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    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.

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  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    Nitecat

    I have the Movie on DVD and watched it a few weeks ago.
    That’s why I think I recall the board being shown, although Betty may not have been at the controls.

  • nitecat
    Joined:
    Third disc WOW

    Wow that third disc is a doozy. I've listened to that Wang Dang > Dew three times, choice stuff!!

  • nitecat
    Joined:
    ICKid - GD Movie

    I don't remember that basement scene, have not watched the movie for a few years. I'm guessing since they were recording 16 track for the movie, Betty might not have been recording two track those nights.

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    Betty’s Board

    I believe that there is video of it in the basement recording during the GD Movie.

  • iangillespie
    Joined:
    Special Mixes

    Betty was fed audio - probably pre-mixes of vocals, guitars etc (although I have seen a photo of her with what looks like a 16 track mixing desk) and she would mix using headphones
    A soundboard recording is what is mixed for the venue and output to whatever the recording device is

  • JoeyMC
    Joined:
    Special mixes.

    So, during the Deadcast, season 10, episode 03 (Duke) at around 52 minutes, Jarnow says that the recordings in this box aren't soundboards but "special mixes" Betty made using the soundboard feed.
    He doesn't say matrix either, and doesn't elaborate enough for me. I think a statement like this requires explanation.

    This explains Jerry's vocals at the beginning and maybe, possibly, why some people don't like the sound of the box....

    EDIT: So, having thought about this a little longer I think I understand what he meant, Betty was taking the board and remixing for tape, unlike Healy definitely and probably Bear too.
    But it was strange the way he said it...

  • Obeah
    Joined:
    Awesome Daverock! + 33 years ago...

    A good sentence to be able to utter!

    Myself, I was up at Oakland 33 years ago tonight. Hard to really put that show into words... at least into just a few words. I will say that it does makes me miss Phil all the more thinking about the bass lines he played as Kesey took the stage...

  • billy the kiddd
    Joined:
    Anniversary show 10/31/86. Garcia

    36 years ago I was up at the Oakland Auditorium to see the Jerry Garcia Band. It was the 1st time I had seen him since his coma, He hadn't played with the Grateful Dread yet. They did Forever. Young and it was very cool.

  • JoeyMC
    Joined:
    :)

    Awesome Dave!

    I got through the box one time, pretty slow for me, and was into 4/10 again when Dave's 52 arrived.
    I could not resist, I always have to hear everything right away...
    I can't believe it when some people sit on releases for a while.
    Anyway, box is on hold for a bit. I really did like Blacksburg so far.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    34 years ago...

    I can't say this sort of thing very often, but 34 years ago tonight ( 31st) I saw The Dead at Wembley. And the night before. And the night after.

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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.

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I saw the Dead a lot of times in 1983, a lot of great shows at a lot of cool venues, but 12/28/83 was definetly my favorite show and should be an official release.

....I'm sure you probably posted it before, but how many shows did you attend? Genuinely curious.
Edit. The 4.11 Terrapin is outstanding. 🐢
As is all of the rhythm devils so far.
Another edit. A Brokedown to end the second set @ Santa Cruz?
Like A lot of others here, I usually don't look at setlists when I decide to hit play. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
If you want to do the shows in order, play Dave's 37 Williamsburg, VA after Blacksburg, then Huntington, then the Pittsburgh 4.18 philler from 37, then Dave's 15 Nashville then Dave's 7 Normal,IL.
That leaves Columbus & Lexington regarding the Spring '78 tour.
Those will be released in the future, along with the rest of Pitt as philler split between the two. I guarantee it. 🍻
Mark my words. I mean, the ptb are putting out a treasured Sante Fe show, so it's definitely doable.

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over 100 times. My brother saw them over 300 times, so did Nite Cat. Pretty easy to do when the Frost, Greek , Warfield, Ventura, and all the other places they played are fairly close to where I live. Saw Garcia's Band play a lot at Keystone Palo Alto , and at the Warfield.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by billy the kiddd

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....you should tell your brother to join the group here.
We enjoy cool stories.

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5 years 7 months
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Finally arrived!

Thanks for listening

Estimated>He's Gone from 4/6/78, allowed me to understand it was worth the wait.

rock on, gang

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I have a list of 50 all time greatest show's. This list has show's that I'm sure you all are very familiar with. One of these show's from the list is in the box.

Would you all like to take a guess? It's a show that I was very happy with after listening!

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10 years 2 months

In reply to by jonathan918@GD

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But I got a strange letter last week, which I've only just opened. It's from parcelforce and it says they are holding a parcel for me sent from overseas which they will not release until I send £47.29. I assumed this was for the 78 box, but on closer inspection, it says the country of origin was Germany. I suspect it relates to another box I bought from Bear Family - in Germany last month. Which was delivered without additional charges. The tracking number reference number etc don't tally with the Dead box, which I understood was still with DHL en route.

There's no reason why the Dead box should have come via Germany, surely! I don't want to not pay it and lose it in the system. But I also don't want to pay for what has already been delivered.

