50 years ago, the psychedelic-rock band Grateful Dead formed in California. With a loyal fanbase of “Deadheads” following their every move for three decades, the band played well over 2,000 live shows and released more than 20 albums.

Now, in honor of their 50th anniversary, the Grateful Dead are releasing an 80-disc boxed set collection, limited to 6,500 copies, of 30 previously unreleased live shows entitled 30 Trips Around The Sun on September 18th. Including a nearly 200-page book on the band’s history as written by the current director of the Grateful Dead archives in California, the $700 collection features over 73 hours of music and one live show for each year the band was active.  Along with the 80 discs and book is a special 7-inch vinyl single with the A side being the earliest material the band ever recorded and the B side being the last track they ever performed at their final concert in 1995. Also available is a limited 1000 units of a lightning bolt shaped USB drive including all the music featured on the boxed-set for the same price.

In anticipation of the 30 shows featured on 30 Trips Around The Sun, the first four concerts performed on the collection have now been announced:

11/10/67         Shrine Auditorium                 Los Angeles, CA

10/27/79        Cape Cod Coliseum                 South Yarmouth, MA

9/18/87          Madison Square Garden       New York City, NY

10/1/94          Boston Garden                          Boston, MA

Pre-order the Grateful Dead’s special 50th anniversary boxed-set collection, 30 Trips Around The Sun, here.