headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

24
Franklin's Tower
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

One of the best played versions from one of the best played shows in the Brent era---ever.
16
Shakedown Street
March 24, 1981
Rainbow Theater

15+ minutes of funk w/extended overlapping vocal rounds of "just gotta poke around", etc. before jam Brent adds cool "fuzzy" SFX
1
Big Railroad Blues
Oct. 30, 1971
Taft Auditorium

Check out Keith on this one! He's never been so up front before & right outta the gate!!
21
Cream Puff War
July 3, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

Peppy early version w/Jer belting out lyrics & Pig doin' some nice work on organ. No archive copy exists; got this off 30 Days of Dead-worth the DL!
9
Passenger
May 7, 1979
Allan Kirby Field House

Super-charged EARLY Brent version rips and tears and shreds. Final jam before the coda is the best they ever did in this tune. Goes to 11.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Oct. 19, 1973
Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Arena

Deadprof & Cgarces are both spot-on. Just pulled this one out today and realized this version has a ton in common with the "Birdsong" from 6/22/73, in that it contains, dream-like, space-goo jazz passages that just float into your brain and give it a big musical hug. The flow back into the reprise is organically delicious and you get the sense that no matter how deep into cloudspace they went, the PITB focus was never lost, only waiting in the background. Superior version.
He's Gone
Feb. 28, 1973
Salt Palace

Soulful like a gospel choir in the singing outro portion. Jerry's riffs into "Goin where the wind don't blow so strange" verse are worth the price of admission alone.
Eyes Of The World
Feb. 26, 1973
Pershing Municipal Auditorium

Been listening to this show more and more and this EYES is certainly underrated, probably b/c '73 was so chock full of great versions. But this one has a steady consistency and a flawless groove that swings and rocks and jazzes along. Also it might be the first version of the year to avoid a lot of clunkiness in the post-lyrics "stronger than dirt" section....it mostly nails it down. Very sweet Eyes.
The Other One
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

All what's said above and more. Before they start the 'he's Gone" that precedes this 01, Bobby sez "We're gonna beg your indulgence and play another sorta slow one (they had done Ship of Fools right before), "but it won't stay slow for long", and the Other One that charges outta the gate led by Phil En Fuego proves him right. Some very cool pre-space exploration as well.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Oct. 19, 1981
Sports Palace

Upvote worthy. Kinda overlooked version and show. Lotta interesting S>F action in '81.