headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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sylvanriv

90s expert

+1262


Submissions

1
Feel Like A Stranger
March 18, 1994
Rosemont Horizon

Super hot show opener, Jerry is here to PLAY! Speedy licks all over. Possibly the best first set of the year, although totally unknown show.
3
Row Jimmy
March 18, 1992
The Spectrum

The very slow tempo that a lot of first set songs had in 1992 suits this one wonderfully.
1
Bird Song
May 21, 1992
Cal Expo

Probably the most underrated version in the history of Bird Songs. Incredible jazzy jamming from Jerry that peaks extremely hard.
2
Row Jimmy
Feb. 27, 1994
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Stadium

Just exactly perfect. Slow, emotive, and well-played. Jerry's old-man vocals fit this one perfectly.
2
Friend of the Devil
June 6, 1992
Rich Stadium

Strong Jerry solo here.
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Comments

Uncle John's Band
July 17, 1989
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Fine version, but nothing special. The mid solo is uninspired and short, and the outro is well-played but not unique. Any 8 minute version of UJB is generally too short. This whole show is overrated, imo. Well played versions and Jerry's clearly having a lot of fun, but I think it gets too high of a ranking due to its availability, it being on video (and released decades ago), and of course the fact that it's from an era during which a lot of users on this site were touring. I'd love to hear some of yalls opinions about this because I know a lot of people are willing to call out other overrated shows, but never seen anyone say much about this one.
Cumberland Blues
July 17, 1989
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Decent, no, good version. I don't put a lot of stock in the idea that Jerry never played the same after the coma (i.e. he "lost something"), but I will say Cumberland was never the same after the coma. Give me any version from summer 86 or earlier before this one.
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

Not sure if there's a Cassidy out there that can compete with this one. Certainly no 70s version stands up...possibly a super jammed version from the 90s like 5/16/93, or one of the really spacey long ones like 6/25/94 or 3/29/95, but those are almost a different thing entirely. This one is extremely powerful throughout.
Pretty Peggy O
March 27, 1993
Knickerbocker Arena

Only okay, IMO. nice competent soloing and definitely pretty vocals, but there's a lot of versions from the Vince era that are better and ranked much lower, such as 3/21/94, 6/26/94 (GOAT 90s version), 9/29/94, and 5/28/95.
Bertha
Oct. 19, 1994
Madison Square Garden

Super hot and long. Don’t know how they kept it together for the last night of a grueling and lengthy fall tour with shows nearly every night but this is fantastic
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