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  • ripple70
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    Stella blue
    dozin at the knick jerrys solo brings a tear to my eye everytime.
  • Viola Lee Guitars
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    Loose Lucy....Oakland but when???
    Oh yeah, There was this tape i had back in the day, Oakland. It was the 90's and it was January or February 20something. Had the most smoking version of loose lucy I ever heard, better than 74.The 1st set also had Wang 'Dang doodle, a good one too as i recall, and i think cold rain and snow, does any know which date this was? I will look it up in Deadbase. That is the best loose lucy though. If any one finds out before me, I will send them a killer Allman 'Brothers bootleg! With Duane that is. I guess it would take me five minutes. I will Give you all one week. Maybe this can bring this thread back to life again. I want to hear about more favorites, I have such a hard time choosing what to listen to!! Hand me my old guitar and pass the whiskey 'round. Matt
  • Viola Lee Guitars
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    oops
    Just to be clearI meant that the greatest story ever told from 8-27-72 might be the only that is better than the one from 12-6-73. but China>Rider from 12-6-73.....well.....let's just say I'd bet the ranch on it! Hand me my old guitar and pass the whiskey 'round. Matt
  • Viola Lee Guitars
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    here are mine
    Well, this thread is just too much fun...so here are mine (I've been writing down all my fav's for a week and here are the best of what came to mind: Dancin In the Streets 5-11-78 The Warewolves is AWESOME too. just heard this for the first time a couple weeks ago, but it is definately the best one I have heard they are having such a blast. the one from Oakland 10-10-76 with wharf rat sandwich was my favorite but I havent heard it in years. Minglewood 3-9-81 no doubt, best ever. Cumberland 7-14-70 with David Crosby is my fav. might be tighter versions but this is my fav. El Paso 11-08-70 6-22-74 and steal your face New Potato Caboose 1-20-68, 2-3-68, 2-14-68, and the long version from the 68 mystery reels China>Rider for me 12-06-73 is the only best and always will be also from this show as mentioned are they love each other, greatest story ever told which for both are also my favorite all time renditions, veneta Or might beat it actually, but barely. and of course one of the best dark stars. He's Gone> 9-18-74 no words can do this one justice, just have to listen Truckin> 9-18-74 so many great ones, but after the he's gone this one is PERFECT Drums> 9-18-74 Caution> 9-18-74 Ship of Fools 9-18-74 this is a VERY moving version. The whole thing was on a dead hour and the whole thing is worth listening to but hes gone>trucking Is breathtaking, i guess i know every note and groan and snare and cymbal beat by heart, and PHIL PHIL PHIL throughout ;-) 1/2 step 12-31-72 which also has another monumental truckin as well and as mentioned david crosby on 12 string for one of my favorite morning dews. Cold Rain and Snow 2-12-89 Hell In A Bucket 2-12-89 had this on a tape I lost and forgot the date, found em again years later on etree, I love these versions of both. 5-7-72 From Dark Star to the end of the show is one of the best tape sides from 72 it has Dark Star>drums>other1>Sing me back home>Sugar Mag>lovelight>gdtrfb>NFA, e:onemore sat night. every note is on fire!! these are all top 2 or 3 best versions ever in my opinion, please LISTEN to them for your own enjoyment! I love the allman bros too, but my fav from them together is when Duane sat in on 4-26-71 on Sugar Mag, BIODTL, and It hurts me too, the lovelight from 2-2-70 is not the best ever but worth hearing if you never have before, it has the allman brothers band sitting in as well as peter green, mick fleetwood, and more, guess there must have been 18 people playing on stage! With Merl Saunders and Ned Lagin sitting in at Kezar Stadium, 3-23-75 is probably the best 45 minute set ever! 10-9-76 is probably my favorite entire set. set II is there an entire set that can beat this one? i guess I will get bombarded by Cornell, but I listen to this one more often. and Dark Star ( fav of the 90's ) is 3-30-94 which in my opinion is the best vince show. the space is AMAZING too, sounds like the whole world died and you just somehow survived. Well that was it Enjoy Hand me my old guitar and pass the whiskey 'round. Matt
  • PonchoBill
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    truckin'
    Any version were the buildup ( don't know the tech term) at the end of that song works. When it did , it was the best song on the planet.
