Grateful Dead new release: May 1977 Box Set, on sale now

pglbook

The Grateful Dead website just announced the release of a new, May 1977, box set. It went on sale a few hours ago and I just ordered my copy. It will be limited to 15,000 copies and contain 5 complete shows from May 1977 (5/11, 5/12, 5/13, 5/15, 5/17) on 14 CDs. The price is $139 but, with shipping and sales tax, the total comes to $164. That still is not too bad for 14 CDs of great music, as well as a nice book/booklet, cool artwork, etc. Full information on this is listed on the GD website. I think this will sell out fast so any Dead Heads should rush and pre-order a copy as soon as possible. It will ship on June 11. Spring 1977 is one of the best tours in GD history (along with Europe '72, etc) so don't misss out on this one!

rromeo923

Not to be a bummer here but I dont understand why someone would order this. These shows are readily available on the web and I often find that Grateful Dead official releases dont sound as good or any better than what is already out there. I guess if you want the book/booklet, cool artwork. To each his own.

falconcry72

rromeo923 wrote: »

...I often find that Grateful Dead official releases dont sound as good or any better than what is already out there...

I don't find that to be true for the more recent releases. The whole Europe 72 box sounds better than any of the best available soundboards (and also better than the previous official releases of the same shows i.e., Rockin' the Rhien, Steppin' Out, 100 Year Hall etc.). Another good example is the recent release of Dave's Picks 5 from 11/17/73. I have (3) different soundboard versions of that show, and there is no doubt whatsoever that the Dave's Picks release sounds better. Some of the earlier live releases (and by earlier I mean release date not recording date) don't sound great, but the more recent ones have been improvements over the circulated soundboards. I'm looking forward to this release... as well as to Dave's Picks 6. :cool:

pglbook

I agree with falconry. The recent GD official releases do sound a whole lot better than even the best soundboard versions. I have downloaded dozens and dozens of GD shows from bt.etree and, while some of the soundboard and matrix versions do sound very good, they still pale in comparison to the amazing sound quality of the recent GD official releases, such as the Europe 72 box set, Spring 1990 box set, Dave's Picks series, etc.

rromeo923

Here are some shows I like. I am an 80's Deadhead. The first one here sounds as good as any release to date imo. The last one is a phenomenal audience recording. Even threw a 78 show in there. All of these shows are better shows (once again imo) than they have released officially.

http://archive.org/details/gd1985-06-28.sbd.miller.107066.flac16
http://archive.org/details/gd1984-11-03.sbd.miller.110773.flac16
http://archive.org/details/gd78-07-08.sbd.unknown.294.sbeok.shnf
http://archive.org/details/gd1981-03-09.nak700.glassberg.motb.82373.sbeok.flac24