"The Music Never Stopped"
Santa Fe Part 1
The Grateful Dead at The Downs of Santa Fe, September 10, 1983--The show didn't start out all that well. Bobby sounded as if he had lost his voice at the very beginning, but a friend assured me that it would get better. It did. Still, the band seemed as if they were rushing everything in the first set, and perhaps they were, because there was a powerful storm threatening. They did manage to finish the set in style, with a high energy version of "China Cat Sunflower" seguing into "I Know You Rider." Just as they finished "I Know You Rider," it began to rain.
It was a real downpour. Tarps came up, but I found myself standing in the rain and enjoying it. Standing next to me was Marlena, I think her name was, the daughter of a friend who had entrusted her to us for the weekend. I didn't know exactly how young she was, for she looked and acted mature, and I guessed she was around eighteen. Still, respecting the fact that she was a friend's daughter, I couldn't allow myself to focus on the thoroughly soaked T-Shirt she was wearing, and kept my attention on her face. She was smiling brightly. "There's plenty of room for you under that tarp," I suggested, pointing to a nearby group of people who were signaling for us to join them in their shelter.
"That's okay, this is fun," she said, and then added, "at least it isn't hailing."
It began hailing. Later, after the show I discovered that Marlena was younger than I thought she was, and, suffice it to say, I am happy I resisted the temptation to check out what might have been visible through the wet tie-dyed t-shirt. I would have felt wierd if I hadn't, once I found out how young she really was.
After it stopped raining, the band returned to the stage, and Bobby said, "If it's any consolation, on this day in 1879, it rained fish in Decauter, Illinois."
The Dead began the second set with a very spirited rendition of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" and a high energy "Cumberland Blues." "Playing in the Band" included an excellent jam segment, and Nature rewarded us with a light show. It was a daylight concert, so the lights that are associated with many Grateful Dead concerts weren't in use, but, beyond the stage, we could see a brightly colored rainbow on the horizon, just as the band went into "China Doll."
It turned out to be a decent show after all, in spite of the weather. It seemed abbreviated, but Santa Fe Downs had no stadium lighting, and the band had to stop at sunset, to ensure the safety of the concertgoers. "Rain and Snow" seemed to be an appropriate selection for the encore.
We found a place to camp that night that turned out to be and interesting story in itself. The next day was drummer Mickey Hart's birthday, so this story will be continued in part 2.
It was a real downpour. Tarps came up, but I found myself standing in the rain and enjoying it. Standing next to me was Marlena, I think her name was, the daughter of a friend who had entrusted her to us for the weekend. I didn't know exactly how young she was, for she looked and acted mature, and I guessed she was around eighteen. Still, respecting the fact that she was a friend's daughter, I couldn't allow myself to focus on the thoroughly soaked T-Shirt she was wearing, and kept my attention on her face. She was smiling brightly. "There's plenty of room for you under that tarp," I suggested, pointing to a nearby group of people who were signaling for us to join them in their shelter.
"That's okay, this is fun," she said, and then added, "at least it isn't hailing."
It began hailing. Later, after the show I discovered that Marlena was younger than I thought she was, and, suffice it to say, I am happy I resisted the temptation to check out what might have been visible through the wet tie-dyed t-shirt. I would have felt wierd if I hadn't, once I found out how young she really was.
After it stopped raining, the band returned to the stage, and Bobby said, "If it's any consolation, on this day in 1879, it rained fish in Decauter, Illinois."
The Dead began the second set with a very spirited rendition of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" and a high energy "Cumberland Blues." "Playing in the Band" included an excellent jam segment, and Nature rewarded us with a light show. It was a daylight concert, so the lights that are associated with many Grateful Dead concerts weren't in use, but, beyond the stage, we could see a brightly colored rainbow on the horizon, just as the band went into "China Doll."
It turned out to be a decent show after all, in spite of the weather. It seemed abbreviated, but Santa Fe Downs had no stadium lighting, and the band had to stop at sunset, to ensure the safety of the concertgoers. "Rain and Snow" seemed to be an appropriate selection for the encore.
We found a place to camp that night that turned out to be and interesting story in itself. The next day was drummer Mickey Hart's birthday, so this story will be continued in part 2.
Comment
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Comment by Revvin Jim G on July 28, 2008 at 7:48pm - Believe me Clance' it must have been pure instinct.
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Comment by Clance' McClannahan on July 19, 2008 at 9:44am - Aren't you glad you thought before you acted? Good to know there is one man out there somewhere that has the capability.
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