Don't Murder Me: Only Show in New Hampshire

Originally posted 1-16-16

In the backwash of Hanover, the Grateful Dead came to town. 

It was May 5, 1978 and it would be the only time that the boys ever played New Hampshire in the 30 year history of the band. 3,499 other deadheads and Dartmouth students were there.

http://thedartmouth.com/2012/05/22/deadheads-camp-outside-thompson-arena-for-1978-concert/

Edit 11-14-2017. My pal Craig MacLean took this photo of Phil, pre-show, who had walked into the crowd to visit a friend high up somewhere. Cool huh.




Sirius decided to play the show this morning as i drove to work immediately after I finished my blog post on the Beatles songs, s I had to write my New Hampshire piece because the Dire Wolf sounded so great in my car (best version ever played in New Hampshire). I think Jerry loved to play Direwolf especially when the Dead were in the woods like here and on November 5, 1977 in upstate New York. I loved when it was played second in the set (or open like in the 12-31-80 acoustic set Blog piece here)

This was my first show after starting college (Englishtown was the day BEFORE college) and I attended along with Jimmy Roux, Mike Barr ( i think), Katie Moody and I did run into Andover deadhead Lundy Bancroft the set break (not hard with only 3,500)

It was followed by Cassidy, Candyman, and later a heavy set-end Passenger, Brown Eyed Women and Lazy Lightning/Supplication, all greatest ones ever in New Hampshire. Ok, joking aside, this is a well played and great sounding show. It was my 12th Dead concert after 3 in 1976 and 8 in 1977, and although it might only rank 11th out of my first dozen shows in terms of my enjoyment, that speaks to the greatness of 1976 and 1978 and should not lessen the fact that this show rocked!  Thanks to Charlie Miller and his band of mischief elves that get these boards so he can do his magic on them.Archive Flac

The archive comments include "one of my most memorable shows", "listen to Phil go up one side of NFA and come back down the other", "Werewolves for Cinco De Mayo?" and "best Estimated I've ever heard".  This is indeed a boss show.  

Don't forget the second set Bertha>Good Lovin, Estimated>Eyes>my first of 69 Drums>Spaces?NFA>Stella and of course the encore which you hear now.  I only got to hear Werewolves twice, this night and a week later at the 5-11-78 Springfield "Mescaline" show, which were the 4th and 6th versions of nine that Spring between April 19 and May 17.  The Dead would only play it three more times on Halloweens 1985, 1990, and 1991.  The 1985 version opened the show, the rest were all encores.   

I recall the building at Dartmouth (Thompson Arena) was small, new (build in 1975)  and sounded good.

The FLACs and the MPs are here. Enjoy listen. Rinse. Repeat.

Nashua Telegraph June 9, 1995