Winterland Arena - December 31, 1971

FM broadcast KSAN-San Francisco - billing: GD; NRPS; Yogi Phlegm - first "Big River" - first "Chinatown Shuffle" - last "Dancin": 12-17-70b [86] - last "Same Thing": 06-06-67 [552

show date

Thu, 12/30/1971 - 16:00

Venue

Winterland Arena

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That night

Hot Tuna was very hot. They played about 2 hours, from 10-midnight. By then I had completely forgotten about the Dead. Half an hour later I'd forgotten about Tuna. I think it was at this show that I saw I guy fall from the balcony and land pretty much unharmed, the right-side balcony as you look at the stage. And there was a dude who stripped down and danced across the stage, acting out playing a guitar (and pretty much in sync), right across in front of the band, from left to right, and then back across again before a behemoth bouncer pushed him off the stage into the crowd, from which he was exited the building. He was on fire. I think Weir or Lesh commented on the incident with a "How about that?" at the end of the tune. This was an archetypal Dead deal....not done until 5 a.m. Yip. Five hours straight, without any real break, of course, if you don't count the 2-5 minutes of tuning that went on at times. Ultimate satisfaction is my fond memory of that night. Great music, great vibes. Jimmy Olson from Chicago, where are you? I went to a couple of Dead concerts with you and drifted east. And Steffan, you too. I am in Springfield, MO. Not too far from where a Dead=band holds 3-4 events a year near Eminence.

12-31-1971

I was living on the street around Hayward, CA at the time. Friend owed me favor. Gave me a tiny piece of paper that said "Admit 2-NYE '71" signed Bill. Turned out it was from Bill Graham who gave out favors as free admits to his shows. Night of show ran around town procuring goodies with friend in topless white 1958 Corvette. Headed over to SF after sunset. Doing about 85 mph up Geary;going so fast we overshot Winterland by about 10 blocks. Turned around and friend dropped Danny and I off near Winterland. We headed in. Got good seats about 10 rows from stage on left side of venue; great 'cause that's when Jerry was positioned right in front of us. Yogi Phlegm (Sons of Champlin) opened. During their set girl ran around Winterland handing out party favors. Said: "Take one and pass the rest around.". I did as ordered. Probably orange sunshine. Then NRPS, then Dead's first set. All new music to me as I hadn't seen them live since 5-31-1968; went into army for two years, then the street. Whole night was blur after that. Another Yogi set, NRPS set and finally second set Dead. A long,strange night. p.s. Don't know which show other person wrote about that had Hot Tuna.

memories of new year's

My buddy was dancing - two kind folks came by with a pipe that was at least 5 feet long - he took a hit, fell down, got right back up and kept dancing.The trash cans filled with sipping liquid were passed around. What a night. . .

my first dead show

16 and my first dead show...hooked me forever!!!

Something is wrong with the line ups on New Years Winterland

I can not find the Winterland New Years show I attended. The line up was: GD, QMS, Santana, and It's A Beautiful Day. I know it was New Years, the white horse with the guy riding dressed in a diaper rode through, balloons were dropped, the Dead were on stage and counted down the seconds to New Years, ect, ect. Can someone tell me what year it was because I can't find that line up here. It keeps saying Yogi Phlem, or Sons of Champlin, Big Brother, ect. year after year 1969 thru 1973.

Those were the Daze

I too remember that pipe, Dr. Mikie!. It took two people to hold the pipe and another one for the tube. Only difference between me and your friend is I never got up. I had also helped myself to the Owsley orange barrel supply. One of the only things I remember is Jerry playing his last note. I came back to Earth at that moment only to realize I was the last one in the arena and only wore my underwear and one sock.

New Year's Eve 1971

I was at this show too! Funny I don't remember anything much about it at all except that the music was amazing and it went on all night long. And everybody was stoned out of their minds including me!

1st Show

Yep, I was an 18 year-old virgin. Fresh outta high-school and working for Currie Company in Yosemite Valley. A bunch of us crazy kids sneaked down outta the mountains - Skimmer, Fast Eddie, David Yohollom, some guy from the Laguna Brotherhood named Art, and a couple of others I can't recall. During the Summer and Fall of '71 David had turned me on to the Dead, Firesign Theater, Ram Das - "Be Here Now," and the basics of cosmic consciousness ("It's an APE!"). We ate lots of Sunshine - Thanks Art! I learned the difference between going over the psychedelic edge due to "Something Happening" and "Sheer Intensity." One is a matter of degree and the other is a matter of circumstance. I don't remember too much of the show, except that there was enough room on the floor at Winterland for a big Hora Dance Circle Kinda Deal (never saw THAT again). I'd seen the Sons of Champlain (AKA Yogi Phlegm) before, but the New Riders and the Dead were a whole other deal . . . entirely! Later, JiJi

David Crosby

Pretty sure David Crosby came on to end this show about 5a.m.

Dancin' In The Streets, Mr.

