Grateful Dead

This was a great show it's just overshadowed by the next night. The "Stir It Up" was a classic Grateful Dead moment. Once you heard the singing you knew they didn't really know the song at all, they were just giving it a shot. What other band gets up infront of thousands of people and tries to do a song they don't know? The second set is bad ass, lots of energy. Now I was in the hallway on Phil's side of the stage, there was a stairway with two sets of PA cabinets on each side. And you had the big widows too. During the post drums there was lightning coming dow right in time with the music, everybody in the hallway was howling. After a while I noticed a red headed gal sitting against the windows was looking around kind of self-consciously. Finally she turned around and heard the crowd scream when A bolt of lighting came down. She turned around and it looked like she was say "ooohhh I get it" this gal then looked right at me and gave me the Gene Simmons scary tounge face. It was hysterical. I'd also like to thank Neal Cavezza for sitting on my glasses that morning so I couldn't see farther than 2 feet infront of me for these shows, putz!

Hello Sal I would like to say yourmost welcome , but that unforgettable moment of crunching lenses should not overshadow how we safely arrived (myself,tony,jay,yourself,am i forgetting someone>?)with tickets from some peps in VA that I believe aquired on a nitrous run ! These shows changed many people , in how they looked at the DEAD and family !

This was indeed a magical venue and probably the best 3 night run of any music I've ever experienced. The weather was perfect and the scene was so mellow and filled with such a lovely happening of the usual parking lot fun. I was also a hallway dancer every now and again! I loved it when they put those speakers in the hallway on Phil's side. I always found myself on that side of the Colliseum so I could always jump out in to the hallway if I was feeling the need to cut loose! If you are interested, I wrote more comments on the pictures I posted for this show. Does anyone remember the rainbow in the clear blue sky that day? See my picture for proof! Smilin' Brother A

The second set just crackles with energy, actually the whole show is just smokin good and extremely well played. The China>Rider was explosive as I had ever witnessed or heard. Loved the Stir it up effort, and Bob fully redeemed by bringing the house down with Memphis Blues. Many fans dont like '88 as there was not much exploratory work, but the way they plowed through songs with such energy and passion (and extreme marksmanship IMHO) was ok by me! Some shows you just never ever forget. “The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!”

went outside with a full stub to give to denise,my girlfriend at the time..when security noticed something about numbers and realized it was already used for entrance.. they grabbed her by the arm very hard ,at which time she belted security right in the face...needless to say ,she and i didnt get to stay for show,but i will never forget hearing "stir it up" """ nothing left to do but,SMILE

I generally try not to be a downer on this site, but the claims of the parking lot scene being such a good vibe ?? TENS of THOUSANDS of people without tickets, begged by the band not to show up. Remember the flyers asking people not to come without tickets?? For every person that had a ticket there were four without one, no exaggeration. Why was this the last time at Hampton? Of course, I know about the shows 18 months later. The band was forced to announce the shows at literally the 11th (no pun intended) hour, and play under a different name. Think the boys knew that "this could be the last time?" No more Hampton. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

I agree that this show does not get the credit it deserves. It was really great, especially the opening of the 2nd set. Another memorable aspect of this show for me was before it even started. I was with 2 people. One a very good friend and the other someone I had just met who was at his first show. We scored a huge bag of buds and proceeded to smoke non stop in the hour or so before the show started. As we made it in we found our spot on the floor and stood waiting for the show to start. Many people around us were sitting on the floor. The guy with us who had not been to a show before had also not ever before smoked the volume of herb we had just before we walked in. He was holding a big gulp size soda in one hand as he began to wobble and sway. Then like a tree - "timber" - he went down. He and his soda fell all over everybody around us. But as I came to expect from Deadheads, particularly in Hampton, everybody was really cool about it. Making sure he was okay and all. He was fine, he just passed out from too much weed (and not enough air apparently.) We went on the enjoy the show immensely.

Stir it Up was great...too bad Bobby fucked up the lyrics...they should have tried this one again! One of the mysteries of the band...how did they decide to break this one out? This was the best China>Rider I remember hearing. Jerry just nails it. I think there is a good video on youtube. I think there might have been some old schoolers from Winchendon riding in the back of my wagon on the way back to the 'Burg.?

Another spring in Hampton, what a treat, after a smoking show the boys had successfully landed the space ship back along the mouth of the Chesapeake. As I walked out after the show completely unaware of where I was going and who I showed up with, I noticed the fog and rain. A car drove by where two guys had jerry rigged the windshield wipers with a rope, the driver would pull and then the passenger would pull, I thought it was hilarious and ingenious all at the same time. Finally I saw one of my brothers in the lot and reality rushed back into the smoking crater that was left after this show. Stir it up was a riot and Jerry's back up vocals during Memphis Blues where epic. The next night was probably the show of the year but a great two nights in Hampton. The third night first set smoked also but the second set was time to get out of town set, who could blame them.

I saw my first Hampton show in '84 and also attended '86 though '88. To this day, it's one of my favorite venues. The best GA floor of any venue in the USA.