http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/scarlet.html]Scarlet Begonias > http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/fire.html]Fire On the Mountain words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia Words by Robert Hunter; music by Mickey Hart 5-8-77 is really awesome but I am sure there are plenty of others that aren't so over rated. There is a Scarlet from 9/30/76 that is MY ALL TIME favorite Scarlet. 4/23/77...Jerry screams "Ain't nothing wrong..." IMHO the scarlet from 5-5-77 is very fine. The crescendo before the last verse is..... My personal favorite is from 5.11.78. I think this is referred to as the "mescaline show". Ive always had a place in my heart for the 78' sound and wolf. In this version Bobby plays a cool slide on delay pedal. "cool slide" being a rather rare thing initself in my opinion for Bobby. Chicago, 5-13-77, the transition between Scarlet and Fire where Phil takes the intro away from Bobby and Jer says, "Go ahead Phil" and Phil does this absolutley beautiful pipe organ sound intro that they stretch out before the rest join in. 11-1-79 long and tasty 11-1-79 is easily my all-time favorite. This is also the filler on DP 13 that others have mentioned. Incidentally the first "Fire on the Mountain" was arguably played on 7/27. People call that the "Soundcheck Jam," I've heard it referred to as the "Clever Android Jam," but to me it's "Dark Star">"Fire on the Mountain." I've always liked 3-22-90 and 5-13-77. They're probably not best, but underrated. For best, I guess I'd go for 5-8-77, but since I'm so tired of that version I usually go for 11-1-79 these days. 7-1-85 is a good one too. I know strictly it does not count but the Sugar -> Scarlet -> Fire from 12-31-78 Winterland is one of my favourites. Buy the Closing of Winterland DVD from the GD store and sit back and relax!! I just love it. 2-3-79 a completely random favorite of mine is 2/27/81. Got the show to give to my then girlfriend for her birthday....its her birthday show..and Scarlet>Fire opens up set 2. 84-03-31 from charlie's 2/22/06 transfer. the intro into fire is sweet and brent is playing in a very percussive manner. 7-13-84 Scarlet > Touch > Fire probably because I had such a sweet Cass1 FOB of the set for years, 7-15-88 has been a consistent favorite. Really lets you appreciate Bobby's contribution on rhythm. A couple of vocal flubs but a perfect solos from Jer. Hydra Fires from this spring blow away any post Brent Fire IMO. even with Mickey singing? *shudder* I know strictly it does not count but the Sugar -> Scarlet -> Fire from 12-31-78 Winterland is one of my favourites. Buy the Closing of Winterland DVD from the GD store and sit back and relax!! I just love it. I don't know if that's my favorite, but it is darn good and has a great 'fun' vibe throughout. It just gets me smilin' everytime I put it on.... 7.7.1989 is a smoker. I think it is the the best show (beginning to end) of the whole tour with 6.21, and 6.19 a close 2nd 3rd. 7.17.1989 had a phenomenal second set with one of the best Chiders I've heard, but I thought the first set had a bunch of non-exceptional tunes... I'm partial to many '77 versions, and have had that Ithaca show was my first bootleg... I have always said its my fav, but my mind is always open to change And that '94 Autzen tore my mind apart ... wish I had that show on disc to see if it lived up to my memory. The best version of the suite, and the best transition between the two, is the Fabulous Fox 11-30-80 Atlanta, GA. The transition features an excellent anti-climax and then a Phil tease right before a seemless and powerful entrance to Fire. Garcia's solo during the Scarlet verse is second to none, and on one solo during Fire, Garcia hits some feedback that one concert goer told me was the result of Jer being shocked and knocked back a few feet. This version has been and still is revered at a small private school since its performance with accompanying paraphenalia (of course underground). I have listened to almost every Scarlet>Fire and this one is still my favorite. The best version of the suite, and the best transition between the two, is the Fabulous Fox 11-30-80 Atlanta, GA. The transition features an excellent anti-climax and then a Phil tease right before a seemless and powerful entrance to Fire. Garcia's solo during the Scarlet verse is second to none, and on one solo during Fire, Garcia hits some feedback that one concert goer told me was the result of Jer being shocked and knocked back a few feet. This version has been and still is revered at a small private school since its performance with accompanying paraphenalia (of course underground). I have listened to almost every Scarlet>Fire and this one is still my favorite. Another vote for 2-3-79. Folks, if you haven't heard it, as it is an "under the radar" show, you should check it out before continuing this discussion. There is a nice FOB on archive.org. Scarlet is missing an entire verse, but it really doesn't matter. I don't think the Fire measures up to Cornell, but IMO, there is NO Scarlet that rocks as hard as this one. I always enjoy the loong rockin' jam between Scarlet and Fire from 12/27/83...That run at the SF Civic just has a certain dense sound. I have lots of favorites and right now Rochester 9/1/79 and Philly 9/11/88 come to mind. The most unique S > F HAD to be the Cedar Falls Iowa 2/5/78. :-) 3-21-91 also comes to mind as a VERY good example. 3-28-85 nice work by Bobby on the sbd version. 7-1-85 aint to shabby either! 11/11/85 Oh yeah, I just went back and listened to the 3/21/88. How's about the GDTRFB coming out of space. Love the way they did that. apart from the obvious '77 ones (and tons of others) i recommend this: 3-27-88 - overall incredible show, absolutely fantastic sparkling Scarlet going into a volcanic Fire! :love: (get the sbd/aud matrix) 3-31-88 brendan byrne meadowllands....for sure!! :w00t: I hate to say it but I agree with the '88 meadowlands call. That show also has one of my favorite Samsons and a solid terrapin. But my favorite samson is the lesser known 12/30/85. That whole second set on 3/31 rocked :lol: I love the 6/28/88 Saratoga. The fire is very hot. There seems to be a lot of votes of versions from 1988. Hmmm..... The first that springs to mind is 7/15/88 so I am pleased to see it mentioned earlier in this thread. It unfolds so gently while still having plenty of that late 1980s energy. But I still ultimately favor the 5/6/81 DP filler. I think that version is from 12/79. Brent and Jerry go off so far, and for so long, that I would have yelled "get a room!" at them had I been there in the front row. Cal Expo 8-6-89 is really good!     7-7-89 is a smoker! 9-14-90 lotsa fun 09-14-90 is my fav!! :w00t: 8-16-91 Scarlet>Victim>Fire (never liked Victim until they put it b/w ScarletFire     today i just got this show..3-27-91,it has a great scarlet>fire Call me crazy (most people do), but I always thought 5-26-95 was pretty killer. Much better than the other one just a year earlier at Autzen that everybody raves about. http://www.phantasytour.com/phish/boards_thread.cgi?threadID=962120&page=1 Top 10 Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain: 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 4/24/78 Horton Field House, IL. Univ., Normal, IL 9/2/78 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2/3/79 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN 11/1/79 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 2/27/81 Uptown Theatre, Chicago, IL-Show Link 7/31/82 Manor Downs, Austin, TX-Show Link 4/23/83 Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT 6/18/83 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, NY 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Honorable Mention: 10/2/77 Paramount Theater, Portland, OR 12/16/78 Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, 12/13/80 Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA 8/12/81 Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT 10/20/89 The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA Historically Significant: 3/18/77 Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA (First Fire & pairing) 12/31/78 Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA- Closing Of The Winterland DVD/CD (Sugar > Scarlet > Fire opener) 12/10/93 Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA (w/Branford Marsalis) 7/2/95 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (Last Time Played)