Grateful Dead - Sunshine Daydream 3CD/BR,DVD

[JKL2000]

For some reason I wasn't that interested in this release when it first came out - I somehow thought it was only a video, and also didn't realize it was a limited edition. All I knew is that the artwork looked like it was pretty nice.

Since I got a BR player recently, I took a closer look at this and realized there was a 3CD/BR edition, and also that it was a limited edition, so I went ahead and ordered a copy.

It just arrived, and upon opening it, I had an Ah-ha! moment, as I realized it was indeed a limited edition with the full Dead.net treatment - I hadn't realized this before! Beautiful, tie-dye pattern, heavy-weight slipcase (maybe 7" x 7"?), with a heavy cardboard "book" type think inside containing the four disks, as well as a 40 page booklet. The cover art on both the "book" holding the disks (it's more like a heavy-weight digibook I guess - the "pages" are thick like a kid's board-book) and the booklet are beautiful. One I'd seen before on the Dead.net site, one I hadn't seen but is just as nice. The edition is limited to 12,500 each of both the DVD and BR editions. There's a vinyl release of just the music too, limited to 5000 copies.

Anyway, I assume this will sell out fairly soon, so I'm really glad I finally "got it" and finally got it! I'm really not familiar with the film or the concert, so I can't even comment on that. I assume outdoorsy, sunshiney, good timey Deadness is in store. $54.98 seems like a decent price for 4 disks and such beautiful packaging. The only potential negative I see is that this is a show with Donna Godchaux - oh well... Just wanted to let folks know about this release in case it was a bit off the radar for you too. Oh, here's a picture of the set, which somehow doesn't do it justice:

[hippypants]

I'd wondered about this one as I'd read a movie review in the Rolling Stone, which rated it pretty highly. I was hoping NF would carry it, but I doubt they will. I wish they just sell the movie separately. Might have to order a copy.

[Grimjack]

One of the best--if not THE best--1972 Dead shows. 2nd best Darkstar ever, fantastic PITB, Birdsong, China->Rider...if you're going to own one official release from the early 70s period, this is the one to get.

[TheNefariousHED]

I picked up #5555 of 12500. The Dead knows my favorite time signature, man.

The BluRay is top rank. Great "making of" docu as well.

[Facelift]

One of the best--if not THE best--1972 Dead shows. 2nd best Darkstar ever, fantastic PITB, Birdsong, China->Rider...if you're going to own one official release from the early 70s period, this is the one to get.

What's your favorite Dark Star?

Mine (that I've heard) is probably 11/08/1969. (DP #16)

[Grimjack]

What's your favorite Dark Star?

Mine (that I've heard) is probably 11/08/1969. (DP #16)

I have to go with 4/8/72 which can be heard on the official release "Steppin' Out" which collects some of their best performances from the UK tour of 72. It is far and away my favorite Dark Star as it has all the psychedelic/exploratory elements that you'd expect from the Dead but its also unusually melodic. The Sunshine Daydream Dark Star can get downright scary at times...its more the King Crimson Dark Star while 4/8/72 is more of a Yes Dark Star (if that makes any sense). I also love 11/8/69 though in general I'm more of a 72-77 Dead fan than their late 60s sound.

[Rael]

This set exceeded my expectations in every way. I didn't think the blu-ray would look nearly as good as it does. I love having the full show on audio HDCD encoded discs as well. I promised myself I was done buying Dead related stuff because I have so many shows I haven't even listened to yet, but I couldn't pass this one up. In fact, I've passed on the two most recent Dave's Picks. I still haven't listened to half of the Europe 72 box set from a few years back!

[Dan Marsh]

This is a great set.

My favorite Dark Star....wow, that would take some thinking!

[N_Singh]

I did not know this is on blu-ray. Very cool. Will order. The thing I love about the Dead is how they can make something simple and transform it into something beautiful and elegant.

I was listening to May 77 and came to the realization that many of their heads--usually diatonic-- often start on the dominant below the tonic and go almost stepwise to the tonic or the third and cascade down again. Which makes sense because the band works the shit out of mixo mode. (dark star, playing in the band).

It just goes to show you--there are only 12 notes. What are you gonna do with them?

[NeonKnight]

Just picked up the CD/DVD version ($36.99) and have a few first impressions.

CD:

Great teaser on the wrapper did the trick for me: The Most Requested Show in Dead History.

So when I saw there was a DVD included I was sold. I love this era of the GD, really at their peak, just after the Europe '72 tour, and without PigPen (bummer). Still this to me is the Dead at their very best, the classic era. Something about them with just BK on drums?

