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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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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

Turn On Your Love Light
March 29, 1990
Nassau Coliseum

New release shines the light on why this Branford show resides in legendary territory but it was evident even beforehand.
Playin' In The Band
Sept. 18, 1974
Parc des Expositions

Always grateful, CC...agree totally on the Miles influence...Buddy & Davis. They were so steeped in Jazz during the '73-'74 days there's just tons of exploring to do in songs like PITB, HCS, Eyes, and of course, the Dark Stars from this period.
Playin' In The Band
Sept. 18, 1974
Parc des Expositions

Hey Carrion (and all), I was just digging this version today and what I'm hearing around that 11:00 mark is (and I have no proof but I would place a sizable bet on it) a pretty distinct reading led by Jerry and Phil of Sly's "Thankuforlettinmebemiceelfagain")...this whole version is great w/lots of jazzy jamming and not so much an acid meltdown as some out of the box exploring...but I would love to hear others' take on that distinct moment of stop & start funk that sounds an awful lot to me like the beginnings of that Sly & the Family Stone staple (which Jerry & co. would've been more than familiar with, as it came out in 1969.) No matter what it is, it's pretty cool!
Spanish Jam
Oct. 17, 1974
Winterland Arena

Just under 2 minutes but may be my favorite one ever because it's just so damn perfect. Not a note wasted and Billy really drives this one with some incredible drumming. Fantastic pick & one that would make Miles proud.
Feelin' Groovy Jam
Feb. 24, 1974
Winterland Arena

Yep. Part of what could be the finest ChinaRider ever performed.