Grateful Dead

While at this show all I could think was, hopefully the dark clouds would clear and we'll see light at the end of the tunnel (or tour from hell). It just was'nt meant to be. The band sounded great but there was a huge absense. That would be Jerry's condition. Instead of pointing out all the negatives from this show (which was most of it) and not metioning the nearly instrumental US Blues where Jerry looked perplexed, I'll say that the most inspiring moment (and only one) of the 95 Soldier was Visions Of Johanna. It was inspired, well sang, well performed and passionate. Everything else from these 2 shows thoroughly disappointed me. I also remember getting the flyer from the band castigating the fans for causing the cancellation at Deer Creek. I also got a kick out of seeing all the Gate Crashers Suck shirts and stickers.

100% appropriate the band sent that flyer out. DH behavior went from "nothing but footprints" to tragedy in very fast order but I have suspected in wasn't really DH behavior but the walk ons that joined the stadium circus as it came to town. Even when I got on the train in 1989 I noticed a massive difference from about 1993 summer to 1995 summer. This said, nothing has moved me at a dead show more the this Visions of Johanna. I do agree that the rest of the shows, and tour itself, was pretty bad playing otherwise. Still, nothing better since...

I had a great time! After the show I got lost from my friends, and a fellow head put me up in a local hotel room! Was this the night of Fireworks after the show?

what else is there to say? read the other comment from the same tour at Soldier Field. it was epic. I remember it.

They did fireworks the last night of the Soldier Field run in 1994, none in 1995...that I can recall.

I marked this one "attended" just because we did have tickets. But we never got past the parking lot. It was truly a weird vibe. My wife and I sold our tickets, wished our friends a good show, and headed to the Lunar Cabaret up on Lincoln Ave. to see the Dysfunctionelles. We had honestly figured that we'd catch up with everybody the next time The Dead came through town.

Did anyone else notice Garcia singing in past tense during Sugaree??? I was convinced at the time it was some subconscious message to us that he knew he was done... Terrible show besides the out of nowhere brilliance of "Visions"...I remember how much my friends were pissed at me because I wanted them to call off the fall tour so Jerry could get right...I complained all night about how Jerry was ruining the whole experience...blah blah blah...it was a very distressing night!

I was driving a limo and had to work thi9s weekend. I was not happy. But, I got a trip down to Hyde Park that afternoon. So I called my Dispatcher on the phone and said I had to take the rest of the day off. So I pulled up in the Stretch ('95Black Fleetwood) and parked. Hung out all day and night in the parking lot. In my frigging black suit. LOL... Listened to the show from outside. First time I went and listened just from outside since I started going in1978. Kind of odd huh? Miss Ya Jerry!

It was a sad show! Absolute worst china I have ever heard. Jerry missed half the lyrics! But when jerry raised his fist when he sang "mona lisa had those highway blues" it was like his last salute. I just got shivers thinking about it! God bless jerry garcia.

The whole end of the summer tour is best put in the addage, "If I have to explain you just wouldn't understand..." I was finishing my last college classes, getting my degree and taking my first steps toward entering 'real life'. It was definitely a symbolic end of an era for me personally. I had two groups of friends doing two separate trips. One was trying to convince me to go to Sugarbush, VT for some Phish shows. While the other wanted to finish up the GD tour. Of course, I was inclined toward the latter. I enjoyed seeing Phish in those earlier days '91-'93, but the bottom line is I'm a Head, so.... you know.I was still a student, so I couldn't commit to the St. Louis shows, but I got my tickets for Deer Creek and Soldier Field. We all know what happened @ Deer Creek so I won't embellish. I'll just say one thing- I can still see the bloody face of a guy who scaled the fence, slipped and landed on his face- mind you I was Kesyed, Owsleyed (you know what I'm getting at) heavily. So, needless to say I was seriously affected. Upon my return to the little oasis of a school in Southern Ohio I tried to regroup and get excited about the Soldier Field shows. Then the news came in from MO. That was it! We all know how we felt about what was going on at the time. I gave my tickets away and decided, to hell with it. But, things happen in mysterious ways. My girlfriend, at the time, convinced me that I should go to Soldier Field. It was this comment, maybe not in so many words, "You're the type of fan that respects the scene, loves the scene, the people and the music. Jerry, Phil, Bobby, Mickey, Bill and Vince need your type of support. They want you to be there." "OK, if you put it that way." I need to mention that my old girlfriend is a very wise soul. Thank god I had her at that time, because I don't know what I would have done come August 9th if I missed those shows. So, it all comes down to this. People can say what they will about the circumstances of that summer, how Jerry played this song or that song, or forgot this lyric or that lyric. People can point fingers and gripe about whatever it is they experienced then. But the most important thing to keep in mind is all of it is finite and insignificant in the big picture. The memories, dreams and music that envoked our spirits, over the years, to leave house and home and follow a band across the country lives in our hearts and is infinite. We will all be, forever, the Grateful Dead. And, I can proudly say that I was there. *A little caveat to all this. The Soldier Field shows were the 1st shows that I went to without tickets. That situation is the big discussion around a lot of the issues going on that summer. I got miracled for the final show and listened to the first from the east area outside and below the columns. While watching some fire performers I remained quite sober, minus a few beers and some grass- real mellow and actually reflecting on all the shows I had seen over the past six years. Those shows were so retrospective for me and in lot of ways I believe I unconsciously knew (as I feel a lot of us did) what was coming to pass. But, in hindsight, I feel so blessed to have experienced those shows the way I did. Much love to all of you who were there and those who were not able to make it. We all share something incredibly special!

