Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7 1989 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (3CD/1DVD) [Box set]

Grateful Dead | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 20, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Grateful Dead / Wea
• ASIN: B0037RBVH4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,527 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #34 in Music > Box Sets
  • #54 in Music > Classic Rock > Psychedelic Rock

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Hell In A Bucket [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

2. Iko Iko [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

3. Little Red Rooster [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

4. Ramble On Rose [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

5. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, (CD)

See all 8 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Box of Rain [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

2. Scarlet Begonias [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

3. Fire On The Mountain [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

4. Estimated Prophet [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

5. Standing On The Moon [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

See all 6 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Space [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

2. The Other One [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

3. Wharf Rat [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

4. Turn On Your Lovelight [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

5. Knockin' On Heaven's Door [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (CD)

Disc: 4

1. Hell In A Bucket [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (DVD)

2. Iko Iko [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (DVD)

3. Little Red Rooster [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (DVD)

4. Ramble On Rose [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] (DVD)

5. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, (DVD)

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

The Grateful Dead were enjoying a late-career renaissance in 1989 when the band steamed into Philadelphia on one of the hottest days of the summer to play the last concert ever at John F. Kennedy Stadium. The July 7 show in the City of Brotherly Love highlights the band's exuberant resurgence, a peak that rivals any that came before it.

Rhino salutes life, liberty, and the pursuit of 'hippieness' with a collection that includes every note from this epic show on three CD's and one DVD.
The DVD captures the entire concert, shot from an amazing multi-camera perspective by the same crew that shot the legendary 'Truckin' Up To Buffalo' DVD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lovely View of Heaven, April 21, 2010

By 

Richard Sage - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7 1989 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (3CD/1DVD) (Audio CD)

Crimson, White, and Indigo is an absolute must for Deadheads everywhere, with the DVD portion being the real selling point. Right off the top, you'll be impressed with the video quality considering the 1989 source. Obviously it's not hi-def, but looks great nonetheless. More importantly, the sound is tremendous. They've mastered the 5:1 in such a manner that it will shake your foundation (of your inner being and/or your house) if you've got the system that will allow such a thing. It takes a few songs for the bass guitar to kick into maximum bomb-dropping status, but the experienced Head knows it takes a tune or two to rope in the Dead's PA sound. Most substantive is the smile on Jerry Garcia's face from the onset and throughout the concert. He's beaming, and his non-verbal interaction with Brent Mydland is nothing short of priceless.
This DVD document is a referendum on the fact that 1989 was a very strong year for the Dead musically. Although the performance isn't perfect, therein lies the beauty. It sparkles with wayward abandon. They are all in good voice, very good in fact, and the harmonies are equal parts interesting and scintillating. Phil Lesh's lead vocal on Box of Rain is one of his better treatments of this masterpiece. Brent's soul-bearing rendition of Blow Away is memorable to say the least. From the opening lyric of Hell in Bucket, Bob Weir is in true Bobby form in a good way, energetic and on key. Jerry's voice has rarely sounded better...soft, strong, sweet, and true. His guitar work is unequivocally inspired--simultaneously experimental, authoritative, and precise.
Whether you're a true Deadhead or a newbie, this DVD replicates THE experience as well as anything out there. You can almost smell the scents of patchouli, sweat, and various types of funny cigarettes. If you loved Truckin' Up To Buffalo (this happens to be the next gig on that summer tour), you'll love this. If you didn't, forget it.
Crimson, White, and Indigo isn't for everyone, but it's EVERYTHING to those who appreciate this particular vintage of Grateful Dead elixir. Enjoy!

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standing On the Moon, April 20, 2010

By 

Dark Star-The Other One (The Bus To Never Ever Land) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7 1989 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (3CD/1DVD) (Audio CD)

Far be it to disagree with the other reviewer here who gave this 2 stars but this IS actually a strong show. The opening Hell In A Bucket packs a punch even if a bit uneven while the following Iko Iko can get even the most jaded Deadhead up and dancing. Little Red Rooster is, well, Little Red Rooster. Ramble On Rose is a romp. Stuck Inside Of Mobile didn't last that long in the regular rotation so it's kind of a rarity. Loser rocks hard and Let It Grow is nicely jammed out. Blow Away has already been released as a bonus song on Built to Last.

