Veterans Memorial Coliseum

May 11, 1981

New Haven, CT US

Average: 4.5 (4 votes)

Set List:

New Minglewood Blues
Sugaree
El Paso
Jack-a-Roe
Beat it on Down the Line
Row Jimmy
It's All Over Now
Althea
Lazy Lightnin'
Supplication
Don't Ease Me In

Scarlet Begonias
Fire on the Mountain
C.C. Rider
To Lay Me Down
Playin' in the Band
drums
The Wheel
Playin' in the Band
China Doll
Around and Around
Good Lovin'

Satisfaction

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Comments

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Jacksonville???

Show was in New Haven, CT

My 1st show

I was more into "hard rock" as it was called back then - The Who, Zeppelin, Rush, etc. I didn't own any Dead tapes or albums. All I knew were the tunes WPLR in New Haven played.

Fortunately, 'PLR was a cool station and luckily for me, the Dead played a lot of songs I knew: Scarlet> Fire, Sugaree, The Wheel etc. My buddies fell asleep but I was hooked!

My life changed completely after May 11, 1981.

Just like the Red Stripe commercials -- "HURRRAAAAAAY GRATEFUL DEAD!"

My First Show Too!

I was a freshman in College and was had just started getting into the Dead. Two guys I barely knew recuited me and my friend to go on a "Road Trip". It was about a four hour trip during which it was discovered that this would be my first ever show and that I had never dosed. Our two "hosts" insisted that me & my friend take the two doses they had brought for themselves and said I would thank them later. How true!!! The Dead and the Deadheads blew me away. My world changed that night. The Dead and the Deadheads showed me a simpler, kinder world. I have lived in that world since. What a night. Thanks Adam and Hugey!!

First show as well.

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I was an 8th grader and finally was allowed to attend a Dead show by my folks who for years had bad vibes about them until I actually played some Dead for them (Reckoning helped a bunch).

I remember getting a ticket to this for about $8 or $9 and it may even have been on the day of the show. Out of a bunch of Coliseum shows, I know I purchased from the box office day-of tix at least twice.

I had seen the Kinks, the Cars, and The Police solo before and had been wanted to see the boys before but this was the first opportunity. I'd been familiar with the material since about 4th grade and was pumped.

This night sparked a nice love affair with the shows that lasted until the end. I particularly recall the Satisfaction, which blind-sided my young mind at the time.

They've since torn that ol' building down. I used to like the crazy circular ramp leading to the parking garage and of course the outdoor escalator was always a trip.

Damn ! How could I forget this one ... !

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A fantastic show from start to finish !! Sugarre, Lazy Lightnin', another fab Scar > Fire, a tear jerking Lay Me Down with a spine shattering solo, a wicked Playin >... China Doll, etc.. and a rockin' Satisfaction. One of my bests ! Unfortunately overshadowed by others in the solid year.

new haven

saw a lot of shows in the hometown too bad they finally tore the old buiding down

The Coliseum

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A lot of great memories in that building, first Dead, Phish, ELP, Jethro Tull shows there, great hometown venue.
Was there for the implosion, had to say goodbye to my old friend, now it's just a parking lot

Tammy

"We live very close together. So, our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." ~ 14th Dalai Lama

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