Grateful Dead

Mr Ones - yes I'd be interested in which songs from Kezar you thought were best ever versions. It is a great show, no question. It sounds more consistent, song for song, to 6/10, but that latter show hits the highest spots for me- and has an unverifiable vibe about it. Maybe the fact that it starts with Morning Dew. In fact it sounds less consistent than the first two shows as well. It feels different to me from other 1973 shows - a bit like how 5/2/70 isn't like any other 1970 show.

I also agree that we should be offered some official explanation concerning the poor standard of the cds in this box, and some reassurance that all malfunctioning discs will be replaced. Presumably they are thinking of releasing another box next year, so it would be in their best interests to try and rectify the situation ASAP. Otherwise, it would seem like to great a risk to buy another one - whatever era it's from.

Thrills?? I know we all have an opinion, and it’s kinda fun sharing them so, 1st set Kezar:
Tennessee Jed-definitely in my top 3
Row Jimmy-could be my favorite all-time
Looks Like Rain-definitely Top 5
They Love Each Other-Top 2, maybe 1

Listening to this first set really made me stop everything and just LUSTEN. 2nd set:
Possibly my favorite HCS
Box Of Rain-let’s just say top 6
China/Rider-OMG, the jam in the middle is absolute beautiful mayhem!!
And even though it’s 3rd set, it’s on disc 2, a song I’ve just heard too many times, Me And My Uncle-I cannot think of one I like better.
3rd set:C’mon man, don’t even get me started.

This is why…Music is the Best!!

Ripped the CDs and just finished a first listen with no runs, drips or errors. WOW! Holy shitoly! This box is a treasure from my ’72>hiatus sweet-spot (or is it ‘69>?). From a face-melting start in Iowa, the shows crescendo through RFK – hard to beat the energy, focus and recording of 6/10. I’ll leave more insightful musical commentary to the seasoned heads and accomplished players around here. (Deadshow: I didn’t hear any buzzing during Santa Barbara.)

Isopropyl alcohol did the trick for me (IMO micro-scratches are just about inevitable with this packaging). Not sure I’d throw Masaki Koike under the bus – he designed a cool box that was poorly executed. What we're getting seems like more of a pre-production prototype. By simply adding a third/middle layer of card-stock, die-cut to create a pocket for each CD, the first jolt to the box during shipping wouldn't drive the CDs between the two layers and into some kind of glue that still has not fully set. I’ll keep my CDs in separate sleeves. Later I’ll use a sacrificial CD to test whether the glue’s still tacky.

Now have them stored in CD sleeves, never to be stored in those crappy cardboard glue dispensers again.
Now let’s see if they all play without error.
Going in show order.

One of the cardboard holders is actually coming apart because they apparently didn’t put the glue at the edges. I opened the holder and CD1 came partly out the edge. I think that it would have come out completely if it weren’t for the glue holding it between 2 sheets of cardboard.

...Except for the third set yesterday. My patience had waned by that point again. So, I went right to the next show on the USB drive: 6/22/73. Hearing those Bird Songs pretty much back to back (what's a couple hours?), and woah, Nellie, 6/22 is still top dog. By a long shot. Didn't get to HCS, yet, but I recall that as being one of the best versions as well. And that's another 3 setter, but one without a Dark Star or Other One, but just keeps going, and my attention has never flagged for that one. Not sure what's bugging me about 6/10. I love it right up through Dark Star, and the Stella is not great, but even the sweet He's Gone> Wharf Rat doesn't particularly enthrall me.

