Grateful Dead Best version EVER?

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June 4, 2007 - 10:00am

327 replies

marye

Joined:
May 26, 2007

So, what are your all-time greats?

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August 25, 2007 - 2:30am

#211

Sunshine-daydr…

Joined:
June 5, 2007

Sugar Mag

with my Moniker i had to make a choice on this I love the version on Ladies and Gentlemen The Grateful Dead Bob - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spanish Jam
August 25, 2007 - 2:29am

#212

Sunshine-daydr…

Joined:
June 5, 2007

T.O.O.

Ratdog 12th August 2007 Lowell may not be the best but it is worth a listen, Dennis McNally reading Kerouac about Uncle Neal Bob - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spanish Jam
August 24, 2007 - 11:03pm

#213

GrayFolded

Joined:
June 4, 2007

This is it!!!!!

Playing in the Band Winterland 10-09-72 GO LISTEN GRACE SLICK JAM FOLLOWS It's the scariest Playin i have heard..... Dead to the Core www.myspace.com/bongwizard
August 22, 2007 - 5:01pm

#214

Ursa Minor

Joined:
July 19, 2007

Best Ever Tunes

Howdy GD folks, hmm...it's always hard to say but some good versions off the top of my head are: Dancin: 02-14-70, atlanta 77, of which there is some bass drum beats that have me wondering what was going on exactly, NEVER heard the bass drum beat so fast, like ginger baker....I think it was mickey, but you never know...the only reason I would think it was mickey is becuase he is the research drummer if you will Sugar mag>scarlet>fire : 03-27-88 is on fire....this should be looked at for a commericial release, it's that strong, the fire on the mountain is great, nice groove, nice note choice by garcia, etc. the whole band is on...estimated that follows is really good too Dark Star 04-29-72 Hamburg, Germany, it's difficult to assess europe 72 tour is simply so well performed , this is a nice dark star Corrina : 06-15-93 , great performance, not a real fan of the tune, but the jam that comes at the end is so organic , and "indian like" not east indian, but american type indian terrapin station>jam , 06-23-93 , the show is very mundane , until this point after terrapin...it is similar in design to the early 70's, but the tonality is much more complex and modern, not simply a mixolydian type of tonality, a nice full twelve tone tonality, that is very mature wharf rat: 03-21-90, very well done on the instruments and vocals, the out jam is very strong china cat sunflower>I know you rider, 07-06-90 is very good, nice phil and jerry trade off's , phil playing is very strong during the segue jam into rider He's gone>jam , 07-06-90 Louisville, Ky. very nice jam, perhaps one of the best from 90's, very blues laden, but then does the triplet groove as in the other one on the out, nice phil playing on this one visions of johanna : chicago, 95 , jerry throws out his ear monitor and let's it rip, he singing this one from the heart, I almost think he knew that this might be the last time space: 06-19-93 chicago, mickey goes nuts on the beam, I never see him baseball swing like this before playing in the band: 06-06-93, out of UJB, which is usually the oppisite, this one goes to meltdown into drums, full twelve tone wierdness by the end of the jam, also jerry is actually using a wah wah pedal reminiscent of the early 70's Sugar Magnolia, 03-16-93, on the sunshine daydream, phil let's down on the volume pedal, on the F sharp to E natural kicks, I mean 20 kHz to the max, let the ole subwoofer put the vibe out, good version too Big River : 06-22-73 standard honky tonk , will Billy K playing a perfect beat on the snare, plus everybody else just letting it rip that's the short list, I could go on for days, most of this I actually saw, the other I've listened to many, many times Ursa Minor I wish that for just one time, You could stand inside my shoes, and for just that one moment, I could be you - Bob Dylan, Positively 4th St.
August 22, 2007 - 1:34am

#215

GrayFolded

Joined:
June 4, 2007

This is just plain silly.....Darkstar>Spanish Jam 6-23-74

Go listen HERE If you don't know the download trick to get the mp3, just message me..... Dead to the Core www.myspace.com/bongwizard
August 18, 2007 - 11:59am

