Friend of The Devils: April 1978 (Dead.net Exclusive) [19 CD]
WHAT'S INSIDE:
Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL 4/6/78
Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL 4/7/78
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL 4/8/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/10/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/11/78
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC 4/12/78
Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 4/14/78
Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV 4/16/78
Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson
Newly restored and speed-corrected audio by Plangent Processes
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman
Liners By Author Steve Silberman
Artwork By Acclaimed Artist Matthew Brannon
Limited To 10,000 Individually Numbered Copies
Dead.net Exclusive
It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit
.... April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit
Sportatorium - April 7, 1989
when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net
Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978
This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'... It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk
We're hitting the bullseye with the eight previously unreleased stellar shows that make up FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978. Filled to the brim with peak performances from the Grateful Dead's post-hiatus period, this collection captures the historic tour where "Drums" begat "Space," morphed into "Drums">"Space" and cemented the Rhythm Devils' second-set power move from the music business to the "transportation business."
Spring 1978 finds the Dead consistently weaving spontaneous magic, showing signs of great promise and potential - from the no-nonsense rock'n'roll in Tampa, where scholars cite the first "Drumz" leading into "Space," to the lengthy communal get down in Pembroke Pines to Jacksonville where the twain emerge fully formed, offering the primordial opportunity for "soul retrieval." It's evident in the dynamic range delivered on back-to-back nights at the intimate Fox Theatre and through the laid-back unity of the band's performance in Durham at Duke, a comfort that carries over to Virginia and West Virginia where the playing is unbridled, bursting with momentum, threatening to carry itself away. And nowhere can you hear that more clearly than through Betty Cantor-Jackson's original recordings, reliably crisp, bright, and vivid.
Individually numbered to 10,000 copies and exclusive to Dead.net, FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978 has been mastered by Audio Engineer Jeffrey Norman using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection’s custom box, which features a removable wave drum. (We invite you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil.) Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set’s original artwork. The collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.
6% Conekid
That sounds pretty good to me. Over 10% here in MN. Liquor tax 11.5%,........
Anyway, Dave's #52 should be announced mid October. I heard a rumor on Reddit it might be 🤠.
Edit. And what in the world is going on with this year's MUATM?
Happy heavenly Birthday to Albert Collins
The master of the telecaster. I saw him play many times, he always put on a killer of a show.
Box
Glad to see all the positive reviews of the box!
As for me, still waiting. Delivery date changed again. I'm blaming Fedex for spotty, at best, service. I'm blaming Warner Music Gourp for using Fedex instead of UPS
UPS is KING of frieght, plain and simple.
Whatever money is being saved by using a cheaper delivery company, is being lost due to customers not returning.
Just my 2 cents! and that carries about as much weight as a fart in a wind strom!!! lol
rock on, gang
Liner Notes
Silberman's writing is meticulously detailed. Impressive research. I learned more about GD from this release than all the other boxes combined.
I think it’s USPS…
…not UPS or FedEx.
Our stuff gets to Denver via UPS usually in a day or two, then, when they go to handoff to USPS, that’s were the phuchery begins.
Though here, packages follow a convoluted route back and forth across the state, but at least you could track it and they usually arrived in a reasonable amount of time. Now, it seems to just disappear for weeks before magically showing up?
The biggest issue is USPS stopped scanning the package upon acceptance/ handoff, and it doesn’t show up again until when/if the Post office puts it out for delivery. Then someone has to try and get there during business hours (like when most people have to be at work) and stand in long line of crabby people, then get attitude from crabby postal workers, who seem to try to do everything possible to NOT give you your package!
Except for that lol, generally just an inconvenience of not being able to track it, but what happens when they lose it or it gets stolen…since they didn’t officially except it (there’s no documentation of them receiving it) they can claim they didn’t lose it and not be accountable, which is total BS.
Just what we need, a world that charges more with less or no accountability…
As a possible additional source of revenue, better customer experience/service, and less hassles all around, I still don’t understand why we can’t choose our own delivery method, even if there’s an additional cost, ya know, like the good old days when at checkout YOU could decide how your package got shipped.
In our case that would be UPS right to our door since we don’t have home mail delivery. We would gladly pay a premium for that option…
NOTE: until this one, that’s how our box sets have been sent, while Dave’s uses the smart post nonsense.
I’m sure for many none of this is a problem but for those of us in rural areas it’s a constant source of stress and hassles. Kinda takes some of the fun outta what should be a joyous occasion.
Louis Dejoy!
Said in the disparaging tone said of Seinfeld's arch enemy "Newman!"
How is this jerk still in charge at USPS? He said it should be profitable but it is a "Service" the government is tasked to provide. When he took over he outsourced things and destroyed millions of dollars worth of new sorting machines. Then we lost international shipping to 17 countries (some have come back).
"You're fired" Louis!
Cheers
4/12 Encore
You've heard of the Angry Jack Straw? This is the pissed off US Blues!
