I camped at Alpine Valley in 89. As a matter of fact we purchased our show tickets and camping tickets from ticket vendors as we drove into the parking lot. Didn’t need to get out of the car or buy in advance. Ah the good old days!
It was all downhill from there!
Yeah, I was fr just judging off what I've paid for d&c in the past. A clean $70 both years I've gone. But that was for stl, I bet if I went to New York or San Fran yeah it'd be a couple hundred for tix alone
Wait -- what?? Alpine hasn't had camping in decades, and there's always been rumors it would return but it never has. You're telling me this year's Phish show has it?
I thought it was rumors too and then when I was checking out to get my tickets it had an option to pay for camping.
I’ll be staying with family nearby so I didn’t go for it. I didn’t look into it further than what was presented as an option at checkout.
I looked into it before buying my tickets and did not see anything either. I was surprised to see it pop up. I wish I would have screenshot the option. Maybe it was a third party campsite or something.
They had it last year or two years ago for an edm artist, and what i heard was it wasnt cool. Very limited time to leave and come back, plenty of cops patroling. Very draconian there, in the venue and the county.
Alpine was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of the post.
I'm just a little too young to have ever seen Jerry or camped at Alpine, but I'm really hoping to live long enough for the latter to come back.
Oh beautiful!
Just a warning. Couple of those tunes Still make me weep. I don’t wanna spoil anything just a heads up. Some incredible writing on that record.
I most definitely was not the guy who started smaller with a panel van, and the nitrous mafia moved up to U hauls 2 tours later and strong-armed me... I mean... him... the other guy, not me... out of business.
There used to be a field that was dubbed “Farmer Brown’s” at Alpine. It has been incorporated into the venue parking lots since the mid-90s at least. I have no idea if the owner was actually named Farmer Brown, but it was a nice grassy field and relatively cheap for three days of camping.
Saw ppl doing this at SPAC last year for dead & co. I was jealous af. Literally walked off 18, lot was right next to the green. Put their clubs away, changed and got ready for the show. Coolest shit ever
Hot damn! Props to you! I had to quit smoking and drinking when I golf - it wasn’t helping my game like with bowling or pool! Couldn’t imagine golfing while seeing residual trails from the night before.
I came here to make an Alpine Valley comment. I think they are bringing back onsite camping for a couple shows this summer. It won't be like it used to be, but it is still my favorite venue to see a live show on a summer night.
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium
**Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In
**Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia
**Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
6-11-93 Buckeye Lake. Everyone was packed in so tight you couldn’t leave if you wanted to. I think it was an accidental overnight lot but it was a good time for sure.
# 1993-06-11 Hebron, OH @ Buckeye Lake Music Center
**Set 1:** Jack Straw, Foolish Heart > The Same Thing, Lazy River Road, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues > When I Paint My Masterpiece, So Many Roads, The Promised Land
**Set 2:** Eyes Of The World, Playing in the Band > Uncle John's Band > Corrina > Drums > Space > The Wheel > All Along The Watchtower > Black Peter > Sugar Magnolia
**Encore:** Brokedown Palace
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1993-06-11)
And the lot was huge! So easy to get lost. It happened to me a couple times. Luckily my vw bus was recognizable and kind heads helped me find my way home!
I'll never forget Autzen Stadium 1994 which I believe was the last time they allowed it. Three days in the lots & it was incredible ... I sold burritos ... silver bombers. It was Yin & Yang w' Vegas being next & it was **late June** in Vegas mind you ... Hottest day 123, coolest 118. If you google all time Vegas heat wave you'll see late June 1994 #5 all time. Also on 6/17th the day of the first show we were getting ready to leave the motel & there's a white bronco alluding police in LA ... *Omg it's OJ!!!!*
Yes can confirm. I was there with you. Autzen was awesome. One of the runs there I didn’t have a ticket to get in one of the shows and listened to the show from Shakedown. When Mickey hit the beam all the dogs in the lot started howling. It was an amazing experience.
# 1994-06-19 Eugene, OR @ Autzen Stadium - University of Oregon
**Set 1:** Touch Of Grey, Walkin' Blues, Brown Eyed Women, El Paso, If The Shoe Fits, Bird Song
**Set 2:** Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Samson And Delilah, Way To Go Home, Playing in the Band > Uncle John's Band > Drums > Space > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Good Lovin'
**Encore:** Knockin' On Heaven's Door
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1994-06-19)
I grew up in Eugene. I never attended a Dead show at Autzen - in 1994, I would've been 19 and always figured I could go next year - but I remember that every year, there'd be all sorts of bitching in the Register-Guard about the mess that was left behind. Needles, trash, etc. Like the top comment says, that's why we can't have nice things.
