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  • Deadly
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    Any Ideas Of Best DAYS BETWEEN ?
    I shy away from anything post Brent so my exposure to Days Between is limited. Anyone have a favorite version of Days Between ? To me, that song is Jerry and Hunter at there finest. Thanks in advance....
  • sgrmag2564
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    Merriweather
    I have a couple favorites here, First Sugar Magnolia June 20 1983, the absolute best Sgr Mag I have ever heard, live, tape, cd, what have you. The mud, rain and the energy of the audience, wow, I'm getting chills thinking about it. The same show the Truckin was awesome, the lightning hitting somewhere close by and killing the power for about 2 seconds, most bands would have started the song over, but not our boys, seemed like they picked up with the very next note and finished with a bang. The next year June 26 1984, they opened the first night with, what I thought was a space, but turned into Casey Jones. I lost count of visited shows around 50 and that was the only CJ I saw live.
  • yuletime
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    sugaree
    Rochester NY - 9/1980
  • stuman
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    76 Philly tower theater
    http://www.archive.org/details/gd76-06-22.aud.vernon.6680.sbeok.shnfhtt… http://www.archive.org/details/gd76-06-21.aud.vernon.6679.sbeok.shnf here you go Joe .. all 3 are downloadable .. Enjoy !!
  • fatumseye
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    lookin for a show ? my FAVORITE help!!!!
    I could use a little help finding a tour date.Back in the 90`s me and my friend Dan went to several shows and became grate fans of the Dead. Dan collected 100`s of tapes that we would spend our evenings listening to shows, wishing we where at them all. One show hit me like no other during those days, The energy from Jerry and the Band had me bouncing in the sky. I think it was in `76 at the Philly spectrum? Is it possible they played the spectrum in `76. If so would anyone have a great copy to $$. That top 20 sounds like something I be interested in also!! Gratefully, Fatumseye (Joe)
  • AndLeaveItOn
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    Top 20
    They've always said that with The Dead, it's not about performing the song perfectly, but rather the energy and emotion ... whether measuring in terms of a song, a show, a run, or even a tour. If I were writing this ten years ago, I'd probably have 100 songs on this list. But where Dick says the preference changes daily, I would say my list dwindles daily. That's not to say the ones that fall to the wayside aren't still great ... But I'm eternally searching for the perfect list to hand to a newcomer, and be able to confidently say "THIS is why people love The Dead." I believe there are a handful of songs that not only have great energy and emotion, but are also note perfect. (Or damn near) Here, I humbly submit my top 20 favorite performances, in no particular order. Thanks for reading.... Oh, PS- I hope this doesn't come off as pretentious. I got a TON of great suggestions from this forum, and I just wanted to return the favor. Thank you! DARK STAR 11/08/69 (dp 16) Packs all of the punch of a 30 minute jam into about 15 ... Very distinctive version for '69 LOVELIGHT 04/27/71 (ladies & gents....) Pigpen in all of his glory.... LOOKS LIKE RAIN 04/08/72 (europe '72 remaster bonus track) Jerry on pedal steel. Prettiest version I've ever heard. (Just look the other way when Jerry flubs a chord at the end of the solo....) ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT 04/08/72 (steppin' out) I've never heard them rock quite like this, except for this one other time.... (See GDTRFB) CHINA CAT / RIDER 06/26/74 (dp 12) I'm baffled as to why no one ever talks about this one. It's 20+ minutes of lazy and in-the-pocket groove. Great harmonies, too. GDTRFB 10/18/74 (gd movie/soundtrack) Explosive! I have never heard this much pure intensity in straight rock terms. A must hear! BROWN-EYED WOMEN 05/08/77 Yeah, I know ... Cornell, blah blah blah. :) But I have yet to hear a funkier version. 12/26/79 (dp 5) is pretty damn close, though.... MISSISSIPPI HALF-STEP 09/03/77 Another show that gets accused of being overrated. Although I mostly agree, there has never been another Half-Step that I've heard that reaches these heights. Make sure you listen to the build in the middle. LET IT GROW 10/11/77 (road trips vol. 1, no. 2) I felt like I got run over by a train the first time I heard this. Hopefully you will, too. :) LOSER 12/29/77 (dp10) I read somewhere that Jerry played a different guitar this night. I don't know if the rumor is true, but the solo is STINGING. A very unique sounding solo for this song, and it's full of passion. ESTIMATED PROPHET 08/12/79 (so many roads box) Perfect transitions, Brent's solo ... 