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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

2
Brown Eyed Women
Aug. 4, 1982
Kiel Auditorium

Fast-picking goodness. Jerry's bridge solo is long and lightning quick and awesome. 1 point off for lyric flub on re-entry, but the rest is gold.
43
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 30, 1977
The Palladium

Sick of saying "How can X not be here" yet but C'mon! Get the digital DL series and start bumpin this up! Smooth Scarlet, killer Fire jams. Early gem!
15
Terrapin Station
Nov. 28, 1980
Lakeland Civic Center

From a year not particularly known for great Terrapin, this one proves the exception to the rule. Tight, inventive, soulful.
6
Monkey and the Engineer
Feb. 4, 1970
Family Dog at the Great Highway

Bob sez: "we're gonna play one of your favorites and we certainly hope it's one of ours" b4 this sweet electric version!
19
Sugar Magnolia
Oct. 7, 1977
University of New Mexico

As insanely good as the Wharf Rat that precedes it. How good? Almost matches 10/29/77 in intensity. Final jam section b4 SSDD will boggle your senses!

Comments

Man Smart, Woman Smarter
April 5, 1982
The Spectrum

After further review, this is the best one right here. Short but oh so funky. Just the slink-funk opening before they even sing a word is filthy. Great fun, solid, spot-on rendition. Hard to beat.
Morning Dew
June 18, 1974
Freedom Hall

I'm convinced. Not the biggest fan of '74 WOS shows (mostly due to the tinny sound of the vocals from the mics they used) but this one is damn near flawless. Jerry is fully committed vocally and the mics take nothing away from his impassioned reading. Four star version with a power-jam-fanning ending.
Not Fade Away
July 7, 1978
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Upping this because yes indeed, about 3/4 of the way in, the second jam section gets a groovy, faster-tempo version of the "Nobody's Fault" jam going and it is for certain that tune. Very cool. Nice gritty guitar intro to this one as well. Does not ultimately rock as hard as the incredible versions from the year before but while being slightly more mellow in the jamming this one is nevertheless always interesting and with the Nobody's Jam you can hear the seeds of experimentation with themes that would become even more pronounced and varied in 1979 (see 11/2/79 for a great example; '79 was probably the most underrated year of NFA ever.) This one also sounds better than ever in the July '78 box and really should be higher.
Eyes Of The World
July 8, 1978
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Yes, yes, and yes again. I'd say more but all I know is it needs to have at least 20 votes & is somehow not there yet.
Pretty Peggy O
July 3, 1978
St. Paul Civic Center Arena

The new Betty Board box set of July '78 gives this version the clean sounding spotlight it so desperately needed and deserved. Even among the scores of A+ versions of this tune (one they consistently did well in virtually all eras) this stands out for its extended, intricate, Garcia solo, slightly faster tempo, impassioned vocals and overall excellence. Should climb the ladder, and fast,