headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

gdtrfb

Era Evangelist

+3620


Submissions

6
Wake Up Little Susie
June 4, 1970
Fillmore West

With David Nelson and John Dawson
3
Mama Tried
June 4, 1970
Fillmore West

Bob joined the end of the NRPS set, so this gets the full Jerry pedal steel treatment
2
Big Boy Pete
March 1, 1970
Fillmore East

Phil's "YeeUUuEuuaaah"s are a guaranteed gigglesnort
3
Playin' In The Band
April 8, 1971
Boston Music Hall

Ned adds a little electric piano noodling to this short/sweet early version
12
Dark Star
April 8, 1971
Boston Music Hall

This one has grown on me - Listen for Lagin on electric keys
show more submissions

Comments

Midnight Hour
June 4, 1970
Fillmore West

Listening to both versions back to back, it's hard to not see 4-29-71 and 6-4-70 versions of this song as the two ends of a spectrum. 4-29-71 is the east coast rocking high wire act, 6-4-70 is west coast relaxed expansive jam. Pig occupies the first 5 minutes or so, then entreats the band to 'Go on, now'...and they do. The next few minutes encompasses everything from Garcia's guitar gently weeping to Bob demanding that China Cat belongs in the middle of Midnight Hour, all while maintaining a level of mellowness that feels foreign to the song...but it works.
The Other One
Oct. 26, 1971
The Palestra, U. of Rochester

Huge. Aggressive. Boiling. This song wants to kick you in the junk and take your lunch money. There are spacy wandering moments in there, but overall....this sucker is MEAN. The transition from spaceyness back to Other One proper for the 2nd verse (just prior to minute 14, as I have it tracked) is one for the ages. Listen. To. This.
Dark Star
Oct. 24, 1971
Easttown Theatre

Beautiful. From the beginning, this one is slow and measured - and the couple of minutes immediately preceding the first verse could probably be described as mournful - it's like Darkstar as funeral dirge. I couldn't count the cycles of Jerry, Phil and Keith locking in on each other during the jamming between lyrics, tho - one wave crests with the next quickly on its heels. Lots of exploring going on, but it's still cohesive. The transition noodling into the second verse is abrupt, tho - Jerry throws the brakes on *hard*.
Dark Star
Aug. 27, 1972
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds

August 1st, 2013 this badboy is hitting theaters. I'd guess most of you are already on the mailing list, or getting twittered in your facepage, but in case it slipped your notice (like it did mine until 5 minutes ago) I figured a note here couldn't hurt. Sunshine Daydream as a 'Meet-up at the Movies', apparently remastered, digitally twiddled, and with unseen footage and recent interviews - I'm not sure if "Naked guy hump-dancing the stage-post behind Jerry" is ready for his big screen debut or not, but I am.
Ain't It Crazy (The Rub)
May 15, 1970
Fillmore East (Late Show)

Yah, with discussions of Pig's oral hygiene and Jerry's runaway beard bookending this one, it's clear they were having a lot of fun.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)