MAY 1977: Get Shown The Light Box

Post reply Log in to post comments

February 1, 2017 - 2:34pm

1,389 replies

heatherlew

Joined:
October 12, 2016

CLICK HERE FOR THE
ALL MUSIC EDITION
SOLD OUT

What's Inside:

Four Complete Shows on 11 discs
• 5/5/77 Veterans Memorial Coliseum: New Haven, CT
• 5/7/77 Boston Garden: Boston, MA
• 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
• 5/9/77 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Buffalo, NY
• Sourced from the Betty Boards, transfered by Plangent Processes
• Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
• Artwork by Grammy-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
• The unreleased book Cornell ‘77: The Music, The Myth And The Magnificence Of The Grateful Dead’s Concert At Barton Hall by Peter Conners, published by Cornell University Press
• In-depth essay by noted Dead scholar Nicholas Meriwether
• Producer's Note by David Lemieux
• Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 15,000
• Release Date: May 5, 2017

WHAT DEAD HEADS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT...

NEW HAVEN 5/5/77
"Here is a prime example of the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ … It’s called synergy and the Dead wrote the book on it.”

BOSTON 5/7/77
“The music they laid down brought me places I had not been before.”

CORNELL 5/8/77
“...the single best rock performance anywhere, anytime, by anyone.”

“There was just some kind of magical connection this night between the band members and the band and the audience - some texture, or some type of cosmic or celestial force is in the room.”

"This show is, was, and always will be Mecca.”

BUFFALO 5/9/77
"...an awesome display of the Dead’s captivating power"

If you've been following this site for quite some time, then you will know we are often flush with hyperbole when it comes to our releases. We can't help it, really - for we, like you, are Grateful Dead fans above all else. Just like you, we've spent countless hours debating the merits of show over show, year over year. We've kept a watchful eye on your wish-lists and carefully considered how to make - excuse the cliché - your dreams come true. And once we've made our commitments, we are steadfast in our determination to conjure up those dreams fully-formed and nearly perfect. Sometimes these heights cannot be reached without physical and cosmic elements aligning, and that, dear friends, is why it has taken so long for us to bring you THE ONE and the epic shows that surrounded it. No need for even the slightest embellishment here, 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, has for decades, been THE resounding favorite; you've said it yourselves - the "holy grail" of Grateful Dead shows. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of Dead Heads like you, we are beyond pleased to finally be able to present this show and its brethren, the fabled four of Spring '77, in sonically pristine condition.

Limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies, MAY 1977: GET SHOWN THE LIGHT is a collection of what is unanimously believed to be the most sought-after previously unreleased complete shows the Grateful Dead ever played. Collected, traded, and debated for decades, "the beloved Golden Trinity" of Boston, Ithaca, and Buffalo, along with their New Haven prelude, have inspired fans to "get on the bus," converted critics, and even garnered national attention (Cornell was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry). But until now, you've never really heard them quite like this!

The Dead is in the details... how serendipitous is it that the notorious Betty Boards were returned to the archive just in time for the 40th anniversaries of these shows? Lovingly sourced from these well-reputed recordings, we invite you to experience four utopian shows just like they happened, to "be inside the music" as engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson intended. Whether you listen to each night on its own or imbibe the whole lot at once, we suspect you'll hear why every note mattered. Much like we were, you will be hard-pressed to determine which of these fine documents - will it be the understated but nuanced New Haven, Boston's festive fantasy vibes, the monumental catharsis of Ithaca, or Buffalo’s dreamy exuberance - is truly "the best." Does it really matter? We think not.

Due May 5th, we anticipate that this revelatory boxed set will sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks.

Looking for something a little more byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day.

Comments

sort by

Recent

Recent Oldest A to Z Z to A

Reset

June 10, 2017 - 11:51am

#11

icecrmcnkd

Joined:
October 20, 2015

stillz

The number is on the back of the red book
June 10, 2017 - 8:34am

#12

stillz5477

Joined:
June 10, 2017

"Numbered" - where!?

my other may 77 box set has a STAMPED number...3407/5000 or whatever - not seeing this stamped on the "limited, numbered" cornell get shown the light one - am i blind?? help!
May 16, 2017 - 4:08am

