headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

catalonia

neshaminy

+2082


Submissions

3
The Music Never Stopped
April 14, 1978
Cassell Coliseum - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Bob blows some lyrics, but the midsection and outro are fluent and soaring. Lot on the list not as good as this one.
2
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 31, 1979
Oakland Auditorium

Excellent rendition with available A video and sound on youtube through music vault.
2
The Music Never Stopped
Oct. 29, 1980
Radio City Music Hall

Honorable mention on the old dead clubhouse page, but not on here. There's a youtube video with great sound. See for yourself.
4
Cassidy
Oct. 16, 1981
Melkweg

A unique sounding Cassidy. Parts of this almost sound like a studio release of a different band playing like the dead.
11
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 20, 1982
Madison Square Garden

MSG Scarlet Fire from the Fall of '82 - great transition.
show more submissions

Comments

The Other One
June 8, 1977
Winterland Arena

This one gets a vote for the outro which is so sweetly played into wharf rat. If you like the way Eyes goes into WR on 5/22/77, you'll find something similarly beautiful here. The Other One itself is solid (what on this box isn't?), but the outro is what brought me here.
Bird Song
March 9, 1981
Madison Square Garden

Jerry tears out of the gate on this solo. There are some weird choices and an emphatically psychedelic jazz aesthetic - it belongs up on the list. I saw some names I knew up here talking about this version a couple of days ago and made a mental note. These guys usually know what they're talking about.
To Lay Me Down
Dec. 31, 1980
Oakland Auditorium

Great call - there's a YT video and the playing and the harmonies say that this is peak dead. It's early on NYE and everyone's clear and on. A fantastic opener.
Samson and Delilah
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

This intro stands out. All other versions are so similar, it's hard not to wish that they'd played it like this at least occasionally. I'd have to put this close to the best ever, if not actually #1.
Sugaree
Nov. 24, 1978
Capitol Theatre

There is a color video of this on youtube (sets 1 & 2 have been switched in labeling) and there is an FM simulcast - from the capitol theater in passaic, nj which appears to have been good for this kind of thing - there are two videos with FM sound from april '77 on youtube as well. Jerry's voice is weak - it was late '78 - there's a cancelation or two around this time. The second solo is where this one cooks, but the video and sound quality make this one a historical document.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)