in this box, i havent heard a bad one yet! I'll listen to the "greatest hits" of this one then on to 87! Take care folks!
Just exactly perfect
Merry belated Christmas, folks. Just got home after being with the family all week, going to relax and get caught up, including on the forum here.
I was fortunate to receive a few Dead-related gifts; picked up the Legion of Mary Live Garcia release as well as the boxset of Jerry's studio albums with bonus disc. Really looking forward to that, I have a few on vinyl (the self-titled first album and the one that was this year's Record Store Day..Compliments?) but I love alot of the other songs from what I've heard in live renditions. Mostly looking forward to Reflections and Cats Under the Stars. Any particular recommendations to watch for in that box?
Also had the great gift of a signed copy of Phil's book. With the airplane time this morning, I am just about done with it. I've really enjoyed it, makes me want to go back and listen to alot of stuff he talks about.
Working my way through 1985 from the box, as well..had Disc 2 on in the car, pretty cool stuff.
Happy St Stephens Day - December 26th!
St Stephen with a rose...
Oh dear...
...the moment I am not pedantically explicit, Kate jumps on me. When I referred to Rhino, I was really referring to the arm of Rhino which deals with the Grateful Dead, not the larger corporate entity. This is why I posted here rather than on the Steve Hoffman forums. I must concur that the non-Grateful Dead releases that I have purchased on the Rhino imprint have all been of high quality and I have no reason to complain about them. Furthermore, I would never presume to speak for anyone else. I was merely referring to those of us who have been here long enough to have seen all the unfortunate episodes that have occurred over the course of the last ten years. Who could forget what came to be known as "the glue issue" or the Europe '72 paper sleeves that tore whenever anyone tried to remove a CD from them. Dozens who had bought that expensive box were distraught and posted their tales of despair on here. Then there were the "Road Trips" sleeves, fashioned out of a particularly abrasive type of cardboard. This, coupled with the fact that the sleeves for the initial releases were so small as to make it almost impossible to remove a CD without damage was another cause of great despair here. More recently, the number of incorrectly labelled video discs in the "Fare The Well" box has been a cause for concern, as has the strange syrup-effect seen on many "30 Trips" CDs. To get a problem resolved, myself and many others (judging by their posts) have had to contact Dr. Rhino directly or via MaryE to obtain a result because trying to resolve issues through customer service is, at best, a hit-and-miss affair. As for public relations, if something is not quite as it should be, the response from the powers that be is normally a deafening silence, sometimes for months, as in the case of the "30 Trips" USB drives. Of course, when they do get something right - and that is mostly the case, they deserve praise and frequently get that praise.
Having hopefully clarified my original post, I wish you all the best for the rest of the holidays and hope fervently that no-one here has been in the way of the recent tornadoes and other inclemencies that I have seen reported on European news programs.
I feel ripped off
I have never felt ripped off by a Dead product before, but I do today.
I bought the USB, and expected to have a nice book with it. The product description was intentionally vague on that point, at best. Who the fuck wants a digital copy of a keepsake book?!?
The worst part is the out-of order songs when anyone transfers the shows to any format on any computer. How great-- let's hear Space as the first song, and the encore as the fourth song! And Rhino expects me to waste hours renumbering hundreds of songs. Why not just spit in my face while you steal my wallet?
I cannot believe how people on here are excusing any of this.
I am going to demand a refund. Maybe by mailing one of the consolation--prize Xmas cards to the President of Rhino.
Yodel Ay Dee Oh
Muleskinner, welcome back and let me thank you again for the heads up on the Dylan bonus material. It's quite sketchy in parts but great to sift through it nonetheless. Obviously, I have the 18-CD version of Bootleg 12. I listened to a million versions of Please Crawl Out Your Window while on the spin bike this morning and was surprised how long it took the band to (almost) get it right. Granted, not much instruction is given them but could they not have jotted down a few notes? It's not THAT difficult. Dylan himself remains cool and even jocular throughout. Did he remember all of those lyrics or read them off of a music stand? He sings 'em great nearly every take.
