headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

4
Tennessee Jed
Nov. 23, 1973
County Coliseum

If possible, a very contemplative TJ. Everyone's in apex '73 form, esp. Godchaux who's mixed fairly high to good effect.
2
St. Stephen
Nov. 5, 1970
Capitol Theater

Of the heavenly 1970 Capitol Theater St. Stephens. Just a beautiful union between audience and group. Killer Stephen! CRUNCH!
4
Here Comes Sunshine
Sept. 26, 1973
War Memorial

Show opener - the perseverence is what really sells me on this one. A struggle, but a worthy one b/c the spoils are lush. Sneaky great.
9
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
May 18, 1972
Kongressaal, Deutsches Museum

Crazy overlooked: A noble, splendiferous C>R in full Europe 72-ness. Patient, exploratory, charming. Driving a distance? Pack this.
12
Bird Song
Feb. 21, 1971
Capitol Theater

An intimate very early Bird Song - Quartet-styled, which serves this song really well. Also: you can hear the thinking, especially between guitars.

Comments

Cryptical Envelopment
Aug. 24, 1968
Shrine Auditorium

فوق العاده حماسی! - for a while a soundtrack to a completely different story. I'm not entirely sure what the Arabic stuff says, but something like "super epic" according to Google.
Casey Jones
Oct. 2, 1977
Paramount Theatre

Hearing so much high praise, I approached this version perhaps too hopeful. I admire the stick-to-it spirit, but the wheels coming off is really just the wheels coming off. Some inspired moments, but not really feeling this one. Maybe not horrible, but in somewhat depressing disarray.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 3, 1982
The Scope

Garcia sounds like he's really having fun singing this one - he improvises different grace notes and tails (giving that extra swirl). The Big Guitar sounds fucking tiparillo. And that's the Scarlet! A 14-minute version that just screams! Gets pretty far out. The Fire is merely a crushinator.
Terrapin Station
Feb. 4, 1978
Milwaukee Auditorium

Where has this been hiding???? Weir slashing & compressed. Garcia is in great voice and his guitar pierces the hazy air like an arrow (of sound, obviously).
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
April 11, 1972
Newcastle City Hall

I can't really think of many better ones. Into the 3rd verse = sick. The transition is just nasty! And, yeah, Garcia's Charles In-Charge.