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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

11
Brown Eyed Women
May 17, 1977
Memorial Coliseum

Gotta check out the "small" songs in legendary shows like this as well as the usual suspects! Check out Jerry's utterly perfect bridge jam & be in awe
22
Bird Song
Sept. 22, 1993
Madison Square Garden

If you don't know Saxophonist David Murray, here's a good way to find out how great he is. This is one stellar Birdsong that flew under the radar here
19
They Love Each Other
May 17, 1977
Memorial Coliseum

Is there anything prettier, sweeter or more sublimely lovely than Keith's piano in this version? You decide. This TLEO is incredible.
56
Sugaree
May 11, 1977
St. Paul Civic Center Arena

New #1 favorite. Slightly more compact than other amazing '77 versions & so a bit more focused. 2d Garcia solo has no equal.
5
Wharf Rat
Sept. 27, 1976
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Keith shines on a long, flowing intro section that spills into space-mellow Rat-Goodness

Comments

Eyes Of The World
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Love when I can still stumble across a version of Eyes that I'm either unfamiliar with or haven't heard in ages and realize how good it is--enuff to drop a comment on the board. It's been said before but with so many killer versions of this tune in its debut year many worthy entries will get lost in the shuffle. At a relatively paltry 20 or so votes this is one of them. Emerging quietly from a DarkStar this one gives you all the gooey flowing jamming that Garcia had going from the git-go in '73 and I'd also point out that the vocal harmonies are pretty sweet on the choruses...just a great, sweet as molasses reading of the tune and a typical for the year great post lyrics jazz clinic. Keith shines in this section, too.
Cassidy
May 11, 1978
Springfield Civic Center Arena

Don't see how this one's been kept hidden for so long...slightly longer jam section b4 the final return and played at a speedy but totally in control clip--Garcia is dialed in as is the whole band....great version sitting weirdly below 10 votes when I got here
Greatest Story Ever Told
Feb. 17, 1979
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Almost perfect, and almost better for not being perfect. You can tell they hadn't played it in a while & it's like Jerry's trying out new stuff in the jam section that he wasn't doing and the results are jaw-dropping if not what one could nitpick as "a bit off" when it comes to sticking the landing. But what he offers in color and energy and pure gamesmanship is more than worth the loss of pure precision. A grade stuff
Althea
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Grossly, unjustly, ridiculously overlooked version w/Jerry and the whole band dialed in--great '89 precision w/ hot keyboard fills and a sweet outro jam. Shame it's so low on the board
Eyes Of The World
March 27, 1993
Knickerbocker Arena

If you scrolled down this far to find a hidden nugget of a gem of an Eyes congratulations! You've found it. Unlike a lot of latter day versions Jerry abandons the Midi in this one and gets back to gritty guitar pickin with some fuzzy chaw thrown in and Weir just slashes away with really cool counter-rhythms & the whole thing just flows with great energy. Jerry's vocals aren't too bad either especially for the year and this is one of the top tier 90s versions available--shouldn't be this low on the board.