headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

4
Hard to Handle
Feb. 12, 1970
Ungano's Night Club

Date overshadowed by the next night and ambiguous provenance - but don't skip it. Bobby's high in the mix with rare balance and a great jam.
3
Beat it on Down The Line
Feb. 12, 1970
Ungano's Night Club

Has that blistering surf punk energy that the best early BIODTLs have. Whole show rocks, even if it may not have ever existed.
4
Cold Rain and Snow
Feb. 11, 1970
Fillmore East

Less known than the immortal Feb. 13 show, but every bit as good. They are so dailed in, just exactly perfect.
4
Casey Jones
Feb. 11, 1970
Fillmore East

Exuberent and crisp with pumped up energy... Hmmmm?
9
Turn On Your Love Light
Feb. 8, 1970
Fillmore West

Pig was responsible for a whole lotta new babies after this one. Turns it over and gives the ladies some instruction to go out and get it. Nice.

Comments

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.
Turn On Your Love Light
Jan. 24, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

The stoned moron arhythmically yelling 'whoo whoooo' at the beginning and "Grateful Dead!!! Grateful Dead!!!" towards the end bring me right back to my tour days. ;-)
Dark Star
Jan. 24, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Fans of the Live Dead-era should really know this one. Sonically it shares a lot with the more famous ones of the era, but its flow is just as perfect and the ideas and clear telepathy between Jerry and Bobby throughout is gorgeous. There may be a bit of a tuning or tape-speed wobble in places, but the C.Miller cleanup is pristine.
New Potato Caboose
Aug. 24, 1968
Shrine Auditorium

Jerry's solo can ignite paper at 1000 yards too. I mean Phil gets a lot of deserving love here, but I just gotta add that bit about the guitarist.