headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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parrott56

millennial head

+5024


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.

Comments

St. Stephen
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

“Some of the worst singing the Dead ever did”? You’ve got to be kidding me. There are some vocal performances from the ’60s and mid-’80s that would like to have a word with you. This is average singing from one of their better years vocally. Also, the noodling here is fairly substantive. All in all, an easy upvote, if not quite the absolute best post-hiatus version. (Check out 1/11/78!)
China Doll
Sept. 10, 1983
Downs of Santa Fe

I love the ’83-style pre-Drums China Dolls. Jerry and Phil bail on the jam pretty quickly, but then we get to enjoy some fine, harmonically adventurous Bobby, Brent, and Rhythm Devils jamming. Great stuff.
Bertha
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Uptempo but not rushed, effervescent, and clean as a whistle. There are a ton of great May '77 Berthas, and this is one of them. Don't miss it.
Friend of the Devil
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Keith’s smoooooth chromatic scale entry into his solo must be heard to be believed.
One More Saturday Night
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Apparently the version on the box set is from 5/28/77, as the 5/13 tape was irreparably damaged. The Archive links are truly 5/13, though.