headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

6
Loser
Feb. 19, 1971
Capitol Theater

A delicate, tight, searching super early version of a staple. Kruetzmann plays it light and springy and that 1971 Lesh caramel bass guitar!
3
Tennessee Jed
June 11, 1976
Boston Music Hall

If you know this smooth customer of a show, you know how drynamic [yes, I typed that] and user friendly this TJ is. An always welcome visitor.
2
Sugaree
June 26, 1976
Auditorium Theatre

Few things better than a June '76 Sugaree. Garcia with the first Travis Bean just sketches with the lightest, barest of precious metal filaments.
3
Tennessee Jed
July 22, 1972
Paramount Northwest Theatre

Summer '72 Jed: Sweet dynamics & precision engineering. Weir & Kreutzmann stir it up during Garcia's guitar break.
1
Cumberland Blues
Dec. 13, 1969
Swing Auditorium

A cozy little delight - hand percussion, contemplation, great stereo drums, and some rip roaring riffage. Comes in under the radar, but worth a visit.
show more submissions

Comments

Playin' In The Band
April 29, 1972
Musikhalle

One of my favorite Playins - and I still love that it's an opener. What an orientation! Did they at least have a Powerpoint deck running in the background? Contact initiated!
Loser
April 29, 1972
Musikhalle

An overlooked show and an easy-to-overlook Loser. Which would be an unforced error. Weir and Lesh sorta star.
St. Stephen
Jan. 17, 1969
Civic Auditorium

Rough + ready version, but you can clearly hear Hart's severe limitations (as a drummer, not a percussionist). He just doesn't have the rhythm on snare or kick. And I'm not a drummer! Make no mistake, this version is worthy of your time (as is the whole show), but the Love of the Single Drummer perhaps starts here for me. Then again, when they kick it, they whomp the shit out of it,
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Pretty hard to go wrong with a China>Rider from this time. Gets off to a slowish start - Garcia's hi E is out of tune. Perhaps more. And it seems to throw him just a pinch. Of course he fixes by/in the second guitar break. A snap! Weir and Lesh push things about as hard & swingin' as possible throughout. When Garcia takes the Captain's Chair, his playing is pastoral and gorgeous. In charge.
Bird Song
June 10, 1973
RFK Stadium

The new release reveals even more dynamic detail in this conversational Bird Song than I heard before (when I voted for this version). Lovely. Hand-made.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)