Cosmic Connections at the Show

I met my solemate and wife...albeit cosmically and unknown to us at the time...at Cornell on 5-08-77...this was my second show (and hers) and I remember...lots of cosmic memories from that show...during They Love Each Other...a girl on someone's shoulder's infront of me...rings on her fingers (not yet!!!) and bells on her shoes...I finally connected with her 31 years later...we connected through our Deadhead roots, albeit on J-date...there were so many times in our lives when we unknowingly crossed paths...but this was the only Dead show were at "together"...I went to lot's of shows in the late70's and early 80's, then I stopped going...She went to Watkin's Glen and Cornell in the 70's then didn't start attending shows again until the late 80's...I won her over by excitedly lending her my copy of the next night 5-09-77 (Buffalo) after our second date...we were married last year...our song: They Love Each Other...I sang the first few lines on Peggy-O (I took poetic license with some words) when I proposed...we went back to Cornell on 2-14-2010...almost 33 years later...to hear Furthur perform the most unbelievable Valentine's Day show...cosmic versions of all our favorite love songs...They Love Each Other, Peggy-O and Looks Like Rain...an electrifying Sugaree...one cosmically dancing student said "I bet you've been here before", we responded yes, and he aptly named us the "Guests Of Honor"...if you haven't heard the Furthur show, you must get a copy...I crossed paths with my solemate on 5-08-77, and finally connected 31 years later...two Deadheads...we love each other!!!

Frost 87 first night was one of the strangest expeiences I ever had at a GD show. I kept having this strange out of body experince throughout the show(no I wasn't dosed). The morning dew really hit home that night. I was in the second row in front of Phil and his bass playing was outer worldly(check it out if you can). I felt like I was in contact with a higher power in the universe. The message was clear everything will be ok and you are love. When I got back home to SF after the show I found out my grandfather. the patriarch of our family, had died durring the show. I was the only one in my family not in the hometown area. I gave my tickets away for the next nights show and flew back to Montreal for the funeral. I was back the next week to go to Laguna Seca but thats another story.

The joy and happiness that overwhelm the mind and body during moments at a show where Jerry is at the helm and captaining a ship through beautiful landscapes of music and song are undescribable and unforgettable to say the least.Time like that,grabbed our minds and forced thousands in search of The"magical"Grateful Dead.A time such as that occured amidst the opening days of the summer of`94 tour.I`d just gotten back from the westcoast,where I`d heard the most elegant "Peggy-O,"I`d ever witnessed in Vegas.This day was the first venue on the eastcoast that summer of`94 at Highgat,VT.The band played the 1st set and half of set 2 through without too many hicc-ups and eventually entered drums and space that led Bobby into"Miracle."Nearing the end of that song,Jerry effortlessly plucked the first few chords of the monumental ballad that filled the heart with His love while portaying the violence and destruction"we"as humans inflict on our Earth,"Standing On The Moon."He took the crowd on the tour through that beautiful landscape of a song with dipictions that matched.At one point during this performance, Jerry declares,"....a lovely view of heaven,"and at that same moment,Jerry lifted His head from the stagefloor,from where He seemed to be in a thinking man`s stance and thinking of each note as it left His guitar and graced our ears,with perfection.He then peered from above His wire-rimmed glasses out into a vast sea of huge, black dialatesd pupils of the eyes that seemmingly stared back in adornment of the masterpeice that was taking place.He grinned a grin that we all recognize as a reaction to the creciendo of sound permeating louder and louder,then with wrinkles dawning the brow of His forehead and a look that looked as if He had lost something close to His heart,He then let it be known to all,"....but I`d rather be with you!"I then noticed that His scan of the crowd had stopped and He was,without a doubt,looking directly at me as He sang those words,"me!,"I thoght.He somehow had the abilty to capture my thoughts and the flood-gates opened and tears filled my eyes.....Now,I know we all have probably experienced similar times,indeed.I encourage you ,to hold them,embrace the moments that bring Jerry into your heart and keep them from ever fading away.That night on that field in Highgate,VT,The shear moment of that one song enduced a feeling in my soul that brought tears of pure,overwhelming love to eyes that had been searching for such a moment and found it!...only in the presence of The Grateful Dead.I oh so very much miss you,Jerry,may your music fill the hearts of troubled souls and forever burn in thse already blessed with your magic!

sorry Cooper Head :) Peace.

I saw 90 GD shows before Jerry past - and didnt bother seeing any since. I saw a few RatDog shows, but the light had fizzled out with those last smack Garcia years that really made me upset. Fast forward 14 years - and i purchased the boards on this website and downloaded the shows nightly into my IPhone. In Vegas with my 2 kids and wife on business, concert, and golf with my 14 year old son. We went to bed at 2AM, and i rolled him out of bed to go golfing at a top PGA course. On the hour trip out - i was jamming the NJ show with Branford and my son woke up and said, "Dad, are we gonna go see the Dead?" I replied " do you want to? " and he said "Yes, but me and you only." I said we will see. During a concert that night (The Killers) i asked my 16 year old daughter if she wanted to see The Dead and she replied, "Live? i will see anything live!!". I looked at my wife and said - i guess i am taking the kids to the LA show on mothers-day weekend because she already planned on going back to Chicago where we are selling our houses - so she wouldnt be with us.... Thats were the trouble started.

I told the kids to pack enough for the weekend and lets hit the lot early for their first Shakedown experience. Also, after 90 shows starting in 1987 i never saw a FULL DARK STAR and the kids knew it( i talked about it all night). Here i was 5th row DEAD center for that sick 1st set - just rockin for The Dead standards. HOT! I looked at the kids and said - well are you having fun - and they both had a grin from ear to ear so i tried them on by saying - what if we drove after the show to go to Shoreline tomorrow? They started chatting the band came on and BAM an awesome second set Shakedown, Speedway, Scarlet/Fire, during space I am looking at my kids and Phil in the same view and screaming for DarkStar - they play it my kids give me a big hug and there i was CRYING like a little girl 5th row to my first and only Dark Star! I wasn't even supposed to be at this show let alone 5th row with my children and the ever elusive reward of my first live Dark Star.

TO finish this hilarious COSMIC weekend, i drove all the way to SHoreline after the LA show, took a morning nap and we were off to the show night 2. Pretty fun show - the kids had a blast and the band ended the second set. I laughed and said to my daughter, well honey i guess i wont see a St.Stephen because they wont play that as an encore - but they never played it in my day so who cares? Anyhow - i screamed Stephen when the band came(before they strapped up) out and sure enough I got my wish. To hi-fives all around - a sick eleven, and a Touch to end my reunion tour with the Dead.

Just sweet as could be. My kids understood way more than I did after my first show - seeing a license plate from AZ as we pulled into the Forum with WHARFRAT on it. I told the kids that they haven't played that song yet on this tour - but since they saw the plate - it will come tonight. Another cosmic sensation. The three of us called Wharf Rat - between my flippin Dark Star.