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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

4
Greatest Story Ever Told
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Bob's lyric phrasing on this version is unique. He sings it in a way so different than any I've heard before & it's inventive & super-fun. Must hear!
7
Greatest Story Ever Told
March 14, 1981
Hartford Civic Center

Best of the 80's or 90's, hands down. Picture perfect rendition: Vocals, jam fills, & finish.
6
The Other One
April 16, 1984
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Short but raging. Look beyond the length & enjoy for the fire within. Jerry attacks this from the get-go & it's awesome.
2
Truckin'
Dec. 12, 1993
San Diego Sports Arena

Anybody else hear a very distinctive riff of Steely Dan's "Black Friday" in the intro?
5
Sugar Magnolia
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Just listen & you will believe. End jam before SSDD is a tidal wave of sound & power & beauty. A true must hear.

Comments

Box of Rain
March 20, 1986
Hampton Coliseum

^^^^You captured the feel of that moment perfectly. I'm so glad you made it! I had a similar experience in that I had agreed to drive the half day it took to get to VA. from New Orleans w/a couple who were attending & wanted a third to split gas money with. They argued and fought the entire way plus it was like monsoon rain the whole time & white knuckle driving conditions & I wondered what the hell I was thinking in even going in the first place. Then that moment you described & it was all worth it times 1,000. I'll also never forget the sight of Dead Heads five rows deep in the outer concourse after the set ended waiting for pay phones (1986, remember!) just to call someone & yell down the line "Box of Rain!" before hanging up. I saw this repeated over & over & was laughing & hugging along with every person there who felt as lucky as I did to have seen & experienced this moment.
Bird Song
March 25, 1990
Knickerbocker Arena

Cgarces is spot on re: his Branford comment. This is a soaring version, far better than many other 90s era versions listed above. Plus Jer's voice isn't a complete croak-fest like in many other 90s renditions. Mid jam is just a tapestry of color and sound and ideas. I'm a MIDI hater & even tho' it does make an appearance here it's not too intrusive & not much different than what you hear on the Without A Net version everyone seems to love so much more. Drums kick in nicely too. No reason for this version to be under double digits, folks.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Dec. 3, 1979
Uptown Theatre

yeah, the AUD patch is a real buzz kill & I get what you're saying about the somewhat sluggish approach, but there's an odd steadiness or balance maybe is the right way to describe it between the two tunes and I like the patient bridge to Fire. As I said in my comment previous I see this as more of a nice sleeper pick or a good version to hear for some interesting early Brent contributions.
Not Fade Away
Sept. 28, 1975
Lindley Meadows, Golden Gate Park

As unique an NFA--separate from any other identifiable era version--as you will ever hear. Jazz inflected...more like Buddy Rich than Buddy Holly...upvoted just for standing out so beautifully from the crowd.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Shame on me for not raving about this one & only now just upping it. Raging, yet laser precision performance, peaks, harmonies, the whole 9 yards. I'm always fixated on getting the word out about the S>F from this show so I overlooked this stone cold HalfStep for far too long. No more.