Earlier that year, I'd gone out to Albany with my friends, figuring we would get tickets. We were wrong, and it was overall a disappointing experience. So, me and three of my close friends back then, bought tickets for Foxboro and Buffalo. I ended up selling my Buffalo ticket, figuring I wasn't going to end up getting to go to New York, plus my friends had tickets for Washington DC, and I didn't. And, my birthday is July 15, and 1990 was the year I graduated high school. So, I had a lame expeience at Foxboro, where the three other tickets I bought for different friends got sold, I got inside, decided my seats were horrible, and spent the whole second set in the parking lot hanging on top of a big ole bus with one of the original three friends, and the crew I came up with was completely incapacitated, and not at all interested in the musical aspect of it all. So I went home and felt unfulfilled. Then, I got the call from another of the original three, who convinced me to go for the ride, even though I was already convinced that I was not getting in without a ticket. So, we drove, I ate a lot of Trix and stayed up all night for the drive. As we got into Buffalo, a local radio station gave word that tickets were going to be released at some record store, so we found it, and we bought a few extras, plus mine. Then we got to the show. Now, at the time, I was only eighteen, but I met so many people who were mutual acquaintances, as well as bumped into so many people i knew from around the Boston area. We walked in as CSN was playing For What It's Worth, from what I remember (no sleep from the drive). I immediately bumped into an old friend, and watched the whole CSN set from the highest seats in the place - I lost my aqua plastic piece up there! Then, when the Dead finally kicked in with Hell In A Bucket, I came to the amazing realization that security/staff didn't give a rat's ass about checking tickets, so I got to enjoy the whole first set from a few feet away from the stage. I remember some folks yelling at the Relix photographers to get out of the way, and the Relix guy yelling back "you'll thank me when you get to see these pictures". During that set, I made friends with some guy who had water - I had something tradable. Turns out, he went to Minuteman. I didn't go there myself, but a lot of my friends did. When I mentioned one of my friends, he looked at me, we both said Morgasm at the same time - I've never laughed so hard in my life! Second set, I hung back near the soundboard, and half-slept through a lot of it. I'd snap out of sleep and see the Space screens, and felt so warm and comfortable. I remember everything, though I was damned sleepy. Sugar Magnolia - Sunshine Daydream sandwich - kind of unique, with a sweet Brokedown Palace to tuck us in to the back of the vans and cars. And there's a lot more to the story, but it's all too personal to get too far into. This show was, to me, what I'd always hoped a Dead show would be like. They played a lot of my favorite songs (Let It Grow, The Wheel, Mexicali, a most passionate Blow Away), and the vibe was all good. I miss it, and i'm proud to have been present.

We were down front before CSN and saw Dave at stage right and we all started fcalling DAA_VE! DAVE!! he looked over and flipped us off! It was another classic moment for me. That and slow Dancing ballroom style with an older woman who was missing some teeth during high time and she was criticizing all these "new comers" who didnt know any of the songs... and I was only 20 at the time! But I did agree. I saw my 5th Grade English teacher, Her husband, another teacher, and a couple of "preppy" girls from high school, all of the above whom had no fucking place being there, I think "touch of grey" and MTV had created a monster... or maybe I saw them all the year before... I dont know... shit i was on acid man.. but they definitely werent. Overall a good show but I agree with the guy who said it should have cut it for him but didnt. 89 is a far superior show musically and vibe -wise and on that "intangible" level. . . and woodstocks too...

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