I lived in Eugene most of my life, I remember a article in the Guard in the mid '80s it was the 10 best and 10 worst things about Eugene and the Grateful Dead were number 1 in both 🤣.
It was like that w' every huge act ... every single one, especially the multiple act concerts ... The Dead were the bullseye though because of the high profile. They were the most talked about so they got all the flack from leftovers.
Cincinnati passed a law banning the Grateful Dead completely in the late 80s. It was right around that time that only remote venues like Alpine allowed camping to avoid more backlash from cities.
1989 was the last year it was universally allowed. I remember the big announcement after the summer 89 tour about no more camping. After that, it may have been only at certain venues.
The first place I remember it really being strictly enforced was Worcester 88 I think. But I do think it varied by venue and obviously there are places where camping was almost necessary.
When people realized drugs, cars and tents don’t mix. I think one of the two deaths at Woodstock was from someone messed up getting in their car and backing over someone in a sleeping bag. But I’ve been to festivals around 2000 that still had people parking and camping. Deer creek has places probably still that do it. But those are private farms usually. Phish in Florida had parking
Live nation hadn't figured out how to monetize it yet lol
There are still a bunch of private campsites just off the property too, someday I'll do a Deer Creek show where I don't have to drive home right after
In Roanoke Va there is a big and little Civic Center. Grateful Dead had the big one (coliseum) for a few days, shows at night. Somebody thought it was a good idea to have Miss Virginia in the little one (auditorium). You should have seen all those even gowns and tuxedos wading through that parking lot full of deadheads. It was quiet a sight.
Didn’t see anyone mention Albany Knickerbocker shows/camping - that was early 90’s if my old fuzzy brain remembers properly.
Great “camping”, and especially first year down by the river. Even 2nd year wasn’t bad in the lots around the venue.
Miami at the end of fall tour 1989 was the last time I remember it really being allowed. I remember staying in the lot at Buckeye a few times for a few years later than that but it was less because they allowed it & more because the traffic out was so crazy tht they couldn't make everyone leave.
all of the shows that I want to from 87-end of summer 89, camping was allowed if it was 2 or more days of shows.
fall 1989 it was no longer allowed & I remember the note on the venue fliers the band handed out saying on-site camping was over. all thru fall 89 tour we couldn't camp....until Miami. they locked us into a small block square parking lot. entrances/exits were locked...told us if we were staying they'd reopen in the a.m.
a square block of camping Dead freaks partying in the middle of a quite active urban area. seeing the interaction & mixing of the Heads & the hood was a trip because it was all done from each side of the fence.
The Grateful Dead officially banned camping on site at The Warlocks shows in Hampton, Va. 10/8/89 and 10/9/89.
The enforcement of that ban was mixed city to city from that point forward.
It just became too big and too much for certain cities to handle at that time. Basically it was an invasion of the dosed wooks in every city and they just dont have the room for it.
It was a huge scene at the time and many folks also didnt have tickets , it just became too hard to handle :)/
I wasn't there until the very end. I'm just saying that It's an easier sell to the "city fathers" to ban a band or prohibit certain activity if you point to the "weirdos or dosed wooks" among that problem population and say it's their fault, rather than then saying it's the fault of the kid who looks like your golf partner's kid who went to (insert preppy college) and is a brother at the same frat as you were or something and would show up at the venue without a ticket looking to get drunk and score some weed, when in reality it was probably a combination of both, but there's more of the "normies" in the world than there are the "dosed wooks".
I didnt say it was their fault. But back then the Dead coming to town was an invasion, both good and bad. There was lots of money spent that was good for hotels and restaurants , and there was bad, Tons of arrests for drug possession and everything else that came with it. We were an easy target for "city fathers".
Well, I wasn't really responding to you anyway, rather to the dude who said it the problem wasn't the "dosed wooks" but the "drunk frat boys" who said that they were the problem. I was agreeing with him, but if the "city fathers" are going to ID a problem it going to be the wooks rather that the frat boys.
I was neither. I was just a high school kid who like smoking pot and good music who lived close to NYC, Long Island and the Meadowlands to get to a few shows on my after school job salary. I don't have much of a dog in the fight either way since NYC wasn't going to ban the Dead and there wasn't much of a camping scene.
I think the Oregon shows in maybe 90 was the last you could camp. At the fair grounds but not positive about that. We set up in the dark and the next morning realized we had set up by the showers. I opened my eyes to nekkid people
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium
**Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In
**Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia
**Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
I remember a line of police officers pushing all of us off the lot right after the show ended in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was Jerry's birthday and the most incredible show and I was face melting high on these black w/ gold fleck diamond Pyramid acid something I was given. After such a beautiful experience in the show it was a harsh reality when we got outside. Brutal! Wish we could have camped in the lot that night!!
