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The Dead at Awalt
I was there. It happened. I couldn't tell you anything about what they played. They played in a corner of the gymnasium.Paul in CA
Who has the recording?
I missed this show because I was busy being born at San Francisco Children's Hospital that night.
Please, if anyone can find this show, I will trade well.
Thank you!
awalt show
We did have a Dead concert at Awalt, or at least that is what I remember.But you know the old saying, "If you lived through the 60's, you don't remember them."
My first visit to the Avilon, the Dead were playing, strobe lights, pulsing light shows, phosphorescent painting on the floor. Some strange sweet smoky incense. Mommies with babies, people in tuxedos...
A little different for a kid from Los Altos.
I was aware that I was not in Kansas, and when I came home, I was not the same.
As I was in charge of having a concert, I asked my friend Mike K who he thought we should get.
He said the Grateful Dead.
I said "Mike you must be putting me on"
Mike said "No"
I said "What"
Mike said, "You can do what you want but..."
And then he said he knew where they lived in the City and that he would go up and knock on the door and ask them to play.
Well yada yada yada, one thing lead to another and the next thing I knew, the Dead were in the Gym, psychedelic lights, smoky incense, and I am talking with some author named Kesey who drove a wild bus down from La Honda.
My only regret is that I did not save a poster.
A few years ago a friend from Awalt and a great Dead collector told me he had to halves of tickets for that show.
He told me if I met him at the corner he would sell them to me.
I went down to the corner and that devil meet me there, he took my twenty dollar bill and vanished in the air.
I haven't seen him since, but I would love to see some poster or tickets.
Well that is the way I remember it, that is my story and I am sticking with it.
Dead played the sock hop - yessirree
I was there. Happened to run across this page while googling something else and thought I'd toss in my assurances that, yup, it happened. In the gym at Awalt High. It was an afternoon sock hop - and if you have to ask what a sock hop is (or was), well, check with your grand-parents.
I was a Freshman! Pigpen and Jerry Garcia waved to me .
I was at that show too! The Dead came early and walked around the pool where I had last period. They waved lazily atthe three of us still in the water. The concert was the loudest thing I have ever heard!
Yes, I have my ticket stub still!!! $1.50
Diane
Hey Diane
can you upload your ticket stub to appease the cynics?
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
Albert Einstein
I was there too
A junior..talked with them behind the pool after the show...Garcia had helped teach one of my croos country teamates, Derek Krough..the banjo....
Awalt High School
My husband Greg (Awalt class of 69) was at this show too. He remembers that the actual Chester F. Awalt attended the show with his wife. My Awalt sat there in his suit, digging the music no doubt.
I was also at the Dead Concert
I remember that the Greatful Dead sang at our high school (Awalt) in the fall of 1966 (pretty sure it was 1966). They sang one of their first hit songs (can't think of what it was) and they played so loud that I had to walk out of the auditorium to give my ears a rest. I was pretty straight in those days and was not that impressed by them but 44 years later it always brings back a great memory of the 1960s.
I remember getting tossed out this show.
I went there with two friends and we snuck in and then got bounced because we didn't go to Awalt. After that we hung out by the door and listened for a while and they (the school people) got upset so we left and went to get high.
The Dead at Awalt High
After all of these years, my memory of this event is very clear. I can assure you all that the Dead did indeed play an afternoon concert in the gym at Awalt High. I know this because if played guitar in the warmup band that went on before the Dead! Our band was called Gross Exaggeration - We were together for about four years and played at many school dances, teen clubs and youth centers. Our drummer, Don Zerga, was a student at Awalt - A friend of his whose name I can't remember, was the guy that organized the concert - They needed a warmup band and asked us if we were interested. We jumped at the chance - I don't think we even got paid. We did it because we thought leading off for the Dead would help our band. We played for about 45 minutes - I don't remember most of the songs we played but I do remember that our last song was Light My Fire. It had just come out and was a great way to end our afternoon. So, there you have it. This concert did indeed take place - I only wish I'd saved one of the advertising posters.
- Rick Boitano
The Dead at Awalt High
After all of these years, my memory of this event is very clear. I can assure you all that the Dead did indeed play an afternoon concert in the gym at Awalt High. I know this because if played guitar in the warmup band that went on before the Dead! Our band was called Gross Exaggeration - We were together for about four years and played at many school dances, teen clubs and youth centers. Our drummer, Don Zerga, was a student at Awalt - A friend of his whose name I can't remember, was the guy that organized the concert - They needed a warmup band and asked us if we were interested. We jumped at the chance - I don't think we even got paid. We did it because we thought leading off for the Dead would help our band. We played for about 45 minutes - I don't remember most of the songs we played but I do remember that our last song was Light My Fire. It had just come out and was a great way to end our afternoon. So, there you have it. This concert did indeed take place - I only wish I'd saved one of the advertising posters.
- Rick Boitano
I was there !
I was a senior at Awalt and remember it well ! over the years I mentioned the Dead played at our school and most people said yea sure...WELL THEY DID! I remember it was hot inside and I think Pigpen yelled out "Open some fn doors" And I remember "Good Morning Little School Girl" COOL !On a side not I remember drummer Don Zerga mentioned above by rickboitano...hell of a drummer he was .
Was There Also
I remember Pigpen singing a particularly lusty version of "Good Morning Little School Girl". I think he was playing on the floor in front of the stage - maybe limited room. They had just released the Golden Road album and did a lot of material from it, "Golden Road", "Cold Rain and Snow", "Morning Dew", "New Minglewood Blues". If I remember correctly, they did a really great version of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" (I am thinking that Pigpen sang it, but it could have been Jerry. I don't think Jerry had a beard yet, and Bob Weir looked like he could have been a sophomore.
Re: Sheepman - "they played so loud that I had to walk out of the auditorium to give my ears a rest"
The year after the Dead, they got Blue Cheer for the spring concert - made the Dead show seem like a whispering contest in comparison. The year after that, the Vice Principal decided to hire a concert pianist for the spring concert - I didn't know anyone who went.
My Mom and Dad were there.
Growing up my Dad would always tell me about how the Grateful Dead played my Moms high school (Awalt) and Santana with Tower of Power at his high school (St. Francis). I can't even imagine something like this going down at my kids high school, even when I was a student there (Half Moon Bay).