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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48135


Submissions

2
Let It Grow
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Fires off like a rocket. Souped up and accelerated. Is this the first LiG without the WRS to introduce it? It's a speed demon top notch version.
1
Playin' In The Band
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

This is a weird one. At times it seems like they forgot it was PiTB and went back to the HSF jam. Fun, but waaaaaaaaay loose.
1
Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Short, sweet, brand new, and flawless.
1
Friend of the Devil
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Brilliant early "slow version". I always prefered the desperado fast-paced ones, but this turns into a brilliant exploration and improv vehicle.
3
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Uptempo, powerful, strong vocals. This is top shelf UJB. With David Crosby for that extra oomph, and with a tigh outro, it's strangely not here yet.

Comments

Cryptical Envelopment
Jan. 26, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

All about the reprise. This one cooks.
Caution
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Powerful doesn't begin to describe it. This is the Dangerous Dead, though pretty short for the era. This is the era when the Avalon would hold them to one-hour sets and the night before they cut off the electricity, so perhaps they were reigning it in.
Alligator
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Starts a little unfocused, but comes out of the drum solo and transitions into Caution with blow-your-hair-back force.
Cosmic Charlie
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

One of the best I know: They're having a blast. The growling grinding combination of Jerry and the keys (Pigpen? TC? both?) gives it an energetic tight swinging sound during the verses, and an unexpected almost punk-rock blown-amp sounding bridge to the "calling you" section. Cosmic Charlie is so legendary and mythic: People held banners at shows with the number of days past since it was last performed and annual set-lists would say Cosmic Charlie: 0 with a sad-face next to it. Hear it here in a uniquely tight and fun version.
Dark Star
Jan. 25, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

TC is too high in the mix, but so what? In most recordings of the era it's almost impossible to hear any indication of what he brought, so this is an interesting document if nothing else. It's also musically a whirligig of fun, even if a bit scattered in places. Deduct points for the mix if you must.