headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3668


Submissions

2
Candyman
July 12, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Spare, almost vulnerable take on this classic. Godchaux brings the church and Garcia brings the stained glass. An American beauty.
5
Estimated Prophet
Jan. 30, 1978
Uptown Theater

You can hear the swagger in their mutterings before they play. And the performance bears that out. Sure, smooth, and effortless.
1
It Must Have Been The Roses
Aug. 4, 1974
Philadelphia Civic Center

Letter perfect - the Godchauxs take this to a loftier level. Beautiful dynamic push-and-pull by the whole group.
3
Tennessee Jed
May 25, 1972
Strand Lyceum

Planting the Flag of Civilization on this tight scorcher. New from factory - Inspector #9. Under penalty of law, this tag may not be YEAH GARCIA!
5
Candyman
Jan. 31, 1978
Uptown Theater

Dreamy, motionless rendition on a sea of individual human reactions [audience tape]. A wonderful time for this gem.
show more submissions

Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Sept. 26, 1973
War Memorial

Kreutzmann alone moves this up the list - the snare is whistling. Garcia responds patiently to the puzzle - at some point he stretches the guitar to somewhere beyond and yr reminded of the Absolute Master Garcia was by this point. Even the Feelin' Groovy part of the transition - which I don't totally love - is treated a little differently; it emerges from controlled chaos. Gives it a different and more interesting role.
Sugaree
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

Totally - the clarity really brings out Weir's arpeggiating. Every guy steps up to the fucking plate. These two shows are goldmines.
Bird Song
Sept. 24, 1972
Palace Theatre

It's so difficult to choose just one Bird Song from this crazy fertile time, but you can do far worse than this bouquet. Intense, perfectly paced, and, at one point, sideways [in a really good way] and the group steers the craft right back into the into the jet stream. Yahz-ee!
Shakedown Street
Dec. 11, 1979
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall

A lovely lift-off into Set 2. Lesh is so rock solid and weird - great electric bass playing! The group is in Cruise Control [tm] all the way - crackin'! Garcia picks lightly to smear out the envelope and then digs in. BWAP! Genius shit. Note: volume on Brent is, as often, too high in the mix. Healy was a hack sometimes.
The Other One
Oct. 26, 1971
The Palestra, U. of Rochester

Typically great Fall '71 Other One - graceful, fiery, and potent! Garcia's work is, of course, scorching and drives the whole attack. That said, the entire group had so mastered the dynamics and space of this song, it's sorta difficult to single any performance out. Sorta difficult: Garcia's the boss.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)