#216

wolf78

Joined:
July 19, 2007

big river

9- '72, Baltimore on Dick's Picks is a smoker.
August 17, 2007 - 11:09am

#217

richard

Joined:
June 7, 2007

Aiko 4-16-78

This one is so spicy I swear my speakers were dripping Tobasco.
August 6, 2007 - 11:58am

#218

mike v

Joined:
August 6, 2007

They Love Each Other

I am gettin married in Oct and would love our first dance to be to They Love Each Other....I am looking for some ideas about some versions that some others may think would work. I think something from JGB would be best, but maybe some 1990 with Bruce Hornsby.... just looking for some opinions!!!! Hit me up with a message if you have a thought about it!!!! much love, mike
July 31, 2007 - 10:26pm

#219

paisley

Joined:
June 9, 2007

A Singular Moment....

...shall we go, you and I while we can... There was a singular moment that occurred during every show that was so meaningful because it contained no music. It was the moment when the house lights dimmed, before the stage lights went up, as the band walked onstage. In that moment, you knew the band could take you anywhere they wanted to, and you gave in to it. It was the moment of the highest trust and vulnerability. The Grateful Dead never took anybody on a bad trip. Even on the off nights, the inherent good will of the musicians shown through. Thanks to Jerry and the rest of the band for letting me experience this 170 times. These were the highest moments of my life.
July 22, 2007 - 3:26pm

#220

AltheaToldMe

Joined:
July 22, 2007

Looking for a smoking

Looking for a smoking Althea. Any recs?

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Personal Favorites

So, what are your all-time greats?

best is subjective, but these versions are my favorites and they are all from 2/18/1971, last show with Mickey for several years ... *Bertha *Loser Hard to Handle *Wharf Rat (with Beautiful Jam!) Me and My Uncle Me and Bobby McGee Big Boss Man Candyman Uncle John's Band * - first time ever played Bertha is very cool because it has this little coda at the end of the song, and this version is the only time it was ever played. My 3rd show, and the first time I was ever psychedelic at a show. New Riders opened the show with a great set. One of the best nights Jerry ever had, imho. You can't go wrong with this show.

Morning Dew 12 30 1987

This one will give you goose bumps.

China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider 06/22/74

First night of two at the Jai-Alai Fronton in Miami. This is without a doubt my favorite China/Rider of all. The jam out of China Cat is second to none in my opinion. It is a complete work of art filled with masterful playing by all, with with one peak after another, a continuously building crescendo that literally explodes into Rider. The first time I heard it, it nearly blew my mind and still has an incredible effect on me to this day.

Mr Charlie

Hollywood Bowl? 1971. pure funk. I barely even recognized it the first time I heard it. I really like "traditional" Mr C...but this one is tops...IMO, of course. Your mileage may vary

Black Peter, Illinois

My personal favorite is the peformance of "Black Peter", Northern Illinois University, 1977.
I am from europe, and was studying at the university from 1976-1979. I didnt know the dead before that show, but i have loved them ever since. Love from Denmark.

Best regards
Søren Jespersen
Writer at https://bedste-blackfriday-tilbud.dk/

In the end - Linkin Park

Just for today...

Cow Palace New Years Eve 1976. Simply because I just listened to it! No doubt, tomorrow will bring a new favourite 😎

Loser 10/15/76

This one doesn't show up on headyversion, but it's a really good one.

https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1976/10/15/loser?source=90753

Linkin Park is the best all…

Linkin Park is the best all time.

Terrapin

I had a whim to find a Terrapin above Terrapins. The one that will send shivers down my spine and fill me up with cascading sound fields each and every listen.

I listened to all the ones I have, not that many, maybe 6-7 and this is what I found:

The infamous version from Englishtown '77 still stands out quite a bit. It was my first show and I thought I was just playing favorites, but indeed it quite a wonderful version.

The other one I liked was from 03/03/1990 Nassau Coliiseum

It was also and quite education to listen to Robert Hunter Jack O' Roses acoustic studio version which clocks in at 15:58

But, I thought I would ask here as I know I will get some solid sound advice.

