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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

Big River
Sept. 17, 1972
Baltimore Civic Center

A perfect, compact, not-a-note wasted ripping version. Keith and Jerry both tear it up, while Bob, Phil and Mickey keep the rhythm charging along. Pull out the DP version or archive-listen, but either way give this one so more well deserved love.
Eyes Of The World
Sept. 14, 1974
Olympiahalle

Nicely jammed '74 that stands out mostly because it segues into One More Saturday Night.
Promised Land
Aug. 27, 1972
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds

I have my issues with Donnie's at times overly critical grousing about certain versions and his subsequent questioning of people's Deadhead credentials as a result, but on this one I'm firmly in his corner and NOT just because I nominated the version he's backing. I'm at a total loss as to how anyone can seriously and objectively hear the 4 minute Veneta version...which sounds nearly identical to just about any other 4 minute version from '72 that's out there...and then listen to the jammed out, high octane, all-in completely barn burner version from 9/18/90 with the extra factor of Hornsby bringing color and flash and flourish to the whole damn thing, and not conclude that MSG is the superior version. Sorry, folks, but Donnie's straight up right on this one. Promised land from Veneta is good, it's nice, it's Veneta after all. But it's just like every other '72, which is to say, by the numbers, predictable, and with far less to offer than the show stopper that is 9/18/90.
Casey Jones
May 2, 1970
Harpur College

One of those "just assumed it was already there" versions. Yes, a winnner, as this tune was still in its fresh live stages and from one of the great shows of all time it's a can't miss.
It Must Have Been The Roses
May 4, 1977
The Palladium

They just don't make em like this anymore. And btw this whole show is every bit as good as all the A list of dates that come after and overshadow it...unfairly, really.