Studio vs Live

[krzykat]

slow one by far is my favorite to listen to,

[Shaggy]

The American Beauty version for me everytime.

Though Garcia/Grisman did some tasty ones later on. This is nice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U67PVvO7WI

[Pete B.]

As a gigging DeadHead whose been playing this tune live for audiences since about '78, I would say the fast version pretty much always brings twirling heads to the dance floor, but most of my fast versions were done in Bluegrass-ee band settings, and were usually acoustic based bands, and often times I was playing pedal steel (or acoustic guitar).
I find the Slow versin to be much "deeper" and expressive though, and have been favoring playing it this way in recent years in tribute band settings, wether on electric guitar or pedal steel.
In all those years I don't believe I ever saw a Live fast version by the boys.
I happen like Brents "Marimba" patch on his FOTD solo on Dead Set. I really like when Jer comes ripping in right after that.
~pb

[zoppenheimer]

I love the faster versions, when they slow it down it loses that bluegrass element that makes it such a good song. And the live versions might compare if they were to tour with grisman.

[tigerstrat]

I guess it's the difference between chugging beer and sipping a fine wine. Both can sometimes be appropriate. They played it fast for about 4 years and then slow and THICK for another 19 (a taste faster in G&G). I definitely think Garcia made changes that the song needed to visit some very special places. Check out Jerry's solo on Closing of Winterland(12/31/78)!! Nothing like that ever would have been possible if the tempo hadn't been rolled back.

Funny how the mid-70's changed the tempo of several songs but in different directions. Songs like Eyes and Playin In The Band sped way up, FOTD and TLEO slowed down... just a few examples.

[BuddhaG]

i just listened to a really cookin FOTD from 8-17-82 (audience) and it was just so gracious. the jam got really intense with brent filling in ever so nicely, propelling everything into overdrive. jerry was able to get much more emotional intent into his solos when it was slow and man did he rock it...

Dancin' changed so much from the 60's and continually throughout the 70's. they are all pretty awesome but i really like one from 5-6-70 at MIT a fuckin lot. they get into a sweet motown jam on that one, holy crap, its hair raising. so much different than the ones wit hthe mutron from the late 70's...

[KCJones]

Live for the most part

[Henry]

The slow versions fit in well with the context of the late '70s/early'80s shows, but I personally tend to think of it more as a country-oriented song, so the studio and early live versions in a similar tempo are my favorites. I always play it fast when I play it myself, too.

[BuddhaG]

yep, usually play it fast and with bluegrass/country feel when i'm jamming with my buddies. also prefer doing the song acoustic, or at least acoustic rhythm guitar...

like someone said before, always gets ppl dancing and smiling when u get a nice perky version going.

in any case, great song no matter how you play it.