Completely stupid and irrational ranking of HCS shows:
5/13 the Des Moines dark horse show wins again as 7/1/78 won the July '78 Box for me and many; the HCS and Playing are 40 of the best minutes of the box (mistakes and all)

5/26 Kezar is a long time favorite, it sounds much better than it ever did, and that was an FM SBD

6/9 my only wish was they had played HCS at this as teased in Truckin of all places; oh, and LOOSE LUCY, great googily moogily; sidenote: loving They Love Each Other in this box, the more rollicking arrangement

6/10 a wonderful show, fantastic Dark Star, Playing, Bird Song, HCS is very good, an unusual He's Gone> Wharf Rat> Truckin sequence

5/20 the lengths they went to to get Jerry medical cocaine for a gargle to be able to sing that day is insane (check out the Good Ol Grateful Podcast on that), and that he sang for a 3 set show is nuts, but I didn't find this one to be incredible, just a good, solid '73 show, kinda like 5/5/77 in GStL, might as well include it

Miiiiight as well

All my discs good so far.....small amount of glue on D3 of Kezar but no playback issues........working my way through chronologically.......06/09 is throwing me for a loop.......I LOVE IT !!!!!!.......especially the Loose Lucy......my all time fav........if 06/10 is better, I may not be able to return to Earth.

No need to - I have also moved on to 6/22/73 from the PNW box. And the high standard continues - great China/Rider and HCS of course. 3rd cd featuring the He's Gone-Truckin'-Other One-Wharf Rat jam tomorrow.
One curiosity - Jerry's guitar comes out of my right speaker, as I look at them, during the 73 box, and out of my left speaker during 6/22.

This week released Dead Head TV on DreamsWeDreamed dot com:

Spring Tour 1989 Report part 2
Frost Amphitheater 1989 Report
Irvine Meadows Amphitheater 1989 Report
New Grateful Dead Songs 1989 Report
The Dead News

Check your PMs.

Just happened to hit those last night!
Aaaaaaaaa the memories….
Keep ‘em coming Hoss!

Thoroughly enjoying this 73 box set. Two of my friends were at the Santa Barbara show, so that was my first listen.
I had one glue spot otherwise they all were good.

I’ll pass on a tip I got from these boards, a good CD sleeve called CD round bottom sleeve can be gotten at SoundSource. I’ve used these on all CDs with cardboard slip cases, Road trips etc.

Cheers

Aahhh the memories indeed! I'm having a grand time reliving these memories, also. Those were fun times.

The cost of manufacturing 17 CDs is less than $US14.There is no reason Rhino can’t do this and replace all defective discs.Their labour costs of getting people to eventually reply to every enquiry would be more than this.They could have/should have set up an automated registration process for replacement discs like Universal did with the Richard and Linda Thompson box.Within a week of release.
Not issuing a statement,contacting buyers or setting up a disc replacement registration process gives Rhino the prize of the worst customer relations in the industry.

Finally made it through the set, and upon first listening there's a lot of great stuff in every show.

Just concluded the set with Dickey Betts, and as a huge fan of his playing its really great to hear this collaboration. When Jerry and Dickey find their groove together it really becomes magical. At a few points Jerry really started channeling Duane Allman with Dickey during some of the solos and Jaimoe with Bill Kreutzmann is pretty fricken sweet too. I was feeling a little " No One Left To Run With" vibe during NFA, which is cool for a song that was written almost 20 years later with the Warren Haynes and Allen Woody era of the Allmans. It's a shame the two bands never collaborated in the later years, outside of the post-Jerry lineups, which my favorite being Phil & Friends with Warren and Jimmy Herring.

Only my first time through so far.

Finally made it through the set, and upon first listening there's a lot of great stuff in every show.

Just concluded the set with Dickey Betts, and as a huge fan of his playing its really great to hear this collaboration. When Jerry and Dickey find their groove together it really becomes magical. At a few points Jerry really started channeling Duane Allman with Dickey during some of the solos and Jaimoe with Bill Kreutzmann is pretty fricken sweet too. I was feeling a little " No One Left To Run With" vibe during NFA, which is cool for a song that was written almost 20 years later with the Warren Haynes and Allen Woody era of the Allmans. It's a shame the two bands never collaborated in the later years, outside of the post-Jerry lineups, which my favorite being Phil & Friends with Warren and Jimmy Herring.

Only my first time through so far.

