First show.

Okay, I was watching the musicians during the first song when the acid started to manifest.

I watched the lead guitarist play, and as he played, a condensation of notes had formed from the area around his fingers up into a wildly active paisley cloud right above him.

Shortly thereafter this cloud of lightning/energy slowly floated out above the crowd and right over my head where it burst and rained those musical notes all over me.

That's when the trip began.

I shuffled out into hallway, but the hallway was the bathing ghats on the river Ganges.

Then I circumnavigated the arena all night with the other hallway people. And you know who you are!

Many interesting features that night as you can imagine.

I started seeing shows in 1983 and this was my first Scarlet->Fire (although I saw both numerous times before, never in the classic combo). A very fun show - the Aiko, Stranger->Franklin's opening was also mighty fine.

The parking lots and side streets were filled-up early because of an Eagles game at the Vet that afternoon. Since I had been over to the Pre-Shakedown lot scene for the Thursday and Friday shows I just wanted an easy Sunday afternoon and wild Sunday night.

The Spectrum would hold-off on opening some of the parking-lots adjacent to the sides of the venue until 6pm. I was able to slid over the Walt Whitman bridge in my new VW Golf and into the parking spot next to the trailer ramp /back stage access.

I met-up with my pals at the Rocky statue. I had our Sony D6 taping gear in a road case, and a heavy-duty light-pole for our new Nakamichi Shotgun microphones. Plus lots of gaffers tape to secure our mic-stand to the red metal folding chairs and be prepared to stand the whole show and never see the band once, unless I too stood on top of a red folding chair. But I know what they look like.

I went from going on-tour and spending entire shows in hallways and portals, rarely seeing the band at all to now getting right on the floor but I still have an obstructed view. DAT changed all of that for me. Once stealth tapers took over and all I had to was hook-up with them at the hotel for perfect copies of the master. I still have all the gear too.

From listening to tonight's playback of this show on GDRadio the Memphis Blues Tennessee Jed > Promised Land was thumpin' on-time!

I remember thinking glad I flipped my cassette after thePeggy-O.

Cheers from 2012,
Cubby