headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

49
Jack Straw
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

There are longer versions, but none has a better bridge jam than this one. My favorite version ever--must listen!
88
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Feb. 24, 1974
Winterland Arena

Hard-charging drumming from Billy leads the way. Best MLB jam in this pairing I've ever heard. Hard to believe it wasn't listed yet.
37
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

Intense build-up jam, perfect touch-down. Weir absolutely nails it. My favorite version all-time
21
Shakedown Street
Jan. 10, 1979
Nassau Coliseum

Laser-focused, perfect rendition, start to finish. Super-funky with awesome Jerry fuzz-guitar, rock-blues jamming post-vocals
12
Candyman
March 24, 1988
Omni Coliseum

Lucky enough to be at this show. Candyman blew everyone away--best song played that night. Awesome trippy guitar jam &Jer belts out vocals
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Comments

Stagger Lee
Sept. 16, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Yep. Well chosen by Latvala. This one does have a lengthy and juicy outro.
Aiko Aiko
Sept. 16, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Shoulda upped this ages ago. Lots of crescent city swagger and one of the few times the MIDI does some good (the aforementioned Jerry trumpet sound works here). Long, jammy, very danceable top notch version.
Shakedown Street
April 16, 1984
Community War Memorial Auditorium

I'd suggest the Miiller SBD, a very fine source for a grossly underrated show. Love this Shake for the sheer goofy funk it delivers...the goofy part is the final vocal join in and dang if they ain't all hamming it up and having a grand time doing it. Jerry slays his solos and Bobby works double time keeping the faster paced rhythm. More I hear from this show the more I like.
Deal
Sept. 16, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Spun ths recently and realized that because this show has so many highlights I'd overlooked this killer Deal. Multiple peaks and a great blending of the Hornsby sound to put an exclamation point on the end of set one. Must have been a lot of stunned, super wide smiles of awe when the lights came up. (Best Iko of the 90s at this show too)
Bird Song
Sept. 6, 1991
Richfield Coliseum

Spectacular jam section, as in truly amazing and dramatic...not even the MIDI can detract from it...upping it on the basis of that (being the lion's share of the song) but I also have to note that Jerry's vocals are horrendous here. You kind of have to ignore the fact that he can't hit a single note and it's objectively awful. That said, the jam is what this version is about and it's all that's advertised here and more.
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