headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+23534


Submissions

13
Run Run Rudolph
Dec. 7, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Give it a spin before Santa comes...Pig does Chuck Berry and Kris Kringle proud!
11
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
Sept. 11, 1974
Alexandra Palace

DP Vol. 7 in London...special hard-core ROCK&ROLL kick-ass version, as if to remind the good folks across the Pond what happened 200 years earlier.
4
The Wheel
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

Like every song in this vastly underrated show: Just Exactly Perfect.
28
Beat it on Down The Line
Feb. 28, 1973
Salt Palace

Normally not a song I take much notice of...but Keith just takes over this puppy and turns it into a rollicking good time!
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!
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Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Dec. 3, 1979
Uptown Theatre

yeah, the AUD patch is a real buzz kill & I get what you're saying about the somewhat sluggish approach, but there's an odd steadiness or balance maybe is the right way to describe it between the two tunes and I like the patient bridge to Fire. As I said in my comment previous I see this as more of a nice sleeper pick or a good version to hear for some interesting early Brent contributions.
Not Fade Away
Sept. 28, 1975
Lindley Meadows, Golden Gate Park

As unique an NFA--separate from any other identifiable era version--as you will ever hear. Jazz inflected...more like Buddy Rich than Buddy Holly...upvoted just for standing out so beautifully from the crowd.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Shame on me for not raving about this one & only now just upping it. Raging, yet laser precision performance, peaks, harmonies, the whole 9 yards. I'm always fixated on getting the word out about the S>F from this show so I overlooked this stone cold HalfStep for far too long. No more.
Playin' In The Band
Dec. 3, 1979
Uptown Theatre

The more I hear '79 Playin's the more I love 'em. Especially these early Brent-day numbers...there's a small club jazz feel to this jam, mellow but propulsive, patient, really rich & colorful...a spectacular version here that I hope will get a bump from the new DaP release but deserves it even without.
Althea
Dec. 3, 1979
Uptown Theatre

Garcia goes around twice, doubles up on "you know this space is getting hot" & then a nice gritty solo follows. If not as "in-tandem" as some early 80s versions, this is still a great one and a fine example of what was special about the early Altheas.
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