Grateful Dead’s Europe ’72 Box Set Sold Out

When last week’s announcement that Rhino would be putting out a $450 limited edition release featuring all of the Grateful Dead’s legendary Europe ’72 tour came down, there was a question as to whether all 7,200 box sets would sell out. Well, not only was every single Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings box set snatched up by deep pocketed Deadheads, but they were all purchased within four days of the announcement.

While the band will keep to its word and won’t manufacture any additional box sets, a note on Dead.net from legacy manager David Lemieux informs fans that a “music-only edition” of the release has been made available for the same price as the box set.

Here’s the full text of Lemieux’s note…

Hey now! Due to overwhelming demand, surprising even those of us with huge faith in the Europe ’72 project, the entire limited edition run of 7,200 boxed sets has sold out in less than 4 days. We thank you beyond words for your support and belief in this unprecedented and wonderful release.

After lengthy discussions, we’ve decided we don’t want to deprive anyone of this music, some of the finest the Grateful Dead ever performed. Of course, we’re keeping to our promise that the boxed set and all of its accouterments will not be made available beyond these 7,200 boxed sets (and wait until you see the case in which the music is housed, the hard-bound coffee-table book, plus all of the other cool surprises we’ve been unearthing!). But, we’re going to offer just the music, all 22 shows, more than 60 CDs, more than 70 hours of music, each show housed in its own packaging, for the same price as the boxed set, $450 including domestic shipping. Although perhaps not as cool as the boxed set, the bottom line is that the most important aspect of Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings is going to be made available to all, the music.

– David Lemieux

[Dead.net]

You can reserve your copy of the music-only edition of Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings through Dead.net. Hopefully the overwhelming response to this release will lead to more full tour box sets as alluded to in the recent Rolling Stone article about the project. Fall ’73 please, gents.

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10 Responses

  1. I’m kinda confused why the music only edition costs the same as the over the top box set? I’m all for releasing whole tours if the cost was reasonable. I don’t need a wooden box with my name spelled in blotter tabs.

  2. My guess would be that they felt it would set a bad precedent to offer the same product for less after they initially told fans the recordings would be limited to 7,200. Not saying I agree, but I believe that might be Rhino/GDP’s thinking.

    I think $450 for the whole tour plus the bells and whistles (ie. the limited-edition box set) is reasonable, especially when comparing the set as 22 shows vs. 1 show for Road Trips releases.

  3. I have bought the box set. However I wish I could have gotten the whole thing on a hard drive or dvd’s in 5.1 mix. It’s ridiculous that in 2011 we need to get our music on now archaic cd’s.

  4. If anyone wants to sell their box set, or knows someone who does, I am more than willing to purchase it from them at a higher price than what they paid for it, so that they can make a nice profit. Please contact me! Thanks! [email protected]

  5. edmund sanchez Says:
    January 24th, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    I’m kinda confused why the music only edition costs the same as the over the top box set? I’m all for releasing whole tours if the cost was reasonable. I don’t need a wooden box with my name spelled in blotter tabs.

    Edmund,
    Simply put, either Rhino raised the price, or just cut out the bonus goods – the case, book, and other trinkets, both ways work. The amount of 7,200 reflects the year 1972. However, I think 72,000 would be a tad too many boxes to sell. But you never know, all may have been sold by April 1, or whenever the cut off date was.
    I really didn’t care for the personalization aspect, although the numbering alone would have been fine.
    I am dismayed that Rhino allowed more that one unit per buyer. Hello, scalpers – those who would by a box set and re-sell it at a much higher price on an auction site such as ebay..

  6. I’m sorry, also, that the music-only version is the same price as the ‘boxed set’. I’d gladly pay that for full blown set, but won’t drop that kind of cash for CD-only. What a rip …. “we used to play for silver … now we play for laughs” Guess its back to silver ….

  7. I’m in! Just ordered my set. Glad I jumped on the prereserve when I did. You know that the music is going to be widely available as soon as this thing hits people’s mailboxes…So selling the music only version for $450 is inane. They are basically challenging people to steal the tunes from download sites.

    I was really on the fence about the personalization…It obviously negates the value of the set at resale, but since I plan on passing it on to my deadhead kids in my will (at 2 and 4, they already say that Jerry is their favorite singer) personalizing it will be really fun. If I had any intention of flipping it, no way I’d personalize it, but that is obviously why they have it, to try to limit the secondary market and scalpers.

    Don;t know what the personalization should read, though. Thoughts?

  8. a limited edition will be worth the price ,music only not so sure,in time all the shows will be out there the old fashion way/trading!so called limited ediions already on e bay but i have ordered and recived what i believe to be one from the dead but they were released with no numbers,i have been told that numbers are being sent out after im sure many complaints,i called right after getting mine questioning the fact why they were not numbered/after sight ?who noes

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