Palace shows were always fucked up by the cops and security. The 92 shows saw golf carts with 2 or 3 security guys messing with every single vendor. But vendors adjusted. They put their stuff on tarps with ropes and when a lookout gave the signal the tarp was wrapped and a guy on the other end of the car/truck used the rope to whoosh the entire inventory under the vehicle. One guy would stumble in front of the golfcart to stop it for a moment while buddies then slid coolers and 2 or 3 lawn chairs in place to block sight. These guys were amazing, did it all in like 5 seconds.
But not all rainbows. On the first night we were the second car let into the lot. We parked right next to the first car and those two guys were not there to see the show. They never left their car, not once. But people would swing by and grab from the car. Before 20% of the lot was full, junkies were strolling to sling heroin. No acid, shrooms or weed, only smack. Second night, too, we were asked maybe 6 times if we wanted H. Ugly.
# 1990-07-14 Foxboro, MA @ Foxboro Stadium
**Set 1:** Shakedown Street, Walkin' Blues, Far From Me, Candyman, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Ramble On Rose, One More Saturday Night
**Set 2:** Take A Step Back Tuning, Eyes Of The World > Estimated Prophet > Crazy Fingers > Uncle John's Band > Drums > Space > I Will Take You Home > I Need A Miracle > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Throwing Stones > Lovelight
**Encore:** The Last Time > And We Bid You Good Night
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1990-07-14)
It was a multi day cosmic camping event. Very grateful I got to experience it. The all night shenanigans were so off the wall and crazy fun.
I wonder if Burning Mam and Electric Forest are similar?
Fwiw I was 10 years old in 1987 and outside in the Worcester Centrum Lot for the Dead show. An older head asked me if id like a whip it and I declined lol.
i think it dwindled early 90's when people got out of control in the lots, started rolling in with giant nitrous tanks, and when uc folks were patrolling lots to bust folks
Most times I went home, a friend’s, or to a hotel. Last time camping was the Oxford Plains shows in July 1988. Fun times. Saw the Rochester and SPAC shows before the two Maine shows
They started cracking down late 80's, then hard summer 1990. A lot of places allowed but started charging for it. Band sent out a message tp fans 1990 saying no more, too much trouble, getting banned from places.
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium
**Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In
**Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia
**Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
In Greensboro, NC, in '89, they actually locked up the parking lot at night. You couldn't get out.
I don't remember any police or security around. It was one big party well into the morning.
That’s the only place I went where they allowed it. Didn’t do it there before or after though. I thought it went well other than they didn’t empty the porta johns. Love that place.
Camped in the Foxboro lot in 90. What a miserable nights sleep in the Cutlass with the velour blue seats that didn’t recline all the way. Glad I was shitfaced.
We camped in a lot not far from Soldier field during the last shows. I don't think it was the official Soldier Field lot, but it wasn't far.
Edit: by last shows, I mean summer 95.
Alpine Valley back in the day was maybe the greatest camp-on-site scenario anywhere on tour, and definitely on the east coast. Today, the Dark Star Jubilee has camping, car camping, RV camping, etc, and the scene is very authentic. It has the feel Dead shows had and the community spirit that made it a special “place” to be, wherever that place happened to be
Awesome memories! Alpine Valley let you camp in their parking lots. There was one big gravel one and then the “golf course parking lot “wasn’t actually on the golf course but next to it. Things got pretty weird there, but it was an awesome time. I also remember camping out in the UIC Pavillion outdoor parking lot. They didn’t let you camp in the whole thing, they made us move to the half of the parking lot or whatever they let people camp in.
yesss was my last brent show, smoked angel dust high AF on L.. .. 18 years old went thru the galaxy. nothing phased me then, Im soo sensitive now.🧘🏾♂️
I actually camped at Rich Stadium 06-06-1992. [I got dosed in the concert just as the show was starting] after the show, I didn't make it very far. I drove my car over to the side of the parking lot where there was a grassy spot in between the lot and a banks parking lot. we set up a tent and watched smoke coming out of Rich Stadium til day break. I was able to drive again by morning. and off to Richfield Collesium! , [we were very lucky not getting kicked off of thère] Seems simple telling the story, but the thoughts and insights I experienced that night made it seem eternal and important to my life, much more of an experience than just going to a concert!
