Grateful Dead

dead.net the official site

first show.

headed out to where the pavement turns to sand...

Wicked fun showI think it was called the Brendan Byrne Arena though. After the drums, you could see everyone on stage but the whole arena was dark, and the jam just getting hotter and hotter, and still no lights, everyone was lighting their lighters, and the jam was getting hotter and hotter and when the lights came on Jerry was not on stage, it was Stephan Still playing lead and went in to Black Queen. Truly memorable. The crowd went nuts!

Went from nh to show at 16 years old by greyhound bus what a trip!

Brendan Byrne was 20 minutes from my house. When it first opened it was a really cool place to see the dead. Security were cool and never fucked with you. Camping was aloud in the parking lot along with vending. I've seen security even buy stuff in the parking lot. After Touch was released and the "touchheads" came rushing in, things got ugly. Shows were selling out in 2 hours. Ticketless deadheads started crashing gates. Security was beefed up. I'm not sure what year it was at this venue but a head named Adam disappeared and later was found dead along the NJ turnpike. It took YEARS to find out that security at Brendan Byrne beat him to death. I remember my last show their what ASSHOLES they were, Waiting in the parking lot, kicking over vending tables. Just being real FUCKING ASSHOLESAs for Adams death. I believe 9 where charged with manslaughter. I was kinda suprised and pissed that they opend with Minglewood, Thats not an opener!! Birdsong was long and spacey. Iko-Iko was house rocker. Good show!!!

I'm glad somebody else remebers when things were cool at "The Byrne" My first show was the following year. And I also remember they would let people camp out and everything. As A Jersey Deadhead I take those comments a bit personaly. And by the way where was the only show they opened with "Eyes Of The World" I also agree that things did change after the bands well deserved success of "In The Dark". By this point you had people there who we're interested the The Dead at all, they thought this was a place to get fucked up and sell whatever crap they'd bring with them, so they couldn't be bothered with worry about what things would be like next year. Nobody wants to own up to that. And by the way if The Medowlands was such a shit whole why did everybody keep showing up HU? Maybe if some of you whining pansies stayed home we never would have had to spend soo much time sitting in traffic WELCOM TO NEW JERSEY NOW GO HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check Out My Orignal Music at myspace.com/salaversano

The 2nd set is consistently high-energy. Nice surprise w/ Steven Stills showing up, too. Memorable, the first of many.

This spring tour was already turning into one of the best in years. Brent had really settled in and with Phil's new six string he was a monster. Yes I can remember heads complaining that they were play Help> Slip> Franklin's almost every other show, like there is something wrong with that? Some of the new songs still were not appreciated or even know what they were called, Shadow Boxing the Apcalypse? Yes the days before the internet. The air for these shows was very intense and the band delivered the goods big time. The second set was great and very well played with Phil being outstanding and the post drums very special with Stephen Stills, Black Queen>Aiko>Bobby's little star> Other One> Black Peter was ripping.Great encore too.

I wonder why the notes fail to mention that Stephen Stills sang and played on "Black Queen" and "Love the One you're With" the next night? I was in a booth with a friend who was a Stills fan and he kept yelling Black Queen so I was ponting at the stage saying "Stills" and he was agreeing, yeah its a Stills tune - finally I grab him and point to the stage and I yell STILLS - and he realized - Stills is out there playing it with the band!! We both jumped out of the booth and into the arena where we could here it better... What a trip... it was awesome...

Beat the bus by hitching from N.C. - 17 and a half hours and dropped off two blocks from home. Last ride was a lucky one - guy was tuning his radio oin the shoulder of the road. We knocked on the door of the Uhaul and asked if he stopped for us. An answer of, " no, but I'll give you a ride" was welcome and after my buddy left to head to his home in Towson, my driver was willing to take the bridge instead of the tunnel and there I was. My best time ever. Oh yeah, show was rockin. Looking down thinking, "is that Hunter?" and then listening. Wait it's Stephen Stills. Cool!

I had the best time this night! Second set Vista-cruiser topped off with a surprise appearance by Stephen Stills. I remember, after the drums (and very short space), seeing a fat guy come out with a guitar, and being very confused that he didn't have a beard. Then he started singing, and it all became clear. And you can't beat Johnny B. Goode in four-part harmony! This show and 4/17 should be put out on CD!

thrasher!!

What a night! Etta James was playing somewhere else in NYC, that same night, and after the Dead show, Steven headed over to the Etta gig. The Etta show was being broadcast live on TV and by chance we just happened to turn on the TV back at our hotel room and there's Steven playing with Etta! I'd never heard of Etta, at that point, and I've been a huge fan ever since. Wow! Check it out: https://youtu.be/aJUCFDDugoM