Grateful Dead

Kiss with the Rockets opening. A little over a year before the Dead? (What a difference at that age a year makes!!)
Barely 15, GA, we children were surrounded by BIG, dudes and we got crushed near the front so I think moved back a bit? In our and our parents naïveté we had paper shopping bag with snacks....obviously that didn’t last long on the GA floor with that mob! Hilarious.
Not sure of order, but also Big Summerfest: Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Bob Welch, and Pablo Cruise at first stadium show, Jethro Tull with Uriah Heap opening, Supertramp (I think it was that year?) Eagles, and maybe that year Clapton with Muddy Waters opening! ???.....
So those and a steady stream of tall tales and tapes for over a year and I was over ready to finally catch the Dead, which was so completely awesome and different that, well here we are 40+ years later still talking about them!
Thanks for sharing, I love the stories! My favorite part of this.

EDIT: Lake G was sweet!

Hey Oroborous, the Vikes, yes, new year same old story. 0-3 is not the way to start the year. We will see. I know one thing for sure, they won't win the Superbowl this year.

I don't remember the lawn expansion, sorry. Only made it into the pavilion seats one year. Too bad it was Steely Dan in 1996 (and it was a great show) and not the Dead.

Always loved driving to Lake Geneva during the day.. We needed that especially in 88 with the drought that summer.

Yes, not sure why they played in the Domes. They were never good for concerts.

My first concert by the way was Billy Joel, the Glass Houses Tour in I think 81 or 82 at the St. Paul Civic Center. My Dad took me and a buddy. That was wild and I remember my Dad telling us some guys were smoking pot in the audience.

What was your first concert?

Wow, 6/30/95, 7/8&9/95, Alpine 86, 7/2/86, Hampton 86, Hampton 87, and 7/4/86 (think I’m in that video)...
You guys been busy, my minds eye try’s to go where your leading but I’m slow and can’t keep up lol.
I’ve been like a mental ping pong ball jumpin around in my head lol.
Unfortunately most of those shows are mostly a blur! But except the “last” shows and 7/2/86, feel like most were good!
Though sounds like I need to revisit 7/8&9/95?

STRIDER: add to that fine book list the GOAT, Candace Brightman!

DEADVIKES: great origins story! I too was barely 16 the first time, though I had been thoroughly indoctrinated by hardcore older DH’s for a good year before I was finally able to see/feel “it” live, in all its glory. I’d also seen several other concerts too, but like tripping or gettin some, there is no apt description to begin to accurately convey that first live Dead experience! Truly a band beyond description. You are so right about 86 Alpine though. Won’t say night and day, but the differences between 86 and 87 were very noticeable. Was 87 the year they expanded and steepened the lawn?
Anyway, seeing those 2 for your 2nd and third show was fortunate. Remember hearing a tape of the Metrodome and it sounded just as bad as the Carrier dome. Ironically, the SBs are actually good from those shows, but the live sound was horrible. Unfortunately that whole 86 summer tour, hell ALL of 86 was a insane shroom fog, but I remember really digging it there and the shows. My memory is that Riverbend blew me away, one of those you had to be there. I think the only time we ever got good seats from GDTS? Definitely the only time we got inside seats for an Amp show.

Though I felt like at the time they had crested another little wave after 85 and recall moments of head scratching, I was at the age where I was as all in as I could reasonably be, so had 14 shows in by the time JG fell ill. Often wonder how the year would have played out otherwise, but of course time off was what was needed. Often think they should have taken another hiatus in there somewhere (92?) It seemed to work wonders in 75.

EDIT: DV, what’s up with the Vikes! The little I’ve seen I feel like their way better than their record but they seem to keep finding a way to lose GO Vikes!

I'll have a white tshirt on with my favorite iron on from the back of comic books!!! See you inside!! I'll be next to the guy that you can hear in all the June 76 shows!!! Bob t

Gonna meet up with Bob T at the Stanley Theatre show today!
Hope he's been writing down all the set lists ;)
Virtual Tour rules

Truckin' opener in 1972.. it's gonna be a fun day.

