Grateful Dead

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I was a freshman in high school, and I went with my brother David, who is three years older. I'd seen surf bands at the fair, but that was it. Amazing thing #1: My parents actually bought us tickets and drove us there and picked us up. They made us dress in school clothes, though, and I felt like a complete dork. Melodyland was a theater in the round and had a revolving stage. The bands had to walk down an aisle to get onstage and they walked right past me. (Hey, they're just people, I remember thinking). Pigpen was carrying two big handfuls of incense, and when he got to his organ, he put them in a vase and said something about incense being legal, at least... the lights went down and a hundred lighters lit! I was treated to a sound that changed the way I thought about music, you know, changed my expectations about what was music. I'd never heard such long jams before (actually, I had an Aoxomoxoa tape and listened to KTBT, our local underground station). Jerry amazed me since I was a guitar player. He had pork chop sideburns, wore his striped shirt, no glasses yet. The two drummer idea also really impressed me as I started drawing pictures of bands with two drummers...Anyway, I only saw the Dead twice, and the second time was in August at Shoreline the year before Jerry died. I always thought this concert was earlier in the year, say Oct. 1967. Guess I was wrong, but someone might check ticket stubs. They played most of the second album, Morning Dew, possibly Saint Stephen, maybe even Love Light (or maybe not). And the Airplane absolutely soared at this show!! Grace was so young and beautiful. I was in love. The Jefferson Airplane did their hits and sounded sooooo good! My music is influenced by this concert to this day. Jerry Garcia was an amazing soul, and his folk music is just as important as any of his electric music was. I would urge young musicians to listen to the Harry Smith Folk Collection and to any good old time music they can get their hands on. Peace!

they played there! During my high school days I saw all manner of musical comedies there, including John Raitt, Bonnie's dad, in Pajama Game, among other things. Then, somewhat to the chagrin of the musical comedy crowd, rock 'n' roll arrived. So hey, I saw the Dave Clark Five there too! But never the Dead, alas.

The DC 5! There was a band that knew how to rock.

This was also my first concert and just before Hendrix at The Bowl. I remember there were few people at the concert and Jerry waved to my group and said “come down here and sit in front”; we were in one of the last rows. I also remember a gorilla carried Grace Slick on stage.

This was also my first concert and just before Hendrix at The Bowl. I remember there were few people at the concert and Jerry waved to my group and said “come down here and sit in front”; we were in one of the last rows. I also remember a gorilla carried Grace Slick on stage.

This was also my first concert and just before Hendrix at The Bowl. I remember there were few people at the concert and Jerry waved to my group and said “come down here and sit in front”; we were in one of the last rows. I also remember a gorilla carried Grace Slick on stage.