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15 years 1 month

In reply to by daverock

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DAVE ROCK
it will be the GD box. DHL shipped to Germany and then into the UK. If you look at the shipment tracker and click the details tab it should show you a second tracking number in red ending in DE. Clicking on this will show you further tracking into the UK.
Hopefully, you’ll see it soon.

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10 years 2 months

In reply to by Colin Gould

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Thanks Colin - I'll phone them up tomorrow and pay up. I got a bit confused with ordering a box set from Germany recently as well as this Dead box. I do remember either you or Frank mentioning that the customs charge was £47.29
Just thought I had found a way of wangling out of paying!

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by daverock

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4 16?

4 7 right now sounds just exactly perfect

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16 years
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4/16 Maybe yea? Maybe nay?

Yes 4/7 is sounding great! I like that crunchy sound. Peggy O is masterfully played! Loser oh my sweet Lord! Music Holy Cow!!

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by fourwindsblow

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I will go with 4 8

Long a top show of a friend

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2 years 11 months
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Played at the commercial break of the Padres Dodgers game Great song from a great album. Estimated Prophet played at next commercial break

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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....but. I get it. 9.14.78 Blacksburg spinning.
Tennessee Jed in the number two spot is nice.
Stopping after the first set.
My cousins son notified me of a new Blood Incantation release, so I'm going to make a left.
First cousin once removed.

Paid up and due tomorrow. I hope it's worth it. I don't automatically buy Dead box sets these days, but I still like and play the last 78 box - the one that culminates at Red Rocks, so I thought I'd have a punt on this one.

There's so much dead air on the 5th cd of "Wattstax The Complete Concert" that in 74 minutes there's only room for 5 tracks. None of which are particularly long. Most of it is spent telling people to get off the grass.

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Got my box at the post shop.
Greetings to Gerd. Enjoy your box.

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8 years 5 months
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Very excited all I had back in the day were AUDs. This is gonna be real good.

Started year with Frost ending with this!

Let's get some Meriweather shows, 83,84,85 in 2025.

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'85 too!?

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by fourwindsblow

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My recollection of set two is more meh, but next time it might glow

Set one is a keeper, for sure

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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Fun show.
Only show I took a camera, front row, not bad for tripping and no prior experience lol

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Doing the 4th show in the box today. Life in the way but that's a good thing. Purposely not reading the book in this 1st go round. Just doing the comparisons between shows without the influence of info or opinion to see if my take is as others have seen it. Too early for any conclusions but so far, other than the 1st show in the box, these seem fairly standard shows for the era. Not complaining at all as this is my era and you really can't have too much Dead, lol. I'm imagining that touring takes its toll on creativity sometimes. So seldom that I listen to tours in order. More like, hey Jerry seems a little too high on this or that particular show. But even that is a generalization (i.e. 7-8-78 where being a bit too high is fantastic!) as it can turn on a dime sometimes, especially after a set break. Rambling on now so back to the music.
Cheers

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It actually arrived by FedEx (but I didn't pay for fancy shipping) two weeks ago, but I waited until today to open it. I wanted to make sure I had a lot of time to dig through it when I cut the tape open, and today was finally that day!

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Philly was a crazy town if you didn't play good enough they might riot and if you didn't bring the energy down before you let them out you might get the same thing!

4/16 a well oiled machine!

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...1985
3rd night of 3 in PHL
last show of 14 for spring tour
JG voice
brutal
requiring time-off to re-charge the batteries

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My buddy Rich was at this show talks about it alot... His first was Englishtown saw The Dead 200 times. Had an audience tape from Rich, played it often!

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In reply to by fourwindsblow

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Like Christmas Day here today. I am very impressed with the box - very snazzy. Excellent article by Steve Silberman, and the whole book looks very attractive. Ominous how drums....sorry, drumz... expands exponentially during the first 6 shows from a modest 7 minutes to a jaw dropping 25.
A few gimmicks - it took me a moment to work out the existence of the draws, and for all the flamboyance the cds are still just housed in bog standard card board sleeves. I will put them in paper sleeves back in the draw and put the empty cardboard covers on top, where the drum was.
I like the first show I have listened to - Estimated really developed in 78 compared to the previous year. Because it's all on 2 cds I though of it as a short show - but it is still about 2 hours 20 minutes long.

Weird sounds you can get on that drum. Today I got my Kalamazoo guitar delivered too. Made in 1937, it's in amazing condition for an 87 year old instrument. and sounds much louder than you expect looking at it's diminutive size. This was the guitar that Robert Johnson played, according to his contemporaries, and he can be seen holding one in that photo of him taken in a photograph booth.
I am wondering if I can use this drum as accompaniment to my guitar playing - get a bit of Hill Country/John Lee Hooker groove going. Though I don't want to put my foot through the drum by mistake.

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is divine!!

Just listening 2nd time. What a beauty!
---
Gerhard,
morgen ist (leider) Kellerschluss und: we're preparing for the last ride to OFR in this season.

