Grateful Dead

Crisp fall Maine day, perfect weather, not too hot, not too cool. My 1st summer out of high school, and the 1st fall I didn't have to go back to high school, college was just around the corner though. My new grilfriend of the summer was due back to high school to attend her senior year the next week.We left Massachusetts the day before the show, the previous night we saw The Dead in Providence and on the way out of the show someone handed us this big yellow poster advertising the Lewiston show.. so we took the poster and said "Lets go!" Packed the van and rolled north towards Lewiston, we arrived before sunset and were directed across the street from the concert site to this giant unpaved lot, we parked the van and wandered around the little village. As the night progressed, cars continued to stream in and fill the lot, bons fires were popping up here and there, a neighboring house had set a pair of speakers out on the pocrch and began blasting American Beauty and Workingmans Dead over and over into the night. We finally slept and when we woke up the next morning, the entire lot was filled to the brim with cars, buses, tents VW's, you name it, it was a full blown sunrise party. We wandered around meeting folks throughout the morning and the day and then began to make are way over to the show, people hanging out all over the place. Getting into the show there really didn't seem to be any order, I don't even recall anyone checking out tickets. There was this weak little red wooden/wire beach type fence, but that was already lying down in the grass. People were just walking in with what ever they could carry. They had coolers, chairs, blankets and I even saw a guy sitting on a keg of beer...The atmospher was very relaxed open and friendly. There was a bunch of people sitting in the grass in front of the stage sort of claiming their ground before the music started. There was this long lanky, fuzzy haired guy walking around from group to group and when he came to us he was selling blotter, so my grilfriend and I bought some, we ate it right away. After about 1/2 hour it bagen to kick in, and Roy Buchanan came on and we started to wander around while he was playing, then Levon Helm played as the sun was getting a bit lower in the sky, then finally it was time for The Dead, the energy wa high and people were READY!!! By this time the acid was in full effect, it was nice and clean and we were in Great spirits!! The music was strong and amazing.. Long sets, Something happend during Freind of the Devil, I just got this intense connection with the music and that song seemd to go on and on, as did Sugraee, but China>Rider at the end of the 1st set simply blew me away, I was just SO INTO it I was just IN!! It was great,, the sky was beautiful and the second set was very long, the end of the second set recapped Uncle Johns,Playin which was just so cool!! What an amazing amazing show... Never had I been to a show before or after where everything seemd so realxed open and easy... My girlfriend got in trouble with her parents becasue this was her first night away with a boyfreind and it was out of state and unplanned. besides the upset parents ,this one of those idyllic experiences, my imagination could not have come up witha better way to experience The Grateful Dead!

This was one of my all time favorite shows. I was a year out of high school and It was close to Cape Cod (were I'm from) and I'd say about 50 of my friends from the Cape were there. Every time I turned around I was dancin' with a friend.

This was the site of one of the two Clay vs. Liston fights. I think it was the one with the phantom punch. A fairgrounds slash racetrack kinda place. We headed up from NYC on Friday and over to the madness early in the next morning. My suggestion was to park away from the site and walk, but my cousin's girlfriend (...named sweet anne marie) over ruled me and we parked close to the site. Bad Move. Show was enjoyable, as was Roy B. Getting out of there was a Bear, as they called Sonny Liston. They let the cars closest to the interstate out first, which meant we were stuck for what must have been hours. I hadn't seen my reflection in almost a day and it was freaking me out. The car in front of us started smoking. I cautioned that it was on fire, but my co-travellers said it was just overheating. As I climbed out the window, said vehicle burst into flames. The old man was right again. All in all, a good time was had by all, and once again I woke up at home not knowing how I got there.