Anyway, first time I ever heard this show, and I can already tell, these are incredible and stellar versions on many songs, perhaps the classic versions of all time for these tunes, which are some of my own favorite Dead songs, covers or not:


Disc 1
1. Introduction [4:01]
2. Promised Land [3:24] Fantastic!
3. Sugaree [7:30]
4. Me And My Uncle [3:16] Superb
5. Deal [4:55]
6. Black-Throated Wind [7:01] Weir is near perfection here.
7. China Cat Sunflower> [7:58] Sublime!
8. I Know You Rider [7:03]
9. Mexicali Blues [3:49] Love it!
10. Bertha [5:59]

Disc 2
1. Playing In The Band [19:57] Outstanding, best ever!
2. He's Gone [9:32] Awesome.
3. Jack Straw [5:06] Supreme!
4. Bird Song [13:17]
5. Greatest Story Ever Told [5:36]

Disc 3
1. Dark Star [31:28]
2. El Paso [5:04] Beyond belief!
3. Sing Me Back Home [10:51]
4. Sugar Magnolia [8:45]
5. Casey Jones [6:25]
6. One More Saturday Night [5:03]

DVD:

Interesting the liner notes point out that the reason this gem of a release has sat in the vault so long is the film was not under their control, and they all felt that the film needed to be included as an essential piece of the legend.

No wonder! My own first GD experience was another 5 years later, but in 1972 I was just entering 8th grade and seeing the crowd I felt a neat sense of deja vu back to some of the best times in my life. The cars, the clothes, the hairstyles, all so frigging cool to see.

Just like the music, the band themselves are just at their peak hot off the European tour, and all their appearances are so iconic. How sweet to see Jerry with all black beard, hair and T-shirt, sporting a plain old Stratocaster, before all the wild custom jobs he was so famous for later on.

And Bobby Weir is just in his element, so young looking and his guitar work is just superb. Phil is Phil, just so perfect and in the pocket all the time. Just such a simple, plain setup, not even a drum riser, like they're in someone's backyard...which they are- Ken Kesey's farm/creamery as a matter of fact. This show was a benefit for the kool aid acid test king, and it sure seemed like there were plenty in the crowd on the famous LSD bus, which actually makes an appearance in the film.

I only own one other Dead DVD, much later on in the 90's, so having a historic performance like this one on film is a near must for a Dead fan like me who reveres their early 70's sound and tunes.

[Rael]

"So when I saw there was a DVD included I was sold. I love this era of the GD, really at their peak, just after the Europe '72 tour, and without PigPen (bummer). Still this to me is the Dead at their very best, the classic era. Something about them with just BK on drums?"

Absolutely. As much as I appreciate Mickey Hart's contributions, I love my Billy solo.

[NeonKnight]

OK, time to stir things up in here with some complaints:

Really only one major complaint: Dark Star blows.

What a waste of time that "tune" is! Boggles the mind how some seem to love that song. Features all the stuff that the Dead are knocked for- especially long, pointless and melody-free jamming-awfulness that is only good for beer breaks at shows, and a skip song when listening at home.

Why the hell does Dark Star even make the DVD? Thirty long boring minutes better skipped, when they could have included up to 5 or 6 of their shorter and far better tunes from the CD.

Yeah, I know the movie is not the same as the entire show, and it may be that the footage/camera work was inferior for the other tunes. Yet there are plenty of awful B-Clips decorating Dark Star, mostly crowd shots of ugly naked male hippies, so bad footage is no excuse.

Alright, I am still thrilled with this release, and realize I am not a "real" Deadhead, because I hate Dark Star...

[JKL2000]

OK, time to stir things up in here with some complaints:

Really only one major complaint: Dark Star blows.

What a waste of time that "tune" is! Boggles the mind how some seem to love that song. Features all the stuff that the Dead are knocked for- especially long, pointless and melody-free jamming-awfulness that is only good for beer breaks at shows, and a skip song when listening at home.

Why the hell does Dark Star even make the DVD? Thirty long boring minutes better skipped, when they could have included up to 5 or 6 of their shorter and far better tunes from the CD.

Yeah, I know the movie is not the same as the entire show, and it may be that the footage/camera work was inferior for the other tunes. Yet there are plenty of awful B-Clips decorating Dark Star, mostly crowd shots of ugly naked male hippies, so bad footage is no excuse.

Alright, I am still thrilled with this release, and realize I am not a "real" Deadhead, because I hate Dark Star...

There's a missing part of you that grows around you like a cage.

[NeonKnight]

There's a missing part of you that grows around you like a cage.

Thanks for noticing.