#13

Craysee1

Joined:
September 4, 2015

my 2 pennies

Cornell IS a good show. Cornell was a great tape rollin' around back in the day because of quality of sound... I think it was one of the more crystal clear shows I'd heard up to that point... All of May, shoot... the overwhelmingly GRAND majority of '77 was unbelievable! There are many "best" versions or among the best versions of singular songs throughout that whole month span....and many in this 4 night run. ’77, while fantastic for deadheads, is what I consider “tolerable” go to dead for non-heads… such as my better half. She’s never been passionate about the dead. So, I have always felt pretty good about playing anything from ’77, especially May, when we’re on a road trip or something. The sound is great, playing is great… vocals are pretty much as good as it ever got and mistakes are minimal and not very noticeable to a non-head. Same goes for 89-90… Another May '77 note- The whole band is tight but Bob is at one of the many peaks of his game. Bob's attention to his songs and detail is unparalleled. He's sooo good during this time frame. However, I'm more of a fan of the following night in Buffalo as a full show goes. Cornell>Buffalo – the best two shows in a row…. Possibly. ☺ All of that being said.. this box is a tremendous representation of what the best of the best looks, feels, and sounds like. And, well done on the box. Excited to crack the book and see what's beyond the music. 5/5 - Veterans - The 1st set is better than the second set... Sugaree > unreal. Cowboy tunes(mama tried, el paso) are spot on and energetic. Looks Like Rain > stunning. 2nd set is great but seems to drop in energy… highlights - Good Lovin', St. Stephen, Sugar Mag 5/7 - Boston- Fantastic 1st set- very well played - Peggy O,1/2 step!, Big river, Music Never Stopped - 2nd set - Great Terrapin- A Top 10 FOTD(in my opinion), the wheel>wharf>around stretch is stellar. 5/8 - Cornell - Great show - solid start - 1st set really gets cookin' around TLEO and Jack Straw. Lazy>Sup is great but Jerry has been better on others. He makes up for it on the Brown Eyed Women...(one of the best). Dancin is great.. (Palladium is still tops for me). 2nd set is extremely well played - Scarlet > fire .. the best ever? (I dunno… but it’s ridiculous). Estimated… tell me a bad estimated from May… St. Stephen> NFA>St. Stephen – solid… MORNING DEW!!!! Holy Smokes!!!! 5/9 – Buffalo – wow. wow. holy, wow. Out of the gate chasing, running down, and lapping the night before. The band is HOT and they know it. A nasty Help > Slip> Franklin’s. Slipknot is magnificent. Cassidy,BEW, Mex, Big River… whole first set is crackling with energy… Shoot… Donna even raised her Sunrise game. TMNS set closer is just plain fire. 2nd set is phenomenally played. The band stretches out a bit more that some of the other textbook 77 nights. Garcia is oozing passion – Bertha opener..Ship of fools, Comes a time… he’s in it to win it. The pocket Estimated>Other One> NFA is adventurous and the band is so dialed in. They are so intent on being one… vocals and all. You know it’s good when they get past the music and can really lean in on making the vocals “just right”. Uncle John’s Band is a great example of that and a great closer. Unreal…. Wish I was there.
May 13, 2017 - 8:16pm

#14

SPACEBROTHER

Joined:
June 4, 2007

No more live Dead CDs?

While it's true that pretty much the top historically and popularly coveted shows are now released (5/8/77, 8/27/72, E'72, FW'69, 3/39/90, 2/13/70, 10/9/89, 10/16/89, 10/26/89, 9/10/91 just to name a few) have been released, there's so much more that are just as enjoyable to listen to. I think we need a good Greek Theater, Giants Stadium or Autzen Stadium release next. Did they have video screens at the '90 Autzen Stadium shows? DVDs would be really sweet. That magical Spring '90 tour mojo was still going strong on that West Coast late spring/early summer run.
May 13, 2017 - 6:48pm

#15

JimInMD

Joined:
June 27, 2011

Re: What Do We Do Now and 'a fine whiskey in the jar'

You guys crack me up.. What a great thread at the moment.
May 13, 2017 - 4:24pm

#16

Kayak Guy

Joined:
June 4, 2015

back to the Meat Puppets thread

Last night the Pups made their annual stop at one of the smallest clubs in Boston, The Brighton Music Hall. I had the pleasure of hanging with Curt, Chris and Elmo for about 30 minutes in the smoking area behind the venue. They seemed to like what I was smoking and were chatty as I kept lighting new ones.I got to ask them about a lot of stuff and requested Franklin's Tower, but Curt said he was the only one that would remember it. He did say that he still goes on GD binges for days at a time and his favorite stuff is the Pigpen years. They never played or even teased Franklin's but did a fine Whiskey in the Jar. Country Punk at it's finest. Here's one from the night before, the 11th, in Portland Me, though Ted the taper got the date wrong on the posting ;) https://archive.org/details/meatpuppets2017-05-12.ck61.nbox.sbd.flac/me…
May 13, 2017 - 12:00pm

#17

Mr. Pete

Joined:
November 3, 2010

No more live dead cd's....

