headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

hvd

sleuth

+21565


Submissions

6
St. Stephen
May 6, 1970
Kresge Plaza - MIT

The jam during this blows me away every time. Pure psychedelic bliss. An argument could easily be made that this is the definitive version.
13
Easy Wind
April 4, 1971
Manhattan Center

Powerful and driving blues jam, with a unique ending. Garcia tears this one up, and Lesh provides a great hollow bass sound.
9
Nobody's Fault But Mine
May 20, 1973
U.C.

Off the rails, intense blues jamming.
6
Eyes Of The World
April 8, 1991
Orlando Arena

Relaxed, controlled, and tight. Garcia owns this one.
5
New Minglewood Blues
May 19, 1966
Avalon Ballroom

Insane early version. Weir goes off on the vocals, and there is some energetic old time Dead jamming.

Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
June 22, 1973
Pacific Coliseum

Octane level transition jam, hooks left and right, Weir flying, Garcia dipping, Lesh interweaving. One of the greatest China>Riders to ever be recorded on tape--bar none-. The transition could be one of the finest ever.
Bird Song
Oct. 18, 1972
Fox Theater

An especially poignant. I too dug the lead out of the vocal reprise. Particularly jazzy, Billy is on, very strong interplay between all. Lucid and soaring, one of my top shows and versions of 72'. A very cosmic experience, from entrance to finale, the Dark Star>Dew from in the second set, is, let me tell you, one hell of a trip. If anything listen to that, but you'd be missing out on this Bird Song and a bunch of other noteworthy renditions of other classics, so just listen to the whole thing, not a disappointing moment throughout.
He's Gone
Oct. 9, 1984
The Centrum

Gospel Church style extended vocals and riffing. Crowd is all over it, you can hear them going wild. Very strong version and a bluesy segue into Smokestack, choice stuff.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
May 20, 1973
U.C.

Something about this one, it just flows-thats it- flows. Peaks at an incendiary level leading into the Rider, something in which is always a good barometer-- especially when the 1st set is still going-- that the band is on. The transition- as Carrion aptly described- is perfect. The Rider is a-typical of the period and the year, very strong, with excellent Garcia leads. Vocals, cant blame Garcia he has a cold- but it still doesn't detract from the listening experience.
Hell in a Bucket
July 8, 1987
Roanoke Civic Center

Righteous and thundering. Weir gets into it and Garcia shreds.