Anyway, digression over. I suggest going straight to Cats Under the Stars and checking out the gospel tunes in the bonus material. I'm no Christian but that stuff hits me where it counts.
Syrup person here
I had the syrup effect on about 40+ of the 30 Trips discs. I sent the whole thing back. Got in touch with Michael on the emails (via the email listed on this site). He has been good, so far. Calling in was not helpful.
Of course, I'm currently without the Box. They said I should get an email when it ships out. But it is currently on back order. So we'll see. I'll keep you guys updated.
I haven't got a chance to listen/watch all the Fare Thee Well discs, but I'm listened to all the audio's and the first night video with no issues so far. Hope that continues.
Really sad that you have to hold your breath to make sure a brand new release is as it should be.
ugh what is the syrup ?
the oil spill in water appearance on the discs ? Is that going to be an issue ?
12/26/79
Definitely my favorite show of '79 (sorry, 10/27). A killer UJB > Estimated to open the second set (love when Bobby tries to cut out of the jam with a "my time coming'" and Jerry keeps on going, as if to say, "not this time Bob, we'll stop when I'm finished!"). What hot Estimated!
Post-drums has to be one of the cooler ones. Not Fade Away, Brokedown, JB Goode, Shakedown, AND a UJB reprise. Any of those would have been a great set-closer, but we got all FIVE.
The first set does little for me, although I do appreciate a good CR&S opener. A decent FOTD, as well, if I remember correctly.
One Man
Hey man, I wasn't so much asking if the show was from March or May, I was already just about positive it was March. What I was asking was what the cover art on the CD copy stated, because on my end the digital artwork that was attached to my FLAC files from that date actually say May 18, 1971, which I thought to be strange, so I just wanted to see how extensive the issue was. That's all.
Terrapin fixation
My buddy and I have both been fixated on Terrapin Station lately so I start doing a little research...
1977/03/18 they break into that Alhambra after Terrapin. "The most complete Terrapin ever played" After much research this wasn't part of the suite but some strange addition?
1994/10/01 - 30 trips box- (16 minutes) - I don't hear any of the original Terrapin suite but they sure jam the $hit out of it.
musings.... anymore info I would love. your favorite Terrapin???
did you know?
The Dead were planning to do the complete Terrapin suite at Englishtown, but the plan was nixed out of concerns for Mickey's stamina. 9-3-77 was Mickey's first show back after being injured in a car accident in June. I read this in Gans and Jackson's new Grateful Dead book.
Good mornin, Captain.. Trips
One Man - Thanks for the recommendations and love hearing your explorations of the Dylan box! You're on point with Please Crawl Out Your Window, haha. I've felt that way with several tracks as I've went through the set, not that I can speak as a musician whatsoever so mine is worth a cow's opinion (That is, moo).
I'm still working through both the box and the bonus content myself; Most recently up to the 4th Time Around takes, maybe Disc 13-14 or so? He really worked the hell out of She's Your Lover Now. Agree on the bonus download too; I will gladly take it, but obviously spotty. I'm listening in order now, but noticed a few gems while I had it on random. Check out the Tombstone Blues at the Contemporary Songs workshop from Newport '65 (Track 149). I had never heard that one, despite all the Newport exposure, both official and bootleg. It's like a hybrid of It's Alright, Ma, North Country Blues & Gates of Eden...plus some Tombstone Blues, obviously. Haha.
Speaking of Bootleg Series, not to mention a potential namesake for you, do you have the complete Basement Tapes or a bootleg appropriation thereof (A Tree With Roots)? One Man's Loss (Disc 2 on the official release) is a favorite of mine, though it's a poor recording as far as clarity is concerned. Not that that was ever an issue with the Basement Tapes.
Bandito / Wilfred -
Maybe I'm just revealing my newbie-ness (that sounds dirty, and illiterate), but I still love the album Terrapin above all else, at least prior to all the orchestration nonsense. As far as live ones go; from my narrow periscope of the world, it's tough to beat the opener debut in February. How badass is that?
muleskinner_blues
I'm with you on the album version. The strings and choir are too much for me. The feel of the main part of the song and the "for good or ill again" part really do it for me. I would have liked to hear the original studio conception of the song before Keith Olsen got his hands on it and essentially transformed it.
