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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

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Submissions

10
Black Throated Wind
Dec. 6, 1973
Public Hall

Perfectly executed arc of mounting emotions in this great version. The band is so tight throughout this show.
16
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 1, 1973
Music Hall

Righteous beauty from probably the most seriously overlooked show from '73 (surrounded by the big beasts in Boston) inside a Playin' just soooo good.
14
Playin' In The Band
Dec. 1, 1973
Music Hall

Outrageous oversight that this crystal clear beauty isn't here. Bobby's vocals, brilliant ensemble playing, glorious UJB in the sandwich. DIG IT!!!
8
They Love Each Other
Dec. 1, 1973
Music Hall

Great version, yeah its Boston '73. But probably the best Stage Banter ever: Check out 09:49 explaining why they aren't going to play St. Stephen.
5
Loser
Nov. 23, 1973
County Coliseum

Nov. '73 and there isn't a bad show in it. This Loser has something special in its tightness and the tempo (doesn't drag). Damn they were good.

Comments

Truckin'
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

I always say, if you want to know how well the boys were feeling it on any given night, listen to the Truckin'. Is it phoned in? It will show up. Is it a super-charged and diesel fueled cozmik 18-wheeler? It'll let you know. This one, safe to say is in the super-charged category, and needs more love here.
Playin' In The Band
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Oh hell yessssssssss. This one has the beautiful 'hot mellow' sound that really comes into play later on, around spring-summer '73. It's somehow lightning quick, wild, and reckless, but still constantly in the pocket, laid back just behind the beat. I think it's driven by a Phil/Billy unity with washes of sound from Keith allowing our guitar boys to dig in deep. Beautiful Miller mix helps hear everyone perfectly. Perfect ensemble jamming here.
Bird Song
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

CuddlyBear: Damn close, if not the best week ever. There are a couple of weeks like this that I can think of: Late Feb. '73, last week Nov - first Dec. '73 again, first week of Dec. '71, May '70 (ooooh mercy), June '74 and of course we can all argue about certain parts of '77. I'm not so up on my 80s Dead, but I bet somebody can point out these wonderous peaks of perfection. I won't try to rank them, but every once in a while they just nailed everything perfectly song after song, show after show. This Birdsong here is why I listen to the Dead, over and over and over again.
Greatest Story Ever Told
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

As powerful and driven as any. This one cooks.
Weather Report Suite
May 19, 1974
Portland Memorial Coliseum

The keyboard work is sublime, Bob's vox is in perfect form (even if he flubs a verse, but so what), and Donna Jean was having her arguably best show of '74 if not the whole WoS era. Also, the pace is mellower which allows for fully realized musical ideas in a brilliant excursus through LIG's transitive orbit through the seasons' change, and there's even a moment's Slipknot tease at 10:34. There you have it: Peak Dead.