headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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dictsang

boxdapocalypse

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Submissions

1
Terrapin Station
June 28, 1995
The Palace

Not particularly heady, but a notably not-too-bad later version with nice Vince vox
1
Cassidy
Sept. 29, 1980
Warfield Theater

Perfect acoustic version
1
The Other One
March 18, 1994
Rosemont Horizon

Weird, jazzy 90s version. Remarkably good!
1
Mexicali Blues
June 16, 1974
Iowa State Fairgrounds

Often a throwaway, this super bouncy version from a top 10 show sparkles.

Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Aug. 7, 1982
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Killer version, and much better than most of the later 80s bustouts I've heard. I'm a big fan of the "thematic jam" here, which to me feels kind of ...over-simple in the 70s? I'm not a big fan of the ones where they switch into that very simple chord progression in the transition, which kind of ruins the tension of it to me. This one's got a lot of ambiguity in it, which I like.
Let It Grow
Aug. 7, 1982
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Great version of a song that has many great versions (I'm a sucker for this type of Latin-inflected, syncopated rocker--the Dead were great in Santana mode). Not the most "out" they ever got, but this is some of the most intense music that they ever made. Points ahead to the very underrated 1983 stuff...not saying that it's the Dead at their absolute best, but people might be surprised to realize that they played with more ferocity in those years than almost any other but 73-74. It's to my taste, although it can be a bit one-dimensional and sloppy. This is right on the line but remains super tight.
The Music Never Stopped
Aug. 7, 1982
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

The "Sugaree" is a nice change of pace, literally, and the second part of "Music" is some very slick, inspired playing. All things told, since "Music" isn't really that different night-to-night beyond the soloing in the first place--no Type II jams, and it was always kinda disco so no real stylistic makeover--I'll give this my vote.
Estimated Prophet
Feb. 3, 1978
Dane County Coliseum

A big fan of this one--Jerry really brings the heat, and all of DP 18 is recorded so nicely...the Estimateds from 1977 on DPs just sound poorly mixed, so that influences my opinion. But they really were on fire for those shows, too. Big fan of Keith's buzzy, harpsichord-ish synth. Jerry's solo, often too quiet for my liking, here is properly mixed super loud so that even the subtle little explorations have that wah bite. A great version.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Feb. 5, 1978
Uni Dome, U of Northern Iowa

Phenomenal version. I've always liked the song parts of this better than many of the jams; the jams often feel kind of noodly, perhaps because Garcia's often too low in the mix. The DP mix is excellent, with him nice and loud, Keith nice and loud, and the whole thing feels so soulful and directional. The transition jam in particular is a thing of buzzing, slowly evolving beauty. My favorite I've ever heard!
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