5/5/77
Nice enough, but hardly the most exciting choice for the next Black Friday vinyl treat. Especially considering we have already had a May 77 show this year - and this here massive 78 box. Which is still en route, by the looks of things. They must be taking the pretty way round.
5-5-77 vinyl
Looks like the plan is to put out the entire Box on vinyl.
Only 4500 copies. I’ll probably miss out like I did with 5-7-77 because I don’t get to the store until about noon.
BFRSD list
There’s some other interesting releases on there.
ABB 4-7-72. Anyone know if that’s a good sounding recording?
Big Brother, Byrds/Buffalo Springfield, Doors 5-8-70, Jorma and Jack, Stones Ya Yas (which I’ve never heard as far as I know), Tangerine Dream for Daverock.
Dennis’ wife’s credit card is going to take a beating on Black Friday.
So, because of the port strike....
....the stupid people are starting to horde toilet paper again. Better get some now.
Ask and Shall Receive, M'brotha
4-7-72 is indeed a pretty darned good ABB recording. Performance wise, it's unique: this is one the first gigs they did after Duane died and before Berry was also taken. I think it's the only known recording with that lineup. They hadn't yet brought Chuck Leavell into the mix. So they're working on how to play their "old' material with only one guitar, and Dickey playing the slide parts. Berry is stepping to the forefront more than he usually did when Duane was around, so it's an interesting from that perspective. I believe it was recorded by a college radio station, so the sound A-OK. Whether you need this one or not probably depends on how fanatical you are about the ABB: for the more casual fan, you probably just want to get the shows with Duane before you get into stuff like this. For us fanatics, of course, it's essential piece of the story.
Missing out
Cnkd - thanks for the heads up. It might not be the way you are supposed to do it, but in England, Independent record shops put RSD releases up for sale online 24 hours after they have been made available in their physical shops. This is how I have bought all mine in the past. I drive as little as possible these days, and I never did like queuing.
That ABB release looks interesting. The Duane years, but also the Brothers and Sisters album and surrounding shows are the sweet spot for me with this band - so this bridge between the 2 line ups sounds as though it could be worth hearing.
Live ABB
I always want to get some, on CD or digital, but I don't know what's good. Every time I stream something just to check it out, the sound seems not that great to me.... or worse than not that great actually.
I'm not big on Sugar Mags but this one on 4/11 is very nice :)
ABB
I just finished a big job ripping the entire 2009 Beacon 4oth anniversary run from the CD set I bought back then. Watched most of those shows via the Moogis website which ended up a huge debacle but at the time it was pretty damn cool. Anyway, it's not Duane for sure but that version of the band had Haynes and Trucks on guitar and they were really in sync. The best part of those shows though is the massive guest lineup. Clapton, Weir, Lesh, Trey, Hornsby, Bell, Herring, Taj Mahal, Levon.... and more. I think they have the individual shows on Munck Mix for download or CD purchase even today.
Edit: the "Live from A&R Studios" 8/26/71 has supreme sound and very interesting playing and of course the Fillmore 1970 Bear recorded and originally released through the same channel as Dicks Picks but now out under the "Bears Sonic Journals" series is REALLY good. I still have the old CD that has the similar insert/disc art as the first few Dicks Picks.
Live ABB
The pick of the bunch for me is Live at The Fillmore East - the 2cd deluxe edition that was expanded from the double album originally released in 1971. As an introduction - there was a 5cd set that came out a year or so ago called "Trouble No More - 50th Anniversary Collection" which features live and studio recordings over a 50 year period. I haven't heard this, but it was unanimously praised on Amazon for both the music selected and the sound quality.
Thanks Crow
I was previously going to get the Down In Texas release but the reviews said the sound quality wasn’t so good.
I’m not going to pay vinyl prices for low quality audio.
I have the Fillmore East 5-CD set, Bear’s Sonic Journals, A&R studio, Ludlow Garage, and another one, think it’s Fillmore West maybe?
What we need cleaned up and released is 12-31-73.
April 11 at the Fox
Just finished the first set. The Tennessee Jed has all the goods with special delivery. Brown Eyed flits along on some of that alternate rhythm you hear in William & Mary Dap37's BEW, only done better. Do the channels get switched during Looks Like Rain? Not sure. I'll listen for it next time. But Mickey brings in the thunder nonetheless. After Minglewood you can hear a devil backstage trying to figure out what to do with a fiddle. Closes with Deal and Jerry plays a solo that's dealt with perfection.
4.11 going in now....
....I'm trying to keep pace, but dammit that Billy Strings record has been addictive.
Cmon Vguy. You're moving much too slow.
I did do 4.10 on a dedicated listening solo in the car enroute to Laughlin and back Saturday night to see Blue Oyster Cult. Almost timed it perfectly while pulling into my driveway! There were a lot of flubs. Jerry repeated a couple of Row Jimmy verses. Donna even laughed during MSN because they were legit lost.