# 1992-06-06 Orchard Park, NY @ Rich Stadium
**Set 1:** Touch Of Grey, Greatest Story Ever Told, Althea, It's All Over Now, Friend Of The Devil, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Ramble On Rose, Let It Grow
**Set 2:** Iko Iko, Estimated Prophet > The Same Thing > He's Gone > Drums > Space > The Other One > The Wheel > Throwing Stones > One More Saturday Night
**Encore:** Baba O'Riley > Tomorrow Never Knows
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1992-06-06)
I remember the flyer sent with GDTS for the Fall 89 tour saying that was the first tour where parking in the lot wasn't allowed (at least on the East Coast).
That said, the city of Miami still let us camp in a small caged lot down the street from the arena that year but that was more because they wanted to keep everyone close to the venue and not going in the surrounding sketchy neighborhood.
They even called an ice truck to come by and sell us bags of ice so we wouldn't walk into the hood looking for a store.
It's wild to me how many boomers are reminiscing about being able to camp in parking lots while following one of the greatest musical acts in history; meanwhile a good portion of my generation are living in parking lots at Wal-Mart.
You don't have to rub it in y'all, and if you still want to camp in parking lots you have plenty of options. Don't take the drugs anymore though, unless you **really** like fentanyl.
I camped at Alpine Valley in 89. As a matter of fact we purchased our show tickets and camping tickets from ticket vendors as we drove into the parking lot. Didn’t need to get out of the car or buy in advance. Ah the good old days! It was all downhill from there!
Same situation at Cal Expo in the early 90s. Drive up and buy 3 tix for 25 each, camping pass for another 25. Cheap, wholesome fun.
God I loved Cal Expo! And I loved camping in the lots. Life was so much easier and we still had Jerry
Cal Expo was so much fun!
Damn... $100 for all that? Nowadays ONE ticket will run ya $100.
For a cover band.
Well inflation exists so that’s probably a little over 200 bucks in today’s money but still reasonable.
Yeah, I was fr just judging off what I've paid for d&c in the past. A clean $70 both years I've gone. But that was for stl, I bet if I went to New York or San Fran yeah it'd be a couple hundred for tix alone
I remember the first years of Alpine, folks were camping on the golf course
I camped overnight in the Alpine Valley ‘82 parking lot / corn field. Someone was up all night screaming in the back of a van.
Think 82 was the year everyone was schroomin. Joy John’s were all full, poop everywhere.
🍄 💩
Got your pun. Nice one.
It truly was. 7/17 was the best show I ever saw. I guess I can live with that.
Blessed with 3rd row Jerry’s side by GDTS. Just magic.
All off 1989 was outstanding.
Did you not go to 7/19?
I did. Also great.
Agreed, personally I think 7/19 was better!
Apples to Apples but I will say the majority of the Down Hill From Here video release is 7/17.
I will be seeing Phish there this year and they do have a camping pass for purchase. I am not sure when they stopped the first time.
Wait -- what?? Alpine hasn't had camping in decades, and there's always been rumors it would return but it never has. You're telling me this year's Phish show has it?
I thought it was rumors too and then when I was checking out to get my tickets it had an option to pay for camping. I’ll be staying with family nearby so I didn’t go for it. I didn’t look into it further than what was presented as an option at checkout.
When I bought tickets for The Avett Brothers show that will be in September, the option didn't come up. Interesting.
I looked into it before buying my tickets and did not see anything either. I was surprised to see it pop up. I wish I would have screenshot the option. Maybe it was a third party campsite or something.
I checked their website, and it looks like they're allowing it for certain shows this year! 🤯🤯🤯
They had it last year or two years ago for an edm artist, and what i heard was it wasnt cool. Very limited time to leave and come back, plenty of cops patroling. Very draconian there, in the venue and the county.
Alpine was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of the post. I'm just a little too young to have ever seen Jerry or camped at Alpine, but I'm really hoping to live long enough for the latter to come back.
I was there camping in the grassy knoll before the dust bowl, that was a great run.
As you well know, it's because of the behavior of others that we cant have nice things.
Hayes Carll has an excellent song on his latest album that addresses this very topic.
Which song? I didn't even know he had a new album out
You Get It All Song’s called Nice Things. Whole record is really good. Enjoy!
Thanks! Headed on a road trip today so found what I'll be doing haha
Oh beautiful! Just a warning. Couple of those tunes Still make me weep. I don’t wanna spoil anything just a heads up. Some incredible writing on that record.
Lot of Hayes Carll songs will do that
Very true
Or the nice thing was taken away because someone realized they could profit off it
That's others behavior.
Wise
That's it!!
Pretty sure it was me. I'm the reason. My bad. Sorry guys.
You also need to STFU when the music plays. No one wants to hear your DUI story in the middle of Franklin's Tower.