  • Deadicated
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    Best versions ever ...
    The Sacramento, San Jose & BCT shows in August '72 are all tremendous shows. But then to cap them off with the 8/27/72, Field Trip, always leaves me in awe. It is one show I listen to religiously - I'm not sure how I'll feel should it ever be officially released. I love every tune and get really jazzed at the prospect of listening tonight to the versions of Bird Song, Playing In the Band and Dark Star. I don't own the video but I have seen it. I didn't get the feeling of the intense heat and its role as much as I did the light and how it contributed to the sense of a beginning, middle and end. Hope everyone in the community has a chance to check this marvel out. " Where does the time go? "
  • Gr8fulTed
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    Beatles Top 10
    http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/194557 and the winner is.... "A Day in the Life"? what about "Honey Don't"? Dead-wise, I'm not sure whether I enjoy Jerry's rendition of "Dear Prudence" or " Lucy in the Sky" better.
  • dfew
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    Black Peter 12-13-80 Long Beach- by far the best I've heard . Top 5 show which also has my favorite Deal So Many Roads 9-18-94 Shoreline Ampitheater- one last extra solo and Jerry's vocal just gets me every time. Kills the Soldier's Field version on the So Many Roads box IMHO. Peggy-O and Althea 3-14-81 Hartford- still ranks as my favorite show overall,although the more I listen the closer others get Shakedown .>Franklin's 11-29-1980, another stellar show Agree with Hard To Handle Hollywood '71 and would say the audience version of that and Casey Jones just shreds. Morning Dewand BEW Barton Hall May '77 Stella great late version 11-29-94 Denver favorites on CD are the Ladies and Gents Sing Me Back Home and The Without a Net Eyes... plus of course the studio version of Box of Rain, never heard a live one that surpasses it yet. The fun is in the searching for more pearls and checking out recommended ones on lists like these.
  • Dragon with matches
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    Best version EVER
    So good to see someone posted this,my first tape was from Merriweather Pavillion July 1, 1985, I got this because I love Scarlet>Fire.What makes this so good is at the end of Fire prior to the Scalet riff,the boys just dive into this awe-inspring jam that,you have to hear to get it.
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    Hard Too Handle
    Hollywood Palladium 8/6/71 (date might be off). The famous one, where Jerry allegedly dropped to his knees during the super-awesome-intense-jam. My original vinyl bootleg of this show is better than than any downloaded version.
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So, what are your all-time greats?
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Iko Iko - 2-27-90
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live dead stephen ddhnm 2 from vault crazy fingers 1 from vault ds 2 14 70 black peter bear choice around and around 12 31 76 morning dew 5 2 70 truckin 4 26 72 looks like rain 3 25 72 cassidy reckoning music nev stopped 5 22 77 alabama go to nassau lovelight dp 16 ujb 12 31 76 gset stanley 72 friend of devil dead set bertha skullfuckc
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There's been many great versions of Terrapin, but I like the one from the 09/13/81 show at the Greek Theater in Berkeley the best. It's the only version I've heard where the band goes through the middle instrumental part, not once (as always), or twice (which is rare), but three times they take you for a ride with the melody, giving Brent the lead for the start of the last go around.
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Best show ever.................Dillon Stadium Hartford, Conn. 7/31/74
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Man, it's hard to say what song/show was the best. But I'm quite sure that I like the version of Scarlet > Mountain from Hamilton 3-22-1990 as presented on the So Many Road Box Set very much.
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China/ Rider 7/17/89 Alpine Valley (I am sure some of the early 70's versions might be better , but so far I have yet to find oneScarlet/Fire 11/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell Univ. (amazing) Dancin' 2/26/77 Swing Auditorium ( Just Cooks) Shakedown Street 12/5/81 Indianapolis ( Jerry's Lead work just sounds like he is trying to just 'pop' the notes out, scaling fast, circling ) Lost Sailor/ Saint 12/5/81 Indianpolis ( the build-up and release between Sailor and Saint is orgasmic) Morning Dew 10/12/84 Augusta, Maine( Just Smoking) Sugaree 10/17/83 Lake Placid ( I loved alot of the late 70's ones, but this is just wicked) I could go on and on, alot of fun thinking of these, but it is all subjective, ain't it. I love this thread, makes me want to go out and listen to these picks. God Bless this Band, and all of us.
