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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

52
Dark Star
Dec. 31, 1978
Winterland Arena

Farewell to Winterland; Not 40 mins. long ; no break down into feedback nonsense. Just sweet jazzy jamming; Just exactly perfect send off.
10
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

Transition jam weaves into spaces most fail to go; touch-down into Fire is GOLD. Jerry flubs first line in Fire-after that: 1 of the BEST ever!
19
He's Gone
Sept. 26, 1972
Stanley Theatre

Perfect, self-contained, blues-infused, stellar vocals, 14+ minutes of bliss. Extra fun: Check out the "Birdsong" riff about 10 secs. into the intro
36
Dark Star
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

Amazed this isn't here yet Gorgeous, melodic, jazz-infused, mellow, trippy, spacey into hard ripping Jerry riffs; melts into Brokedown Palace. Sublime
48
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 12, 1984
Augusta Civic Center

Kicks off with authority a 2d set every DeadHead needs to hear. Perfect bookend to Jerry's scorching Dew. They say it was cold&rainy that nite in ME.

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.