headyversion

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

4
Greatest Story Ever Told
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

The new SBD's are crystal clear, with everyone audible. Whoever that Billy guy is could sure play some goddamned drums. He's solid gold on this one.
4
Black Throated Wind
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Charged up and triumphant. The whole week of shows before Europe is killer. Thanks go to C. Miller for the great archive versions.
4
Playin' In The Band
March 25, 1972
Academy of Music

Key moment in transforming PITB into a cosmic monster. 9.5 minutes of gooey goodness here. C.Miller's version is the best. Dig in boys.
8
Not Fade Away
March 23, 1972
Academy of Music

The outro might be the three most intensely energetic minutes of GD music ever. The first part rocks too. Why not here yet? This show is a goldmine.
6
Me and Bobby McGee
March 23, 1972
Academy of Music

Now I know a lot of you don't dig this song, but goddamn they pour it on for this one. Great Jerry filagree backing the passionate vox. Listen to the
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Comments

Good Lovin'
April 6, 1971
Manhattan Center

Pig breaks it down for everyone, telling the crowd to just "take your clothes off" after building up to it. Apart from that generous and fine instruction, the different stages of the jam here really stand out. You can find the link between the Dead and Funkadelic's work of the era. Sounds in places like they were channeling Buddy Miles' work after the Band of Gypsies. The Dead were dialed way in to all of it and this one shows it.
Hard to Handle
March 24, 1971
Winterland Arena

Shows off the link between blues and acid rock like only the Dead of this era could do.
Good Lovin'
March 14, 1971
Camp Randall Field House

Brilliant barn burner of a jam out of the drum solo. It hangs back just enough to stay on the rails, Pigpen raps some, then it snakes its way back into the chorus in a uniquely sideways manner. Good stuff and an under-appreciated show all round.
Wharf Rat
Feb. 19, 1971
Capitol Theater

More interesting and self-confident than the first one, to my ears. I rate the melodicism and the overall arc of this jam above the 18th up top on this page. Still, I can't compare these early ones to the Spring-Summer '74 versions which top my list.
Wharf Rat
Feb. 18, 1971
Capitol Theater

First and best? I love this version, don't get me wrong. It being both the first one ever and sandwiched into a top-shelf Dark Star and Beautiful Jam help it by association, but I can't think of it as the best one out there. For my ears, May and June '74 is the apotheosis era, where Wharf Rat peaks on its own for power, emotion and musicality. My faves are 19.05.74 and 22.06.74, but anything from this time really stands out for the energy they were putting into it. I think the Rat played the next night and the one on the 21st from the same run are more cohesive and stronger performances.
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