Your Grateful Dead Stories

This is more of a non-Grateful Dead story, but I'd just moved from a Great Falls, Montana dead-end job to another dead-end job in Bozeman when the Dead decided to play in Missoula. Well, I'd missed enough work on my current job that I just couldn't justify driving 200 miles to Missoula on a Wednesday to see the Dead. My friends went and I put up trim in a trailer factory instead. Worst decision I ever made.

Anyway, I drilled those guys for info about the concert and got sort of a meh.. report from them. Figured well, I didn't miss much until I talked to another guy years later who said it was a fantastic show. Of course, it turned out to be Dave's Picks Vol 9 which I now have. Great frigging concert and the only time the Dead ever played Montana. Naturally, I quit this stupid job a month later anyway. One of my biggest regrets!

 

I've shared many stories in the "Grateful Dead what are you listening to" threads... Began seeing the Dead in 1970 and have a ton of great stories. Guess I'll start at the beginning....

2nd Live Show: April 28, 1971 at the Fillmore East, about 20th row left center orchestra. Dead come on the stage and the huge "Grateful Dead" marquee in lights lowers from the ceiling to just above them. A bit corny looking back, but with an audience all dosed on Orange Sunshine, was quite impressive. After Truckin and Beat it on down the Line, guys in front of us turn around smiling and ask how many shows we've seen live. Being the more experienced heads, they tell us we are in for a treat; that this night will be special. Well, not sure how exactly they knew this, but special it was, so special, that after countless live shows over 25-years, remains my favorite.

During intermission my friends (with 5 of my closest friends, all 17-yrs old at the time) were on cloud nine, all having an amazing experience. As the lights were dimmed I sat back on the top of the back of my seat with a birds eye view and to start the second set, Jerry sliced off the first chord to Morning Dew. I slowly melted down to my seat and that began a set from the gods.

As they transitioned from Dark Start to St. Stephen, just as Garcia picked off the first two notes to that beautiful lead intro to St. Stephen, the mirror ball above the center orchestra began to slowly turn casting stars around the Fillmore. If you listen to any of the recordings, you can hear the entire audience let out a "ahhhhh" in awe in unison. The Joshua Light Show was always great at the Fillmore, but that night was something special. During morning dew I recall the view you'd have if sitting on the lens of camera as the camera went flying through fields of wheat, corn and other nice environmental vistas. During Box of Rain, which incidentally is not on any recording or in the database as being played, but was, there was a box of rain flying down city streets and other landscapes. Don't remember what they did for Dark Star during the light show; but I do remember leaving my body and in a state of mind & peace I could have remained for all eternity and been perfectly content ;p

Earlier that week my mother had found some Hashish in my room and she was not happy about it. My parents were very cool and loving but didn't condone the use of drugs, of course. She must of felt bad about our words that passed and we were always very close; so get this. At about 5am I get back to my home, still tripping my face off, unlock the door and upon opening it my Mother comes out from her bedroom to greet me. You’d never know it was 5am and I’m just getting home. She says “hope you had a good time and I bought you something”; she hands me an elaborate multi-colored candle, sort of like a cauldron sitting on a tripod. I was floored, thanked her and wished each-other goodnight. I took a lude and slept like a baby ;p

PS: Two more shows I attended that year. August 26, 1971 Gaelic Park and December 6, 1971 Felt Forum.

Zafu

 

My funniest memory was from Jerrys birthday show in 1994 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. There was a guy with the biggest zucchini ever looking to trade it for a ticket. Made me chuckle...still does.

 

I was barely in my teens, so it must've been the early 70s. Saw the Dead at SF's Winterland, great light show. Of course, I took some Owsley orange barrel acid. I would swear to this in court- every time I looked up at the stage, Jerry was looking right at me. Many times, all night. Weird.

 

One of the worst rock concerts I've ever attended. Saw them in Boston in 1972. The band was two hours late arriving for the show. The hot girl I asked out fell asleep in her seat, and never woke up during the show. It was boring, meandering, plodding, dull.
And this is from someone who holds "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty" up as two of the best rock albums ever recorded.

 

Thank you!!! Yes, we have both been Deadheads since 1987, and went to our first show as friends at UIC, APril 11th of '87. Little did we know we'd end up married still truckin' along these last 29 years. Wow, if that shirt could be recreated, I would be speechless! Keep me posted on whether or not buying one is possible! I will definitely start following--cannot believe I found this site and had never heard of it before!

 

I don't have any definitive news quite yet as I only got a short text back from him and I know he has been busy these days, but he did say he would look into what could be done; so at least it was not zero chance anyway. I think after x amount of time or x number of posts you should get access to private messaging and we can catch up that way.

 

A buddy and I went down to Rich Stadium ('91 I think?) and we got there the day before to truly experience the scene. Well all day long we tried to find someone to sell us some nitrous. We spent all day looking to no avail. My friend gave up by nightfall and decided to go to sleep in the car. I wanted to party, no sleep for me, so obviously I stayed up.

By around 6 am I finally found some guy selling nitrous and I ...ahem...partook. I tried waking up my friend because (for whatever reason) this was part of what we had been trying to accomplish all weekend and here he was sleeping it off. So I opened the door (God, the smell) and proceeded to bop him on the face with my nitrous balloon until he finally woke up. We partied the rest of the day until the band finally came on that night. I hadn't slept but that was fine - I was well medicated.

Oh yeah, it was also a great friggin show. They opened with Box of Rain ferchrissake.

 

Thank you! I saw there was an "inbox" and reference to conversations, but did not see any link to actually start a message, so perhaps you're on to something about timing. Thanks for reaching out to him anyway!

 

Where part of Baltimore are u in ??

 

SOBO

 

Ellicott city here

 

Saw them once - Touch of Grey tour 1988 in New Orleans. An experience. And that's putting it very mild. Per my usual ritual, went to the box office around 7AM to get in line for tickets. Did NOT know about the huge influx of hippies camped out wrapped around the building(who left their filthy clothes behind) and their network for tickets. Managed to get tickets behind the stage in the lower rim.

Arrived at the venue - thought I stepped into a time warp to Woodstock. One grass area - crystals sold. Another - tye die t-shirts. One peculiar guy was dogging my car giving me a circular motion with his right hand. I park - he asks me - hey man, wanna take a trip? Told him, thanks no, I'll pass. Walk into Lakefront Arena - got more interesting. Many areas that didn't have a venue were space for meditation and/or motivation. Went to the bathroom - OH BOY. Show hadn't started yet and some SERIOUSLY F'D up folks.

Made my way to the seat - first thing I noticed was the antenna farm by the mixing board. LOVED IT. Why more bands didn't offer this is beyond me. They had to have at least 100 antennas of various sizes. I look up to the area between sections - the acid heads are already groovin'. Two hours before the lights go down and he party has started. The show starts and the dominant tone I'm hearing is the vibration of the amp cabinets. Some told me their system was one of the best. I never heard it the whole night. I felt a vibe in the building and it wasn't good.

First show I ever left early. Didn't want to be leaving to get home with the acid heads loose. Again....a learning experience.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/grate...-lakefront-arena-new-orleans-la-73d606cd.html

 

I spent a couple of apartment years out that way in the 90's, was it the still the Phoenix then? We spent a lot of time there.