Is Deadnet and/or Rhino going to post a procedure to follow to obtain replacement discs for this box set. As of now there has not been a public statement concerning this problem. Individual customers should not be forced to go through an obtuse claim procedure which fails to acknowledge the widespread manufacturing defects of CDs in the box. There should be a uniform rapid procedure to request replacement. Do they want to keep the customers or alienate them from future purchase of pricey box sets? Why the silence?

I fail to understand it myself, anyway there are two more Dave's Picks to go before my subscription ends, let us hope that the manufacturing process is exactly perfect for those in August & November & also by then I might be able to listen to a complete rather than incomplete box set of discs that all play correctly.

...that they don't care, or at least that they don't NEED to care.

Product paid for, product shipped.

We out.

Or maybe they are crafting a solution to the problem.

My PC is only half up and I still don't have outlook up and running.

But for those with the lnk,,, I put up

Paper Wheels - Trey Ag

My Morning Jacket - MMJ Live vol 3

Last three D&C shows,,,, Ken has them all up.

Now to figure out why I can't get Outlook up!!!!

A check of 8 4 76 video last evening reminded me of some really slow first set stuff.

Row Jimmy
Loser
L L Rain

Reference to an old segment from I Love Lucy:

"Speed it up a little!!!"

My son sent me a lnk to a uboob vid

Desert Jellies doing the whole album Nautical Nonsense.

Nice stuff

I got a request to rate the support I've received dated for 7/24. In that email there was a reply from customer service dated for 7/22 that i never actually received. So, the first time I saw their reply to my request was when they asked me to "tell them how they did". Man, that really gives me a bad feeling about all of this. And so, anyway, in the reply that I never actually got they asked for pictures of the damaged discs... yup. (which is most of them) This whole thing is ridiculous.

I declare shenanigans!

Sorry to hear about the issues you are having. Operations were much different when Grateful Dead Productions still had a hand in the music and customer service operations. Those days are clearly gone. If you haven't already you should reach out to Marye and she and Mac should be able to help you.

I have had the same treatment as well JOEYMC,it would seem we are not alone. On a lighter note the new Garcialive20 plays & sounds superb.

The Jerry people definitely have their shit together! I love the new artwork on Garcia Live 20.
Thank you DEADVIKES.

I should add, I have gotten another reply from a human in customer service.

I received the box set today after having to pay 79,90 euros to customs here in Spain.
Just one disc with some glue. The second disc from June 10. I decided that even if I had a replacement I would have to pay again to customs. Some of you talked about isopropyl and I remembered that I still had some liquid to remove wax from the inside of my ear. Applied to the disc it worked very well. Now I can listen perfectly to the last 3 songs.
Greetings to everyone from Majorca, Spain

and besides the obvious, ahem, this box is “Huuuugggee”
Thought the book and shwag was a tad chincy, comparatively. The art was cool, the packaging we won’t discuss ahem, but the music is beautiful! Magnifico!
There’s just too much to fully digest though at this juncture. So many good versions and big jamskis!!
But I still think 6/10 is slightly overrated, great set list, good show, but, well, listen to Ramble on Rose for just one example, there’s more…Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but I don’t think it’s the strongest playing in the box, and I still think the first six shows of 73 are better!…just to be picky and make conversation ; )

Yeah, thank goodness we don’t have these hassles with GFP!

DV, what up Doggie! You digging the box, or bet your anxiously waiting for some more of that fine 79!

Well I've moved on to the PNW box, and that first show 22/6/73 is one for the ages. The jam from Truckin' to Wharf Rat, glancing by The Other One as though it barely exists is amazing. That' some bass playing there.

I was thinking, listening to all these great shows from May/June 1973 that it seems a bit strange that most, if not all of them, were played at massive outdoor events, in front of thousands. The music to me sound as though it was conceived in a more intimate setting - like a jazz club in front of a few hundred.

It's also a very subtle form of energy, when I think of the shows I saw myself in 1973 - The Stones, Bowie, Sabbath, Hawkwind.....very dramatic and in your face. Nothing like what The Dead were concocting.

Thanks for all the help from those on which D&C shows to look around.

