Grateful Dead

dead.net the official site

We moved to Florida in '72 when I was 11 years old. I saw my first real rock concert at this venue. Kansas headlined and Styx was the opening act. Saw a bunch of other bands like Journey, Van Halen etc back in the late seventies. Unfortunately, I didn't know enough about The Grateful Dead back then. I was 13. If I had known then what I do now, I would've hitchhiked to Miami from Boca Raton. The wall of sound would've blown my mind at 13.

I didn't go to this show, but I've been to the venue. I used to travel to Florida a lot when I was younger and one time I visited Miami Jai-alai with my parents. I noticed that the fronton is basically a large auditorium with a huge stage, caged in at the front. My first impression of the place was that any band could take it over when the Jai-alai players were off. The auditorium was a perfect venue for a concert. I know that Jimi Hendrix was scheduled to play here in July 1970 but I am not sure that the gig actually took place. Iron Butterfly also was booked a few months later. I am not surprised to learn that the Dead set up shop here for some shows in '74. I wonder how many recent concerts were booked at frontons. They are definitely good venues.

The night the Bus picked me up.