It's actually more like a "cone". Want to see it?

Here it is on the auto "Dark Star" setting:



Works great protecting fragile ears from excessive noodling.

[arturs]

So how long is the DVD? Does it have most songs and are they complete? I am not a huge Dean fan but I have seen them a few times and enjoy the music. I love vintage 1970s rock DVDs specifically because of the audience and scenery (in addition to the performances of course) so this sounds like it might be cool to get.

[Rael]

So how long is the DVD? Does it have most songs and are they complete? I am not a huge Dean fan but I have seen them a few times and enjoy the music. I love vintage 1970s rock DVDs specifically because of the audience and scenery (in addition to the performances of course) so this sounds like it might be cool to get.

The DVD is about an hour and 45 minutes and it only covers about half the show. I think it's worth it to get both the DVD and the CD bundled as the CD contains the complete show. The DVD is really as much a documentary on the Springfield Creamery as it is a concert video so if you just want straightforward performances, you might be disappointed. However, it does a great job of capturing that day in August 1972. You can practically feel the heat the minute the music starts!

[Dan Marsh]

OK, time to stir things up in here with some complaints:

Really only one major complaint: Dark Star blows.

What a waste of time that "tune" is! Boggles the mind how some seem to love that song. Features all the stuff that the Dead are knocked for- especially long, pointless and melody-free jamming-awfulness that is only good for beer breaks at shows, and a skip song when listening at home.

Why the hell does Dark Star even make the DVD? Thirty long boring minutes better skipped, when they could have included up to 5 or 6 of their shorter and far better tunes from the CD.

Yeah, I know the movie is not the same as the entire show, and it may be that the footage/camera work was inferior for the other tunes. Yet there are plenty of awful B-Clips decorating Dark Star, mostly crowd shots of ugly naked male hippies, so bad footage is no excuse.

Alright, I am still thrilled with this release, and realize I am not a "real" Deadhead, because I hate Dark Star...

Oh it's okay not to like Dark Star (although I don't understand it)......you can still be a deadhead.

But, El Paso vs. Dark Star........um!

[JKL2000]

Watching the film again. Interesting that so far, just a couple of numbers from the end, they've yet to show Keith or Donna Godchaux. Would love to see Keith - his playing sounds great - but I can't stand Donna. Maybe they decided to keep her out so had to do the same with Keith?

[JKL2000]

^^ Oops, they just showed her, second from last number on the BR - Sing Me Back Home.

[GuitarGeek]

I still have to pick this up. I have an old bootleg version of the movie on VHS that I picked up back in the 90's. Interesting to see Jerry playing a stock Stratocaster, as Jerry isn't typically associated with such instruments (the Strat he played on Europe '72 was extensively customized). I always loved the animation that was used during Dark Star, very trippy, cool stuff.

Hopefully, I can hold out on buying this for another couple months, or at least until mid September, by which time I should know whether I'll be able to do the stuff I want to do in October and November or not.

[NeonKnight]

Yeah, I noticed that Strat, not only because of it's stock appearance, but also since I happen to own it's "twin". (Even though it is a mirror version lefty.)

The other thing to notice about Jerry is about 100 missing pounds. I wonder how a guy so well known for possibly being a junkie, managed to balloon up with all that weight? (Rhetorical question of course, the real story is probably more like a roller coaster see-saw battle.)

[WytchCrypt]

I've had the 3cd/DVD jewel case sized set for about a year now and love it...except everytime Donna opens her mouth and starts that awful gospel screeching thing...I cannot believe Jerry and the guys didn't cringe everytime she walked up to the mic. If I had seen the Dead back in those days I would've given the soundboard guy a $20 to mute her mic

[GuitarGeek]

I've had the 3cd/DVD jewel case sized set for about a year now and love it...except everytime Donna opens her mouth and starts that awful gospel screeching thing...I cannot believe Jerry and the guys didn't cringe everytime she walked up to the mic. If I had seen the Dead back in those days I would've given the soundboard guy a $20 to mute her mic

Ya know, I remember way back in the early 90's, listening to college radio and hearing a couple things where I thought she sounded terrible. I remember this guy who did a Dead show on I think the John Carrol University station, played one Dead set where she sang You Ain't Woman Enough. I remember he had to take a air break like every ten or 15 minutes, and one came just after that song, and I guess people had called up the station and complained about Donna's vocals, but what was he gonna do? Fast forward through the song in the middle of the show?!