'Nuff said! HE'S GONE -> CAUTION JAM 05/06/81 (dp 13) This is a very dark and murky version of He's Gone, and comes off even more heartfelt than other versions I've heard. As far as the Caution Jam is concerned, all I can say is "WTF???" LOST SAILOR 06/15/85 I've always had a soft spot for this song. Bob sings beautifully, and the music is flawless. COMES A TIME 11/01/85 (dp 21) So, you think the song's over and drifting off into "Space," then BAM!, they all fall back into it perfectly. I've listened to that section 100 times, and I STILL can't figure out how the hell they did that! You have to hear this performance. MORNING DEW 09/18/87 Ok, it is very important that you hear this. Easily the most emotional Jerry performance I've ever heard. Just listen the way he pours his soul into his vocals, and later, the guitar solo. There's this one note ... this ONE note he hammers near the very end ... Man, my hair stands up just thinking about it. If this list were only a "top three," this would be in it. PLAYING IN THE BAND 07/29/88 (so many roads box) A pretty rare, un-separated version. The middle, "main ten" jam builds and builds until it sounds like the world is coming to an end! Once the damage has been done, you hear them quietly crawling out of the rubble before they hit the last chorus. BOX OF RAIN 07/19/89 (phil zone) Perfect. The definitive live version. STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN 10/09/89 Bob really hams it up on this one, and it sounds like the rest of the band is supporting him 100%. Sooooo much power and energy coming across here, and the guys seem to be having a great time. SCARLET / FIRE 03/22/90 (so many roads box) This is the hardest tune(s) for me to find an absolute favorite performance of, but I think most of you will agree that this is a great one. Pretty economical for a s/f, clocking in at only 20 minutes or so. It's virtually flawless though, and that's why I chose it. STELLA BLUE 08/01/94 I dare you to get a copy of this and not tear up when you hear Jerry sing at the end. I prefer SBs to audience tapes, but this one you almost need the audience recording to hear the fans' reactions, and to get the full effect. I cried when I heard this for the fist time.
  • Oroboros
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    I believe
    that would be the Dark Star from 12-6-73 show at the Cleveland Convention Center that clocks in at over 40 minutes (and then segues>Eyes of the World>Stella Blue>Sugar Magnolia!) but I don't have that one. Good luck in your search, dhk!
  • deadheadkid
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    hey
    I heard there was a fourty minute dark star cut. Any one know where i could get my paws on it? I love darkstar. my cousin's tribute band did some awesome jams based off of it recently and i would love to hear some originals.Kid
  • canimAl
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    Will take it with me
    I like picasso moon. I memorized the whole song lyrics. I used them at last during "the Glow".
  • c_c
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    I was there, too
    I was there, too, mom. you see? we HAVE danced together! grate show. peace.
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So, what are your all-time greats?
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I have to say that my personal favorite Uncle John's Band was also my first, 5/21/82. To this day I sing Jerry's opening solo to myself. It's a really lovely version.
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I'll have to look that one up! Being that UJB is a personal favorite song of mine........
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Best ever Iko is 3-18-95 philly spectrum. The best ever So Many Roads is 7-9-95. If anyone can steer me in a different direction please do so, as I am alwys looking. TomBanjo
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little red rooster- 11/11/85 built to last-10/16/89 i need a miracle-12/31/78 cold rain and snow-7/4/89 row jimmy-7/4/89
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The Dark Star jam on Steppin' Out is pretty good I am biased as i was there The one Dark Star i wish i had seen live is 26th October 89 in Miami this is a MONSTER Bob W Spanish Jam
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Disc two of Dicks Picks 16 Bob W Spanish Jam
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An under rated song from a great show is the Sugar Magnolia from 7/13/84. That was a real Bobby show and his guitar work on the Sugar Magnolia and his use of the whammy bar is outstanding. Other fav's are: Bertha from 8/05/71 Hollywood Palladium when somebody knocks the mike out, so the intro is like 3-4 minutes long. Also from next day 8/06/71 comes my favorite St. Stephen so slow and under control, but totally powerful. Great version...and the show closing Lovelight.
