headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49707


Submissions

2
Playin' In The Band
Aug. 26, 1971
Gaelic Park

At risk of putting all '71 up here. Tell me to stop if too much! I just love the twangy country versions, knowing the evolution in store for it.
12
Wharf Rat
Aug. 23, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Extremely powerful. Strong vocals, massive sound, tremendous jam, great mix. Coming off 30 minutes of TOO like a parachute from the ionosphere.
3
Bird Song
Aug. 23, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Intricate zigzagging solo work from Jerry, tight ensemble playing. Doesn't ever "soar" like some of them, but more exploratory and compelling.
3
Casey Jones
Aug. 23, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

They announce the set-break, then decide to blow out the tubes on this one, capping one of the best 1st sets of 1971.
4
Loser
Aug. 23, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Snarling guitar solo and great organ sound in an excellently mixed (Bobby audible always a plus) SBD. The whole first set is sweet heady goodness.

Comments

The Other One
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

The Brubeck comment is great. Funny thing is, it's a straight 6/8 jam that sounds like 7/4, starting around 07:20. Magic in any case. The Cryptical is hardly even present though, so hard to really consider it complete. It was the last time they played it until the '85 experiments. If anything, the odd-angled jazz jam in this TOO emphasizes how far they'd come from the psychedelicore Crypticals of '69 and '70.
Bird Song
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

Bobby master class here. The mix has him nicely audible and it's a fun switch from the era in which he's usually hard to find, but unfortunately the whole sound is over-compressed with a lot of tape wobble. I'd nominate this one to Grandmaster Miller for a re-mastering and clean-up if anyone has his phone number, pretty puhleeze.
Mexicali Blues
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

...and Billy drives the band like a man possessed. More a triple-time march than your usual polka. Good to see this oft-overlooked number here.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Jan. 18, 1978
Stockton Civic Auditorium

Papa bear voice, coupla' years ahead of time. The band is beautiful behind them, and Donna makes a nice Ri-o contribution in a raging outro.
Ramble On Rose
May 5, 1991
Cal Expo

I dig, Crackstraw, I dig.