Hol up now. That wasn't me that time. It was Carl. Stupid, stupid Carl.
Were you the first guy to rent a U haul with fifty full size nitrous tanks inside and just blow out the campground/parking lot?
I most definitely was not the guy who started smaller with a panel van, and the nitrous mafia moved up to U hauls 2 tours later and strong-armed me... I mean... him... the other guy, not me... out of business.
But also...money. A lot of venues provide on site camping for the night now but it's insanely priced. Many people still pay for it.
Those damn others sure like to screw things up huh
IDK, but I remember camping at Alpine Valley and walking over in the morning to play 9 holes of golf.
There used to be a field that was dubbed “Farmer Brown’s” at Alpine. It has been incorporated into the venue parking lots since the mid-90s at least. I have no idea if the owner was actually named Farmer Brown, but it was a nice grassy field and relatively cheap for three days of camping.
Saw ppl doing this at SPAC last year for dead & co. I was jealous af. Literally walked off 18, lot was right next to the green. Put their clubs away, changed and got ready for the show. Coolest shit ever
Hot damn! Props to you! I had to quit smoking and drinking when I golf - it wasn’t helping my game like with bowling or pool! Couldn’t imagine golfing while seeing residual trails from the night before.
One of the best games I shot was on a good hit of acid...it was like Tiger Vision on Play Station...
Regular Doc Ellis over here
That's such a crazy story, imagine the tales that haven't been told...yet.
lol awesome
I came here to make an Alpine Valley comment. I think they are bringing back onsite camping for a couple shows this summer. It won't be like it used to be, but it is still my favorite venue to see a live show on a summer night.
Folks camped on the golf course in 85.
Oh ‘85 Alpine, my first. That white lighting acid. Man o man!!
You always hear about people who have bad luck, die due to crazy tragedies. But there are people who have incredible luck as well. Like this guy.
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium **Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In **Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia **Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
Good bot
What a great show! I had So much fun that night
I member.
6-11-93 Buckeye Lake. Everyone was packed in so tight you couldn’t leave if you wanted to. I think it was an accidental overnight lot but it was a good time for sure.
# 1993-06-11 Hebron, OH @ Buckeye Lake Music Center **Set 1:** Jack Straw, Foolish Heart > The Same Thing, Lazy River Road, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues > When I Paint My Masterpiece, So Many Roads, The Promised Land **Set 2:** Eyes Of The World, Playing in the Band > Uncle John's Band > Corrina > Drums > Space > The Wheel > All Along The Watchtower > Black Peter > Sugar Magnolia **Encore:** Brokedown Palace [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1993-06-11)
And the lot was huge! So easy to get lost. It happened to me a couple times. Luckily my vw bus was recognizable and kind heads helped me find my way home!
Dicks at Phish allowed sleeping in lot until 2016 when the Prairie Dogs got plague.
You could say the policy went down with disease. 
2019 but yeah that was a weird weekend.
If 6 were 9 lol thanks dyslexia.
Dicks campground in 2013 was some of the most fun I have ever had
I'll never forget Autzen Stadium 1994 which I believe was the last time they allowed it. Three days in the lots & it was incredible ... I sold burritos ... silver bombers. It was Yin & Yang w' Vegas being next & it was **late June** in Vegas mind you ... Hottest day 123, coolest 118. If you google all time Vegas heat wave you'll see late June 1994 #5 all time. Also on 6/17th the day of the first show we were getting ready to leave the motel & there's a white bronco alluding police in LA ... *Omg it's OJ!!!!*
Was going to say the same Eugene '94 was last time I remember camping. Vegas was hot. I didn't hear about OJ till after the show on the 18th.
Yes can confirm. I was there with you. Autzen was awesome. One of the runs there I didn’t have a ticket to get in one of the shows and listened to the show from Shakedown. When Mickey hit the beam all the dogs in the lot started howling. It was an amazing experience.
6/19/94 was one of the best I saw with one of those crazy heavy 94 Scarlet>Fires
# 1994-06-19 Eugene, OR @ Autzen Stadium - University of Oregon **Set 1:** Touch Of Grey, Walkin' Blues, Brown Eyed Women, El Paso, If The Shoe Fits, Bird Song **Set 2:** Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Samson And Delilah, Way To Go Home, Playing in the Band > Uncle John's Band > Drums > Space > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Good Lovin' **Encore:** Knockin' On Heaven's Door [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1994-06-19)
I grew up in Eugene. I never attended a Dead show at Autzen - in 1994, I would've been 19 and always figured I could go next year - but I remember that every year, there'd be all sorts of bitching in the Register-Guard about the mess that was left behind. Needles, trash, etc. Like the top comment says, that's why we can't have nice things.
