headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

20
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
July 1, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Rock-solid China with Jerry twisting and pulling its melodic basis throughout a great solo + great Feeling Groovy trans. into Rider.
16
Me and My Uncle
July 1, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

By far the most snarlingly bad-assed version of 1973. Jer's lines it up and shoots it down, soloing intesely throughout the whole song.
24
Playin' In The Band
July 1, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

25 minutes of nirvana. Absolutely everything a Playin' fan could look for - with that strange summer '73 blissed-out "intense mellow".
13
Dark Star
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Mellow jam leading to a slow simmert, then boils and finally melts down brilliantly into a pristine Eyes. Why isn't this here yet?
3
El Paso
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Cowboy Bob and the Mexican Maiden at high speed rip-roaring tempos. Great bursting energy.

Comments

El Paso
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

Love the slower tempo and swing vibe to it - and the fact that it comes out of a beaut of a Dark Star.
Dark Star
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

To my ears this one drifts a bit before really, deeply coming together somewhere after minute ten or so. Then they rip out its guts, and by 16:30 it's just a beast of a journey. Phil's veto mentioned above is classic turn-on-a-dime Dead for the ages. They weren't hinting that Dew was coming, they'd already started playing it, but I love how they just pick up the hint and go furthur and furthur. Listening again, and I'm pretty sure the exchange with Phil was a negotiation: Into Dew? Nah. YEAH, into Dew. Nope nope nope. How about El Paso? El Paso, gee, why not!
Stella Blue
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

Short version with condensed, purposeful feel to it.
Playin' In The Band
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

The period between Europe and Veneta is worth a study all on its own - so many songs get re-tooled and end up with something new to them. This Playin' condenses so much musical power and innovation into coherent dense material. 15 minutes! Within a couple of months that would seem like an afterthought for Playin', but here you can grok just how far they were preparing to let it go.
Me and My Uncle
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

Even the MAMU on this show stands out and kicks ass. This Berkeley run is, of course, well known for its wall-to-wall highlights. Even so, the high praise is well deserved.