headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49692


Submissions

10
Deep Elem Blues
May 1, 1970
Alfred College

Sweet opener. This is about where in the year the immortal Country Dead takes off: 6 hour shows, three sets, NRPS, what a time. This one's a beauty.
4
St. Stephen
April 24, 1970
Mammoth Gardens

The last DS>SS>11 ever, and doesn't disappoint. Sounds like they still had TC's celeste, even tho he'd already left. Perfect cannon shot, tight jam.
4
Friend of the Devil
April 24, 1970
Mammoth Gardens

Deep levels of intimacy on the AUDs here, and Jer's voice and playing are just spectacular. Brilliant fresh playing from a historic transitional era.
2
Turn On Your Love Light
April 11, 1970
Fillmore West

Incomplete show, but a perfect artifact preserves the LL in all its sweaty greasy glory. Pig's on form, the band is in swampfunk mode. All good here.
2
Turn On Your Love Light
April 9, 1970
Fillmore West

Pig asks some couple to "do something nasty" and to come up on stage, then the band almost soulds like they're starting Purple Haze. Wild times.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Aug. 20, 1972
San Jose Civic Auditorium

Merryjerry is spot-on right. Musically, this show is the goods: And given it's place in the timeline, how could it be otherwise? Thanks now and forever go to Charlie Miller (WE ARE NOT WORTHY!!!) for giving us as good as we've got, but yeah... this show begins "completist only" but only for a song or two. Sometimes an unbalanced mix leads to fun results: check out Jerry's clear-as-a-bell harmonic accent at 2:15. Cool stuff.
The Wheel
Dec. 5, 1981
Market Square Arena

Forgotten just how insane the space is before this and how perfect The Wheel could be. For all my love of the early '70s, the '80s was in fact my era for going to shows and hitting the west coast tours - and when they were on, man, they were sooooooo on. Dreamish intro... yeah sure, but it's more like a dreamish re-entry from spacetime dilation and heavy heavy work. This is one of those times where it felt like the band didn't want to drop off too many heads in deep space without a gentle ride back into this sphere.
The Other One
Aug. 12, 1972
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

Very creative and semi-melted down jam into Peter. Nice rare sandwich. A bit dark, and, I imagine with Pigpen out, quite an emotional time for the band.
Stella Blue
Aug. 12, 1972
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

Agreed. One of the hidden gems of the year for this song.
Playin' In The Band
Aug. 12, 1972
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

Keith is a little too high in the mix, over-saturating at points, but the overall effect is just fine. A great jam, and particularly interesting as it marks (to my ears) the first real indication of some new sounds and ideas that inform the Playin's of the era. This one just doesn't sound like Europe anymore, and it's on its way to the outrageousness we know and love from the 2nd half of '72. For those who think that Veneta is the apotheosis of Playin', (I don't, but it's pretty goddamned good, obviously) check this one out as one of its immediate predecessors.