What can a guy say? First show's always memorable!

The day before Thanksgiving 1968 at Ohio University, word had spread that the Dead might be coming down from Columbus after a show there to play in Athens because a Philosophy prof, Dick Rickert, supposedly knew someone in the band family well enough to say "hey you have all these heads in Athens who'd love to hear you". So we hung around instead of going home for a turkey fix.

Mem Aud.... 1929 theater style auditorium with balcony, max occupancy 2500, that night a room full of kenetic heads, the local freak scene, maybe a couple hundred folks max, lights up, people milling about, equipment set up on oriental rug on stage, folks walking up and down the steps to the stage where a number of people stood talking to each other, chatter, laughter, excitement, patchouli, and then amid it all an undersound of music emerging from the seeming randomness and the show was on!!!!

Can't tell you a song list, which I could! I was hopin' for Viola Lee since that was the tune that had me playing the album over and over, but I don't recall if it got played that night. I think we heard Love Light; I know Pig was wailing out front and learned since that it was Tom's first night on keys, which freed Pig for vocal theatrics. Oh did the boys play... long into the evening!

My wife claims she invited Jerry to Thanksgiving dinner that night and he smiled and said sorry, he had plans... knowing her, I believe her! Knowing him, I bet he did! :)

Just this May she and I met with three other folks who were there too for the first time since 1970. All with that smile in the eyes :) :) :) Hi, George, Larry, Alice, Susan, I know you'll be here soon. Anyone else from Athens during that time recall Gemini Mike?

Over the years I've appealed for trades for that show but with no luck. Mem Aud always taped concerts at the venue but ... that tape's missing from the archive.

First show...

It started then, and the music never stopped!
I dunno, it must have been the
@->-- @->-- @->-- @->-- !

First show 11/23/68 ATHENS OHIO ... Anyone have it for trade?

Cheer'n'merry Sunshine!