BlueCrow: Went with your option for Folsom Field night 1. Know others recommended also. Really enjoyed it. This was a really good band. I still I would not change one night with Jerry and the dead, for one D&C show. The show started out slow, even think I saw a couple of yawns onstage but the improvising became awesome. Jay Lane did a great job filling in for Billy. Watched it 3 times to squeeze out all of the entertainment juice.

Now I am trying to figure out what show to watch this weekend, or do I peak over at some Phish. A friend of mine texted me with "What's Next?" I texted back that I hope John and Oteil continue on with a new group, The Grateful Brothers (or the Grateful Brothers and Sister, or Brothers and Sisters or The Family!) I think it would be great to get Jay Lane and then maybe Jaimoe (ABB) along with John & Oteil, maybe Jeff Chimenti, would partner with Derek Trucks, maybe Susan and Derek, and maybe Trey Anastasia (rotating players to include Billy and Mickey, just to perform drums). The Grateful Brothers, indeed. New music, old music, improv between both bands. I heard ABB teases thruout July 1 D&C show. They could create a new entity, a great entity, to welcome in the new brothers and sisters. Makes my heart warm thinking about it. Not asking Trey to stop Phish (no damn was) or Susan and Derek to stop TTB (again no way), but maybe just a new extremely fluid (like liquid and fractals) musical structure.

Back to D&C: I was searching around on Meyer Sound's sight looking for any other writings on the lasting partnership between Meyer and Ultrasound. Was reading about Derek Featherstone (FOH Engineer for D&C) is also the CEO of Ultrasound, WOW, what a revelation into how tight those companies are. I wrote back a month or two ago about seeing 2 killer YES shows back in the 1980's. Turns out they were using Meyer/Ultrasound also. So I got my answer on why those sound systems were so good. What is noticeable about Jay Lane & Featherstone is the mixing has much more traditional formula than the normal dead mix. He really leaned on the bass drum. Took my ear a little bit to get used to that but then I noticed, by having the bass drum more in the mix, you get a much stronger pocket. That is, gives Oteil another instrument to hook with and improvise with. Bobby did such a great job leading while onstage, and getting out of the way of John and Oteil.

More on this later, gotta fix lunch, blood sugar dropping. But hell yeah, Grateful Brothers (as in Grateful Dead instead of the Grateful Dead - for those that know that history) or The Grateful Brothers - just has a nice ring to it. Sorry if I rambled on, might need to edit, but wanted to get it posted before computer lost it.

Hope all world wide are getting answers to their box set issues...Peace to the brothers and sisters globally!

Edit1: And of course, include Bobby and Phil into this gumbo of Grateful Brothers. Goes well with the HCS box write-up and Brother's Brothers.

Really dig the 76 Dead vibe.
In fact, I’ve had the June 76 box in regular rotation since it was released.
Not to everyone’s liking, I know.
But it sounds just right by the pool at sunset in the high desert.

Loving the new HCS box as well.
On par with the November 73 release, if not a slight bit above.
Definitely in my top 5.

Love the June 76 Box.

Time for 6-29-76 to be released.

Totally agree on the June 76 Box, what a gem. Love those Beacon Theater shows.

Hey OB, loving the HCS box. Only made it through the first two shows so far. Sound quality on those are A+. Shows are great. Kezar planned for this Thursday. I have listened to this one on relisten, so it will be interesting to hear the polished up official version. Not sure what they were doing with these folios, but I have these going in Jewel cases. Agree on the liners, a little skimpy.

Anytime we get a release from 79-81, I will be excited. And your first year on the rode! I haven't heard this show yet, which is great because I spent a lot of time with the October through December shows.
Hope the Nassau shows get out at some point. Talk about smoke.

On to the 6/10 show.......I've never heard any of these shows in this box, so it's been a treat. It's also my first boxset purchase. No issues at all........and FINALLY, I figured out the best way to remove the discs from the sleeves. I have been doing the "lift & remove" system, removing the disc from the holder by picking up the exposed edge of it and pulling it out. In a brilliant way, similar to what Dr. Hofmann experienced, I began using my fingernail in the center hole and it removes easily. Maybe that's the way everyone has been doing it, but it was a revelation.........looking forward to '79 soon.

