headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

4
Beat it on Down The Line
Nov. 14, 1971
Texas Christian University

Searing version - groovy false start, then Garcia soars like an acrobat. Plug in!
2
The Other One
Feb. 6, 1969
Kiel Auditorium

CRUSH. Hard to believe they brought this intensity and dynamic precision all the time then, but they did! Ace!
6
Bertha
March 31, 1973
War Memorial

Unknown Genre - iTunes. Kreutzmann drives this hovercraft - as he seems to in all of the great Berthas of this time. Look out for the guitars.
1
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Sept. 29, 1971
Practice Studio

Have always loved the San Venetia tapes - almost like an x-ray of the GD. You can so hear the guitar architecture. So tempted to make that one word.
8
Mexicali Blues
March 24, 1973
The Spectrum

'73 Mexicali? Smokesville, USA.

Comments

St. Stephen
Feb. 2, 1970
Fox Theatre

Totally mastery. One of my all time favorites - into an mesmerizing jam into Mason's Children. Top o' the sleeve to you.
The Other One
April 5, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

I just think this one is unfairly overlooked. A little. Spirals out of control but never really loses control. Ferocious and merciless: Garcia's outta bounz.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
July 7, 1989
JFK Stadium

"the heart of gold ban-DUH" Nice! I was at this show and I don't recall this version being as good as it is. Probably b/c my car was sitting on the shoulder of the Schuylkill River overpass with a flat tire. Yeah - we left it there and walked down to the show.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
July 1, 1985
Merriweather Post Pavilion

How this is surpassed by versions from the 90s still baffles me.
Wharf Rat
April 12, 1971
Civic Arena

In the first half, they're definitely feeling their way through. Not 100% sure where all the changes are. Not a turn-off though. From the bridge on, they build powerful momentum until they kick into high gear in the outro jam. I don't know if Garcia's playing the peanut guitar or what, but it sounds fab. And yeah - evil use of the wah.