headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

28
Playin' In The Band
May 11, 1972
Rotterdam Civic Hall

Sometimes shorter is better. At around 10 mins. this beauty from E'72 packs the jazz, jam, passion. Like a more intense version of the one on ACE!
26
Scarlet Begonias
Oct. 3, 1976
Cobo Arena

No clean SBD on archive but at official Dead site a pristine version was on 30 days of Dead for DL. 2d best stand-alone I've heard next to 3-20-77
66
Pretty Peggy O
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

DP Vol. 29...Each time I think I've heard the best (i.e. 12/27/77) I hear one better. This is it. Flowing, gorgeous Jerry bridge jam. Perfection.
4
Don't Ease Me In
June 20, 1980
West High Auditorium

Proves the boys could really swing when they wanted to. Hear Jerry on "The Girl I Love" line; like 'Gator Alley--1980 a good year for this tune
32
Not Fade Away
May 26, 1977
Baltimore Civic Center

Insane. Ridiculous. Drummers locked in, Garcia in take-no-prisoners mode. 16+ minutes of full-bore Rock to the G-D Roll.
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Comments

Row Jimmy
April 9, 1987
UIC Pavilion

Yes Moberg, very nice indeed thx for pointing this one out. I'm not a huge fan of '87 overall but for some reason I like the way they were doing this tune then (&when Jerry could remember the lyrics, never a given). I was at the 3-day run in Irvine at Easter a couple weeks after this show and there's a nice version from that run as well with some fun giddy up to the closing section. This version has some of that same get up and go to it. +1 (Edit: Should be made clear...that second solo is pretty damn impressive)
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

It is my fervent hope that with the official release of this show, with A+ sound reproduction, that people will finally realize how hard this version rocks, that its two tsunami rush jam sections are unequalled, and that this GOAT Half Step moves from bronze to gold where it belongs. The numbers say it'll never surpass Englishtown, but it really is so much better....and that's saying a lot.
Me and My Uncle
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

Points just for sounding different from so many others for a song that is mostly uniform year to year (not that it isn't great). The transition from Mexicali is truly bizarre in that it really does sound as the liner notes indicate on DaP 25 like a digital segue made by a computer.
Row Jimmy
April 9, 1987
UIC Pavilion

^^^^You have me intrigued, sir, as RJ is one of my all time faves and 3/20/77 is the undisputed absolute king of them all, and in fact Jerry's 2d solo in that version is I truly believe one of the greatest musical passages the band ever offered. I wonder if you could point me to the best source for this show before I check this one out?
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Aug. 19, 1980
Uptown Theatre

I'm eager to hear if you guys can find a better source. This feels like an amazing show but I can't really enjoy the ones i've heard so far b/c he mixes are just a mess with some instruments just sounding like they're being played from behind a curtain or something. It's a shame b/c there's some great playing here that's not coming across on any source I've tried to this point. (I think even CM in his notes said there wasn't much he could do)
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