But apart from that, I've never had a problem with her vocals. I've heard a lot of people talk of how bad her singing was. But I never thought she actually sounded that bad. Yeah, maybe her intonation is a bit off, but not horribly so. She actually had a career as a studio vocalist in either Memphis or Muscle Shoals before she moved to San Francisco, and even sang on some of Elvis' late 60's records, when she was still known as Donna Thatcher.

But then one might ask why Jerry, Bob and Phil didn't seem to have those problems during the same time frame. They're singing off in places on a lot of the late 60's era shows (though whether that's because of bad monitors, the inability to sing properly, or the inability to perform without dropping acid before going onstage, is anybody's guess), but the time Donna was in the band, they had gotten a lot better with singing onstage.

And I've heard a good sampling of Dead shows from throughout the time Donna was in the band (70 and 71 are about the only years I haven't got much from, apart from what's been issued on the official releases and what I taped off the radio back in the late 80's/early 90's), so I'd think if I had heard something was really that diabolical, I'd have heard it by now.

I'll certainly take Donna's singing with the Dead over, oh, let's say Yoko Ono for instance.

[WytchCrypt]

I'll certainly take Donna's singing with the Dead over, oh, let's say Yoko Ono for instance.

To me, they're both tied for last in female vocalists that I've endured. When Donna is singing as part of a 3 voice harmony she can blend well but when she takes off on her own she usually sounds very shrill, screechy, out of key, and out of place with what's going on around her (in other words, her parts don't fit the song), a description that would also fit Yoko. Their basic styles though of course are very different. Where Yoko is coming from an "experimental" place Donna seems to come from a Gospel background - which I can't stand either. I always wondered if the band accepted Donna's vocal challenges because her and Keith were a team...boot Donna and you have to find a new keyboard player

[GuitarGeek]

To me, they're both tied for last in female vocalists that I've endured. When Donna is singing as part of a 3 voice harmony she can blend well but when she takes off on her own she usually sounds very shrill, screechy, out of key, and out of place with what's going on around her (in other words, her parts don't fit the song), a description that would also fit Yoko. Their basic styles though of course are very different. Where Yoko is coming from an "experimental" place Donna seems to come from a Gospel background - which I can't stand either. I always wondered if the band accepted Donna's vocal challenges because her and Keith were a team...boot Donna and you have to find a new keyboard player

I'm not sure what the logic was for having Donna in the band, beyond the obvious nepotistic angle. I think they maybe they were trying to strengthen the band's vocal sound, and they had seen her résumé, so maybe they thought getting Keith's wife in, especially with her background, would save them from having to hunt for someone else.

The thing about the Dead is, I get the impression they didn't like dealing with "unpleasant" things, ya know like firing people. So maybe they kept her in the band, because they wanted "to be nice". Or maybe nobody inside the band was listening to the tapes of the shows enough to say "Wait, what's the deal with Donna?". Or maybe other people were telling them "You guys need 86 Donna", and just out of being contrary (as hippies tend to be) they refused to budge.

The thing is, she got better after awhile. There's versions of Sunrise and From The Heart Of Me from 77 and 78 where she actually sounds much better. Maybe she learned how to sing live better. Or maybe the monitors got better. Who knows?

As far as having to get a new keyboardist if they dropped the hammer on Donna, I think that would not have been a bad idea. Keith does some nice stuff on piano, but the thing is, that's about all he does. He only very rarely played other keyboard instruments other than acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes. On The Grateful Dead Movie DVD (mainly on the bonus tracks on disc two), you can see he's got a synth sitting on top his Rhodes, and I know in 77 he had a Polymoog in place of the Rhodes, but he seems to have only occasionally touched such instruments.

And I think a synth here or there on the early 70's improvisations would have an interesting touch. You can hear a little bit of that on some of the summer 74 shows (specifically on 6/16 and 6/18...to this day, I have no idea if that's Keith or Ned Lagin playing the synth), and I think there's a show from late 73 where some people have speculated there's someone playing a theremin on a couple songs (I doubt it, it sounds more like a keyboard synth with the portamento engaged). And it might have been nice to hear some organ here or there (I'm listening to Dick's Picks Vol. XXVI right now, which has a couple shows from April 69, with Tom Constaten doing some great organ playing during Dark Star).

I personally think what the Dead should have done was draft in Ned Lagin. He had actually been hanging around the band since 1970. That's him playing the saloon piano on the studio version of Candyman, so we know he can play conventional keyboard parts, and he was obviously way more into synths than Keith ever was. I think he would have been the man for the job. But then, maybe Ned wasn't into being in a rock group. And if the band's "front office" people were worried as it was that Ned was dragging Jerry and Phil "off the deep end" in terms of making weird music, actually having Ned as a full time band member probably would have made their heads explode.