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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

6
They Love Each Other
Nov. 4, 1979
Civic Center

Early in Brent's tenure he's locked in for the 1st part of a long, flowing instrumental mid-section. Jer doesn't disappoint either. Underrated version
11
Crazy Fingers
April 3, 1990
The Omni

Very strong entry w/no lyrical mistakes & Jerry in fine voice, esp. for the year. Crystal clean sound from '90 spring box set shows how good this is!
14
Brokedown Palace
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

This melts like a dream from a weirdly underrated Dark Star & is sung beautifully by Jerry & played sweetly by all. Give a listen!
7
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Sept. 20, 1991
Boston Garden

Ok technically it's Help>Slipknot>Fire but c'mon that's pretty cool & even w/out the novelty of the change-up it's a sweet version
11
Take A Step Back
Oct. 31, 1979
Nassau Coliseum

Phil: "Remember, if you step up too close We'll HAVE TO STOP PLAYING. Weir: I would remind you all that Halloween is not a legal holiday"

Comments

Black Peter
Feb. 13, 1970
Fillmore East

First BP I ever heard and still one of the best. Agree with hypnotic as a description. While it lacks the monster outro section of later versions its melancholy feel and atmospheric mellow blues persona can't be beat.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

Hesitant to add my vote (but did) because I like where this is on the list right now & wouldn't want to see it rise above too many others (esp. 5/11/77 or 11/2/77) because it's just got too many rough edges to be in the upper echelon. On the plus side Jerry doesn't panic when he misses the "rings on her fingers" line at the very beginning and instead takes a quick round before picking it up a bit later and that gives this one a bit of a unique personality and doesn't detract from what becomes a very good Scarlet with a nice jam into wind in the willows. The segue to Fire is mellow, laid back, with a short burst of Jerry that re-fades into a softer flow drifting into Fire. I do take umbrage with Jerry's total butchering of the lyrics, though. I realie it doesn't bother some but he can't deal with either of the two verses here and does his mumbly Joe thing, which really detracts to my ears. Yes, he does mitigate the damage by crushing the solo after verse one. The outro is good, not spectacular, with many above it on the list--and rightly so--offering better. but this one does have its flares of brilliance and a general benefit of that tight '77 sound and so it gets my upvote. Just hope it doesn't rise too far with a bump from being an official release in this instance.
Wharf Rat
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

This one starts out super-mellow but Garcia takes care of that in his first monster solo heading into the "got up & wandered" verse. It's a GD jaw-dropper & like the rest of this show the band is right there with him. Just another brilliant '77 here.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 2, 1977
Field House - Seneca College

^^^^That would be a blast, but if you mean WI that is way beyond my travel range these days! (I did make the crazy drive out there in '89 though and boy was it worth it)!
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 2, 1977
Field House - Seneca College

^^^^Agree especially that this trounces 11/6/77 & I adore that show, but come on, objectively speaking this is miles above Binghamton and yet it sits below it on the list. Inexplicable. There is so much more confidence in both the singing and jamming here. Both versions now have official release sound quality to judge by. It's no contest...please get this one at least above Binghamton