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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48130


Submissions

1
Dancin' in the Streets
July 17, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

Cuts out in the out-chorus, but shows the initial move from cover band into exploratory jams and bendy form. Very cool testament to where they were.
4
King Bee
July 17, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

Pig is in perfect form, the band throbs behind him with intensity and purpose. Pristine recording.
2
Cream Puff War
July 17, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

A rip-snortin' wild ride. Not as stretched out as the day before, but still an explosive starting pistol at the earliest days of the Dead.
1
High Heeled Sneakers
June 1, 1966
Owsley's House (rehearsal)?

Rare and obscure, on the Archive at gd1966-06-01.136642.watts.sbd.mr.dat48k.sirmick.flac16
2
I Know You Rider
March 12, 1966
Danish Center

Still in its infancy, but listen to Jerry swarming all over it like ten thousand honey bees. Lightning fast, almost a "let's do this for 50 years".
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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.
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