headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

7
Big River
April 19, 1978
Veterans Memorial Auditorium

Segues perfectly out of MAMU and rolls along beautifully til Jerry goes ballistic on the last solo. Must hear.
5
China Cat Sunflower
April 5, 1969
Avalon Ballroom

Nice early stand alone with a long intro. You can hear the transition from the old intro to the more familiar pickings of later versions.
5
Darkness Jam
Nov. 21, 1973
Denver Coliseum

Not really a darkness jam but more of a dark star jam than what it's listed as (PITB) leads into Wharf Rat & is beyond beautiful.
8
Wang Dang Doodle
Oct. 22, 1983
Carrier Dome, Syracuse U

The boys really "throw a mess" on this one, making the carrier dome sound like a down and dirty old time saloon. Slinky sick stuff
2
Row Jimmy
April 18, 1987
Irvine Meadows

Check out Jerry's "giddy-up" riffs in the final "Row" choruses!

Comments

Black Throated Wind
April 8, 1972
Wembley Empire Pool

Gotta give it up for this one. So crisp and just exactly perfect. Sounds almost like it's right off of ACE but w/the added emotion and push of the live performance.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Oct. 14, 1977
Hofheinz Pavilion

Hey Sleuth i'd go further and say Fall '77 surpasses spring (OK, by barely a nose, but still)...I just think the fall tour had more of a rocking edge to it than spring did w/out losing any of the precision of the spring shows. 10/29/77 (all of it), 11/6/77 (Truckin',), October shows like this one and 10/7 (WharfRat/Sugar Mag) and of course the whole end of year Winterland run, are just phenomenal, peak performances.
Eyes Of The World
May 18, 1977
Fox Theatre

I'm only whining about this yet again b/c I'm writing this on the 37th anniversary of its debut, on 5/18/14. To beat the proverbial "dead" horse, this is too damn good to be wallowing at (as of now) 4 votes.
Dark Star
April 8, 1972
Wembley Empire Pool

It really sounded different to me than any MLB type jam I've heard. Something just unique about it, and so ridiculously sweet. The whole experience listening to it thru just floored me. (It was the perfect other companion while taking a long hike thru the woods with real Grendel.) Next project is Rotterdam, altho I don't know how to get it since I don't have the full E'72 trunk set. Maybe I'll purchase that individual show if u think it's worth it.
Greatest Story Ever Told
May 7, 1972
Bickershaw Festival

New order for my top 3 has this one moved up to 2d place, behind 9/28/72 but ahead of Veneta. Jam in this one's just too good.