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.

Comments

The Race Is On
May 3, 1986
Cal Expo

Candidate for best show of '86, which is like being the fastest kid in the slow-runner's race...but still, this IS probably the best electric version of Race Is On I've ever heard. They nail it. Jerry's backing vocals alone are worth the price of admission on this one--he sounds great.
Wharf Rat
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

True on all counts.
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

In typical Bob fashion he overdoes it on the final note, elongating his vocal way past the point where it shoulda ended, but so what? Everything up til that moment is him belting out every word with gusto and passion and it's a top shelf rendition that's got to be upvoted!
When I Paint My Masterpiece
March 25, 1990
Knickerbocker Arena

D'oh! See 10/11/89
Althea
Oct. 27, 1991
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Didn't think I'd find any Althea's post-'89 I'd like this much, Bruce's little rag-time fills in the opening section are awesome and the punctuation guitar shots thrown in for good measure are pretty cool too. Upvote worthy.