Like others, I have cds with skips, (along with many, if not all, scratched and even one with a spot I had to wipe off). Like others, I have experienced terrible customer service. On 7-18 I emailed asking for 3 new cds to replace the 3 with skips and got a response on 7-21 offering me some answers to "FAQS", which of course didn't solve my problem. At one point the useless response said "If your inquiry has already been resolved, you can disregard this message." Naturally, I had to respond to "update" my "request" to keep the issue open, which was acknowledged with a response by them saying it was updated. Next, on 7-26 at 402PM CT I got a response referencing a different 7-21 response by them (this one of which I never saw) asking for photographs, which obviously is not going to show skips on cds as not all of my scratched cds had skips. It also said "This is an email to remind you that your request (#254106) has been pending for 5 days and awaits your feedback." I looked through my emails and could not find a 7-21 email from them asking for photographs. Maybe I accidently deleted it. Anyway, immediately after the 1st 7-26 402PM email they sent a 2nd 7-26 402PM email saying "Your ticket will be closed since no response has been received from our last correspondence. Please reply to this email to re-submit your request." So, I responded and updated it again. Overall, the whole process is probably the worst customer service I've experienced anywhere. Customer service involving Grateful Dead purchases has always been iffy, but it's gotten worse. How many hoops do I have to jump through?

The only way to get true attention is to boycott future releases. No buying until they get their CS figured out.

I know that has as much chance as pigs flying out my nose, but still.

Vote with your wallet.

Very sad to read all the shitty stories of people having problems.

Has anyone received their replacement discs yet? I am interested to know if the replacements are able to be read on CD players that were previously not able to read,or if Rhino are still working out exactly why there are playback issues.

There speaks the truth, unfortunately. It doesn't look as though there is going to be any official acknowledgement that the production and presentation of this box is sub par. I guess they are going to try and deal with those who have bought damaged goods on an individual basis. Which isn't good enough. Doesn't bode well for when they release next years box. It's not exactly going to be case of "buy with confidence"!

....yummy.

See, everybody who's bought it should be able to say that. That's what I'll be doing, later today, too. And tomorrow, obviously.

it is really discouraging to hear of all of these issues with the discs. I have had a few issues like this in past, but this current situation really raises concerns. I have been fortunate that with my HCS box as I have had no issues. However that does not mean I am safe from future problems. I think it is totally reasonable for us to make a case due to the current situation. I know all of us who are in the comments have been supporters of these releases from the band over the years. I can't speak for Dave L and the crew but I feel fairly confident that none of them want defective products going out. They did not put in all of this work only to not have the music be listenable.

Now there are many detractors that I encounter when these shows come out. The detractors often cite the numerous ways to acquire shows for free. They also frequently argue that the quality of any given soundboard show being remastered by one of the many gurus out there is better than the official release. The latter can be debated, but the detractors are not wrong in terms of freedom of choice. I think the powers that be maybe need to be reminded of that, especially because so many of us are loyal paying customers.

I know in reality there will always be a chance of some defect, but these current issues seem to be too much. The first remedy is the packaging. Get rid of cardboard and come up with something safer and more secure as that can hopefully eliminate the scratching of discs. Yes the box might lose some style points but it is really the music that matters, right? As for non scratched, yet non playable/unable to rip issues, well I don't have the technical knowledge to know the solution for that, but they should. Hell there have even been issues with the downloads...

1: I'm finally through Santa Barbara 5/20/73. This show, to me, is a little more up front and in your face than Des Moines, and you can feel the energy. Another great Box of Rain, but TLEO is the big surprise. Jerry is really struttin'
his stuff. Got a scuff or something on disc one resulting in brief moments of static on Tennessee and The Race is On.
Not gonna whine about that, which brings me to:
2: For those of you who collected all the Dick's Picks, does anyone remember when #9, 9/16/90 MSG, was released, and subsequently we received a replacement for disc 1 WITHOUT EVEN ASKING? Not that my disc 1 had a problem. but THOSE were the days of quality control and customer service...just sayin'.

