headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

4
Bird Song
Feb. 24, 1971
Capitol Theater

Super loose in the joints and fun. They seem to be searching for the '71 sound throughout the run here but I like this one.
1
Sugar Magnolia
Feb. 23, 1971
Capitol Theater

High powered and super charged. The last third of the first set is a real killer.
12
Wharf Rat
Feb. 21, 1971
Capitol Theater

Not the best show, but the best Rat of this run. 4th ever, but the first one to stretch out and become its full self.
6
Playin' In The Band
Feb. 21, 1971
Capitol Theater

Want to be present at its birth? The infant Bacchus emerges. I love this song. This is the 1st time they nail it.
7
The Other One
Feb. 20, 1971
Capitol Theater

Passes through many phases, always exploring new riffs and hinting at further jams without ever losing its essential feeling and sound. Great stuff.
show more submissions

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Agreed that this is a beaut. This one goes through several phases, with the noted jam at around 10:00 and then another transition into a more biting/buzzsaw tone around 15:00. It holds at a simmer rather than a boil, however so if you're looking for mad freaky weirdness then this won't necessarily scratch every itch.
They Love Each Other
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

This signals exactly where they've been and where they're going. The transition year behind them, '77 coming on strong... a great and historically relevant version. Could be much higher, but probably sits between the '73 and the '77 fans' choices.
Bertha
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Best one of the year: Deliberate, tight and right. Compare this to the weirdly accidental previous one they played on 15 October (the only clunker in that otherwise world-shatteringly brilliant show) and this makes me think they'd been thinking about bringing Bertha back into rotation, rehearsed it, nailed it, and brought it back in with diesel.
Comes A Time
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

The transition out of this is so good it transforms the Franklin's that comes after it into an almost entirely different song. Strong performance and great show. Check out around 08:00: They go into a 12/8 meter riff that may be unique in the oeuvre. In any case this may be my top choice Comes A Time of all time.
The Other One
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Both a musically tight, breakneck roller-coaster and a psychedelicore madhouse filled with twists and turns a jump-out-at you moments of mind melting gooeyness. Around 08:35 they sound like they're going into a totally new jam, but it gets whisked away like so many hallucinations. Brilliant suite and one of the best of the few TOO of the year.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)