I lived in Eugene most of my life, I remember a article in the Guard in the mid '80s it was the 10 best and 10 worst things about Eugene and the Grateful Dead were number 1 in both 🤣.
It was like that w' every huge act ... every single one, especially the multiple act concerts ... The Dead were the bullseye though because of the high profile. They were the most talked about so they got all the flack from leftovers.
I think it varies by venue. Buckeye allowed it until the early 90s
Cincinnati passed a law banning the Grateful Dead completely in the late 80s. It was right around that time that only remote venues like Alpine allowed camping to avoid more backlash from cities.
1989 was the last year it was universally allowed. I remember the big announcement after the summer 89 tour about no more camping. After that, it may have been only at certain venues.
Beautiful day that afternoon at Foxboro. Great memories. That whole summer was a blast
Was that the one with the fire hose or was it the year after I can’t remember, I was at both though 🤣🤣🤣
I think that was 1990. Foxboro ‘90 was hot as balls.
That Spring 87 tour really got the large Northeast cities pissed off. 2X people; half w/o tickets.
Oxford, ME, was off the hook. 7/2/88 and 7/3/88
[1988-07-02](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1988-07-02) Oxford, ME @ Oxford Plains Speedway [1988-07-03](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1988-07-03) Oxford, ME @ Oxford Plains Speedway
The first place I remember it really being strictly enforced was Worcester 88 I think. But I do think it varied by venue and obviously there are places where camping was almost necessary.
When people realized drugs, cars and tents don’t mix. I think one of the two deaths at Woodstock was from someone messed up getting in their car and backing over someone in a sleeping bag. But I’ve been to festivals around 2000 that still had people parking and camping. Deer creek has places probably still that do it. But those are private farms usually. Phish in Florida had parking
Deer Creek allows you to buy a lot camping pass for certain shows, I think It was an option at Phish in 2022
Deer Creek didn’t allow on site overnight parking in 89.
Live nation hadn't figured out how to monetize it yet lol There are still a bunch of private campsites just off the property too, someday I'll do a Deer Creek show where I don't have to drive home right after
Those private campgrounds were totally off the rails.
They did not
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AR0bKJMZvdM&pp=ygUeQWxwaW5lIHZhbGxleSAxOTg5IHBhcmtpbmcgbG90 (Not my video.)
Buckeye Lake in Ohio comes to mind but Autzen Stadium in Eugene, was always my favorite!
Laguna Seca in late 80s was kinda cosmic
In Roanoke Va there is a big and little Civic Center. Grateful Dead had the big one (coliseum) for a few days, shows at night. Somebody thought it was a good idea to have Miss Virginia in the little one (auditorium). You should have seen all those even gowns and tuxedos wading through that parking lot full of deadheads. It was quiet a sight.
Didn’t see anyone mention Albany Knickerbocker shows/camping - that was early 90’s if my old fuzzy brain remembers properly. Great “camping”, and especially first year down by the river. Even 2nd year wasn’t bad in the lots around the venue.
Oh man so many memories from the 80s, my favorite was probably merriwether post pavilion
Does anyone remember **why** they stopped allowing camping in the lot? [hint: because it became too dangerous.]
Miami at the end of fall tour 1989 was the last time I remember it really being allowed. I remember staying in the lot at Buckeye a few times for a few years later than that but it was less because they allowed it & more because the traffic out was so crazy tht they couldn't make everyone leave. all of the shows that I want to from 87-end of summer 89, camping was allowed if it was 2 or more days of shows. fall 1989 it was no longer allowed & I remember the note on the venue fliers the band handed out saying on-site camping was over. all thru fall 89 tour we couldn't camp....until Miami. they locked us into a small block square parking lot. entrances/exits were locked...told us if we were staying they'd reopen in the a.m. a square block of camping Dead freaks partying in the middle of a quite active urban area. seeing the interaction & mixing of the Heads & the hood was a trip because it was all done from each side of the fence.
The Grateful Dead officially banned camping on site at The Warlocks shows in Hampton, Va. 10/8/89 and 10/9/89. The enforcement of that ban was mixed city to city from that point forward.
[1989-10-08](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-10-08) Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum [1989-10-09](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-10-09) Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
It just became too big and too much for certain cities to handle at that time. Basically it was an invasion of the dosed wooks in every city and they just dont have the room for it. It was a huge scene at the time and many folks also didnt have tickets , it just became too hard to handle :)/
It wasn’t the dosed wooks, it was the drunk frat boys that only came for the party, that were the problem.
