Grateful Dead

What's the point of talking about the box set, given that it is already sold out? I cannot bear to listen because I expect a lot of gushing about how wonderful the box set is, and I was closed out from ordering it even though I sent in my name and email address within 10 minutes of receiving an email from Dead.net on 1/21 announcing the box set.

i was watchin that movie Festival Express and it reminded me of how somethings never change. I miss Jerry.

I'm sure those in the inner workings already reserved their copy before the announcement, so like i said what's the point in a limited run in this community. Apparently some socialists are hyocritical of making the green; which is not the case when they are on the road. Look at he tours coming up in 2011 for example.

It was decided that $450 was the going price for the whole set. After the "overwhelming demand" that had all 7200pcs accounted for in just a few days, it's decided to "let" everyone have just the discs at the same price. This just proves the point many have been making since Rhino was put in charge of releases, that $$$$ is the ONLY concern. The "show only" deal should be offered at something much lower than $450---$350 to $400 is a MUCH MORE RESONABLE amount to charge considering that "they" already made ALL OF THE MONEY they counted on making...GREED REALLY IS EVERYWHERE!!!!! Not that my idea will be listened to, but I've said it here & other places that the shows should've been made available as a package deal WITH "SPECIAL PACKAGING" if you bought it all at one time---as was done. AND/OR...you could buy each show seperately (or a few at a time) with a special "proof-of-purchase seal" that could be sent in after you had bought all 22 shows where you'd have a choice of limited edition stuff---t-shitrts, CD's, or other GD merch---to choose from. This would give everyone a better sense of fairness than these limited edition/number releases, and give us more incentive to buy all 22 releases. The exact same thing would work for future runs being released. MOST OF US CANNOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE LIMITED RELEASES! As with the way most of America works, only a few are "haves", and most are "have-nots." There it is...Rhino/GD have already seen the LAST of my $$'s with the RT's I bought last year.

Yeah, things are not perfect. But the music is being produced spectacularly and is being offered to the public. Yes, money is of some importance. AND I believe the Rhino staff and GD staff do care about the audience as well. They may not have the years behind them of fully understanding the Dead community quite yet, but they're getting there. And we, as that community, have an opportunity to constructively let them know what works and what doesn't, what we expect or prefer, and what makes it frustrating or difficult. I believe that at the end of the day, they actually want to know this. Even the ones for whom money may be the greatest goal. Yes, it serves them to know, too. But I do know for a fact that there are many working at Rhino who DO care more about the music and the audience. Sure, getting all the shows at a cheaper price would have been something worth considering. But know that that would have pissed off some who paid more for the set and might have preferred to pay less and pass on the "extras," but didn't know that would be offered as an option. It's kind of a lose/lose situation. Either way, someone is pissed. These sets sold out in a manner and at a speed the folks at Dead.net and Rhino clearly never saw coming. So, yeah, the ones that got in early get some extras for the price. Those after 7200 don't get those extras. Part of the allure for some of the box set was that it was a "limited edition." Going back on that would simply have been false advertising. Perhaps Rhino jumped the gun and didn't prepare well for this scenario. I bet they've learned a lot this past week. And they will take those lessons and apply them to future releases of this kind. At the end of the day, warts and all considered, this is still an amazing release of some of the greatest GD music ever. Perhaps down the line, Rhino and the Dead will offer these shows individually. But that is something best "suggested" as opposed to threatening to abandon them altogether because this unprecedented release could have been handled or prepared for better. We're all human here. For the record, I don't work for Rhino or Dead.net. I'm just a guy who is very excited about this release and want to see more like it in the future. There are amazing videos and film of the Dead out there that have yet to be released. Even the 1972 Tivoli theatre in Denmark show from this very tour! Hoping that finds its way into the box set. AND I hope it's made available for purchase to everyone else as well. I'd love to see all the footage from the 1974 Winterland shows that were shot on 16mm put together so that we can see those shows in their entirety. That's another set I'd plunk my hard-earned money down to purchase, extras or no. And after the fantastic response to this box set, hopefully doors and minds will be open to those kinds of releases. More good comes out of this than bad. It's good for us. In the meantime, educate the folks at Rhino. That will go further and be heard clearer than yelling or threatening. That's just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Those who didn't get the packaging can still get the music. Is the physcial box and display book so important?

A big, illustrated book about this tour is something I was really looking forward to (but, alas!). I for one would certainly welcome a separate release of the book when all the hoopla has died down. Perhaps a softcover version would be legally and morally acceptable, just like the music-only version of the box set.

I can certainly understand many people being upset by this limited release and not having the chance to order in time, but this is the business end of the music. The free end is in the bootlegs that the Dead have always tolerated. Think of artists today or even their peers at the time who would just as soon take you to court for copyright infringment then to let their community develope a public record of a concert. Marketing can be tough, especially when great music that people care for is on the line, but nothing is stopping someone trying to trade for the boots. Cleaning up the music is an expense that needs to be compensated for. Whether you get the box now or pay for another version later the music will someday be available for purchase in time. Whenever I missed something I would wait for the next or pick up a dicks picks and then something else would come by. I was able to get up to date messages on the box through buying the subscription, facebook, and just checking this site on a regular basis. I was unable to initially order but kept checking and then got through- all the while I wasn't thinking what a travesty or this is a blow to humanity- I actually got a rush and it made it a cool quest. Keep hope and save up and I am sure they will split it up (book included) in the future if the demand is there or you organize a bunch of fellow heads and rhino sees that it can be lucractive. I'm still kicking myself for not having some of the past bonus cds, but hey something else will come along... I went to see the captain, strangest I could find...

I'm sorry for those of you that got shut out but it happens and you can't always get what you want. If you do the math, the box set shows come out to about $20 per show, which is very reasonable. There's also a rumor of a dvd from one of the Germany shows that has never been seen, plus countless of other goodies in the box, including a coffee table sized book. If they had charged $500, I still would have bought it. And they're not shutting everyone out from getting the music. They will be selling each show individually and I'm sure there will be extra tracks. Just be happy that we have the chance to hear the music, because that's all that really matters.