This was supposed to be a Seaside Chat, but sometimes the winter weather gets in the way. With the wind, rain, and waves, you might have heard nothing on the video, and this is too important to have drowned out by Mother Nature...
We're thrilled to announce that we've just locked in Dave's Picks Vol. 34, the second release in the Dave's Picks series of 2020, and it's a mighty powerful show: the complete performance from June 23, 1974, at Miami's Jai-Alai Fronton. This show is a bona fide classic, one that many of us have known for decades, but have never heard in its entirety sounding quite like this. You might know about the "Dark Star>Spanish Jam>U.S. Blues," and also the only "Let It Rock" the Dead ever performed, but this show is so full of treasures that it's hard to pick just a few to highlight here....but we'll try. The first set is filled with exceptional renditions of some major Dead classics, from the show-opening "Ramble On Rose" to the "Black-Throated Wind," "Mississippi Half-Step," and "Cumberland Blues" of the middle of the first set, to the spectacular first set closer of what might be the best Dead performance of "To Lay Me Down" into an equally terrific "Weather Report Suite." While the second set centers around the aforementioned "Dark Star" sequence, the rest of the set is up there with the best of 1974, including the unique set-opener of "Jam>Ship Of Fools," a beautiful "Black Peter," and another Workingman's Dead classic, "Uncle John's Band," among much other great music. And the cherry on top? Dave's Picks Vol. 34 includes the first ever live performance of Phil Lesh and Ned Lagin's Seastones interlude. This one is loud, deep, dark, dynamic, and fresh.
And did someone say something about a bonus disc? As packed with great music and quintessential 1974 jams as 6/23/74 is, there are a few key 1974 tracks that were absent in the setlist that night. However, they WERE played the previous night at the same venue, and we're very happy to include nearly 80 minutes of music from 6/22/74 as the 2020 Dave's Picks Bonus Disc, including "China>Rider," "Eyes Of The World," "Wharf Rat," and a 30 minute (!) "Playing In The Band," amongst other greatness. The only way to get the Bonus Disc is to subscribe, and this is one you're not going to want to miss. It's THAT good!
With the Dave's Picks selling out quickly when they go on sale four times a year, we hope you'll get on board with a subscription to ensure you don't miss out on any great releases we have planned for the series in 2020. - David Lemieux