Since Cornell is "finally" released and considered to be the "best" dead show I guess we all can now relax and not buy anymore "second best" dead live cd's. What do we do now? Live Pink Floyd show??? Mr. Pete----------> aging hippie
May 13, 2017 - 7:11am

#18

Amy from New York

Joined:
October 1, 2016

Balancing out 1977 with some 1970

I am really glad I bought this box, and luckily with no problems. The Buffalo show, while I can't say it's my favorite, is a real stand-out. A show that opens with Help Slipknot! Franklin's is just a sign of what's to come next. From that and a great Big River and Brown Eyed, throw in a Mississippi Half-Step -- travel on to a mind-melding Estimated Other One with perhaps the sweetest Comes a Time I've ever heard. And everything in between; but those are the highlights.My favorite version of Peggy-O is the New Haven one...I think that would be my go-to track to turn someone on to the Dead for the first time. It's so richly beautiful with crunchy and creamy layers of Deadness baked right inside. In the midst of finding the time to really listen to these four shows, I was directed by friend living on the Left Coast to 11/8/70 -- Lovely early acoustic versions of Dire Wolf, I know Your Rider (slow and melodic a real treat), and the last Operator. Event continues with NRPS on the stage, and then a Dead electric set. I'm glad for being able to continue to poke around some to find these amazing gems in the Dead archives. But nothing beats the sound of these newly mixed releases from the vault. I'll have my cake and eat it too!
May 13, 2017 - 6:01am

#19

_

Joined:
February 21, 2011

Mr. Pete

Pm me your email and I can hook you up with it.
May 13, 2017 - 5:53am

#20

Mr. Pete

Joined:
November 3, 2010

May '77 cd artwork...

Hello, When downloading my May '77 cd's into my mac I noticed that the cover art was absent. Could someone tell me where I can get the individual cd cover art? Thanks! Mr. Pete--------> aging hippie

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

CLICK HERE FOR THE
ALL MUSIC EDITION

SOLD OUT

What's Inside:

Four Complete Shows on 11 discs
• 5/5/77 Veterans Memorial Coliseum: New Haven, CT
• 5/7/77 Boston Garden: Boston, MA
• 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
• 5/9/77 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium: Buffalo, NY
• Sourced from the Betty Boards, transfered by Plangent Processes
• Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman
• Artwork by Grammy-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
• The unreleased book Cornell ‘77: The Music, The Myth And The Magnificence Of The Grateful Dead’s Concert At Barton Hall by Peter Conners, published by Cornell University Press
• In-depth essay by noted Dead scholar Nicholas Meriwether
• Producer's Note by David Lemieux
• Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 15,000
• Release Date: May 5, 2017

WHAT DEAD HEADS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT...

NEW HAVEN 5/5/77
"Here is a prime example of the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ … It’s called synergy and the Dead wrote the book on it.”

BOSTON 5/7/77
“The music they laid down brought me places I had not been before.”

CORNELL 5/8/77
“...the single best rock performance anywhere, anytime, by anyone.”

“There was just some kind of magical connection this night between the band members and the band and the audience - some texture, or some type of cosmic or celestial force is in the room.”

"This show is, was, and always will be Mecca.”

BUFFALO 5/9/77
"...an awesome display of the Dead’s captivating power"

If you've been following this site for quite some time, then you will know we are often flush with hyperbole when it comes to our releases. We can't help it, really - for we, like you, are Grateful Dead fans above all else. Just like you, we've spent countless hours debating the merits of show over show, year over year. We've kept a watchful eye on your wish-lists and carefully considered how to make - excuse the cliché - your dreams come true. And once we've made our commitments, we are steadfast in our determination to conjure up those dreams fully-formed and nearly perfect. Sometimes these heights cannot be reached without physical and cosmic elements aligning, and that, dear friends, is why it has taken so long for us to bring you THE ONE and the epic shows that surrounded it. No need for even the slightest embellishment here, 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University: Ithaca, NY, has for decades, been THE resounding favorite; you've said it yourselves - the "holy grail" of Grateful Dead shows. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of Dead Heads like you, we are beyond pleased to finally be able to present this show and its brethren, the fabled four of Spring '77, in sonically pristine condition.

Limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies, MAY 1977: GET SHOWN THE LIGHT is a collection of what is unanimously believed to be the most sought-after previously unreleased complete shows the Grateful Dead ever played. Collected, traded, and debated for decades, "the beloved Golden Trinity" of Boston, Ithaca, and Buffalo, along with their New Haven prelude, have inspired fans to "get on the bus," converted critics, and even garnered national attention (Cornell was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry). But until now, you've never really heard them quite like this!

The Dead is in the details... how serendipitous is it that the notorious Betty Boards were returned to the archive just in time for the 40th anniversaries of these shows? Lovingly sourced from these well-reputed recordings, we invite you to experience four utopian shows just like they happened, to "be inside the music" as engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson intended. Whether you listen to each night on its own or imbibe the whole lot at once, we suspect you'll hear why every note mattered. Much like we were, you will be hard-pressed to determine which of these fine documents - will it be the understated but nuanced New Haven, Boston's festive fantasy vibes, the monumental catharsis of Ithaca, or Buffalo’s dreamy exuberance - is truly "the best." Does it really matter? We think not.

Due May 5th, we anticipate that this revelatory boxed set will sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks.

Looking for something a little more byte-sized? The collection will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at dead.net, on release day.

wow

Even though we all knew it was coming, just seeing it here gives me goose bumps! Can't wait...

Ordered

Yes indeed, my copy is ordered. Oh happy day!!

Bingo!!

....same artist as the first 1977 box. Neat!....

Order Processed

A very big day in modern Grateful Dead history. Way to go guys.. this place is going to go nuts.

Another Sucker on the Vine...

First off, these are truly great shows. If you are one of the few folks here debating whether or not the quality of all four shows stands up to the price tag, I will say that YES, they are that good. That being said, I would hazard to guess that most of us who frequent this site have had great sounding recordings of these shows for many years. Is it worth ponying up $154 to have the artwork, the book, and Normanized versions of these shows? Well,... I didn't really hesitate. Besides, its a credit card, not real money, right? Would I have liked some other shows released as a box? Sure. Will I enjoy the hell out of this set. I have been for years :) Peace

BAM

so nice. very happy. Sixtus F that. I'm GIDDY!!!!

Confirmed

Scooped this one up quick. Now we all just have to wait for May. Unzipping the digital single now...

Oh Yeah

couldn't get my credit card out quick enough would love to know what the other 350 reels contain

I'm in

New Haven was my second show...3rd row center. That second set is burnt into my brain. First show was Palladium on 5/01. My original Cornell cassette is spliced with scotch tape, so this should be a fine upgrade.

Sweet

A grateful dead letter day. Thanks Dave.

The one everybody has been waiting for

Personally I think Buffalo is the best show of the run. Cornell's popularity is a result of being in early wide circulation as a well recorded show. "Best show ever" status could be applied to many performances throughout their 30 year career, but there's no doubt that Cornell is a good one. One of the earliest soundboard bootlegs in my collection from when I first started collecting tapes in the late-'80's. As a four show release, this is a little pricey though.

Cross posted from DaP 21

Don't want anyone getting frustrated trying to order this, so in case anyone else has this issue, here's a note I posted on the 21 board: Tip for anyone ordering online - I have had problems in the past ordering where the site shows an order in my cart at first, but then shows empty when I click to get to the checkout page. I think I remember other people mentioning a problem like this on previous orders too. That happened to me when using "never" allow third party cookies in Firefox. Changing that setting to "always" allow third party cookies took me to a proper checkout page. So anyone having problems with checkout may want to try setting cookies to allow all. Thanks, Dave and Company!

Knew this would be the box this year

40th anniversary, Betty Boards back, inevitable. Cornell was my first DAT back in '93. I'd had a couple really dreadful sounding tapes I'd received from friends over the years and a few insanely expensive bootleg CDs of some recent shows I'd picked up; "European imports", finally figured I should just start trading, bought a Tascam DA88, found a dude offering to trade for blanks and postage and a week later got a package with a tape saying "play this first", it was like a blind man seeing for the first time! Don't know what took me so long, I'd been seeing as many shows as I could manage since '87. Good times.

