headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+47945


Submissions

2
Playin' In The Band
Oct. 24, 1972
Performing Arts Center

hard to believe this big beast hasn't been tagged yet: Experimental, interesting, and at 23min, a nice long ride.
2
Box of Rain
Oct. 24, 1972
Performing Arts Center

Only the 2nd one they played after it went into circulation, and it conveys all the emotion and poetry of this wonderful song. Sing something Phil!
1
Brokedown Palace
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

For a song notoriously difficult to pull off live, this one is just beautiful. Succinct, harmonious, deliberate: All good, in spite of AUD quality.
2
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Great transition into Rider here. Really strong '72 ensemble playing. Sound quality is only about a B though.
1
Black Throated Wind
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Solid heady version with a great build-up. Sound is only B quality though.

Comments

Cryptical Envelopment
Jan. 26, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

All about the reprise. This one cooks.
Caution
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Powerful doesn't begin to describe it. This is the Dangerous Dead, though pretty short for the era. This is the era when the Avalon would hold them to one-hour sets and the night before they cut off the electricity, so perhaps they were reigning it in.
Alligator
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Starts a little unfocused, but comes out of the drum solo and transitions into Caution with blow-your-hair-back force.
Cosmic Charlie
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

One of the best I know: They're having a blast. The growling grinding combination of Jerry and the keys (Pigpen? TC? both?) gives it an energetic tight swinging sound during the verses, and an unexpected almost punk-rock blown-amp sounding bridge to the "calling you" section. Cosmic Charlie is so legendary and mythic: People held banners at shows with the number of days past since it was last performed and annual set-lists would say Cosmic Charlie: 0 with a sad-face next to it. Hear it here in a uniquely tight and fun version.
Dark Star
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

TC is too high in the mix, but so what? In most recordings of the era it's almost impossible to hear any indication of what he brought, so this is an interesting document if nothing else. It's also musically a whirligig of fun, even if a bit scattered in places. Deduct points for the mix if you must.