Also, Dick's Picks #15 Englishtown 9/3/77 disc 3 replaced automatically.

If you see this check personal messages

Figure I throw this one out.

My box came with only one or two disc flopping around, but all were incredibly tight, but no glue. I too found the best way to extract from box without ripping box was the center hole technique.

I just got in the 12 cd set Wattstax '72 Soul'd Out (The Complete Wattstax Collection). The packaging was the same basic design, slit's in cardboard with disc stuck in. Except none were flopping around and all came out without a bit of argument. Not even a chance of ripping the box. Box says this was done by "Concord" (a Craft recording).

So just for the sake of argument, it is possible to make this type of package without flopping disc, glue or possible tearing.

FYI - haven't dugged heavily into this yet (still ripping), but it funny it has 20 minutes tracks of MC begging the people to clear the field. The MC did have his moments. "I need everyone off the field, the show can not continue until you do. Yes, I'm talking to you sister in the blue dress, get off the field. Walking from one side of the field to the other is not clearing the field",,,, it was funny, but 20 minutes! (1,2,3 take a step back :-) )

Dennis - I got the 6 cd version of that Wattstax box, which seems to have the same basic design as the 12 cd one. Nice looking box.There's some great music in there, in between the mc's telling the crowd off, giving them educational lectures and giving each other awards - check out The Rance Allen Group.

Given the problems with the CDs, I'm now glad I was late in buying them like so many others. Especially since I live in Germany and exchanging CDs is probably more complicated than if I lived in the US. Nevertheless, I will get the single box with the Washington concert via Amazon, even though I had to read there in the meantime that some customers also had to return this box because of two defective CDs. Or Amazon exchanged the box maximum twice, then that's it.
Even if there should be the live concerts remastered on the net and even in a better quality (which surprises me honestly), so I'm still of the opinion that the artists should get the money earned. Simply because there are hardly any music groups that release such nice boxes as GD. What I unfortunately don't understand: If already the boxes like the current one are sold out after one (!!!) day, why aren't simply higher editions produced? Second editions for all I care. Gentle Giant has also managed to do that. Because I go meanwhile on the Keks that felt many people buy the GD boxes only as an investment or they want to hawk afterwards most-bidding. I want to LISTEN to the CDs!

Yeah, there was a lot of talking between songs included in the Wattstax box set, a lot of praising the black community and the individuals organizing the concert, a lot of preaching about the inherent worth of every individual (I Am Somebody) and aspirations of self and community improvement in the face of adversity and discrimination, and a whole lot of pleading for people to get off the playing field, including a pretty detailed description of the financial implications of the crowd not getting off the field. While there were times that I found myself thinking, enough already, will everyone just get off the field so we can get back to the music, I have to admit that the inclusion of all of that material really captured the vibe of the event. And the music is fantastic, I don't think there was a weak performance in the whole concert, or the associated recordings.

I've had a chance to go through this box and listen each show once so far. All discs have played fine, there was a small speck of dried glue or something on one disc but it came right off easily and did not affect playback. The packaging arrangement is not my favorite, but it worked ok and I did not have the problems that others have reported with the cd holders. The tip someone put on here about removing discs by placing your finger in the center hole of the disc to slide them out instead of holding the edges of the disc also helps to make it easier to remove the discs. It is a shame that there are folks having trouble with discs in this box, the music is great.

I may be biased as 1973 is a favorite year for me, but the music in this box is well worth acquiring in one format or another, and I am glad to have it. I am looking forward to working my way through the box for a second, more focused listen. I also think it would be nice if they released all music editions of the boxes that sell out, certainly won't affect my enjoyment of the music.

Charile3 - yes, I agree with what you say. The inclusion of the stage announcements transforms the box into a valuable cultural document, as well as a musical one. The tracks aren't just floating in space. We as listeners might be, of course. I won't necessarily listen to all the talk when I play the cds, but their inclusion does add to the whole.