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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+47940


Submissions

2
El Paso
Sept. 30, 1976
Mershon Auditorium, OSU

Phil rips this one wide open with a brilliant countersolo to Jerry's brilliancies and whirlygigs. Strong version here.
3
Johnny B. Goode
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

I think they encored JBG whenever they knew they'd absolutely nailed it. It's like comedians telling "The Aristocrats". Musicians can just tell....
9
Dancin' in the Streets
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

How on earth is this not up yet? It really kicks off the Fall '76 retooling of Dancin' with style. Brilliant, tight, and part of an enormous 2nd set.
6
New Minglewood Blues
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

This one and the 07.18.76 versions are both so goddamned good. Jerry is a tsunami behind snarlin' Bobby. So gritty, so good.
2
Samson and Delilah
Sept. 27, 1976
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Stunning. Chronically underrated song in a chronically underrated year: Listen to Jerry blaze through this like a man with 100 fingers.
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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.
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