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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

The Eleven
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

This has to be one of the most up-tempo versions they ever played, and they skipped the lyrics, but so what. (Sounds like they're looking to drop them in around minute four, but they hit the kick into the blues groove instead). Keeping 11/8 groove going like this is no mean feat, they just slay it every which way. Powerful stuff from '69.
St. Stephen
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

Moves along nicely until they find the turbo button and it then it gets shot out of the cannon and gears up brilliantly for the last verse and WTO>11.
Mountains of the Moon
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

Beautiful, subtle, great mix cleanup on the box set version. Phil's steady pulse underscores Tom's gentle keys, and Jerry sings like an angel. It really doesn't get better than this according to this old Carrion Crow.
Dupree's Diamond Blues
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

The banter alone is worth an upvote, with Bill Graham is gifted a cowbell and inducted into the band.... Then the late show starts with this sweet, simple version. That's presumably TC on the steam calliope and who but the Dead would even try such a thing?!?
Dark Star
April 24, 1972
Rheinhalle

Back here for more. It's really that good. After nearly 40 minutes of creating whole cosmos out of the air it almost sounds like they might land back into Playin' then maybe back into Dark Star melody for the second chorus, then into that beautiful Wharf Rat. Like a spinning twenty-sided die it could have landed anywhere, perfectly. G'damn, but this one deserves its spot on the front page.
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