headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

parrott56

millennial head

+4803


Submissions

4
Let It Grow
June 14, 1985
Greek Theater

Spectacular depth, detail, and feeling. Drummers drive the transitions, while Jerry offers cool rhythmic variations.
2
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Dec. 5, 1969
Fillmore West

Exploratory transition jam! Very different from most early versions. Has that anarchic ’60s energy.
3
Black Peter
Dec. 5, 1969
Fillmore West

Practically flawless early version played with focus and intensity.
1
Dancin' in the Streets
Dec. 5, 1969
Fillmore West

High-velocity, high-power jamming magic, all packed into less than nine minutes. Intense. From a wonderful overlooked show.
2
Cosmic Charlie
Dec. 5, 1969
Fillmore West

Very well played and sung! Pity about the audience member humming along out of tune, but otherwise a fine ’69 AUD.
show more submissions

Comments

Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Feb. 22, 1974
Winterland Arena

Damn, Keith is ALL over this show. Check out that perfectly timed chromatic run leading up to the drop into A major. Then he switches to electric (Fender Rhodes) for the delicate start of the Rio Grande-o section. But the whole band’s sense of dynamics is just expert here, and that may be just as sweet as the extra few minutes of jamming we’d get in a ’77 version. “YMMV.”
Playin' In The Band
Feb. 22, 1974
Winterland Arena

It doesn’t get much better than this. Even with the stiff competition of 1974, I’d say this is one of the best versions of the year.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Feb. 22, 1974
Winterland Arena

This thing is killer. There are a lot of improvisational flourishes in China Cat and Rider proper as well as in the transition jam. In China Cat, almost none of Jerry’s lines sound like anything he usually plays there. In Rider, listen to how Keith really attacks the last instrumental break. And Phil is so creative throughout, often playing, it seems, one step off the “expected” note and really building the tension.
Scarlet Begonias
April 18, 1978
Civic Arena

This is an exciting and exquisitely crafted Scarlet. Just do not miss it.
Estimated Prophet
Oct. 19, 1989
The Spectrum

Typical for the period, it’s filled with MIDI ... and quite adventurous. I like both of those traits, but your mileage may vary.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)