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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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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

Playin' In The Band
June 26, 1973
Seattle Center Coliseum

Glad you checked this out, DS. Whole show seems pretty great and maybe a bit under the radar due to so many fantastic 73s to choose from and maybe not the best sound sources (although a Teddy did a nice job here). Interesting set opener of Casey Jones>GSET and a nice HCS too.
Playin' In The Band
June 26, 1973
Seattle Center Coliseum

This needs to get moved UP. This is a jazz clinic by everyone involved. Just before the 9 minute mark Phil takes a beautiful run and the whole crew follows with confident, gorgeous free form improv that never flags or loses focus. This is a more relaxed playin' than some others of similar vintage but if you like 6/22/73 and those of a dreamy float along jazz bent this one's for you. Glides into re-entry. Stellar. (Grab the Teddy Goodbear version. Easily the best of the sound options available).
C. C. Rider
Sept. 10, 1991
Madison Square Garden

Almost like one continuous blues jam of CC>Train. So good, both tunes, plus Branfird adds great flourish. Numero uno in my book.
Not Fade Away
Oct. 6, 1977
Activity Center. Arizona State U

Haven't sampled all of them yet but you're right at least one of the sources is sped way up. (I think it's the FM broadcast). If you find a better one before I do let me know.
Not Fade Away
Oct. 6, 1977
Activity Center. Arizona State U

Well, yes indeed. The above posters do not lie, this is a right old barn burner. There is some confusion about this show, which for some odd reason has multiple sources on the archive, some of which are mixed in with selections from 10/29/77, aka the best Dead show ever. However, the correct version of 10-6-77 featuring this killer NFA>Black Peter>NFA is crazy good, ultra fast jammed and just a rager of a sandwich. And yeah, I know of no other that has Jerry breaking into an impromptu MLB jam, but it's here!