headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48136


Submissions

1
Black Throated Wind
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Solid heady version with a great build-up. Sound is only B quality though.
4
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

One of the rare versions that stands apart with or without its NFA bread.
6
Dire Wolf
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

For a song that was effectively out of rotation at this point, they pulled it off with sing-round-the-campfire sweetness. Jerry growls it out.
6
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

Sweet version with an innovative transition. The whole band was on, but Keith and Phil are high in the mix and brilliant..
3
Bertha
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

Recording is good, with Keith and Phil high in the mix. Everyone is switched way on, and the jamming shows perfect unity.

Comments

Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Hey I just listened to this suite again and think the WR>Jam idea might be wrongly labeled. At 10:48 or so Jerry changes key back into Playin' and the band follows immediately. Their meter changes too and it sounds more like 10/4 (Playin') than 6/8 (WR) to my ears. This doesn't change a damned thing or detract from what's been said, but I think this is a Playin'>WR>Playin'>Meltdown>Playin' suite. Thoughts?
Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Gets my vote for best of the year, but I also think it hard to say just where comes back into the Playin' space during the deep jam... They're so far out of the WR structure and into the wild outer spheres before coming back into the recognisable reprise. Not too often that Wharf Rat dips into Dark Star territory, but this is something special.
Playin' In The Band
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Brings the expansive length and transitive madness of the most epic pre-hiatus versions if you take it as part of the whole suite. I don't say 'under-rated' often, but it fits here.
Deep Elem Blues
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

Here it is with great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ. It's quite cool to see this era with a decent/professional camerawork: Nice in-focus closeups of the band, Jerry singing beautifully and his fretwork. A beaut of a version any way you look at it.
Dire Wolf
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

What a rare treat. Sweet video of the performance on the "Tomorrow Show": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ.