Grateful Dead

In my hometown of Lewiston, Maine, a very long show to end the summer. I actually was a passenger in the car that brought Phil Lesh to this concert along with the Governor of Maine's son, Steve. Thanks for this one, Phil!

Longest show I ever attended, four + hours including breaks & tuning, capped by a seemingly-endless second set.

they didnt count how may went over the fence through the woods.was beautiful fall day 70 degrees sunny leweston is an hour from vassalboro maine where i live the radio said no glass bottles achaol so we bought rum and coke put in wine flasks and off we went lots of bikes parked ay the entrance going in the folks at the gate just asked the guys in front of us was there any glass or alchol in there cooler they said no and walked in with this big old cooler full of beer unreal. this was the good ol days!! at this point in time the only record i had was half of steel your face the good half with sugaree and working mans dead and of course go to heaven !! just a grate show from start to finish levin helm was a nice treat i wish i had tapes of ther set also! i took my girl frieng to her fist show what a first show tell this town aint got no heart...........aiko aiko

Best Sugaree ever

tom colamaria gr8flsquid thecrawlspaceguy

Had to post on this show, Geno H. and I (Andy) along with whomever else, cruised in from North Conway, NH in my 1975 Torino and lost ourselves on this fateful daze.Not only was this an excellent and lengthy show but somehow surreal in the memory of that long days journey into the night. The music, micky mouse and those wicked yet beckoning ballons floating in the windless sky at sunset. The tethers holding them seemed to get longer every minute until they were released one by one in no particular fashion or order. Taking with them the sounds and the human feeling of that day. The sun set and the band played on and on. Leaving Lewiston with the engine overheating and no one really giving a crap, makes this show a powerful reminder of being young and getting the most from the Dead and a sense of carefree living at that time. Peace, Andy

130k Deadheads in a town of 30k and nobody was ready for them!! LOL they expected only 30k ppl. WOW what a show inside and out. "Grateful Times" except for the locals, Between sales and theft the stores broke out even. I remember going to the closest store and saw this dude walk on in to the beer section, grabing a case holding it over his head and walking out. only 2 people running the store with it packed shoulder to shoulder.. Crazy fun Times.. At the show there was at least 5k+ people outside the gate w/out tix's and when The Dead took it's 1st break, People (thousands) were heading out the gate for refreshments as the gate keeper is repeatedly telling everyone IF YOU LEAVE YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER TICKET hundreds proceeded out the gate, The keeper was geting ugly as more and more were going out, Till he said F#(k it "Swung Open the Gate" and said; F#(k it All... FREE CONCERT !!! and then every and all whom did not have tix ran inside. It was a Headrush/cool. The Allmann Brothers Band along with many others Big Bands were there. Very Sweet Show ..

Traveled up from Stamford, CT and yes, I do remember the amazing 2nd set. Yet, what was even more memorable was Roy Buchanan (rest his soul) Now, there was someone whoo could wail with his guitar. He almost (yes, only almost) stole the show.Man, I did not realize that thre were 130,000 at the show. WOW!!!

we came from littleton mass in an old ford van, camped out frinite over looking the track. there was a whole bunch of us there......an all around and around fantastic time. hey suzie ober. u out there? robbie cuikay? obe? it's craig love is all there is

And, one of the best and most memorable days of my life! Perfect weather, and the Dead playing their asses off giving it all they had in the middle of a field way up in Maine! Great legendary opening acts, Roy Buchanan and Levon Helm. Then, the Dead with Jerry on top of his game, and the band just blowing it out, never seeming to run out of energy! A very special time indeed! If I had a time machine, this is the day of my life I'd go back to. But, please put me back in my 23 year old body that I had back then. It would make it a lot more fun! Here's a picture from the show:

This show was a turning point in my life. No turning away from the Dead after this gem. We were going to culinary school in the arm pit of NH in Berlin. Traveled to Lewiston to have the best time of my life with my clothes on. Does anyone remember the sun setting with atrain going by in the background, while the boys were cranking out China/Rider? Very long show, probably the longest Dead show I've attended.

One of the great shows....by the end, Bobby's voice was gone- he croaked out Saturday night. 130k is a little overstating the fact. More likely around 30-50k. First time I ever saw the Angels out in force- they parked their bikes between the crowd and backstage, and one notably large one was on stage for the entire show. I spent the first set rolling through the crowd handing out joints to anyone that needed them......the crop had just been harvested and it was time to share. I was the guy with the grocery bag....good times.

Here's my story, perhaps you're in it! http://www.covetedgreenhat.com/dupree/lewiston-index.html More photos, like the one above (which I took), are included. There are some better photos around, although I've never been able to find them on the net.

Me, 2 buddies & a dog drove from Michigan all night through Canada to get there...around 3 am we were totally lost in bumfuck Maine on a road that started out paved, turned to gravel, then to dirt...getting kinda worried but knew it was the right general direction...gravel again...pavement! Finally a stop sign at another road (first in what seemed like hours, but of course there was weed involved). Now what? We voted, turn right won, and within 2 minutes a nice green sign with an arrow straight ahead to Lewiston, yeah!Got to the fairgrounds and Heads & bikers were everywhere. Found a little field in which to park the microbus and stood around for a while making friends, blasting tapes, and getting high. (Later it transpired that we were standing around (barefoot of course) in poison ivy and I couldn't wear shoes for weeks, but that's another story.) The show was unbelievable, it just never stopped, and the doses peaked just as Playin eased into Uncle John's...wow. When we finally staggered out, it turned out my bus had been towed...with the dog still inside! Many adventures ensued but what a show. yep. thoze waz the dayz...

Long hot summer day. Hitch-hiked up from New Hampshire. Longest show I ever saw them do. A splendid time amidst hordes of people. I seem to recall the send off music as the lights came up was "When the Saints Go Marching In." Crazy fireworks on the way out and a long hitch back to pseudo-reality.

Can't believe it's been thirty years already.... That was a PERFECT day on every level. My license plate now is: GD 9680

I grew up in Seattle but spent 12 summers from age 9 and a couple of highschool years in Boothbay Harbor, ME. Most of my Maine friends were deadheads and this Lewiston show was one of my many (blurry) memories from younger days back east. I feel very fortunate to have gone to this show. My old Seattle highschool deadhead friends tell me that everytime I see them. Does anyone remember the huge sprinklers? It was a very hot day and I remember people dancing in the "rain" and the ground all muddy. This was my only Dead show on the east coast. I saw them again in '88 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR and then again in '95 in Seattle - one of Jerry's last. Also just saw Further in Redmond, Wa. Not being a bonafide deadhead, ironically I now find myself a drummer in a Dead/Phish band. I am now listening to, playing, and learning more about the Dead than ever. Kind of a long strange trip back to my younger days in Maine. Thanks for reading my little story. Luke

The Dead had a great Labor Day weekend tradition going. Starting with the 9/3/77 Englishtown show, the Dead staged some huge outdoor blowouts on the east coast. There were several opening acts at each show adding to the fun. In 1978 they played at Giants Stadium (their first visit there) and in 1979 an outdoor stadium show in Rochester. And of course for Labor Day weekend 1980 the show at Lewiston Fairgrounds. There was definitely something magical about those outdoor shows of the Seventies. Brought back the spirit of the 60s Monterey, Woodstock, Watkins Glen.

I honestly don't think the city of Lewiston new what they wqere in for.What a great shgow 100 min.First Set.Then when the sun went down The Band really got down to buisness.It was so cool watching the back of the stage and seeing the thunderstorm that was flashing some unreal lightning that was going on probably 20-30 miles away during Drumz-Space,Just totally sureal.Roy Buchanan was great and what can you say about Levon and The Cate Brothers,Simply put an incredible day.Then 8 years later the bus stopped in Oxford for 2 great shows,sad that Littlefeat played basically the same set both day's but it was great to see them especially with Craig Fuller playing with them.Kinda hoped they would have pulled out a few Pure Prarie League chestnuts seeings how he really was the driving force behind that band.Can't always get what you want,But in my estimation something always made the Dead play some really great shows everytime they came to Maine.Probably didn't hurt that thier publisist (Dennis McNally )is from Maine!

Big, long, tour-ending show. We had no idea the acoustic sets were just around the corner, time-wise. Four of us arrived at the fairgrounds in a cop car because our friend's Plymouth Duster literally dropped its transmission on the ground in a parking lot in Lewiston. That cop was amazing. We had big gallon jugs of juice mixed with vodka and he didn't even ask. Our friend John had to be pulled into the back of the car because he was tripping and didn't trust the cop to take us to the show. Loved every minute of the Dead's sets, then had to bum a ride back to UNH. Unforgettable, and worth seeking out the recording(s).

Hitched up to this show with three buddies from Mystic, CT. First ride took us right to the front gate where people were passing out grapes. A life time later stood outside the front gate to the fairgrounds and the second took us right to my front door in Mystic. Amazing show, felt connected to the cosmos after that one and the two rides there and back only confirmed it.

Yeah, what a great show. I remember someone walking by with a bag full of weed, and someone passing around a joint the size of a cigar - very unreal in my state of mind. A magical day.

I was driving that car.... and as I recall, you had written "Let Phil Sing" in large letters on your arm. This show is exactly dead center in the middle the Dead’s run 1965-1995….Lewiston Raceway… Right On Charlie D

Greatest show I have ever attended!

Got busted on that Friday nite . Got there for the spectacle on Saturday . Didn't get home until that Tuesday . They finally caught up with me in 2005 so I paid my fine and I still think it was well worth it ! By the way , the interest on a $75.00 ticket was $950.00 !Just gotta love that DEAD!!!!!!!!!

My first show on the East Coast, drove up with new room mate Rich and his friend who had a car, was training to be a pilot, we had some good laughs about that because the way he drove we pictured ourselves on a plane someday hearing, "this is your Captain.." and running off the plane. Camped out, great show, one of my all time favorites Levon Helm opening w/ the RKO All Stars and then the Grateful Dead. Shared smiles with strangers cause you know how happy they are and they can see it in you, dancing, loving life. A great day. Didn't matter that we brought no blankets and man it turns out it gets cold in Maine at night, might of mattered that night trying to use a t-shirt as a blanket sleeping in a car seat but now it's the good times and the music that endure. Rich E. if you are out there you are and always will be a good friend, write me. The Wheel is turnin' and you can't slow it down

Roy Buchanan 1980-09-06 Maine Music Festival State Fairgrounds Lewiston, Maine 1. Stone Blind 2. Johnny B Goode 3. Blues Instrumental 4. It Should Have Been Me 5. Hey Joe > 6. Foxy Lady 7. Can I Change My Mind 8. The Messiah Will Come Again Levon Helm & the Cate Brothers 9/6/80 State Fairgrounds, Lewiston, ME source: aud cassette master>7" reel 1st gen c.m. taped by Gus Gross: nak 300's>sony d5 lineage: aud cassette master>7" reel w/dolby>dat>cdr>eac>flac Jerry Moore's 1st gen reel transfered by Rob Berger playback: sony tc-765 reel>teac an-180 nr>sony pcm300 dat one disc: 49:03 01: Where Can We Go 02: Going Back To Memphis 03: China Girl 04: Summertime Blues 05: Watermelon Time In Georgia 06: Willie And The Hand Jive 07: Glad You Understand 08: The Weight 09: Up On Cripple Creek 10: Ophelia 11: Milk Cow Blues notes: opened for Grateful Dead, also Roy Buchanan Maine Music Festival

Amazing show all around. The Scene was incredible, beautiful day. Awesome Alabama opener, awesome Shakedown 2nd set opener...lonnng sets, lots of great tunes,

This is one of the first things I remember as a toddler. My parents were 70's heads, and took us to the occasional 80's show so we could stare in amazement at the jugglers, spinners, billowing smoke coming from the mouths of strange-looking, colorful dragons, etc.etc. Boy, am I glad! They prepped me for my full conversion during the 90's, long after they stopped going..They continued the line, and of course I took it to extremes to this day...Thanks, Mom & Dad!

Beautiful day, wonderful vibe, large group of good friends, long well played show, can't really ask for more than that!!! Doc G

Was there with friends who went to school in Springvale Maine. The band was fired up and Jerry was on fire almost a Jerry perfect day! Great venue and weather. Outdoors on that field and it was a bring your own whatever you wanted to bring show. Security let everyone enjoy the day no problems at all! The dead came on around 5 and said goodnight about 4 or 5 hours later. Days like that just don't exist or take place anymore. It was magic. Possibly the best dead show and set list ever. Too bad no sound board recording seems to exist. Some pretty good taper shows available. I've seen many many shows over the years and this experience is at the top of the list. Energy start to finish!

http://gratefulseconds.blogspot.com/2016/03/lewiston.htmlincludes articles, photos, music Have fun

Epic Show! It took off for the moon during Sugaree.