The party outside was over the top as always. Baking in the Sun in the south lot. Walking into the city looking for more beer. (Not the best idea). Was very troubled with Jerry's performance at the time and remember singing "This could be the last time" on the way out after the show. It was the last time mtc

What a night! My 23rd birthday was a blast! A wee bit too much raw stuff but these things happen. I thought the show had allot of energy and the band played pretty well. The set list in the 1st set was iffy. Not a big fan of Wang Dang Doodle at best of times. Liked the Tennessee Jed very much though. 2nd set started strong. The Visions was a nice suprise. One more Sat night is always better on a Sat so all in all a good show.

Sadly. Vibe in the air was definitely different than normal. Couldn't pinpoint it at the time, but it all makes sense now. Just glad I caught the last 10 years of the greatest band in Rock-n-Roll hitory! Long live the GD!!!

In retrospect there are only three things I recall about this show. 1st the Visions was one for the ages and who can forget Jerry's arm in the air, incredible. 2nd U.S. BLUES how forgetful but it amused me in spite of all the bad stuff. "I'M ALL CONFUSED....DOOTAHDOO". 3rd and final it was my last show , Grateful Dead that is, where the electrochemical white blotter and supposed 500 mic "family" kelp based pyramids were ingested...the last show I only puffed due to nearly 2 weeks of nightly "adventures" with a couple of day trips thrown in.

I recall star spangled banner with fireworks on the 9th. They were over city as we left

never been to a show. I thoroughly enjoyed this and felt it had quite a few gems. I never can hear why '95 was so horrible. the only thing I heard was the sugar magnolia the following nite, Jerry did clunker around at the beginning. but for as long as these guys played and proved their point they are allowed a to have an off nite or song performance as far as im concerned. its still a far cry from the "toby keith" incident we had in my state a few years ago. Toby Keith showed up in such a drunken state he could barely sing it was awful it was on the news and people taped it and it sounded like shit. not a toby keith fan I don't listen to country.

I had 6 tickets and there were only 3 of us. What did I do with the other 3 tickets… ? Almost 28 years later - Christ has it really been that long.? Back to the tickets and the day. I know I 'miracled' 1 person each show, so that accounts for 1 of the tickets. I know 1 was traded for incense and the final unaccounted for ticket must have come home with me. If only my B of a former Stepmother(7yrs older than me), while "cleaning" my old bedroom the day after forcing my Dad to kick me out, hadn't "accidentally lost" that ticket and Sundays stub both of which were in the Ticketmaster envelope taped to the back of a "I Need A Miracle" sign that the person who I gave a miracle to had been holding … Oddly all of my other stubs from that same envelope survived even the Vince Neil stub😖.

Back to the day. The 3 of us all very excited entered Soldiers Field just as Traffic began their set. It was a very sunny hot July day and we were seated in the seats around the stadium with no shade, sunblock or water. By the time the Dead took the stage, and didn't open with Touch of Grey we were hurting. Our friends entered towards the end of Traffic's set and were spread out between the floor and the other (shaded) side of the stadium. Of course they were waiting for us to join them so we could all sneak onto the floor but 2+ hours of direct Chicago sun had sapped all of our strength. The very nice twirling hippie in a purple-ish sundress behind us asked why we weren't dancing, asked how we could resist dancing, told us to dance and finally ran to get water for us so we could rehydrate and dance. No dancing took place 😐 and we didn't find our friends until Sunday.

It was, without a doubt, the best Dead show I had ever attended. China/Rider was something I never expected to hear until many years from then and Terrapin was on my friends bucket list. The two in one show with Terrapin going into drums >space made up for all the missed notes, forgotten lyrics and baking in the sun. I know I left the show with a smile ☺, 2nd degree sunburn and warm joyful attitude that lasted just over a month… 💀