Ol’ Jerry would be up on stage, looking right AT you, man, projecting all sorts of vibes right into your ever-lovin’ HEAD! And you’d move your hand THIS way, and Jerry Himself would move along right WITH you, man, like you were totally synched-up with the whole Cosmic Energy (or whatever the hell it was) that was flowing from the stage in wave after wave of cosmic Grateful Dead music.
Were really synced with Garcia or were we all so stoned that it seemed that way? In any event, Dead Shows were amazing experiences. My first show was 3-18-77 in wonderful Winterland. Where was yours?
I think it definitely SEEMED that way, we were HIGH! Wow, you were there in the very beginning! Is it true that they dosed everyone at Winterland by putting LSD on the tickets, railing etc.?
Ya know. I wouldn’t have known. I was usually already tripping on acid by the time I got to those Dead shows. Ha ha. There is a famous story where — after YEARS of trying — they finally managed to dose Bill Graham (they used a hypodermic need to inject it into his can of soda). Graham was so zonked he spent the rest of the show on the stage behind the amps, banging on a hand drum. Ha ha.
Oh my…up and down the California coastline I traveled many times to see the Dead. All the while…on LSD or MDA, marijuana and beer. Green Tortoise baby! Way too much fun for me to handle too long without it getting out of control. Last time was a Ventura show and I got sunburned really bad. Not long after…I was thinking I’d like to stay indoors to see the Dead – except for the US Festival in 1982. Many good memories.
I followed the Dead around our great country when I was 16, did LSD/mushrooms/weed and beer, sometimes speed. I hitchhiked with a male friend. I was able to see many of our stat4es, and realized California is the best! I liked Mass. too, and Colorado, but the “West (coast) is the best”-quoting Jim Morrison. I am glad I got to see, and mostly HEAR the Dead, a great band, but regret and am also amazed that I did it with NO MONEY! When we got to N.Y. city, 2 cops took pity on us hippies and put us up in a dirty but free YMCA shelter, where I’m sure I got scabies! I proceeded to give it to all of my male friends and some family before I found a DR.(the 2nd one) who knew what it was. So, while I am glad I saw the country and the band, I am NOT proud that I did it in such a dirty, smelly, pitiful way! I had read “On the Road” and thought at 16 I could have a special experience, but it was mostly bad, except the music. I never paid for a ticket, the scalpers would get tired and just give away the tickets after the show was already going for a half an hr. But as most know there is a lot going on in the parking area! And the music is usually heard from there anyway.I also suffered from acid flash-backs I think after I got back, well 1 that lasted 3 months. I had to be hospitalized in a psych facility! If my kids ever did such a thing I would hunt them down and kidnap them back home. Fortunately, I haven’t had to! NOT such good memories! I will say that several truckers were VERY kind to us and were good people going cross-country. Total gentlemen. We did get a few scary rides, I’d like to forget, but most people are nice. I got to see the Grand Canyon also. I preferred the outdoor shows. Later when I’d grown up I went with tickets in hand and enjoyed myself much more, clean and sober and all! No-one can deny their live shows were something really special.
I can relate to a lot of your comments. Saw the Dead for the first time in 1973, age 16. Saw them a bunch of times after that all the way to 1978. Then I fell in love with this punk rock chick. And that was the end of my Deadhead days. Ha ha. Also spent a lot of years hitch-hiking all over the country, having all sorts of adventures and misadventures. Glad to hear you went through it all and came out the other end relatively intact and on top of things. I know a lot of people from back in those days who started spinning like a top. And didn’t stop spinning until they had spun off the face of the Earth.
Thanks for the comment, I’m not TOTALLY intact, but am still here! One of the lucky ones. I was also a “punk rock” chick for awhile (I know, diametrically opposed to the Dead’s thing, but I just loved all kinds of music). I miss the “space sets”. I totally admire your being an underground cartoonist. I am a huge fan and collector. I LOVE R.Crumb, Pheobe Glockener, J.R. Williams, Kaz, Jim Woodring, and I know I’ve seen your stuff in Weirdo? I just recently completed my set of every issue of Weirdo. I am spiritually complete, ha ha! Actually, they don’t hold the same charm as they used to when I was a kid, I finish them too quickly. I dated a guy once who was published in “Underground comics of S.F.” #5. I still can’t find it. And he’s dead. I’m saving my $ for your book! Kina
Acid Heroes 
Were really synced with Garcia or were we all so stoned that it seemed that way? In any event, Dead Shows were amazing experiences. My first show was 3-18-77 in wonderful Winterland. Where was yours?