Cheers G.

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In reply to by gratefulgerd

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I had a great time at those shows and always have dug em.
Last GA? Or was that 86?
The “voice” doesn’t bother me so much, but I understand why some folks can’t get past it.
Too bad, that Easter Sunday show is a short but sweet monster…except for the voice : (
Thought it was better by the 8? Maybe not, been awhile…I think I recall an interesting set list?
Yeah Philly, crazy energy! Some how saw more shows there than any other venue. What was that Mick Jagger quote? Lol

So Glad ya made it…awesome our friends across the pond are getting their boxes and digging on em! Woah Daverock, that sounds like a interesting axe, sounds expensive too lol You need one of those one man band set ups with the kazoo, harmonica, cymbals and kick drum etc ; )

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Does anyone know if the Harding shows are in the Vault? If so, does their having been radio broadcasts in any way limit their chance at ever being an official release? Or because the shows already circulate in good quality audio?

Also, anyway to acquire the music on DP23?

Peace!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Oro - it was expensive, but nowhere near as pricey as all the others I have seen for sale online. Something of a bargain off a chap who also sent it in one of the most beautiful leather guitar cases I have ever seen. He wanted to talk to me on the phone before he sold it - which really added to the experience of buying it.
Not a bad idea, that one man band thing. Apart from the inclusion of a kazoo. No way was that a musical instrument !

I think I'll skip a day before I play the next show in the box - do one every other day. So far so good.

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My 3rd show was one of the 86' shows. At 15 I made the mistake for a moment down on floor before show started and thank God exited before 1st set. Way bad scene in my opinion.

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In reply to by wharfrat6969

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Pre GPS, driving in Philly always scared me a bit, which curtailed my visits to the Spectrum. Jerry's voice in '85? Goodness..

Thankfully, there was an explosion of new material and a focus on his playing. True, it's not for everyone and even for me, an avid '85 fan, I have to be in the mood. But it works.

I listened to 4/8 on my PC while working today. I had this on tape way back when but my recording sucked. This was much better. The things you are exposed to here.. every once in a while it's amazing Grateful Dead music you never really listened to before, especially when the only exposure you had was a raunchy, generation X cassette you had 35 years ago. Once in a while you get shown the light..

I guess that's what these forums are all about. Thanks to you all.

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I had the same Buddy Rich idea/joke running through MY mind! :)

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Almost half the shows played in Philly closed with a Jerry ballad.

4/8/85 I remember listening to the first set more than the second, D/S was sick! I love when they come out of space into GDTR...

4/8/78 guess I got to give it another listen...

Something else occurred to me listening to 4/7/78, 1st set songs were often much longer in 1978 than they were in the 72-73 shows I have listened to so much. The opening Promised Land here clocks in at 5.14 seconds compared to - picked off the shelf at random - the one that opens 9/17/72 which is only 3.39 seconds long. Sugaree 12.12 seconds compared to 7.59 in 72, and Tennessee Jed 9.30 in 1978 compared to 8.05 in the 72 show I chose,
To my ears, this makes the 1978 versions more exciting, as Jerry takes more solos in the middle sections before returning to the concluding verses. It doesn't work out like this in every 1st set song from 1978, but it does often enough for me to notice.
Things are reversed in the second sets though . "The Other One" clocks in at 39.07 on 9/17/72, and only 16.15 on 4/6/78.

Birchwood, don’t know what’s in the vault but I know Dave has 11/7/71 listed on his list he doesn’t have, but has been chipping away at for the last 12 years or so…so I bet we’ll get it eventually.

Daverock: good catch. I call this “wait for it dead” since they often really take their time and move at a relaxed easy pace and slowly build up and then WHAMMM! Jerry especially gets all animated and peaks out loud! Then back down again, really great dynamics on much of this box!
But then in the second set, perhaps not as much big or long jams.
One thing I don’t like about the late seventies: usually not a lot of big jams, or spacey stuff…but that’s personal minor quibble, overall I’ve been blown away by the consistent excellence throughout the box (really, the whole tour!)
Watching the video from the 12 really helped me fully grasp these shows.
And 8 shows of some of Betty’s best, yeah atta boys all around to the team on this one! MUCHO GARCIAS!

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44 years ago I was up in S.F at the tiny Warfield Theatre for a knockout of a show with the Good old Grateful Dead. 3 sets of acoustic and electric Grateful Dead, it doesn't get any better then that. Big Fun!

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Wow that 4-8 sure kicks off the first set with a rousing Half Step! Jerry is burning up on guitar licks!

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In reply to by nitecat

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but won't let me post it.

I do wish they would take the time and publish what is allowable and what isn't. I have no links or embeds. Keep names to a minimum. Getting old very fast.

product sku
081227816759
Product Magento URL
https://store.dead.net/en/grateful-dead/special-collections/friend-of-the-devils/friend-of-the-devils-april-1978-dead.net-exclusive-%5B19-cd%5D/081227816759.html