headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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NJFunk

George Matters

+511


Submissions

2
Let It Grow
April 11, 1982
Nassau Coliseum

End jam goes on and on - 13 min version!
8
Morning Dew
Aug. 27, 1972
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds

Sure it's only a tease that's aborted for El Paso, but it's Veneta, so it has to be the best!
3
Just A Little Light
Oct. 15, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

High energy. Part of a very underrated show.
2
Space
Oct. 15, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Melodic and intense, by far my favorite space melts into Stella. Very underrated show.
3
Stella Blue
Oct. 15, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Highlight of an underrated show.
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Comments

Eyes Of The World
March 29, 1990
Nassau Coliseum

It's pretty clearly the standout version of the Brent era, and if that's your thing, then it's probably #1 for you, but the 70s versions are so universally stronger than the 80s-90s versions in general that it's not surprising that one of those takes the top spot. 8/13/75 is my personal favorite.
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
June 10, 1973
RFK Stadium

This is clearly light years better than any of the 90's versions, but it's not really fair to even have them in the same list given the circumstances of this performance.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Oct. 21, 1983
Worcester Centrum

This was on Sirius this morning right after TIGDH. It really made my commute a pleasure. Great Fire.
Promised Land
Dec. 26, 1979
Oakland Auditorium

"No energy" is a really unfair characterization. Promised Land was a rockin' good time almost every time. In the sense of evaluating recordings in retrospect, it was kind of a throw away in terms of what to choose to listen to now because almost all of them are pretty much the same and there is little improvisation or spontaneity, but that's different than "no energy".
Maybe You Know
April 21, 1986
Berkeley Community Theater

I agree with Catalonia on this. There really are no good versions of this song, but I prefer the sloppy in-the-moment emotion/improvisation of this to the (uptempo) throw away versions of 83 (if I really HAD to choose...).
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