They got it together for the second set.
Warts and all y'all.
'78 Donna is HOT! 🔥
My Surfragettes Easy As Pie arrived today.
You like all girl surf music? Check them out. Or Not. It's all good. No vox. Just surf.
10/4/70 Winterland
Put it together with 10/31/70 for a great release. I think this one was broadcast on the radio.
DaP52 - Santa Fe '83
Looks like DaP52 is the 9/11 show in Santa Fe. I really enjoyed the Boise show (9/2) DaP27 prior to this one. So I am excited (and hopeful) that this one is going to be a goody, having not listened to it before.
What about Santa Fe!?!....
....you better not be getting my hopes up Charles.
I've been banging that Santa Fe drum on this site for over a decade. Fingers and toes are crossed.
Downs of Santa Fe
It's for sure Vguy! If you check your order status at dead dot net for DaP 2024 subscription it should currently show Santa Fe 9/11/83 for DaP 52. Congrats! Thought this was one you were calling for!
woke up high over Albuquerque
thinking about Santa Fe ?!??
So WUT? This is true? As usual, Cap'n Lemieux pilots a wild ride. I didn't see another '83 coming so soon. We had Vol 39 in 2021 and the Garden box set in 2022. Color me intrigued...
edit: correct me if I'm wrong, but this is presumably the stand of shows where Phil writes about getting a speeding ticket (along with a bunch of other heads) driving south in a rental car from CO ?
Happy Camper over here!....
....outstanding pick Dave! Lemme buy you a drink. 🍻
a red herring?
or for real?
remember "Shorelines beckon"...
9/11/83 would be plenty welcome regardless
Red Herring?
Apparently not. 9/11/83 is shown as #52 in the 2024 subscription information of my order. Whenever this has happened previously it has been accurate. I notice that I ordered the 2024 sub on 25th October last year so we should hear about #53 by the end of this month. So much to look forward to.
Speaking of red herring
On 9 10 83 Bobby makes a bizarre comment at the end of the show about at some point in history it rained fish
He doesnt specify what species though
PF dipped his toe in the warm waters....
....that are the Santa Fe Downs pool.
9.10 was also the first time Phil sang since Brent arrived.
The Cold Rain & Snow encore. "Let Phil sing!!"
9.10 is slightly better in my opinion because it has a Cumberland (duh), but I'm not complaining at all.
I know those two shows like the back of my hand. Super stoked.
Onwards to 4.11.78's second set.
Uh, that's not my toe, Vguy
(Sorry, too easy)
Btw if you need someone to identify crosswalks for you, I'm your man
Recaptcha shenanigans...
Hope all well
Recaptcha issues lately.
Apparently, the machine doesn't want us talking about...
Virtual...
Private...
Networks.
Tried to post about last week and finally had to give up.
Santa Fe 09.10.83
No Red Herring. The stage wasn't covered
and there was a huge dark storm rolling
in at the end of the first set - that's why
China -> Rider is so fast - they were trying
to hurry up before the rain. Long Intermission
until the weather passed. The Playing In The
Band -> China Doll is better than the one
from Eugene about 10 days before ...
When we arrived 09.11 the stage had a roof.
10/21/83
I wasn't too chuffed when I read that a 1983 show might be the next Dave's Picks. It made me dust off 10/21/83 from 30 Trips though, and stone me, it's excellent. I've only played the 1st cd so far, but it's top notch all the way through. Even more surprisingly, it was the well worn cover versions, together with Cumberland Blues, that I enjoyed most. We're talking C.C Rider, Big Railroad Blues and Promised Land here. So....I might treat myself to the next Dave's after all.
Last 5 -
Call of the Blues - Michael Messer's Mitra
Blues on Top of Blues - B.B. King
Two Bugs and a Roach + first recordings - Earl Hooker
Memphis Blues Box cd 13 "Rocket 88" - various
Fifth Pipe Dream - San Francisco Sound a great contemporaneous compilation from 1968 - various
Second set 9.10.83 opener....
....Bobby says that on this date in 1890 in Cairo, IL it rained fish.
Phish in1983. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Shuffling through some '83....
....and stumbled across 9.24.83. Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
Gonna check it out.
April 16 Huntington, WV
Jumped onto the caboose this afternoon. Felt like first set was reaching beyond itself but in a helluva fun sort of way. High energy only not quite landing the subtle nuances I was hearing in the Florida and Georgia shows. Not an issue because that also makes for great GD.
Second set about the same, until the Iko. My oh my..... the ideas just keep pouring out from one after another after another. Like they finally found the groove. And then Jerry keeps all that rolling with his solo during Sugar Magnolia. After US Blues, went back and listened to the sequence again.
A double dose of '83 Santa Fe? Well that would be a great way to mirror how we started the year with Frost!