My personal favorite is the peformance

Best regards
Writer at https://www.ellipticalaudit.com/
Patkerr

Greek Theater: 5/21/82: Playin>UJB

I can only talk about what I actually saw. The second set opener at the magnificent Greek Theater, Berkley, was the best. They came out in a rather excited state to start the set. Then, they just erupted into a musical superlative. The jam into drums was a Bobby/Brent thing I never saw at any other show. Then the sun set. People need to listen to that 40 minutes turned up real loud. Archive.org has a Charlie Miller sound board that will do you well.
Sure there are probably better Playin>Uncle John's, but that one was a best for me. The energy!

The Great American Music…

The Great American Music Hall for sure.....one from the vault 1975.....the best version of eyes ever.....Jerry's solo's are out of this world

Walking Into Bickershaw Festival with a Miners Family

Seeing the Dead at Bickershaw with a miner and his family ( wife and several kids ). They had given myself and a friend a ride to the site and i invited them along....we all just walked in. I had paid they hadn`t but it didn`t matter. We all watched and listened totally transfixed......magical time

Best Terrapins

The one from 3-18-77 with the Alhambra / Terrapin Flyer jam afterwards is pretty cool.

Some great ones from the 80's are 4/14/84 Hampton, 3/23/87 Hampton and 4/6/87 Brendan Byrne. That Spring tour in 87 they were pumped up and the Terrapin outros in particular are smokin. Also the Brendan Byrne one comes out of Space and goes into The Other One, so there's that...

5/26/77 Terrapin

First time I heard it live after only having heard it on vinyl. I "got it" then. Was not too sure about it based on the album

Alvin Lee from Ten Years…

Alvin Lee from Ten Years Later - Hey Joe

Alvin Lee from Ten Years…

Alvin Lee from Ten Years Later! I have a compilation of videos about this and download it through this tool videopower.me/tips/category-videopower-red/download-video-from-a-website/

Just one of the all time greats...

Can we coax David and company to release 4-21-69, The Arc, Boston, Mass. for the next Dave's Pick release?

Please? Pretty Please?

Forever dedicated to great Dark Stars.....

Favorite Dark Star/The Other One

I stumbled across this beautiful set of 08/03/1969... There's a saxophonist that joins in on the jams and I particularly enjoyed the way Phil Lesh played around with this interesting jazzy addition to the band. It definitely gave me more understanding in the way Phil plays the bass. And seeing as he was a trumpet player originally and wrote several Jazz pieces as a composer before meeting the band, we can hear and feel this is right up his alley. Best version so far in my books

I found a new favorite but I…

I found a new favorite but I need some help. What live version of It Looks like Rains is it that ends with Jerry singing What A Wonderful World?

Best Bucket opener

7-2-87

Archive.org best version is not the mixed one fwiw - great energetic show - can't go wrong with the entire show, band was tight - no good copies of the show exist due to rain heat and humidity unfortunately but local tv station caught first 4 songs and it is on youtube fyi

Fillmore East 2/1170?

Dead with Allman Brothers & Peter Green Fillmore East 2/1170? How about a release form the vaults?

9-2-88 Mt. Rushmore

Just went back and listened to the Charlie Miller mix of 9-2-88. Just amazing. The second set alone is worthy of a Dick or Dave's....how about some fall of '88 love with those Picks!
This show is on the Mt. Rushmore for me with 8/27/72, 8/13/75, 5/22/77 and 8/6/74. Fall '88 is very nice overall but juxtapose this with a hot 10/2/88 and you can hear the extra oomph in 8/27/88. Listen to the Stella's from both and you can hear how the Cap Center one is far more on point. This show has my go to Wheel, Watchtower, Scarlet/Fire, Sugar Mag and Stella....hence, Rushmore.

Unbroken Chains from…

Unbroken Chains from Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel. Phil Lesh sings and he is fabulous. This song has meant more to me that any other.

McNichols 7-13-81 Full show…

McNichols 7-13-81
Full show was fabulous but second set was !!!!!!!!!!

Given, I'm young in terms of…

Given, I'm young in terms of deadheads at 54, so only saw the Grateful Dead around 10 times. Of those shows, June 23, 1990 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. One of those shows where you would swear they control the weather.

As for Dead & Co which I haven't missed any of the Boulder shows since I live here. Honestly, July 3rd, 2023, the last night in Boulder this summer was just over the top. Most of the Boulder Dead & Co have been great. June 18, 2022 & July 6, 2019 were also especially good.