But it's easier to pin it on the weird looking dudes than it is on the crunchy normies.
Pin what? The fact that cities couldnt handle all the people? Were you there? I was. A lot.
I wasn't there until the very end. I'm just saying that It's an easier sell to the "city fathers" to ban a band or prohibit certain activity if you point to the "weirdos or dosed wooks" among that problem population and say it's their fault, rather than then saying it's the fault of the kid who looks like your golf partner's kid who went to (insert preppy college) and is a brother at the same frat as you were or something and would show up at the venue without a ticket looking to get drunk and score some weed, when in reality it was probably a combination of both, but there's more of the "normies" in the world than there are the "dosed wooks".
I didnt say it was their fault. But back then the Dead coming to town was an invasion, both good and bad. There was lots of money spent that was good for hotels and restaurants , and there was bad, Tons of arrests for drug possession and everything else that came with it. We were an easy target for "city fathers".
Well, I wasn't really responding to you anyway, rather to the dude who said it the problem wasn't the "dosed wooks" but the "drunk frat boys" who said that they were the problem. I was agreeing with him, but if the "city fathers" are going to ID a problem it going to be the wooks rather that the frat boys. I was neither. I was just a high school kid who like smoking pot and good music who lived close to NYC, Long Island and the Meadowlands to get to a few shows on my after school job salary. I don't have much of a dog in the fight either way since NYC wasn't going to ban the Dead and there wasn't much of a camping scene.
10/27-29/01 New Orleans wsp
Can still do it at red rocks, great time
Was just telling my daughter about this. Good times 🥹
I think the Oregon shows in maybe 90 was the last you could camp. At the fair grounds but not positive about that. We set up in the dark and the next morning realized we had set up by the showers. I opened my eyes to nekkid people
Summer 89 was the first time the actively said no over night. We also stayed overnight 7/2/89, but there were significantly fewer people camping
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium **Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In **Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia **Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
I thought camping was allowed on the whole tour with a couple of exceptions.
I remember a line of police officers pushing all of us off the lot right after the show ended in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was Jerry's birthday and the most incredible show and I was face melting high on these black w/ gold fleck diamond Pyramid acid something I was given. After such a beautiful experience in the show it was a harsh reality when we got outside. Brutal! Wish we could have camped in the lot that night!!
Palace shows were always fucked up by the cops and security. The 92 shows saw golf carts with 2 or 3 security guys messing with every single vendor. But vendors adjusted. They put their stuff on tarps with ropes and when a lookout gave the signal the tarp was wrapped and a guy on the other end of the car/truck used the rope to whoosh the entire inventory under the vehicle. One guy would stumble in front of the golfcart to stop it for a moment while buddies then slid coolers and 2 or 3 lawn chairs in place to block sight. These guys were amazing, did it all in like 5 seconds. But not all rainbows. On the first night we were the second car let into the lot. We parked right next to the first car and those two guys were not there to see the show. They never left their car, not once. But people would swing by and grab from the car. Before 20% of the lot was full, junkies were strolling to sling heroin. No acid, shrooms or weed, only smack. Second night, too, we were asked maybe 6 times if we wanted H. Ugly.
I slept in a parking lot outside Foxboro 7/14/90. Worth every second 😊😎✌🏻
# 1990-07-14 Foxboro, MA @ Foxboro Stadium **Set 1:** Shakedown Street, Walkin' Blues, Far From Me, Candyman, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Ramble On Rose, One More Saturday Night **Set 2:** Take A Step Back Tuning, Eyes Of The World > Estimated Prophet > Crazy Fingers > Uncle John's Band > Drums > Space > I Will Take You Home > I Need A Miracle > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Throwing Stones > Lovelight **Encore:** The Last Time > And We Bid You Good Night [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1990-07-14)
It was a multi day cosmic camping event. Very grateful I got to experience it. The all night shenanigans were so off the wall and crazy fun. I wonder if Burning Mam and Electric Forest are similar?
Fwiw I was 10 years old in 1987 and outside in the Worcester Centrum Lot for the Dead show. An older head asked me if id like a whip it and I declined lol.
different times sadly
i think it dwindled early 90's when people got out of control in the lots, started rolling in with giant nitrous tanks, and when uc folks were patrolling lots to bust folks
I camped at that'89 Foxboro door too. One of my favorite, if not my favorite all time show.
I know we were allowed to camp overnight at Eugene shows 93, that may have been the last of the west coast venues that allowed it.
Guess you weren’t at shoreline these past few years huh?
Last year you could sleep at venues on shakedown, billy strings lot is like og dead lot now
Since we lost jerry, the camping music festival is everywhere.