Opinions Needed!
I received a B&N gift certificate for my bday and have as choices to buy DP 9, DP 17, DP 20 and DP 21. I think I can snag two, those with copies, what do you suggest?
DP choices...
Tough call there. The picks you listed aren't known for being among the upper echelon, although they're certainly not bottom of the barrel (DP32 and DP27)
I'd go with DP20, as this is two nearly complete '76 shows, with several good moments (I recall the CR&S, LIG, GTRFB, and Sugar Mag as highlights). If you get a second choice, go with 9/16/90 (DP 9). There's a great He's Gone that was clearly for Brent, as well as a good latter-day Dew.
DP17 is a decent example of the GD's last great run of shows. The opener of Help> Slip> Frank is the highlight, but there's other decent moments too, like the Terrapin. How ever, I think the bonus tracks of Samson and Delilah and Eyes of the World is the best material on this release.
DP 21 can be a struggle. The sound isn't great on the main release, and it's absolutely horrendous on the filler material from '80. There's great versions of She Belongs To Me and Comes a Time, and a rockin' Gloria, but this issue very uneven show.
Second that..
I like DP 20, I always liked Jerry's final solo in Supplication on that one.. not sure if it is Syracuse or the Crap Centre..
As for DP 9 or DP 17.. that's a real coin toss. I did not like the sound of DP 9, a little muddy and congested. DP 17 spoke to me a bit more, but its a matter of personal preference. I always that part of the show with That Would Be Something, a little novelty item for sure.
..and Mr. Jack, yes.. love the second set of 12/28/79. Its been a while since I listened to that, but I always loved that pic. Then DP 6 came out and gave me sonic schizophrenia that took many years to recover from. You just can't release two shows back to back with such a different sound and expect brains and ears not to get a bit schizo.. can you?
DP 20
Haven't posted here before, so hello. Highly recommend dp20. 9/25 has the great set list, but a little sloppy. Thought I'd rarely listen to disk 4 when this was released, but love this 2nd set, clunky moments and all, it has spirit. Which shouldn't be surprising after hearing the first set.
the420bandito
I think that "Alhambra" from 3/18/77 is actually the "At A Siding" movement from the suite. 3/18/77 is unique in that it is the only live version which includes it. Love that version, and that show.
Anyway, here is the studio version ("At A Siding" comes in at about 9:20):
https://youtu.be/53NSgs5nG40?list=PLxmCyo4jldzXGNoWkykqxbscmTHjbwn4H
Gettin' that "Feel Like A Stranger"
feeling here lately. So naturally I popped on the '84 Trips version, so fine...
PS and btw, I miss ForensicDoc and Wjonjd, haven't seen either of them post in quite a while.
Take care all.
I Second That
Right, always a nugget of morbid inspirado from the doc, and I am anxiously awaiting results of wjond's hi-def audio test. Hope they are both having fab holidays and finding time for their fave trips.
Has anyone assembled a comprehensive "Error List" for the Bolt?
I've been re-tagging in hour-long sessions-- all I can stand at one time-- but I keep reading about isolated Errors in the PDF manifest they emailed us.
In that document, I don't get the random appearance of roman numerals-- there is often a "I" without a "II" so why is the "I" there in the first place?
Including the Disc# along with the Track# certainly would have sped this process up quite a bit and in turn, the proper use of the universal punctuation standard character for "into"-- the "»" symbol-- to denote song-to-song segues-- would have helped a lot too. They always use it on the Liner Notes for their commercial releases, why not this one?
I can make time to Tag all this content but I don't have time to individually audit each Track as I go-- I need to work from an ACCURATE manifest so I can do this task only once, do it efficiently and do it correctly.
Has anyone assembled a comprehensive "Error List" for the Bolt? I'd appreciate being pointed in its direction if such a thing exists. Even better would be to get a corrected version of the original PDF, now that both Dead.net and Rhino are well-aware the original one they emailed us is fucked up.......