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5-11-72 just shreds
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cream puff war - 3/18/67brokedown - 12/7/71 comes a time - 12/4/71 looks like rain - 7/16/72 bird song - 8/27/72 china>rider - 9/9/72 they love each other - 12/6/73 eyes of the world - 6/20/74 dire wolf - 9/10/74 help>slip>franklins - 6/14/76 stella blue - 7/18/76 morning dew - 4/27/77 _______________ insert obligatory signature here
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Most songs changed so much from when they were written over the years that it's hard to come up with a Best Ever. One performance of a particular song, however, is so head and shoulders above any other version as to obviously deserve this distinction: the Greatest Story Ever Told from the Venetta Oregon show, 8-27-72. Can anybody think of a GSET that even comes close? Neither can I.
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Had a live 80's tape of Robert Hunter rapping Fire. I don't think it was Mickey...hmmmm. Can anyone put a finger on where I might find this tune again?
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Well, for me the ultimate Dark Star is 11/11/73. The DEA should really look into scheduling this version of DS:)The Music Never Stopped from 5/9/77 is funky fun. I love this version! Bird Song from 12/31/90 with Branford is sublime. So Many Roads 7/9/95 never ceases to choke me up. Jerry's take on Positively 4th Street from the Garcia Plays Dylan album is brilliant. Jerry re-imagines one of the great put down songs as a heartfelt lament for lost love and friendship. Where Dylan was angry and mocking, Jerry is sad, wistful, and introspective. This take on the Dylan classic blew me away. Yo Soy Boricua!
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China>Rider: 5/26/73, even though it's cut.Dark Star: 2/13/70 Help>Slip>Frank: 5/9/77 Bird Song: 8/27/72 Viola 5/2/70 I would love to see running votes of favorite song versions from members as well as favorite shows of each year.
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the last china doll - 10/11/94. (maybe just because i was there on the floor, 'bout ten rows back).
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the wheel > round N round > Jonny B good with hornsby in the hot seat i can still see bruce tearing it up as he stands up and kicks his seat from beneath him.... rockin times
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Ever hear the 3/27/87 Touch? I was at the show in Hartford. For whatever reason the band and crowd really clicked on that one. I was on the floor about 10 rows back and the roar was magnificent.
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If you get a chance check out the 12/26/79 UJB. The solo is amongs of the most emotive playing I've heard from Jerry. Ooops, this was meant in reply to the first post on UJB. I thought it would just go to that person.
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Jack Straw -- 01/11/79Scarlet>Fire - 05/17/77 The Eleven - 03/01/69 Wheel - 03/29/90 China>Rider - 11/14/73 BTW - 11/14/73 Casey Jones - 05/13/72 Mr. Charlie - 05/03/72 1/2 Step - 11/06/77 H>S>F - 02/26/77 Touch - 11/10/85 Just to name a few.
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best ever for me was the 2nd set opener at Roosevelt on 8/06/74 included on the recent Dicks Picks.
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Other One - MSG '79 Soooo much energy ! (At least on my Tape) Mission In the Rain - Boston Music Hall 75? Encore : Satisfaction / Brokedown Palace (My FIRST show and in TAPERS SECTION) MSG 3/10/81 Also Shakedown 1982 Philly Spectrum is a favorit of mine...
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China Rider 9-11-731/2 Step 9-11-73 Saturday Night Dead Movie Bird Song 8-27-72, Reckoning Dark Star 12-31-78, DP 2, 11-11-73 Eyes Dead Movie Music Never Stopped DP 18 Peggy-O 12-27-77 Row Jimmy 5-8-77 Comes A Time DP 29 They Love Each Other DP 18 Truckin' 11-06-77 Brokedown Palace Dead Set Black Peter 4-14-78, 9-21-72
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The Wheel from The Fox in Atlanta. 11-30-80 Can't be topped. You must listen to the space into it. Dougles
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There are so manyand they change so often I am always finding a version of "x" song I love more than another. And there is the "live vs version" However Shakedown - 3.30.87 Ripple - 9.3.88 come immedately to mind. Rats, gotta get back to the mine............ Cheers! JG “The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!” - unknown
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Favorite Blow Away (2 actually): Riverfront Coliseum 4/89 - dude got caught up in the moment during the Brent rap and got on stage, had to be escorted off. 10/26/89 - right after Estimated and right before Dark Star, weird placement and an over the top versionFavorite Estimated (2 again): the aforementioned 10/26/89 - some spacey jamming before they open set 2 with it. 9/2/80 - a spiraling solo from Jer that I wish would never end. Favorite Bertha: 12/31/87 - the band comes out firing, great solo "Got a few wrinkles but that's OK, hang out in the breeze and they'll blow away"
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For starters: Lazy Lightnin'>Supplication 5/15/80 (Go To Nassau) - amazing!!! Playing In the Band 10/19/73 (DP19) - Drops into deep space so quickly - no filler- perfect. It Must have Been the Roses - 4/24/78 (Tapers Section) - great pick Dave Loser - 3/24/90 (Tapers Section) - I was lucky enough to be there.
