Summer Magic 1985: Hersheypark Stadium, 6/28
The Grateful Dead made their only visit to the land of chocolate on a rainy night in summer 1985, a pivotal show for different reasons for lighting crew member Dan English and longtime Dead Head photographer Bob Minkin
Summer Magic 1985: Hersheypark Stadium, 6/28 supplementary notes
by Jesse Jarnow
In the summer of 1985, the Grateful Dead made their only visit to the land of Chocolate on a rainy, rainy night. It didn’t stop the show from selling out, nor for it to become a pivotal night for a few people in attendance.
One was Bob Minkin, a longtime Deadhead who’d been photographing the Dead from the crowd since the mid-1970s, often selling his shots in the parking lot. We spoke with him during our Friend of the Devils season. But at Hershey in 1985, Bob Minkin met the Dead’s new publicist, Dennis McNally, and crossed the laminated divide for the first time, shooting the show with official permission from the photo pit, where (perhaps for the last time) he was the sole occupant. He made a number of great images that night, some included in the new Summer Magic box, and some available through his website. An unknown photographer even caught a shot of Phil Lesh from the side of the stage with Bob visible in the photo pit.
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Hershey 1985
My 3rd show. Took a chartered bus from Manasquan, NJ with 25 other heads and partied all the way there. What a great memory. Bus pass and tickets included. I brought 2 newbies with me who had a blast. Got there and a bunch of us went to the hill across the street for a smoke and was approached by a straight looking guy who said you're under arrest for being under the influence.........of the Grateful Dead. Man I thought we were done. Then he proceeded to try and sell us stickers. I think I bought a stelie one. I did get a shirt which is long gone. Pre show Dark Side of the Moon was sweet. Then dancing in the rain with friends was great. Band was just fantastic. When I had kids we got season tickets for a few years and every time I went there it was the same old place. Went back to see D n Co in 2021 to complete the circle. They opened with Music NS which was the GD 2nd set opener in 85, so that was cool. Were they ever hear at all........