Grateful Dead's Spring 1990 Tour Showcased in Expansive Limited-Edition Box Set

Rhino/Dead.netA limited-edition 18-disc box set documenting The Grateful Dead's spring 1990 North American tour will be released on September 1.

Spring 1990 will feature audio from six complete concerts that the band played during the three-week trek, which took place from mid March to early April of that year. Only 9,000 copies of the package will be sold, each one numbered, and the set is available now for pre-order at Dead.net for $199.98.

In addition to the 18 CDs, the set will feature a hardcover book with photos and essays, as well as collectibles such as a 1990 Dead promotional photo, a tour laminate and program, and replica ticket stubs and backstage passes.

Spring 1990 offers renditions of more than 80 individual songs, including a rare performance of "Black-Throated Wind" and covers of The Band's "The Weight," The Beatles' "Hey Jude" and The Rolling Stones' "The Last Time."

"In the spring of '90 we were hot," says Bob Weir about the band's performances at the time. "Everybody was on fire. For my money this was our hottest era."

Speaking about compiling the set, Dead archivist David Lemieux declares, "The music is so good every night that it could very well be six completely different shows and still be as strong a box…The hope is to eventually do a part two."

Meanwhile, a two-CD collection called Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It featuring highlights from the box set will be released on September 18.