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Trader X This is THE BEST version of this jam.....great tribute to the closing of SanFrancisco's finest dancehall.
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RODGER ALLINSON The Help Slip Fire from 9-20-91 is truely remarkable granted its the only time they did it but the short second of dead silence after slipnot and the thunderous reaction into fire is truely amazing thank god for masters.
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lets see... Ive got too many damn tapes and I havnt listen to many in a long time but also shows Ive been too etc.... mind left body jam from Reno 74 the Spanish jam from the show I saw in Chicago 92 Black Muddy River from Shoreline in 89 That would be something from LA 93 My 1st show...9/5/82 Shakedown>Playin Long may you run with Neil of course 11/3/91 Theres many more but Ill let you put those in...Eric
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In the car today listening to 5/23/72 (Dark Star>Morning Dew) and Jerry juxtaposed verses but what the heck, it was all from the gut. Since all was spontaneous, during the "Thought I heard a young man", verse, he does a call-response with himself that is so nakedly emotional it can only really be rivaled by the version from 5/26/72. (One day we'll hear it at its appropriate pitch!) Escuchalo! "From day to day, just lettin' it ride, You get so far away from how it feels inside, You can't let go, 'cause you're afraid to fall, But the day may come when you can't feel at all."
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I think it was Feb.'94....but Jerry teased Cosmic Charlie just before a great Wharf Rat....Maybe it's cuz of the cosmic chuck tease and everyone literally on the edge of thier seats...but it will be a rendition that "will live in infamy" in my memory. "Half of my life... I spent doing time for some other fucker's crime"
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I reluctantly admit I got into the band much too late in life...a couple of years after Jerry left us. I picked up a copy of Without A Net at a friend's urging, and the first song that nailed me to the wall was the rendition of Looks Like Rain. Beautifully orchestrated and accompanied, I simply fell in love with it. Sadly, the closest I ever came to seeing the boys live was an Other Ones show in 2000. It was a good show, but if I could travel back in time, I would love to see the band perfom in the early to mid 70's, my personal favorite era of the band. Mike
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Islandmyk, that's my favorite time, too. Looks Like Rain is one of those tunes - the only way I expect to have heard it at it's best is from the tapes - and there are some great performances - check the Europe Tour bonus version - many agree it's one of the best! Bienvenidos! "From day to day, just lettin' it ride, You get so far away from how it feels inside, You can't let go, 'cause you're afraid to fall, But the day may come when you can't feel at all."
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Grateful DeadFillmore East New York, NY 9-19-70 d3t01 - Dark Star -> d3t02 - St. Stephen -> d3t03 - Not Fade Away -> d3t04 - Darkness Jam -> d3t05 - China Cat Jam -> d3t06 - Not Fade Away -> d3t07 - Turn On Your Lovelight d3t08 - Crowd noise > Youngbloods: Get Together... -> d3t09 - Phil and Pigpen speak -> d3t10 - Youngbloods: Get Together -> Crowd noise
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OK, I am listening to GDRadio, real good mix, take a listen if you have not already They just played Winterland 10-18-78, and the Truckin' to close the show is freaking great, and the Miracle encore is just real sweet.
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Viola: 5/2/70 (of course)Here Comes Sunshine: DP1 (I still play this song for my Dead-ignorant friends to convert them) Dancin' In the Streets: 5/19/77 (Notice how often 77 is mentioned). I am a huge Eyes of the World fan. Can anybody out there point me to some of their favorite versions?+
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2/15/73 - Comes so startlingly sweetly out of Dark Star - Unforgettable! Stream it. 10/74 Winterland (box set) 9/03/77 Estimated>Eyes - The quintessential eyes (it's a Dick's Picks) Tres versiones nuevas para ti - vas a gozar! "From day to day, just lettin' it ride, You get so far away from how it feels inside, You can't let go, 'cause you're afraid to fall, But the day may come when you can't feel at all."