Had a good time checkin' out the mentions yesterday. Seattle '95 was sounding good. The Estimated from 5/24 is way cool, and was enjoying 5/26 made it to Drums before crashing. But I was digging it. Also had to play the mentioned 12/15/86 Touch of Grey, definitely worth seeking out the Audience version. Strider & BTK in attendance. I bet that room was electric! I remember hearing about that show through the grape vine before we made it to Hampton in '87. Same thing happening there, but East Coast style, a HUGE response to Jerry surviving. It was and is some of my favorite moments ever spent on this here planet.

Good times!

Alright, Have A Great Day Everyone.

And Bob T, what color shirt you wearing so we can pick you out in the crowd?

Was also there those three nights. First night was truly electric/spiritual.

Pick Of The Day for tomorrow, 9/28/2020, shall be

9/28/1972 Stanley Theatre / CM source - https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1972/09/28?source=89916

Attendance is optional, but if you can please join us there.

Gonna dip my toe today though, just cause.

GOGD - if you haven't checked out that link its sourced from KPFA Dead marathon so its a sweet-as-can-be sounding SBD - the only board source for any of that show maybe.

The soundchecks from Seattle are crazy - along with Tough Mama, I seem to think Whisky in the Jar also!! I never got to see them perform Rain, which they also checked. Missed the 1st night in Eugene '94 where they opened Set II with Rain as it freaking poured down - probably THE night from that years run even with the monster Set II show 3..

If you want some excellent 1994 (no jokes please) try both of the Seattle shows 6/13 & 6/14. 6/13 Set II opens with a huge Scarlet >Fire and closes with a phenomenal Morning Dew. I remember thinking second night during That Would Be Something that Hunter had written a song that Jerry could remember no matter what was going on. And no, I didn't know at the time it was a McCartney song, and yes, I loved it - "That would be something, really would be something, to meet you in the pouring rain, meet you in the pouring rain." A gorgeous clear night I think but the lyrics so very Seattle.

BobT - thanks for pinging us from the myth times - I'll get back to my regularly scheduled 1972 programming after this latter era Dead detour. For goodness sake they got to release Stanley Theatre 9/28 one of these freaking days. And oh yeah 9/28/72 should be Pick Of The Day tomorrow. So be it by the power invested in me. He's Gone > Other One > Bobby McGee > Other One > Wharf Rat is one of the great mind blown journeys of that year. And funny thing, I remember listening to my Set II SBD cassette of that very show as I drove up and parked up on a hill in some quiet backwaters neighborhood for one of those Seattle shows either '94 or '95. Really.

Saw the Dead on 4/22/86, they opened with Box of Rain, 2nd song was Visions of Johanna. I went up to my seat , it was in the last row, there was a lady with a handful of tickets, she gave me one and I ended up in tow #3. 12/15/86 was a killer show, Garcia's first show back, it was my birthday. The Dead opened up with Toush of Grey and when Garcia sang I will survive, that place felt like it was gonna blow, very emotional moment, Its a great show start to finish.

Well today has me listening to the Dick's Picks release from 9/27/72 Stanley theatre. Couple of observations from last few shows. I saw some favorite Dylan song posts from yesterday. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue , was played only 2 times in 72 once In Waterbury and the 9/26/72 Stanley show after not being played since 70, and then disappears again until "See you next month at the Cow Palace I hope" 1974 and then really goes away until 1981!!! I love these 3 versions.. Can only wonder why they weren't part of the rotation.. Also enjoy the Tomorrow is Forever's that pop up in the fall of 72!!! Everyone knows about the awesome Dark Stars, Playings, Other Ones, Bird Songs... etc..

One interesting point, on 9/26/72 there is a first set He's Gone, where Bob starts out totally playing Bird Song while everyone is playing He's Gone.... Not a tease either in the beginning... 3 more shows after today, and I will be done with September 72 tour, (counting 10/2/72 Springfield)... bob t