USB
Man I feel terrible for everyone who bought the USB. I am sure that 700 dollars was a big sacrifice for most who purchased it and the way the product has been handled from beginning to end is really inexcusable. I mean, out of order tracks (really!), importing problems, miss labeling, over a 2 month delay with NO communication, silence from from Rhino and Dave, a product that isn't going to sell out limiting resale value, I could go on. It is hard to believe that everything has transpired this way and really feel that the USB purchasers deserve compensation, and I am not talking about Christmas cards and ticket stubs........
B/N Gift card and choices
go with Dicks Picks 20 for sure, it has a few patches from other shows, but its a great release.
Dicks Picks 21 would be my other choice from the 4 u mention, killer 2nd set and some cool 1st set tunes as well...
If more 3 disc releases for 80's shows are coming, quite a few would need some filler
Speaking of...
Missing posters: What ever happened to AnaRxia(love that name!) and Sherbear? Definitely have not been heard from in a long time! Hope they are OK!
USB
Well actually the complaints are coming mainly from those who convert the files to iTunes I think. On normal flac players they run reasonably well. My only issues are that my players have to be adjusted for tracks exceeding the number 9 on a disc or loaded into player separately instead of as a disc. Also I did have to add disc number as others when I pulled the MP3 to iTunes fore my daughter to load onto her iPhone. Of course there we are again, an iTunes issue.
They were mainly advertised as hi def flac files and for that they work well and are tagged right so far. I think there is a player on the usb drive for the mp3s that would play them right too.
I did use the cards and they were well received by all
As fare as the wait goes, I do feel that they could have givin us something a little more like shirt or sweatshirt or minor refund/discount. The ground shipping is what really upset me more than anything though. I had to wait a full week after sub was sent and after the three months and how they felt our pain and thank you for hanging in there with us, ect......then oh, you can sit around and wait another week because we know you will-sucker.
After all is said and done though, the music is good and basically as promised.
Moses Quasar re: MIAs
sherbear was awesome! AnnaRxia was a frequenter of the Current Events thread, which has been pretty dormant as of late. As for wjonjd, I seem to recall a while ago he mentioned he would be in the boonies w/o access to a connection for some time. Anyone else remember that?
Scarlet Fire Guy
I don't know DP 9, 17, or 21, except for the Throwing Stones on 17, which is one of my favorite versions.
DP is pretty solid '76, kicking off with a Godchaux-centric Bertha, which really shows off his rhythm playing. He's widely regarded for his ability to play a lot of notes in a small amount of space, as well as to improvise with the best of them. What gets overlooked, simply because it's not as flashy, is his ability to hold down the rhythm (not an easy task for a piano player - requires strength, stamina, and impeccable timing). Keith hammers out the Bertha chords like a steam locomotive, rolling down the track (hmmm, that sounds familiar).
Also a ton of other great stuff on DP 20: you have your Scarlets, your Mississippi Half-Steps, your Wheels and Let It Grows, your last Cosmic Charlie, and the immortal Orange Tango Jam.
30T
Finished 1986, rather short show. I really have enjoyed this run from 82-86 and counting..maybe nothing transcendantly epic, but all solid shows and enjoyable to listen to. I particularly liked 1982 of that bunch.
I've heard good things about 1987 so looking forward to that as well.
It is difficult to rank them, since they are so vastly different..comparing 1968 to 1982 for example. And after only a few (or one) listen to each, tough to be objective there as well. I'll give it a try though after making it through them all.
That He's Gone > Smokestack Lightnin' > Cryptical was pretty cool in the '85 show, which is from the month I was born.
Finished Phil's book, made me check out several different shows he's described, including the Dark Star and Lovelight with members of the Allman Bro's and Fleetwood Mac from 1970. Tough to contrive a better R&B jam then that combo on Lovelight.
Also thought it was interesting to hear about the firing of Dan Healy. I hear that name around here, etc, pretty respectively as far as the recordings and other contributions, so that surprised me. Didn't realize he had been terminated while they were still on-going..and for fooling with Weir's vocals, among other things? Strange.
muleskinner_blues
Have you checked out Parrish's book? If not, that one is fun and well worth a read.