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Is this not like trying to pick favourite child? For Heaven sake it can't really be done!!!It's interesting too see replies and check out the shows... So many roads to trip down and explore Different versions at different points in life It will probably keep changing in life's evoloution
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BIODTL 04-26-71 Duane Allman and Jerry head-to-head Bertha DP18
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Relatively impossible but some favorites: 10/16/89 - Attics of My Life at Brendan Byrne (actually that whole second set) 3/24/86 - Box of Rain and Morning Dew at The Spectrum & 3/29/90 - Birdsong, Eyes and Dark Star at the Nassau Coliseum w Branford Totally different answers tomorrow.......
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Thanks deadicated. I will check them out.
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This was the second set opener . . .I had some friends who got there real early and had seats in the bleachers on the left side of the floor . . .I have never seen Oakland, save and except for the craziness of a parade or the like, so ON FIRE - the staff at the coliseum could not keep the dancing people out of the aisles . . .i don't know the exact stats as to how long it had been since the boys had busted out a help/slip/franklin's but i think it had been quite a while . . . and a very notable crazy fingers - jerry's solo is the sweetest thing these ears have ever heard - GOOSE BUMPS WIDE REMEMBERING THIS GEM . . .anyone else remember it like this??????~KRISSY~
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The Scarlet Fire from the Cornell 77 Show. Not only because I was there....The fire Starts off nice but by the end it is just massive. Like the old days at winterland, the sound seems to be coming from all directions. Very Impressive Paul
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Oh by the way, The dancin' that closed the fist set at cornell 77 is also amazingJerry gets into the nitrous jam.. I'm sure there are many more... But you know this is a hard question Definetly food for thought Paul
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The "Saturday Nights" in the Fall of '71 are pretty much as good as they got. One where Bobby seemed to be feelin' it just a little extra was in St. Louis at the Fox Theatre, 12/10/71. It was the encore that followed a brief pause after already having toasted his vocal chords wailin' with Pig on NFA. Goodnight folks. "From day to day, just lettin' it ride, You get so far away from how it feels inside, You can't let go, 'cause you're afraid to fall, But the day may come when you can't feel at all."
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question.......I am so fickle that they change so often. I have best versions in different Dead vintages, etc...and they ALL change. A couple from the top: Stella Blue - 8.1.94 UJB - for the modern era - so many but 3.26.88 continues to dominate Eyes - modern day tie - 6.17.91 and 3.31.91; and so many 74 versions Terrapin - 2.26.77; 3.27.87 Shakedown - 6.30.85; 3.30.87 Scarlet - LMAO - almost impossible to nail one down but 3.27.88 is right up there; there are so many from 1974 and then there is Cornell and about 15 other 77/78 shows where this song steals the Thunder. Dark Star - many and often, 10.9.89 “The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!”
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Such a tough question. But one that stands out for me was Rochester 9/2/80. Came out of drumz with an amazing IKO IKO into Morning Dew.
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10-21-1983.....A perfect Wharf Rat...August West....stumblin around drunk on Burgandy Wine. This night every note they played was on...Its Brents B-day..@ the Centrum...Like fine wine this is a vintage worth a taste..Maybe they will make a DP? We need 83...
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I've had a great time reading people's favorite versions and scouring through my Dead collection or the Achieve to hear what you all have been raving about. Sometimes I'll hear a version I know I've heard before, but I think I'm hearing it with fresh ears. You all have excellent taste! Anyway, I was recently reading an old piece of early rock journalism written shortly after the Monterrey Pop Festival in 1967. The writer (I can't remember his name) was ecstatic about the Dead's performance. It got me thinking: I have very few recordings from '67, and my knowledge of the music is scant. Can anyone point me toward a particularly excellent show or shows from '67? Many thanks! Oh, a few more of my personal favs: He was a Friend of Mine from the Fillmore West Bonus Disc Scarlet>Touch>Fire (Exact date unknown-my tape merely says The Greek 7/84 Yo Soy Boricua!
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Absolutely wonderful "vocal jam" at the end. Jerry "This is but a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago." Box of Rain Lyrics by Robert Hunter Music by Phil Lesh
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Not just my favorite version of this song, it's one of my favorite Dead performances period. Jerry's beautiful long lead reminds me of his "Like a Road" solo on Live at Keystone album; both show off his ability to imagine dozens of stunning variations of a song's single melody. And the rest of the boys build a perfect sky for his flights.
