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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

25
Althea
May 6, 1980
Rec Hall, Penn State U

Recent Road Trips release is a perfecto: Outstanding vocals from Jerry and a jam after the lyrics that grooves and rocks super-hard. 5-star version!
45
Deep Elem Blues
May 2, 1970
Harpur College

Jerry's voice just exactly bluesy perfect...groovy & slow acoustic cadence & the boys harmonizing sweetly on the chrouses. Outstanding early version
28
Box of Rain
March 20, 1986
Hampton Coliseum

A+ for the crowd alone. Are there better ones? Of course. But I was there & the ecstacy after 14 years of no Box makes this version legendary.
13
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Astonishingly strong Jerry vocals, especially given the year, and some of the prettiest Hornsby-led fills make this one a real great sleeper pick.
35
Promised Land
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

New #1 version--all time best. This is a stretched-out jam-fest for a song usually given the quick-off. Killer fills from Hornsby. MUST HEAR!

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Oct. 7, 1977
University of New Mexico

Yes & this isn’t the only overlooked ‘77 PITB which like this one tend to be dreamy, patient, almost quiet but supremely beautiful. There are a lot of great gems from this show including an all time Wharf Rat but this PITB is a fine sleeper pick & real strong rec.
Eyes Of The World
May 21, 1974
Edmundson Pavilion

^^^^Spot on drummer comparisons...Billy himself would be beaming to hear his name mentioned with Elvin Jones but it's deserved, esp. when you hear the kind of work he does here or really anything in this time period
Eyes Of The World
May 21, 1974
Edmundson Pavilion

Back to mention that after some recent re-listening this one needs some extra acknowledgment for how seriously outstanding the outro section is. Most of the '73-'74 post lyric versions are vert similar sounding --and that's not bad b/c most of them are gold--but this one is a notch above & deserves more ears...Phil is of course the main driver here and I've yet to hear a more confident charge into this jazz jam than what he lays down here--just a thick but flowing dig down and go get 'em juggernaut of flying bass notes & then they're all off to the races...there's even a mini-space break down jam before they nail the stronger than dirt theme and the transition into a killer Wharf Rat could not be any silkier. I can't re-vote for this one but hopefully it'll get some extra love for those who may have missed it in the vast sea of great Eyes from this time period. N'west box set has best sound but there are good archive versions too.
Sugaree
May 19, 1974
Portland Memorial Coliseum

Never upped a non-'77 version before but shame on me for not giving deserved attention to a really sweet, tight, beautifully sung version that doesn't contain the monster jam solos Garcia infused into nearly every '77 version but still brings some short, sharp moments of Garcia guitar magic. Bouncy, lively, and very nice rendition--thanks to those who reviewed it recently and got me on the bandwagon.
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

^^^^Truer words never spoke. I used some editing software to patch in the missing 40 seconds (!) or so of that missing first solo section onto the official release but it still ticks me off that I had to. I love the official releases & am happy to pay for them but FFS it’s incumbent upon the vault keepers & production folks to take care of shit like that...it shouldn’t be up to the consumer shelling out the money...not to mention how insane it is to just go with a crappy edit and hope what? That no one would notice a cut in the greatest version of Eyes ever played from one of the best loved shows of all time? Inexcusable.