The Grateful Dead to share previously unreleased 1973 concerts in new boxset

The Grateful Dead are set to share a series of previously unreleased concerts from 1973 in a new limited-edition boxset.

Named Here Comes Sunshine 1973, the boxset will be comprised of 17 CDs, and feature audio from the group’s shows in San Francisco, Santa Barbara and two shows in Washington D.C.

The concerts took place between May 13 and June 10, and remained unreleased up until now.

Discussing the upcoming release, legacy manager David Lemieux described why the year was so important in the band’s career: “In my early tape-trading days, I only had a few 1973 shows, but my goodness, did I ever love them. There was a fresh, nimble feel that was entirely different from the 1972 Dead sound taking all of the great elements of the Year of Europe and building upon that excellence.”

He continued: “Even with hundreds of tapes at my fingertips, I returned to these 1973 shows frequently. That old saying, ‘I listened to that show so often, I wore the tape out?’ It was created because of shows like this.”

‘Looks Like Rain’, ‘Loser’ and China Cat Sunflower’ are among the songs featured on each tracklist, as well as ‘Bertha’, ‘Mexicali Blues’, ‘Tennessee Jed’ and ‘Wharf Rat’.

The release also features live performances of songs taken from ‘Wake Of The Flood’, which would be officially released the following year. The boxset, which will cost $190 (£151), will be limited to 10,000 copies. This, as well as digital versions of the release will be available on The Grateful Dead’s website.

Each of the physical copious will feature vibrant, graphic artwork designed by Masaki Koike, liner notes contributed by Ray Robertson and an illustration poster created by Mary Ann Mayer. Additionally, each of the five live shows included will come in their own custom-designed segments.

In addition to Here Comes Sunshine 1973, the band are also set to release a 4 CD, 8 LP set of their performance at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. — the performance of ‘Ramble On Rose’, taken from the show, will also be released as a digital single.

Last month, The Grateful Dead became the latest band to join TikTok. According to press, the account will “serve as an outlet to celebrate the decades of music, generations of community, and endless array of creativity that has woven the band and its fans into every new era of the world’s counterculture and consciousness.”

The band’s first video on the platform was a 30-second compilation of archival concert footage, artwork, interviews and more from the late ’60s to their final shows in 1995.

Elsewhere, the band also made headlines once again as one of their 1970s hits was covered by folk legend, Bob Dylan. The singer-songwriter performed a live rendition of the band’s 1970 hit ‘Truckin’ while on tour in Japan. It marked the first time that Dylan had played the song live.

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