DP 20
Since you brought it up mbarilla, that's the first I knew of any edits and patches on DP 20. I've always liked that release and the edits never stood out for me. All the edits are detailed on the DP 20 Wikipedia page in case anyone else is interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick%27s_Picks_Volume_20
Muleskinner / Healy fired
You can hear Healy in action during the 1st set of the '85 show.
Since I know you purchased the Dylan Bootleg Series Vol. 12 deluxe set I have to ask…How the hell do you open the thing? "Bonus" material was a set of concerts from England in 1965, a few were from the states. Was that what you received as well?
Dave Strang
The Dylan Box opens from the front, bottom up. Like a hinge. Search Twitter for The Urban Spaceman @rafterspam for a photo I just posted.
Boxzilla is much easier to navigate. The Dylan designers were being overly clever for clevers sake.
The music is exceptional.
DRM Digression
Saw the Dave Rawlings Machine here in the ATL last night. For anyone not familiar, he is a unique archtop guitar player best known as the sidekick of Gillian Welch. His own combo is a tight acoustic affair highlighting his best original songs and choice covers (this time including 2 Dylan tunes, plus The Weight and Jack-a-Roe). He lets Gillian sing a couple of her own too. Highly recommended.
Wilfred / Dave
Wilfred - Thanks for the heads up on Parrish's book, I will check that one out for my next Dead book. Have several in the queue before that, just started The War that Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters by James McPherson.
Dave - Prafter hit the nail on the head, the Dylan box does look nice but a little too crafty. I love the LP size books and other inserts, but the weird stacking philosophy and the opaque slips between each book are a pain.
And yes on the bonus material, they sent a 200+ track download probably a month after the box. It is pretty much all live stuff as the studio outtakes are in the box. Just from browsing it so far, some are really great finds, whereas others are either poor quality or were already available via bootlegs. Still, I'll take it as an added bonus when I wasn't expecting one.
Since 2012, the Dylan camp has been releasing '50th Anniversary Collections' to get unused material officially released before the 50 year copyright (I don't remember the details behind that). They released these either on vinyl or cd in very limited count. I have not listened to all of them yet, but the 1964 has some great stuff I hadn't heard before..Another Side outtakes like Black Crow Blues on guitar, etc.
So instead of doing that for 1965, they lumped it on as part of the official Bootleg Series 12 release, I guess.
+1 for Dave and Gillian
Glad you enjoyed their Atlanta show, One Man. I caught them in DC in November. They played a gorgeous version of China Doll there. I wish they'd tour more often. Dave's guitar style is so conversational and Gillian's voice makes me feel like I'm in church. Phenomenal stuff. Don't know why they haven't put out a live album. I have some decent bootlegs, but would love to hear a well recorded show. Again, highly recommended.
Prafter & Muleskinner
Thanks for the instructions on the Dylan box set.
Prafter - I agree it seems Dylan's design team were a little too clever for their own good. It looked to me like the inner portion slid out from the outer box. When that didn't work I realized it had to be another method.
Muleskinner - to be honest I didn't even know about Dylan's web site. I'll be checking it more often. And you're right the bonus material is of varying degrees of quality but still a bonus none the less.
I gotta admit...
...that John Mayer feller can sure play the geetar! Had a rousing night of fun with Dead and Company last night in San Francisco. Great vibe, energetic playing. Weir was in fine form and voice - best I've seen him in some time. Even his slide guitar efforts were spot-on! Billy and Mickey seemed more engaged than during the FTW shows, with Mayer prodding them to drive the tempo during the rockin' tunes.
These guys are legit and certainly lived up to the pre-show hype I heard from others who had seen them. Check 'em out in a town near you!
Set 1
Truckin' >
Cold Rain And Snow
Brown Eyed Women
Black Throated Wind
Standing On the Moon >
Cassidy
U.S. Blues
Set 2
Samson And Delilah
Deal >
He's Gone >
Estimated Prophet >
Eyes Of The World >
Drums/Space >
Black Peter >
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Encore 1 - Ripple (acoustic and perfect)
Encore 2 - Casey Jones (w/ John Popper)
product sku
081227955892