That was all Bill Graham's vision & doing. He had a home in Telluride and he worked/fought with the locals for years to make those shows happen.
The bluegrass festival had been happening there for years, but the local politicians and many residents were convinced that rock 'n roll and the Grateful Dead in particular was too much of everything and that the event would be the ruination of their bucolic little paradise. Bill convinced them that he and his team could pull it off, and they did.
He used all of his company's skills & assets to plan and set it all up and he brought almost all of his employees there for the shows (I was just getting started with BGP at the time and wasn't on "the road team" yet, poop).
Virtually everyone working those shows were his people, from traffic and pedestrian control, gates, security, staging, ambiance, etc. Graham considered it one of his company's greatest achievements.
That was when the band was pleading with us Heads to please not go to shows if you don't have tickets. The band was pushing this hard especially for the Telluride shows. I did the Red Rocks just before these shows and was really wanting to go to Telluride, but had no tickets. Normally I would have went as I had the time off from work. but since the bands was asking, I didn't go. Heard there were plenty of tickets available and I've always wished I had just gone to the show!
Was a great weekend up in the hills. As mentioned above, turned out there were a ton of tickets. Deadheads finally did what they were asked! Beautiful beautiful area.
That was probably my favorite GD week ever. Three at Red Rocks, two Telluride, Park City and two at Mt. Aire in Calaveras. Fantastic drive from SF.
Wow 1987 was a real fun summer we set up camp left hand side of the stage up on a lil hill, dude next to us had a tank...we made friends. The sound up there was better than in the show, went down for setbreak to mingle..
Same here Gunkman.... 1987 was my first time getting on an airplane to see GD shows . Saw David Sanborn, then 3 special GD shows then Neil Young over 6 nights at Red Rocks. My bud (and dawg) and I were also scared off from Telluride. We were halfway to Yellowstone when we looked at each other and realized that .... if we turned right around, we could make the show in Tempe.
Left the dog in the rented station wagon with a full tank of gas and the motor running with AC on during the Tempe show. Probably freaked out a lot of lot rats and dog lovers that night. The show was only ok.
Missed our flight home, but lots of stories.
.... and that dreamy sister who came up from NM on her bike.......
Drove about 4200 miles round trip from home>Rocks>Town Park, no help with the driving. Maybe best week on tour? Stayed at the Sheridan a couple nights, $325 + a night in '23.
1st show 2nd set....Fire on the Mountain>LL Rain>>Eyes & Bertha>>Dew. Nice outdoor theme, "I went down to the mountain!"
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
I was there. A highlight for
I was there. A highlight for sure.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
That was all Bill Graham's
That was all Bill Graham's vision & doing. He had a home in Telluride and he worked/fought with the locals for years to make those shows happen.
The bluegrass festival had been happening there for years, but the local politicians and many residents were convinced that rock 'n roll and the Grateful Dead in particular was too much of everything and that the event would be the ruination of their bucolic little paradise. Bill convinced them that he and his team could pull it off, and they did.
He used all of his company's skills & assets to plan and set it all up and he brought almost all of his employees there for the shows (I was just getting started with BGP at the time and wasn't on "the road team" yet, poop).
Virtually everyone working those shows were his people, from traffic and pedestrian control, gates, security, staging, ambiance, etc. Graham considered it one of his company's greatest achievements.
Bill loved to say I told you so.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: billionyearoldcarbon
that was when the band was
That was when the band was pleading with us Heads to please not go to shows if you don't have tickets. The band was pushing this hard especially for the Telluride shows. I did the Red Rocks just before these shows and was really wanting to go to Telluride, but had no tickets. Normally I would have went as I had the time off from work. but since the bands was asking, I didn't go. Heard there were plenty of tickets available and I've always wished I had just gone to the show!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mike Dalton
Was a great weekend up in the
Was a great weekend up in the hills. As mentioned above, turned out there were a ton of tickets. Deadheads finally did what they were asked! Beautiful beautiful area.
That was probably my favorite GD week ever. Three at Red Rocks, two Telluride, Park City and two at Mt. Aire in Calaveras. Fantastic drive from SF.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: TommyGutt
Wow 1987 was a real fun
Wow 1987 was a real fun summer we set up camp left hand side of the stage up on a lil hill, dude next to us had a tank...we made friends. The sound up there was better than in the show, went down for setbreak to mingle..
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: donster
Same here Gunkman.... 1987
Same here Gunkman.... 1987 was my first time getting on an airplane to see GD shows . Saw David Sanborn, then 3 special GD shows then Neil Young over 6 nights at Red Rocks. My bud (and dawg) and I were also scared off from Telluride. We were halfway to Yellowstone when we looked at each other and realized that .... if we turned right around, we could make the show in Tempe.
Left the dog in the rented station wagon with a full tank of gas and the motor running with AC on during the Tempe show. Probably freaked out a lot of lot rats and dog lovers that night. The show was only ok.
Missed our flight home, but lots of stories.
.... and that dreamy sister who came up from NM on her bike.......
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Vann Kliburn
Rented a motor home for the
Rented a motor home for the event. Great time. Continued on to Silverton CO and elsewhere after the shows.
A very cool vacation - got back to SLC in time for the Park West show- which was also a smoker. yeah man ...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
Went to Red Rocks, met a
Went to Red Rocks, met a woman the first night, had a blast, did all three shows together,
she has a condo rented in Telluride and invites me, can't go due to family obligations.
That was a brutal reality. Thankfully we stayed in touch and did many shows together after that...
I guess I got lucky they didn't bust out Dark Star or Blues For Allah or some such, but that didn't really seem all that likely,
harmonic convergence or not....
I'm glad for all of you that made it....my future wife was there too!
I finally made it there in 2001 for two Dylan shows. Just epic.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
Drove about 4200 miles round trip from home>Rocks>Town Park, no help with the driving. Maybe best week on tour? Stayed at the Sheridan a couple nights, $325 + a night in '23.
1st show 2nd set....Fire on the Mountain>LL Rain>>Eyes & Bertha>>Dew. Nice outdoor theme, "I went down to the mountain!"
https://archive.org/details/gd87-08-15.prefm.leeds.17010.sbeok.shnf
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xXMmhjG6Q
.... cool footage of area and crowds
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees
krab: taper on the right is
krab: taper on the right is still in the area ...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Roarshock
If you don't have tickets,
If you don't have tickets, please PLEASE stay away!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andy
https://archive.org/details
Full Show 08-15-1987:
https://archive.org/details/gd87-08-15.aud.ladner.8324.sbeok.shnf
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andy
Full Show 08-16-1987:
Full Show 08-16-1987:
https://archive.org/details/gd1987-08-16.nakcm304.beckham.suraci.82200.s...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Deadheads left only
Deadheads left only footprints.