headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

15
Greatest Story Ever Told
Feb. 23, 1974
Winterland Arena

Electrifying and high-power jams, with some of the weirdest sounds Donna ever made. Great fun and a wild ride.
10
Beat it on Down The Line
March 18, 1967
Winterland Arena

Surf Punk! Never thought I'd hear California surfer thrash so clearly in the Dead, but here it is: Bobby as primordial punk rocker? Why not?
7
Morning Dew
March 18, 1967
Winterland Arena

Are you kidding me? This is just blazingly good. Jerry's on fire, vocals and axe. Too good for words.
5
Row Jimmy
Feb. 22, 1974
Winterland Arena

Solid and sweet, with some beautiful slide solos and nice vocals, Donna included.
8
Black Throated Wind
Feb. 22, 1974
Winterland Arena

A powerful triumph, just exploding with intense jamming and emotion. Real dynamite here.

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.