I think it definitely SEEMED that way, we were HIGH! Wow, you were there in the very beginning! Is it true that they dosed everyone at Winterland by putting LSD on the tickets, railing etc.?
Ya know. I wouldn’t have known. I was usually already tripping on acid by the time I got to those Dead shows. Ha ha. There is a famous story where — after YEARS of trying — they finally managed to dose Bill Graham (they used a hypodermic need to inject it into his can of soda). Graham was so zonked he spent the rest of the show on the stage behind the amps, banging on a hand drum. Ha ha.
Oh my…up and down the California coastline I traveled many times to see the Dead. All the while…on LSD or MDA, marijuana and beer. Green Tortoise baby! Way too much fun for me to handle too long without it getting out of control. Last time was a Ventura show and I got sunburned really bad. Not long after…I was thinking I’d like to stay indoors to see the Dead – except for the US Festival in 1982. Many good memories.
I followed the Dead around our great country when I was 16, did LSD/mushrooms/weed and beer, sometimes speed. I hitchhiked with a male friend. I was able to see many of our stat4es, and realized California is the best! I liked Mass. too, and Colorado, but the “West (coast) is the best”-quoting Jim Morrison. I am glad I got to see, and mostly HEAR the Dead, a great band, but regret and am also amazed that I did it with NO MONEY! When we got to N.Y. city, 2 cops took pity on us hippies and put us up in a dirty but free YMCA shelter, where I’m sure I got scabies! I proceeded to give it to all of my male friends and some family before I found a DR.(the 2nd one) who knew what it was. So, while I am glad I saw the country and the band, I am NOT proud that I did it in such a dirty, smelly, pitiful way! I had read “On the Road” and thought at 16 I could have a special experience, but it was mostly bad, except the music. I never paid for a ticket, the scalpers would get tired and just give away the tickets after the show was already going for a half an hr. But as most know there is a lot going on in the parking area! And the music is usually heard from there anyway.I also suffered from acid flash-backs I think after I got back, well 1 that lasted 3 months. I had to be hospitalized in a psych facility! If my kids ever did such a thing I would hunt them down and kidnap them back home. Fortunately, I haven’t had to! NOT such good memories! I will say that several truckers were VERY kind to us and were good people going cross-country. Total gentlemen. We did get a few scary rides, I’d like to forget, but most people are nice. I got to see the Grand Canyon also. I preferred the outdoor shows. Later when I’d grown up I went with tickets in hand and enjoyed myself much more, clean and sober and all! No-one can deny their live shows were something really special.
I can relate to a lot of your comments. Saw the Dead for the first time in 1973, age 16. Saw them a bunch of times after that all the way to 1978. Then I fell in love with this punk rock chick. And that was the end of my Deadhead days. Ha ha. Also spent a lot of years hitch-hiking all over the country, having all sorts of adventures and misadventures. Glad to hear you went through it all and came out the other end relatively intact and on top of things. I know a lot of people from back in those days who started spinning like a top. And didn’t stop spinning until they had spun off the face of the Earth.
Thanks for the comment, I’m not TOTALLY intact, but am still here! One of the lucky ones. I was also a “punk rock” chick for awhile (I know, diametrically opposed to the Dead’s thing, but I just loved all kinds of music). I miss the “space sets”. I totally admire your being an underground cartoonist. I am a huge fan and collector. I LOVE R.Crumb, Pheobe Glockener, J.R. Williams, Kaz, Jim Woodring, and I know I’ve seen your stuff in Weirdo? I just recently completed my set of every issue of Weirdo. I am spiritually complete, ha ha! Actually, they don’t hold the same charm as they used to when I was a kid, I finish them too quickly. I dated a guy once who was published in “Underground comics of S.F.” #5. I still can’t find it. And he’s dead. I’m saving my $ for your book! Kina