headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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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!
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Comments

Deal
July 4, 1989
Rich Stadium

@flippp The "jamless" '72 versions have a laid back appeal but of course, yes, they don't go as far out as late 80s versions...the mid 70's '77-'78 versions had a little more jam expansion while keeping an excellent rolling gait but also not as jammed out as late 80's...but you are doing disservice to the EARLY 80s versions which are every bit as jammed out as '89s, and I would ask you to go straight to exhibit A being 5/1/81 and tell me that doesn't rip the ever-loving piss out of this 7/4/89 version that, quite frankly, is overrated.
The Eleven
Jan. 17, 1970
Oregon State University

REALLY glad this was posted and commented on. LOVE the slower pace to this 11....still jammed out but way more controlled and thus focused. Tremendous version & possibly my new favorite.
Big Railroad Blues
April 8, 1972
Wembley Empire Pool

This is so good and needs way more votes. Both Jerry solos are perfecto and if i'm not mistaken a bit longer than many other versions from this era. Smokin' hot stuff.
Brown Eyed Women
June 18, 1976
Capitol Theatre

They haven't yet extended Jer's bridge jam but the one he does here, while shorter, is super smooth and note-perfect. It's a bit slower and ,more relaxed as with the versions heard in the early days but Jer nails every lyric and sings with passion and it's a self contained little gem of a version, if a bit less "grandiose" than post '76 and later versions. Very upvoteworthy. (DL series Vol. 4)
Playin' In The Band
June 22, 1973
Pacific Coliseum

Never heard it til today taking a walk w/Grendel in the woods, totally grooving to this spacey/mellow version and outta nowhere, it hit me, YES--a distinct, absolutely can't miss, but very brief "Fire on the Mountain" riff led by Phil...blink your ears and you'll almost miss it, but it is there for certain. So cool.
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