headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+23524


Submissions

86
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Feb. 24, 1974
Winterland Arena

Hard-charging drumming from Billy leads the way. Best MLB jam in this pairing I've ever heard. Hard to believe it wasn't listed yet.
36
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

Intense build-up jam, perfect touch-down. Weir absolutely nails it. My favorite version all-time
19
Shakedown Street
Jan. 10, 1979
Nassau Coliseum

Laser-focused, perfect rendition, start to finish. Super-funky with awesome Jerry fuzz-guitar, rock-blues jamming post-vocals
11
Candyman
March 24, 1988
Omni Coliseum

Lucky enough to be at this show. Candyman blew everyone away--best song played that night. Awesome trippy guitar jam &Jer belts out vocals
41
Ramble On Rose
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

Gorgeous, incredible, up and down, carnival-like bridge jam by Jerry. Picture perfect version--no flaws

Comments

Truckin'
April 26, 1983
The Spectrum

Might be the best I’ve heard from this year. Super tight rendition, great vocals (harmony too) and no lyrical botches. They nail the wind up section & Jerry follows with a brief but gritty and confident Nobody’s Fault riff. A+ and easy upvote....hoping it at least goes double digits w the official release
West L.A. Fadeaway
April 26, 1983
The Spectrum

Maybe unfairly comparing this to the gold standards of alpine ‘89 or Copps ‘90 but I find this version pretty weak overall. Jerry seems unsure of the lyrics & while he mostly gets it right he sounds like he’s just barely doing so. Jamming is nowhere near what it would become in later years....nice Brent contributions to give it some funk but not a standout to these ears.
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
April 26, 1983
The Spectrum

Great example of a speedy but superbly played version of the trio, which in this bring back year could often sound tepid or just plain sloppy not to mention littered with butchered lyrics. No worries here & the slipknot is a monster for any era.
It Must Have Been The Roses
April 26, 1983
The Spectrum

Great vocals on an ‘83 version of this beauty ballad? Surprise surprise but it’s true.
Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 16, 1978
Sphinx Theatre

Agree the Egypt shows are unfairly maligned & why I haven’t upvoted this version of Fire, which is one of my most listened to of all time, I have no idea. Spectacular version that also contains one of the best ever segue/intros, freed up from its pairing with Scarlet it starts with a totally different vibe and continues with grand work by Jerry & of course Phil...also leads into a sweet Iko. Overdue plus one here