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My two all-time favorite Grateful Dead performances. Comes A Time from 8-19-80, Uptown Theatre, Chicago. Incredibly beautiful. Loser from Englishtown, NJ 1977 (DP15) Wow. Thanks for asking!
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I really like "Lazy River Road" from 3-14-93 at Richfield Colliseum in Richfield, OH
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My personal favorite Dark Star is September 21, 1972. Lasts roughly 37 minutes. It's delicious, if music can be summarized in such a way. It has three distinctly different parts, each with its own climax and beat.
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I just love this song - the studio version with pedal steel, the Reckoning version (that's the one in my ipod). This week, I listened to versions from 1/10/70, 5/26/72 and 10/11/77 in the car. The 70 and 72 versions were just OK. 77 was better - sort of loped along. They played it after a long Dancin so maybe they needed a breather. 4/10/78 is a good version (whole show is good, matter of fact). 4/4/85 rocks - Garcia's really into the vocal. 9/20/93, immediately following Race Is On, is full of energy (I have it on an aud tape and the crowd loves it). GrayFolded - 3/18/77 is a great all-around show, don't you think? I prefer the early 77 shows (from Feb through May) to the fall shows. One of my favorite Terrapins is one Phil and Friends did with members of String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks in 99. "Folk rock for groovin families!" myspace.com/chipwithrow chipwithrow.com
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Dancin from 5.22.77; - DP 3; Garcia is off the charts outragously good here; although the Dancin from Cornell is no slouch Peggy-O - 5.5.77; jerry just so smooth vocally and muscially; the notes slink and slide and become one; of course that could describe 1977 in its entirety more later “The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!”
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QUOTE FROM SW FL CHIP -"GrayFolded - 3/18/77 is a great all-around show, don't you think?" Indeed my friend...A great show indeed...Scarlet>Fire to end a hell of a first set...And the 2nd set combo of Terrapin>Drumz>NFA>Stephen>Around is big time and I love UJB for the encore....I agree Chip,early 77 is in a league of it's own.......And by the way, I love Dire Wolf..Never found a live version that really moved me the way the album version did.... Dead to the Core www.myspace.com/bongwizard
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3/18/77 - a unique show - I've had a single cassette of it and always look forward to listening to it. I dig all the songs on Workingman's, but I think the three that are absolute diamonds are UJB, High Time and Dire Wolf. Each of the others has availed itself to opening either in a vocally nuanced or an extended jamming context when played live. I realize UJB has the D minor vamp that can go a lot of places live, but the vocals on the studio version are absolutely beautiful! Oigame! "From day to day, just lettin' it ride, You get so far away from how it feels inside, You can't let go, 'cause you're afraid to fall, But the day may come when you can't feel at all."
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Good Lovin'...Madison Square Garden (9/21/82). Turn On Your Lovelight...Nassau Coliseum (3/29/90). Thank you Branford Marsalis. Franklin's Tower...Hampton (4/9/83). Brent got quite funky with the opening. Midnight Hour...Oakland Coliseum (12/31/85) "So everyone here...is wishing you all out there...a very Happy New Year......From us to Youuuuuu." I Need A Miracle > Bertha...Madison Square Garden (10/11/83). "One of Jerry's speakers just barked its little heart out." Just my choices...for what THAT is worth...lol.
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Jack Straw 8-27-83 Seattle - Phil drops some serious bombs, would like to hear a SDBWharf Rat 4-12-78 Durham NC - absolutely amazing Morning Dew 6-14-85 Greek - Probably not the best, but was on my first bootleg and love it. Dear Mr. Fantasy 4-14-85 Irvine CA - Comes out of space and a great version Music Never Stopped 6-28-85 Hershey PA - Opens set 2 with a great jam.
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it would have to be "scarlet begonias" from the orpheum theatre in SF 7/18/76 ... i taped that show off the KSAN FM b'cast and listened to the cassettes incessantly for many many years ... in fact one summers night in '78 or was it '77, in the front yard on 47th & judah, in SF, i shared this tape with our new neighbors (just moved to SF from LA) who had never heard the dead ... they were instantly converted ... i still think it's the best version ever ...
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The version of China Cat/I Know You Rider from Without a Net. Ive heard other really good versions but none with near as much energy "You know the one thing we need is a left handed monkey wrench....."