headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24591


Submissions

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
42
Ramble On Rose
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

Gorgeous, incredible, up and down, carnival-like bridge jam by Jerry. Picture perfect version--no flaws
43
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

April '78 S>F's often mentioned are 4/16 and 4/24 (rightly so) but this one is every bit as good. Superior transition jam--, beautiful, & powerful
94
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Starts out Jazzy, explorative, takes its time, 3 minute intro, then blasts off into the stratosphere with intense Garcia-led jamming

Comments

Althea
Sept. 11, 1982
West Palm Beach Auditorium

This whole show is great-- except, whoops, I was thinking of a different one from '82 ...my bad
Eyes Of The World
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Yep, as merryjerry noted this is technically the first Eyes of 1977, coming just after SugarMag kicked off the New Year and strangely enough this version shares many of the same attributes as one at the tail end of the year in 11/4/77 marked by incredibly fast, yet in control Garcia jams. The band is all in tow as well and it serves as a great place-setter for what I fully believe was the best year overall for this song that was always in rotation every year since its debut in 1973. The intro is jazzy, the middle jams are raucous and beautiful at the same time and the jam after the final verse--while seeming a bit lackluster and meandering at first--actually serves its purpose for flowing lovingly into a sweet Wharf Rat. No question this gets my upvote.
Dark Star
Feb. 7, 1969
Stanley Theater

Some very cool early DS magic right here. Flowing psychedelic ooze that nevertheless maintains the main theme structure throughout...classic '69 Dead w/a fine recording taboot. Deserves a listen and some upvotage.
Franklin's Tower
Aug. 3, 1982
Starlight Theatre

Extra Zip and Pep to this really outstanding early 80's version, with Jer nailing the lyrics and a hard charging flurry of great rollicking thunder...extra point for the smack-you-in-the-face-outta-nowhere transition from Half-Step. Deserves some serious up-votage, and as many early 80's fans will attest, this whole show is one of the greats of that era.
Althea
May 7, 1980
Barton Hall - Cornell University

This is a spectacular version flawlessly delivered vocally by Jerry and with just a rumbling, ascending flurry of jamming post-lyrics that needs to be listened to w/more ears and hoisted up the rankings here. Crystal clear sound quality via Road Trips release, more than worth the investment. *I mis-reviewed this version under 5/6/80 thinking it was from the same release but the Penn State show, but I think this is the version I meant to review.