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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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catalonia

neshaminy

+2158


Submissions

4
The Music Never Stopped
April 14, 1978
Cassell Coliseum - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Bob blows some lyrics, but the midsection and outro are fluent and soaring. Lot on the list not as good as this one.
2
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 31, 1979
Oakland Auditorium

Excellent rendition with available A video and sound on youtube through music vault.
2
The Music Never Stopped
Oct. 29, 1980
Radio City Music Hall

Honorable mention on the old dead clubhouse page, but not on here. There's a youtube video with great sound. See for yourself.
4
Cassidy
Oct. 16, 1981
Melkweg

A unique sounding Cassidy. Parts of this almost sound like a studio release of a different band playing like the dead.
11
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 20, 1982
Madison Square Garden

MSG Scarlet Fire from the Fall of '82 - great transition.

Comments

Deal
March 28, 1981
Grugahalle

The 2nd solo is the highlight of this one. I think Alpine 89 is a great primarily as a result of its 1st solo - but the 2nd solo is also great, so I can see why that version belongs at or near the top. But I just watched 7/4/89 and I cannot square 2nd place for that with the 4 votes this 1981 version has, given its 2nd solo and the crystal clear video on the youtubes. Even still, I don't think this 1981 version is better than top 20. Democracy has let these and many other early 80s Deals down.
Deal
Sept. 25, 1980
Warfield Theater

Up to this point, Deal had one solo over the chords to the verse. This was the first one with a second solo over the refrain chords. A whole lot of shredding follows.
Deal
July 7, 1981
Kansas City Municipal Auditorium Arena

Shortish but great. The first notes of solo 2 are weirdly spacey - I liked this.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Aug. 3, 1982
Starlight Theatre

Pre rio grandeo is pretty disappointing, but Garcia more than makes up for it after the singing of rio grandeo. That section is loud and confident and it slams into franklins tower at 60 mph.
Franklin's Tower
Aug. 3, 1982
Starlight Theatre

This is fiery.