Press release –
After a long-protracted debate with Universal Music Group – Dream Syndicate announced today that it has earned the right to reissue their sophomore album Medicine Show as a new, 42 song 4-CD box expanded collection featuring 29 unreleased recordings from the bands 1983-84 era via their own Down There label, distributed by Fire Records. A U.S. fall tour entitled The Dream Syndicate Presents Medicine Show was also confirmed.
This expanded deluxe edition CD collection features previously unreleased 1983-84 live recordings, radio sessions, rehearsals, demos and other unreleased from the band’s archive. A stand alone classic original album will also be available on vinyl.
· NOV 1, 2025 BELLINGHAM, WA @ SHAKEDOWN
· NOV 2, 2025 SEATTLE, WA @ TRACTOR TAVERN
· NOV 3, 2025 VANCOUVER, CANADA @ RICKSHAW THEATER
· NOV 4, 2025 PORTLAND, OR @ MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
· NOV 6, 2025 SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ BOTTOM OF THE HILL
· NOV 7, 2025 PIONEERTOWN, CA @ PAPPY AND HARRIETS
· NOV 8, 2025 LOS ANGELES, CA @ ZEBULON / SID THE CAT
· NOV 9, 2025 SAN DIEGO, CA @ SODA BAR
· DEC 9, 2025 HAMDEN, CT @ SPACE BALLROOM
· DEC 10, 2025 BOSTON, MA @ CRYSTAL BALLROOM
· DEC 11, 2025 NEW YORK, NY @ LE POISSON ROUGE
· DEC 12, 2025 PHILADELPHIA, PA @ JOHNNY BRENDA’S
· DEC 13, 2025 WASHINGTON, DC @ UNION STAGE
· DEC 14, 2025 RICHMOND, VA @ RICHMOND MUSIC HALL
“Let’s see—it took 6 months to make and over 30 years to get Medicine Show back in print,” said Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate. “I’d like to think that in both cases it was worth the wait. I can’t wait to get out there and revisit, inhabit and play the whole album on stage every night.”
What this new box set reveals in its unreleased tracks – is that as a live band – between Steve Wynn’s (then) new songs and his animated vocal performances, Karl Precoda’s expanded guitar playing (taking it to outer space), new bassists (Dave Provost, then Mark Walton holding it down (while pumping it up), and Dennis Duck holding it rock steady and the brief, but unique inclusion of Tommy Zvoncheck’s keyboards – The Medicine Show era was the shit! As proof, this set offers for the first time ever, the complete WXRT radio broadcast from the master tape, (the original A&M Live LP was truncated) – plus rehearsal and live tapes of original bassist Kendra Smith – just before she exited the band.
The unreleased tracks are part of the untold story of Medicine Show – early primitive versions of original songs, cover songs that the band mangled into new forms, finding themselves along the way. No longer, can anyone say “you should have heard the original 1982 lineup on stage” – no, if you skipped the band performing 1983-84, you missed out. Shows from CBGB’s, Zaders, Soap Creek – reveal incendiary magic. In addition to the live shows, the remastered studio album (from the original analog tapes), now sounds as Steve recently declared, “as I remember hearing it while we mixed it”
Like many other psychologically complex albums upon their release, Lou’s Berlin, Neil’s On the Beach, Big Star Third, John Lennon’s solo debut Plastic Ono Band, The Who’s Quadrophenia, Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks – it takes a while, sometimes a long while to let it marinate into the psyche of the listener. The Medicine Show has arrived – long overdue.
Reissue producer/band historian Pat Thomas listened to dozens of rare tapes, choosing what needed to be mastered, listening again to the mastered material – trying to make the whole thing blend. It was inspired frustration – moments that were artistically gorgeous and cathartic from the beauty of the music and discovering lost gems.
Frankly, it leaves The Days of Wine & Roses debut album in the dust – and we say that while still declaring that album one of the Top 20 records of the 1980s. This one is on the list as well – sandwiched between Double Nickels On The Dime and Zen Arcade.
Track Listing as follows:
MEDICINE SHOW: I Know What You Like (4 CD Deluxe Edition)
DISC ONE: (REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL ANALOG TAPES)
1. Still Holding On To You
2. Daddy’s Girl
3. Burn
4. Armed With An Empty Gun
5. Bullet With My Name On It
6. The Medicine Show
7. John Coltrane Stereo Blues
8. Merrittville
UNRELEASED BONUS TRACKS
9. John Coltrane Stereo Blues (album outtake)
10. The Medicine Show (solo acoustic)
11. John Coltrane Stereo Blues (live – WMMS June 1983)
DISC TWO:
THIS IS NOT THE NEW DREAM SYNDICATE ALBUM… LIVE!
REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL ANALOG TAPES.
THE COMPLETE WXRT JULY 1984 CHICAGO CONCERT FOR THE FIRST TIME
1. Tell Me When It’s Over
2. Bullet With My Name On It
3. Armed With An Empty Gun
4. The Medicine Show
5. John Coltrane Stereo Blues
6. Burn (previously unreleased)
7. The Days of Wine and Roses (previously unreleased)
UNRELEASED BONUS TRACKS
LIVE – LUND. SWEDEN SEPTEMBER 13, 1984 (WITH MARK)
8. John Coltrane Stereo Blues
LIVE – THE STONE. SAN FRANCISCO NOVEMBER 30,1984 (WITH MARK)
9. Bullet With My Name On It
10. Witness
REHEARSAL JULY 25,1983 (WITH DAVE)
11. Weathered And Torn
DISC THREE:
THE ROAD TO MEDICINE SHOW
ALL RECORDINGS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED.
LIVE – CBGBS (WITH DAVE)
1. Still Holding On To You
2. Armed With An Empty Gun
3. Let It Rain
4. The Medicine Show
5. Bullet With My Name On It
6. John Coltrane Stereo Blues
7. Burn
8. Morning Dew
REHEARSAL WITH KENDRA
9. Burn
REHEARSAL WITH SANDY PEARLMAN
10. John Coltrane Stereo Blues
DISC FOUR:
WHAT IS AND WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE
ALL RECORDINGS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE-
CLUB ZADAR. NEW HOPE. PA (WITH DAVE)
1. Susie Q
2. Evil Ways
3.Don’t Fear The Reaper
4. Bullet With My Name On It
LIVE- SOAP CREEK SALOON AUSTIN. TX FEBRUARY 6,1983
(WITH KENDRA)
5. Still Holding On To You
6. Born On The Bayou
7. Don’t Fear The Reaper
REHEARSAL WITH KENDRA DECEMBER 1982
8. Still Holding On To You
9. Armed With An Empty Gun
LIVE – JAPAN DECEMBER 1984
(WITH MARK)
10. Witness