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Heres my short list:2/27/69 Fillmore West The definitive version 4/8/72 Wembly Empire Pool Amazing!! 8/27/72 Veneta Or. Scary & sublime 9/19/70 Fillmore East Best "Feelin' Groovy" Jam 11/8/70 Capitol Theatre Port Chester NY Into Main Ten>Dancin' The Deads finest hour 9/24/72 Goes into some sort of demented hoe-down & China/Rider 2/13/70 Fillmore East Another definitive version 11/11/73 Winterland Long, strange & definatley a trip 12/6/73 Cleveland Convention Center In tune with the cosmos
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DP 35, disc 1 Hard to Handle cooks...Phil throws down some amazing lines behind PigPen (and a smokin' Cumberland follows)... and check out Medley on DP 12 as Frank Zappa said, Trust me, you'll love it...
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08-23-68 shrine auditoriumwhen you have a 30 mile drive into houston on 45 south going 70-80mph...this is the song! it is so blistering it's not even funny! it's amazing to hear this band synch up like they've been playing this same version for years. truely one of my favs of dead music! when it's just jerry and the drummers playing always floors me. true musical communication! i remember finding this on a bootleg cd that consisted of cuts off gans' dead hour in the '90's. i think it was called "the jerry garcia memorial". take care!
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9-20-90 It's the reason I am on this site now.
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9/3/77 For years this song never made much of an impression on me. Until this version opened me up to it. Also NFA from this show is definitely #1
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I have to concur with the previous post. The NFA from Englishtown is definitely the best all time version! Also the Estimated->Eyes has to be among the best ever pairing of the two. Espesially the Eyes! "The bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean."
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eyes of the world 6-17-91,blow away 3-25-90
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cosmic charlie 5-2-70
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Hard to Handle - tie: 4/28/71 and 4/29/71Eyes of the World - 10/19/74 I Know You Rider - 5/2/70 Bertha - 3/21/94 Good Lovin' - 4/17/71 The Weight - 3/28/90 Sugaree - 5/22/77 (many from that year are a close second) I tried to think of a best version of Dark Star, but it is such a complex and crazy tune that I think it deserves its own seperate thread... Rick Do or do not; there is no try.
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I spent about 4 days searching through my old tapes, casettes and reel to reels, searching for some Looks like Rain I had seen way back when... the one that seemed to last forever... finally, right before the old board got cut off, I found the one... or was it just ab\nother really grate version? we may never know. all things seemed to go on forever that night. 10/17/84 another reason to bring the old board's content back, hint hint... I had to look through all my tapes AGAIN because I spaced on the one I found a couple of weeks ago... ( -; peace. "The highway is for gamblers, you'd better use your sense. Take what you have gathered from coincidence"
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I love that DS, GrayFolded - especially with the Deal chaser - KILLER!!! "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 seem to recall that Sugaree - I think 10/17/83 was one of the first tapes I ever got. Sort of a tinny audience tape, like many were in those days.12/28/79 is a great Sugaree, as are several of the loooong versions from 1977. Also there's a show Hornsby did in maybe 96 or 97 in which Weir showed up for Sugaree. That's a good one. Later in the show Phil came out too. "Got a few wrinkles but that's OK, hang out in the breeze and they'll blow away"
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From the recently released Cow Palace NYE 1976--I've had that tape since '77--still holds up after every listen
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Looks Like Rain - 4-2-90Eyes of the World - 10-1-77 Lovelight - 3-29-90 Iko Iko - 2-29-90 Morning Dew - 5-8-77 Jack Straw - 12-29-77 Beautiful Jam 2-18-71 (between Wharf Rat and 2nd part of Dark Star) ok apparently I like 90 and 77 a lot...