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Poster: greasefire Date: Mar 8, 2009 1:53pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: best scarlet begonias ever?

hello,
i just recently heard the 6/28/74 boston garden show for the first time in many years and i realized that was always my favorite version of scarlet begonias. Is there actually a better version somewhere on this site or is that one the best? if there is something better please let me know. BTW i am not referring to the scarlet>fire that came later on in the 70's - just scarlet begonias.
thanks!
Paul

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Poster: light into ashes Date: Mar 8, 2009 3:27pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

I second the 3-20-77 Scarlet - that one is fantastic, unbeatable.

The '74 Scarlets are very nice, but I think they're put in the shade by the more jamming Scarlets that came in '76. (Of course you need a bit of tolerance for some Donna-wailing in those jams.... You might prefer the Scarlets where Billy's the only drummer, too.) By the end of '74 the tune was starting to show where it would go, for instance the 12-minute version on 10-19-74 Winterland.

Here's an example of one of the last standalone Scarlets (13 minutes), and a great way to end this first set, in a show that's relatively unknown since it's AUD only:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-02-27.bertrando.vernon.10378.sbeok.shnf

And this is the last Scarlet that didn't go into Fire for a long while, from an underrated show (another AUD tape!) - this Scarlet>Goin' Down the Road is well worth hearing:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-04-29.moore.unknown.7113.sbeok.shnf

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Poster: Death&Mercy Date: Mar 8, 2009 6:28pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

Hi light,

What '76 Scarlets do you like better than the 1974-07-19 version?

And can you really compare the 77 Scarlets to the 74 versions?

Btw my friend, I book-marked your Viola post from a while back, and just got around to the entire thing last night. GREAT STUFF! Hope you don't mind the re-post:

http://www.archive.org/iathreads/post-view.php?id=203221

I urge all to check this out.



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Poster: light into ashes Date: Mar 8, 2009 9:28pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

Scarlet, '74 vs '76?
Well, in one respect '74 wins out - the versions from that year are lighter & bouncier, partly thanks to Billy's drumming.
'74 Scarlets are very well represented on CD, with several DPs plus the Winterland box. The song grew a lot that year - but often seems cut short - the jam at the end I think really improved in '76 - it stretched out more and went in new directions. Also, sometimes in '76 they would take it down to quietness after the song and then slowly turn up the energy, which was pretty cool.
Some of the better '76 versions are "hidden" in audience-only shows - for instance, 6/28/76, or even better, 10/1 and 10/3.

Thanks for the Viola Lee post mention....I hope you saw the China Cat & New Potato posts too, I thought those turned out well.

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Poster: Zaorish Date: Mar 8, 2009 6:38pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

Easy. Although there are a ton of greats, one in particular screams out with thunderous passion. (Excuse my language)

1979-02-03
http://www.archive.org/details/gd79-02-03.set2-nak.clugston.7116.sbeok.shnf

Check it out.
1976-07-16 Menke Aud is good too.

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Poster: midnightcarousel Date: Oct 21, 2010 5:42pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

2/3/79 is FANTASTIC, I second this choice.

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Poster: Cliff Hucker Date: Mar 8, 2009 2:10pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

Dijon is an excellent stand alone Scarlet

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1974-09-18.sbd.miller.20675.shnf

Selland is also one of my favorites

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1974-07-19.sbd.miller.32634.sbeok.flac16

There are plenty more...

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Poster: Styrofoam Cueball Date: Mar 8, 2009 3:37pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

http://www.archive.org/details/gd76-07-18.sbd.ferguson.244.sbeok.shnf Donna doesn't wail on this one, she merely croons...
This post was modified by Styrofoam Cueball on 2009-03-08 22:37:52

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Poster: pHagz Date: Mar 8, 2009 3:21pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

she really was strokin' it.... SMOKIN' FIRE TOO

took me almost a year to get it up again.

http://www.archive.org/details/gd80-06-12.set2.akgse5.clugston.7007.sbeok.shnf

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Poster: Rings&Bells Date: Mar 8, 2009 2:17pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: best scarlet begonias ever?

This one is great:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-03-20.sbd.miller.25610.sbeok.shnf