headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

foid2001

thankyoumaskman

+26


Submissions

Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 17, 1977
Memorial Coliseum

Like this a lot. This Scarlet has a little faster tempo than most. Pre wind and willows solo starts very tentatively, then very nice lyrical if gentle playing by Keith and Jerry, with Phil burbling nicely underneath. Jerry hits a few abrupt chords near the end of the solo, a precursor of what is to come during Fire, and the rest of the solo is less stellar. The transition is again mostly gentle, including Donna’s vocals and the drummers, feeling measured and thoughtful, really nice from all parties. Then suddenly it’s Fire, starting in the same vein, until Jerry gets pretty caught up slapping out the duck sounds. This doesn’t fully resolve for a little while, even as he sings the first verse. For me, this really slows the momentum. Like the transition, the tempo of this Fire stays mostly a little slower, and once the duck sounds are finished, this settle in nicely again feeling like a thoughtful exploration by all. Builds to a nice finish with the band sounding wonderfully connected. Lots to like.
Terrapin Station
May 7, 1977
Boston Garden

This is note perfect in a studio version way. Vocals are perfect, every note is right. As noted elsewhere, this is a highly structured piece that doesn’t allow for a lot of variation. If you want a pristine version (not always what we want), this is a great one.
Dark Star
Sept. 27, 1972
Stanley Theatre

Wow, do I love this Dark Star. Big kudos to Billy, his drumming throughout gives structure to some very contemplative explorations by the others. Two very different exhilarating moments stand out for me. First, the first and only verse manifests from a perfect silence, as though a journey had been completed. Second, the transition to Cumberland is just the opposite, a joyous new direction being tumbled upon first by Phil, with the others all quickly picking it up. Fantastic!
Aiko Aiko
Sept. 14, 1982
University of Virginia

Nice, relaxed groove, good one to play for those not into the Dead or for the aficionado.
The Eleven
Oct. 12, 1968
Avalon Ballroom

This is the playing that inspires the non-audio descriptions like “liquid notes” and vividly evokes the psychedelic light shows so associated with this time. The band is simultaneously soaring and locked in, just fantastic.