YABADABDOO!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got off the phone with Customer Service as I had difficulty on website. e-mail confirmation sent!! THANK YOU DAVE!! I haven't listened to these shows ever, so I am really excited!!

So awesome

I heard a rumor and then it got confirmed :) Then I guessed on my fan site http://gratefulseconds.blogspot.com/2017/01/rumor-grateful-dead-acquire…

OMG

You've never heard Cornell? Unless you've just recently got on the bus, that's a rarity.

Buffalo is incredible

Goosebumps! 80S fan you said it!

This is going to be the hottest box yet. Sure we have archive and our old maxell XLIIs, but his is going to be something altogether else... I will be ordering the box and the vinyl!! Sick Sick Sick! I guess I need to start eating beans and rice now.

Confirmed!

Need I say more?

Twice as nice

Sure, I have nice-sounding recordings of all these shows, there's no way I can't get this. Pre-order done. Now, I will forget all about this until some time in early May when I'll get this set in the mail and it will make my day.

5/9

Spacebrother - Always loved 5/9 and my copy (while decent) is probably nothing compared to what the official release will sound like. So excited for this box.

I have to get this off my chest...

I have always preferred Buffalo to Cornell. There.. I said it. Glad we are getting the whole lot at once. Happy day, I'm giddy too.

Once again, encountering

Once again, encountering difficulties ordering this product. What the ever loving fuck is wrong with this place?

Yeah baby

DONE! So glad I checked in this morning.

The site just crashed!

It was just down for about 20 minutes. They must be getting hammered!

Cart

Cart says 8, I just want one, then when I go to cart, it says it's empty. FFS, what is happening???

MAY 77

YES YES YES PRE ORDERED HAPPY HAPPY THURSDAY

Got my copy ordered

Now theres nothing left to do but smile smile smile... and listen to this Scarlet>Fire digital download over and over again

Wowie, wowie, wowie zowie!!

I never thought I'd see the day. Thank you, Dave, Rob, Dead, Mark, Rhino, et al.

I think it is funny that

my order confirmation is in the email box marked 1:20 PM CST and the announcement email is marked 1:54 PM CST!

Got my copy ordered

Now theres nothing left to do but smile smile smile... and listen to this Scarlet>Fire digital download over and over again

May '77

Has it really been 40 years?!?!?!? Got my pre-order in, this box will be amazing and will nicely complement the earlier May '77 release (5/11-5/17).

I think we broke something!

Looks like their might be a little bit of excitement for this release. The site just crashed out like crazy. I have my order page all filled out. I think I will wait a little bit before I check out so they can work out the kinks. Don't want to be charged 25 times or not receive a confirmation. Always some weirdness to work out after such a barrage of activity. Well this is the one I have been waiting for! Very excited to see this run finally being released. A very grateful day indeed!

In.

Confirmed. Finally, an official 5-5-77 ,my birthday show with a standalone St. Stephen. My given name minus the St. :) Happy day Dead friends!

Can't order

Site keeps crashing - managed one time to get as far as putting in my address details and then it crashed - back to the start again but won't move from the initial page! Why is ordering from here always such a problem!

Thank you

Thank you Betty, Dave, Rhino...and the band. It's a good day.

OMG...

Take my money already!!!! I can't get this site to cooperate with the placing of my order!

CAN'T ORDER - KEEPS CRASHING!!!!

Dang dead.net- why does this happen way too much!!!

CAN'T ORDER - KEEPS CRASHING!!!!

Dang dead.net- why does this happen way too much!!!

Buffalo!

I have to say, I have always preferred this show to the night before it. I cannot wait to hear Jerry's jam during TMNS, finally, in perfect sound quality! The splice of the listenable audience source, during the tape flip of the soundboard has always been one of those slightly cringing moments, during an amazing jam! Its there, too, on the Hunter Seamons matrix. Again, the patch, to me has always been listenable, but i have been waiting for this gem given its proper treatment, and official release for many, many, years! The help/slip/frank opener is my favorite, of all time! And the wonderfully beautiful Comes a Time, is pure bliss! Just an all out amazing concert! The rest of the box, is the absolute goods, no doubt! I cannot wait! Thank you to all involved! Now if i can just get my order to go through!!!

081227935153