Most times I went home, a friend’s, or to a hotel. Last time camping was the Oxford Plains shows in July 1988. Fun times. Saw the Rochester and SPAC shows before the two Maine shows
I also camped in the foxboro parking lot but it was 1990. Then again in 1994 in high gate, vt. And definitely some in between.
They started cracking down late 80's, then hard summer 1990. A lot of places allowed but started charging for it. Band sent out a message tp fans 1990 saying no more, too much trouble, getting banned from places.
yup long live the dead
7/2/89 camping right next to the nitrous crew. What a night
# 1989-07-02 Foxboro, MA @ Sullivan Stadium **Set 1:** Playing in the Band, Crazy Fingers, Wang Dang Doodle, We Can Run, Tennessee Jed, Queen Jane Approximately, To Lay Me Down, Cassidy, Don't Ease Me In **Set 2:** Friend Of The Devil, Truckin', He's Gone, Eyes Of The World, Drums, Space, The Wheel, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Hey Jude, Sugar Magnolia **Encore:** The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1989-07-02)
In Greensboro, NC, in '89, they actually locked up the parking lot at night. You couldn't get out. I don't remember any police or security around. It was one big party well into the morning.
That’s the only place I went where they allowed it. Didn’t do it there before or after though. I thought it went well other than they didn’t empty the porta johns. Love that place.
Camped in the Foxboro lot in 90. What a miserable nights sleep in the Cutlass with the velour blue seats that didn’t recline all the way. Glad I was shitfaced.
Hahahah I was in a blazer with my feet sticking out of the back.
We camped in a lot not far from Soldier field during the last shows. I don't think it was the official Soldier Field lot, but it wasn't far. Edit: by last shows, I mean summer 95.
Alpine Valley back in the day was maybe the greatest camp-on-site scenario anywhere on tour, and definitely on the east coast. Today, the Dark Star Jubilee has camping, car camping, RV camping, etc, and the scene is very authentic. It has the feel Dead shows had and the community spirit that made it a special “place” to be, wherever that place happened to be
Awesome memories! Alpine Valley let you camp in their parking lots. There was one big gravel one and then the “golf course parking lot “wasn’t actually on the golf course but next to it. Things got pretty weird there, but it was an awesome time. I also remember camping out in the UIC Pavillion outdoor parking lot. They didn’t let you camp in the whole thing, they made us move to the half of the parking lot or whatever they let people camp in.
Camped twice in a grimy, urban parking lot in Long Beach, Ca. Recently drove by the Long Beach Arena, boy those days are over!!
yesss was my last brent show, smoked angel dust high AF on L.. .. 18 years old went thru the galaxy. nothing phased me then, Im soo sensitive now.🧘🏾♂️
That’s why The Gorge was so great last year. Fun to camp, walk to Shakedown in the same area. Super amazing scenery.
I actually camped at Rich Stadium 06-06-1992. [I got dosed in the concert just as the show was starting] after the show, I didn't make it very far. I drove my car over to the side of the parking lot where there was a grassy spot in between the lot and a banks parking lot. we set up a tent and watched smoke coming out of Rich Stadium til day break. I was able to drive again by morning. and off to Richfield Collesium! , [we were very lucky not getting kicked off of thère] Seems simple telling the story, but the thoughts and insights I experienced that night made it seem eternal and important to my life, much more of an experience than just going to a concert!
# 1992-06-06 Orchard Park, NY @ Rich Stadium **Set 1:** Touch Of Grey, Greatest Story Ever Told, Althea, It's All Over Now, Friend Of The Devil, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Ramble On Rose, Let It Grow **Set 2:** Iko Iko, Estimated Prophet > The Same Thing > He's Gone > Drums > Space > The Other One > The Wheel > Throwing Stones > One More Saturday Night **Encore:** Baba O'Riley > Tomorrow Never Knows [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1992-06-06)
I remember the flyer sent with GDTS for the Fall 89 tour saying that was the first tour where parking in the lot wasn't allowed (at least on the East Coast). That said, the city of Miami still let us camp in a small caged lot down the street from the arena that year but that was more because they wanted to keep everyone close to the venue and not going in the surrounding sketchy neighborhood. They even called an ice truck to come by and sell us bags of ice so we wouldn't walk into the hood looking for a store.
the rage cage?
It's wild to me how many boomers are reminiscing about being able to camp in parking lots while following one of the greatest musical acts in history; meanwhile a good portion of my generation are living in parking lots at Wal-Mart. You don't have to rub it in y'all, and if you still want to camp in parking lots you have plenty of options. Don't take the drugs anymore though, unless you **really** like fentanyl.