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It's little surprise that Rhino is going all-out for the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. The label today announced a 60CD box set due this spring that will premiere material from some 20 shows across a quarter-century of the band's tenure.
Enjoying the Ride, available May 30 exclusively from Dead.net, is a comprehensive 450-track set (nearly entirely unreleased, though a full track list has not been made available) limited to 6000 individually numbered copies. Sourced from recordings by Owsley "Bear" Stanley, Betty Cantor-Jackson, Kidd Candelario, Dan Healy, and John Cutler, the entire set has been remastered by David Glasser and Jeffrey Norman, using the Plangent Process to restore select sets' tapes. The keepsake box houses 60 CDs and a cassette (featuring material from a 1969 set at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco) and includes an photo-illustrated book with liner notes by Dead archivist David Lemieux, Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast co-host Jesse Jarnow and an essay by the Owsley Stanley Foundation.
"I truly believe that Enjoying the Ride captures both the spirit of following the Grateful Dead and the magic of their live performances at these storied venues," Rhino president Mark Pinkus said in a statement, also proudly noting the official release of the group's 1984 set at The Greek Theatre, the first time he saw the Dead in concert. "I am forever honored to work alongside David and the Grateful Dead to keep this long, strange trip alive."
"On these 60 CDs, you'll find music spanning more than 25 years, from 1969 to 1994, with the venues and the millions of journeys to get to them, making an essential part of the story," Lemieux said of Enjoying the Ride, which includes material from venues of all sizes including The Fillmore West, The Fillmore East, Nassau Coliseum, the Winterland Ballroom, Red Rocks, Madison Square Garden and more. "Going to see the Grateful Dead, following them from city to city, was likened to the modern equivalent of running away and joining the circus. These 20 venues are where the circus took us, and the show was something we never wanted to miss."
A slimmed-down volume, The Music Never Stopped, will also be available May 9. This 3CD or 6LP set (also available digitally) includes 27 tracks representing every one of the venues in the bigger box. Three tracks have premiered online today as part of this collection: versions of "Scarlet Begonias," "Touch of Grey" and "Fire on the Mountain" from the aforementioned Greek Theatre set on July 13, 1984. ("Touch of Grey," released three years later on the group's studio album In the Dark, would of course become an improbable Top 10 hit - a fascinating achievement for a band well-established as an institution by then.)
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The titles of both sets are truly fitting for the psych-rock legends and recent awardees for MusiCares Person of the Year: the aging community of Deadheads continues to thrive with scores of new fans welcomed into the fold, thanks to a vigorous catalogue strategy with Rhino and the ongoing tours of Dead & Company, featuring original members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, singer/guitarist John Mayer, former Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbidge and members of Weir's RatDog (keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and drummer Jay Lane, who replaced original Dead member Bill Kreutzmann). The group, which toured from 2015 to 2023, have since undertaken residencies at The Sphere in Las Vegas, with their second slated to start next week and run through May. The Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast kicks off a new season this week with a two-part tribute to Dead bassist Phil Lesh, who died last year; it will feature archival interviews with him, Burbidge and Phish's Mike Gordon. A spate of episodes in the spring will take listeners into the contents of Enjoying the Ride, the next great trip in a very long, very strange series of them.
You can pre-order both sets below. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Enjoying the Ride (Grateful Dead/Rhino, 2025)
Includes material from the following shows
- Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 4/5/1969 (Cassette)
- Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA - 6/5/1969
- Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA - 6/7/1969
- Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA - 6/8/1969
- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY - 2/24/1971
- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY - 2/20/1971
- Fillmore East, New York, NY - 4/25/1971
- Fillmore East, New York, NY - 4/27/1971
- Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA - 9/15/1972
- Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA - 9/16/1972
- Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY - 3/16/1973
- Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 3/20/1977
- The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA - 5/13/1978
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO - 8/12/1979
- Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI - 8/23/1980
- Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI - 7/11/1981
- Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT - 3/14/1981
- Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA - 5/1/1981
- Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA - 8/20/1983
- The Greek Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, CA - 7/13/1984
- Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA - 11/21/1985
- Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA - 11/22/1985
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - 9/16/1987
- Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN - 7/15/1989
- Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA - 12/27/1989
- Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA - 5/12/1991
- Capital Centre, Landover MD - 3/17/1993
- Capital Centre, Landover MD - 9/15/1982
- Boston Garden, Boston, MA - 10/3/1994
The Music Never Stopped (Grateful Dead/Rhino, 2025)
3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD 1/LP 1-2
- The Music Never Stopped (Live @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA - 5/13/1978)
- Althea (Live @ Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT - 3/14/1981)
- Playing in the Band (Live @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale - NY 3/16/1973)
- Hard to Handle (Live @ Fillmore East, New York, NY - 4/25/1971)
- Wharf Rat (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - 9/16/1987)
- Doin' That Rag (Live @ Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA - 6/5/1969)
- My Brother Esau (Live @ Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA - 8/20/1983)
- Deal (Live @ Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA - 5/12/1991)
CD 2/LP 3-4
- Scarlet Begonias (Live @ The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA - 7/13/1984)
- Touch of Grey (Live @ The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA - 7/13/1984)
- Fire on the Mountain (Live @ The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA - 7/13/1984)
- Lazy Lightning > (Live @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI - 8/23/1980)
- Supplication (Live @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI - 8/23/1980)
- Attics of My Life (Live @ Boston Garden, Boston, MA - 10/3/1994)
- Estimated Prophet (Live @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO - 8/12/1979)
- Eyes of the World (Live @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO - 8/12/1979)
- Brown-Eyed Women (Live @ Winterland, San Francisco, CA - 3/20/1977)
CD 3/LP 5-6
- Truckin' (Live @ Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN - 7/15/1989)
- Smokestack Lightnin' (Live @ Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN - 7/15/1989)
- Big Boy Pete (Live @ The Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, Oakland, CA - 11/21/1985)
- Bird Song (Live @ Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA - 9/15/1972)
- Let It Grow (Live @ Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA - 5/1/1981)
- Black Muddy River (Live @ Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA - 12/27/1989)
- Days Between (Live @ Capital Centre, Landover, MD - 3/17/1993)
- Not Fade Away > (Live @ Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY - 2/20/1971)
- Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad > (Live @ Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY - 2/20/1971)
- Not Fade Away (Reprise) > (Live @ Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY - 2/20/1971)
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The cynic in me suggests this is a great way for Rhino to release some less than stellar shows and pretty it up in a 60th anniversary package. A few of these dates could make for an interesting . . maybe even intriguing . . individual release but as a whole, the unknown quality of these recordings (both in sound and band energy on given shows) makes for an expensive gamble. An easy pass.