Dancin' In The Streets, Mr. Charlie, Brown Eyed Women, Beat It On Down The Line, You Win Again, Jack Straw, Sugaree, El Paso, Chinatown Shuffle, Tennessee Jed, Mexicali Blues, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Next Time You See Me, Playin' In The Band, Loser, One More Saturday Night* Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Me & My Uncle-> The Other One, Jam-> Black Peter, Big River, The Same Thing, Ramble On Rose, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: Casey Jones

opening act

ew Riders Of The Purple Sage 12/31/71 Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA opened for Grateful Dead, Yogi Phlegm also performed 1-Six Days On The Road 2-I Don't Know You 3-Rainbow 4-Dim Lights, Thick Smoke 5-Sailin' 6-Henry 7-Portland Woman 8-Truck Drivin' Man 9-Garden Of Eden 10-Hello Mary Lou 11-Runnin' Back To You 12-I Don't Need No Doctor 13-Last Lonely Eagle 14-Louisiana lady

Actually that MAY have been

Actually that MAY have been canned music, Crosby's "Music is Love" soon took over as the curtain raiser & closer, replacing "Whiter Shade of Pale" for Bill Graham shows.

My First Show

I have vague memories of having attended two dead shows by accident previously when my parents took me to see the Mamas & the Papas at Monterey Pop and the Berkeley Community Theater. Both times the Dead played, but I don't remember any of their shows. I was 16, going on 17 when I was lucky enough to go to with my best friend Dan and his older brothers. It was really fun at the show being at the front of the stage, it was like a sea of people, all happy and swirling around. A pretty wild thing happened to me at that show. I was at the front of the stage, and during a break in songs Pigpen came staggering out from behind the drums with a bottle of champagne. He came to the edge of the stage, and held the bottle out offering it to us. We all shoved our hands out, and he slapped it into my hand! Instantly I was roughly pulled down to the floor by every other guy, and I gripped the bottle and hung on, promising everyone a taste of the champagne. I kept the bottle, and have it to this day. That was the only show I saw Pigpen. What a wild initiation to the Dead Experience! It was a fun show, but believe it or not, it didn't win me over, because when I heard they were playing again in March, I skipped it because I had just seen them! Oh my I was so young and innocent! That summer I listened to reel recordings of Harpur College 1970,courtesy of David, and I realized this was a seriously great band. I went to San Jose in August, and two Berkeley Community Theater shows in August right before the famous Field Trip show, and that hooked me! Changed my life, literally. I count myself fortunate to have been turned on so early and to have seen the band for so many years at so many shows. Those were the daze...

My First Show...

My first show that I remember. I was 16, going on 17. I went with my best friend and his older brothers. This the only show I remember seeing pig. He gave me a bottle of champagne, but that's a story I'll tell another day... Lotta fun, but it didn't quite take, I skipped the March '72 show because I had just seen them!! Ha Ha, my loss! I got it later in '72 at the August Berkeley Community Theater shows, tripping dark star did it for me! I've been seriously hooked ever since. nitecat

NYE 1971

Hey. Looking for a copy of yogi phlegm's set from this show. I taped it from KSAN's broadcast that night - it was hugely influential ( I went on to play music with various members of The Sons ). Lost the tape many years ago but would be thrilled to hear it again. Thanks.

NYE 1971

My First Show...

My First Show

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robsud

8 years 1 month ago

NYE 1971
Hey. Looking for a copy of yogi phlegm's set from this show. I taped it from KSAN's broadcast that night - it was hugely influential ( I went on to play music with various members of The Sons ). Lost the tape many years ago but would be thrilled to hear it again. Thanks.
nitecat

11 years 1 month ago

My First Show...
My first show that I remember. I was 16, going on 17. I went with my best friend and his older brothers. This the only show I remember seeing pig. He gave me a bottle of champagne, but that's a story I'll tell another day... Lotta fun, but it didn't quite take, I skipped the March '72 show because I had just seen them!! Ha Ha, my loss! I got it later in '72 at the August Berkeley Community Theater shows, tripping dark star did it for me! I've been seriously hooked ever since. nitecat
nitecat

11 years 2 months ago

My First Show
I have vague memories of having attended two dead shows by accident previously when my parents took me to see the Mamas & the Papas at Monterey Pop and the Berkeley Community Theater. Both times the Dead played, but I don't remember any of their shows. I was 16, going on 17 when I was lucky enough to go to with my best friend Dan and his older brothers. It was really fun at the show being at the front of the stage, it was like a sea of people, all happy and swirling around. A pretty wild thing happened to me at that show. I was at the front of the stage, and during a break in songs Pigpen came staggering out from behind the drums with a bottle of champagne. He came to the edge of the stage, and held the bottle out offering it to us. We all shoved our hands out, and he slapped it into my hand! Instantly I was roughly pulled down to the floor by every other guy, and I gripped the bottle and hung on, promising everyone a taste of the champagne. I kept the bottle, and have it to this day. That was the only show I saw Pigpen. What a wild initiation to the Dead Experience! It was a fun show, but believe it or not, it didn't win me over, because when I heard they were playing again in March, I skipped it because I had just seen them! Oh my I was so young and innocent! That summer I listened to reel recordings of Harpur College 1970,courtesy of David, and I realized this was a seriously great band. I went to San Jose in August, and two Berkeley Community Theater shows in August right before the famous Field Trip show, and that hooked me! Changed my life, literally. I count myself fortunate to have been turned on so early and to have seen the band for so many years at so many shows. Those were the daze...

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