The second set opens with a good Box Of Rain followed by a nice Scarlet->Fire that has a meaty jam in it. Estimated->Standing On The Moon is a nice change from the Estimated->Eyes that we usually were offered up at the time. The Drums->Space is one of those early midi versions with Jerry switching guitars. The Other One is quite strong and Wharf Rat is above adverage. To close the second set, we get a nice Boblight which a cool Knocking On Heaven's Door. While I may like the show before slightly better Truckin' Up to Buffalo: July 4, 1989, this is hardly a bad show plus you get both the cds and dvd in the same set instead of having to buy them separately. The DVD features a 5.1 surround sound mix and the video is pretty good quality too.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crimson, White & Indigo . . . and Green, April 22, 2010

By 

D. A. Rich (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7 1989 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (3CD/1DVD) (Audio CD)

You've got to hand it to the Dead - twenty-one (21) years after they recorded their last studio album in 1989, with the prophetic title "Built To Last" - and they are still cranking out soundboard releases of their live shows. By my count, since Jerry passed in 1995, the Dead have released over seventy live sets (spanning over 250 discs) between their "Vault" series, "Dick's Picks" series, "View From the Vault" series, "Road Trips" series and "Download" series. This does not include the re-releases of their pre-existing catalogue, each of which contains additional live material. There may well come a time when every single Dead show (save for some mid 1960s, post Warlocks, performances and mid-1980s shows poorly recorded on cassette tape) may be available commercially.

Back in the day, Dead Heads were permitted - indeed encouraged - to freely tape the live shows. Cassette tapes of these recordings were circulated amongst Dead Heads. After the demise of the Grateful Dead - i.e., the Dead with "Grateful" and with Jerry at the helm - the Dead made free live shows available on the Net, and sold compact discs of two-track soundboard recordings via their website (operated by friendly in-house members of the Dead family) and multi-track soundboard recordings via their website and through retail vendors. Several years ago, after some internal bickering amongst the remaining band members, all that changed. The Dead pulled the free downloads (at least those they were affiliated with) off the Net and disbanded their in-house merchandising and sales operation. Instead, the merchandising and sales of Dead merchandise was farmed out to Rhino or to another third party vendor. While the quality of the product has remained terrific - David Lemieux and his staff have done a terrific job restoring and re-mastering old tapes (the shows have never sounded this good), and at least with most of the multi-track recordings, delivering nice packaging - the new merchandising and sales arm has gouged Dead Heads with inflated pricing and offered horrendous customer service. As a result, Dead Heads have looked elsewhere - like Amazon - to purchase Dead product.

So what about Crimson, White & Indigo? Well it delivers what Dead Heads want - a complete show - and included in the set, as opposed to a separate package, a DVD of the entire performance. The show in question is the July 7, 1989 John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia show (in the four years following their hit single "Touch of Grey," the Dead's following grew enormously and they did more stadium shows). And - at least for a post 1977 show -- what a fine show it is! The DVD is a joy to watch. It offers great clarity, nice close-ups of the band members performing (you can see the leads Jerry is playing and the sweat pouring off his arms). Moreover, the band members -- especially Jerry and Brent, both of whom shine in this performance -- seem to really be into the performance. Jerry's vocals, for a 1980s performance, are really good, and his guitar playing is terrific. Jerry and Brent seem really connected, and it's a great Brent show.

Starting with the first set, the band is in a groove. Getting to see Jerry (on slide and lead guitar), Bob (slide guitar) and Brent (keyboards) exchange leads on Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster" is almost worth the price of admission in and of itself. The first set also includes strong performances of (the rarely played) "Iko Iko," "Ramble On Rose," "Loser," and "Blow Away," in which Brent adds a blues/soul component to the band that Pig Pen had offered years before.

The second set is as solid set with fine ensemble playing. While not extraordinary, the set features solid performances of "Scarlet-Fire," "Standing on The Moon" (like "Blow Away," from 1989's Built To Last album), "The Other One, "Wharf Rat," "Lovelight" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." The transition from the drums-space segment into "The Other One" is quite smooth. The lead work of Phil (yes, Phil plays lead bass), Jerry and Brent is excellent throughout.

What about the sound? The sound quality on the DVD is quite good, although the DVD's stereo mix (I have not heard the surround sound mix) is rather weak at points, and the vocals are sometimes lost in the mix (Phil's vocals on "Box of Rain" are completely buried). This is not a problem with the CDs, however, which sound terrific, at least on my HDCD player.

The artwork on the packaging is very, very tasteful.

In conclusion this is a fine set, and makes a nice companion to the 2005 release Truckin To Buffalo, which contained the show just previous to this one -- the complete July 4, 1989 Rich Stadium, Buffalo show -- on a 2-CD set and a separate DVD set (I haven't listened to those CDs in some time, nor viewed that DVD, so I cannot render any comparisons, but can note that the set list in completely different; there are no repeated songs). While personally, I prefer Dead shows from 1969-74 and from 1977-78, respectively, this set makes a convincing case that 1989 was a pretty strong year for the Dead.

A final word about the cost of this set. By way of comparison, Paul McCartney - whose music Jerry admired -- released a 3-CD, 1-DVD set of his 2009 Shea Stadium, New York performances (more than 50% of which consists of live versions of Beatles songs) last year, which sold for about $15.00. This set, also a 3-CD and 1-DVD set, is currently twice that amount, and another $10 more if you buy it from the Dead's own web site. Why?

CORRECTION: The 2009 McCartney set is a 2-CD, 1-DVD set.