Fair points, but I don’t think there’s any bad shows here. Some of them - The ‘73 show, and 7/13/84, are classics. Another from the magic month of May ‘77 is welcome too.
Downside, the ‘69, shows, the Fillmore East ‘71 shows, and the Boston ‘72 shows are almost certainly incomplete due to missing reels, damaged tapes, not to mention it’s unlikely the songs with The Beach Boys will be included with 4/27/71.
And the cassette? Sorry, Dave, that’s a stupid gimmick and something most fans won’t be able to play. At least make it available as a download if nothing else.
Also, the lack of any ‘68, ‘70, and ‘74 is also disappointing. I also have to wonder if including 1980-81 shows from Alpine Valley in lieu of the exquisite 1989 run means they’re holding back for an eventual box of those shows (Likewise, “69 Fillmore West but still no Boston Ark shows).
This will probably end up being too rich for my blood, but I’d love it if they decide to ever sell these shows ala carte (Unlikely).
I shouldn’t pull the trigger on this, and wonder I’ll ever find time to hear it all.
And yet. I want it.
Took the plunge. This should be epic. I hope there’s a way to download the cassette audio.
how does anyone have the time to listen to all this. some shows i am sure are not that great.
Unfortunately, I cannot spring for the big set, which I find frustrating since I was at the 73 show and have been waiting for an official - and affordable - release. And I suppose the shows won't be individually released. If anyone knows otherwise, let's hear about it
Since the smaller, standalone release from this box is a compilation I’m not sure you’ll get your wish.
Best you can likely hope for is a RSD release of the show but that will almost certainly by vinyl only.
Dave L continues to frustrate the fans again and again.
I already own The Golden Road (12cd's), Beyond Description (12cd's), Europe '72 The Complete Recordings (73cd's), 30 Trips Around The Sun (80cd's) and Listen To The River St. Louis '71 '72 '73 (20cd's). 30 Trips and Listen To... i haven't listened at all yet, Europe '72 maybe 40%. I think i had my share of Grateful Dead in this lifetime.
For a complete non-Deadhead like me, would the 3 CD set seem to represent a reasonable sense of the Grateful Dead, as in a good compilation that should get across their live appeal? If not, what would be a good live set to get that does show them off? I have no desire to drown in one of these deepsea mega-disc excavations but a good show or compilation seems like a necessary thing to hear & have.
It’s a good overview of the band live, touching on most of their repertoire. My gripe with it though is the song sequencings: for example on the first disc, you go from a song from ‘78 to ‘81 to ‘73 to ‘71 to ‘87 to ‘69 to ‘83 to ‘91. That’s some spread! The band’s sound from ‘69 was a lot different from ‘91, both considering the different eras band members and also the technology of live recording. Had this been sequenced in chronological order, different story.
There was a two CD set from 2018 called ‘The Best of the Grateful Dead Live’ which may be more up your alley as a very casual fan. But fair warning: once you get on the bus, you don’t stay casual for long. Either way . . enjoy the ride!
I agree on the sequencing.
Another suggestion for the “Dead-curious” would be 2015’s 30 Trips Around the Sun: The Definitive Story, it has four discs containing one live song from 1966, one from 1967, etc. through to 1995.
Andy & Brian, thank you both for those recommendations.
Start with the official deadcast podcast about Europe 72. Then listen to Dark Star from Wembley Pool and Paris. Followed by live at the Beat Club Bremen. That should do it to stay on the bus.
Where's the Ark Boston ,January 1970?
Ark’ ‘69-‘’70 remains a holy grail for Deadheads and Dave continues to frustrate by not making it happen. Same for Alpine Valley ‘89, and so many other gems.
I would love a release of the full Fillmore East Feb. 1970 run. Much of it was released between Bear’s Choice and Dick’s Picks 4, but it’s woefully incomplete. The 2/11 show, that includes some glorious jamming with Duane and Gregg Allman, has never been released.
The Allmans put out every bit existing tape from the very same nights, sharing the bill with the GD, it’s high (heh) time the GD do the same.
Dave L has his own ideas and, sadly, they don’t often lift with what fans want.
The powers that be at Rhino who pull Dave L.’s strings (I think many of us give Dave L. too much credit in the decision making process of shows for release) want to get the most out of the dwindling Dead catalogue. They’d love to see these vault releases go on for many years to come, along with the $$$ it brings in. The Ark and Alpine ‘89 shows will be released at some point but only on Rhino’s schedule.