Fate Music

Garcia’s College Gigs

I am fixing to submit research assistance requests to the archives of the various colleges Garcia played. Colleges and universities, bound up as they are with modernity and imbued as they are with a sense of their own importance, document themselves thoroughly. Having sniffed around a few archives already, I am hoping there are some interesting tidbits to be unearthed as, for example, with the Dead’s Folsom Field gig (CU-Boulder) on 9/3/72, at which an attendee appeared to answer nature’s call in the President’s box, which seems to have been a factor in restricting concerts at the venue the following year.

Nothing GD here, and no GD-NRPS. When I exclude the sit-ins that go along with GD shows (e.g., with Elvin Bishop on 6/4/78 at UCSB), I come up with 106 distinct Garcia gigs at colleges and universities.

The chart below provides the over-time view. At some point, I’d like to present this as percentage of all gigs, but I don’t have time right now.

Figure xx. Garcia college and university gigs, annual count

Below follows a basic list, roughly alpha by school’s colloquial name.

Amherst
12/07/83         The
Cage, Amherst College    JGB
Brandeis
11/14/82         Shapiro
Gym, Brandeis University      JGB
Brooklyn College
04/04/75         Whitman
Auditorium, Brooklyn College        LOM
Caldwell College
08/11/84         Caldwell
College         JGB
Chico State
03/17/82         Acker
Gymnasium, Chico State University     JGB
Cornell
10/27/75         Bailey
Hall, Cornell University            JGB
CU
03/16/75         Macky
Auditorium, University of Colorado    LOM
11/23/75         Macky
Auditorium, University of Colorado    JGB
07/02/82         Macky
Auditorium, University of Colorado    JGJK
CW Post
11/08/74         The
Dome, C.W. Post College JGMS
09/16/76         The
Dome, C.W. Post College JGB
12/06/77         The
Dome, C.W. Post College JGB
De Anza College
10/10/75         Calvin
C. Flint Center for the Performing Arts, De Anza College      JGB
Dominican College
06/06/75         Angelico
Hall, Dominican College      Lesh, Lagin,
Garcia, Crosby, Hart
11/15/75         Angelico
Hall, Dominican College      Ned Lagin,
Phil, Jerry, David Crosby, and Mickey
Duke
04/04/76         Page
Auditorium, Duke University     JGB
Eastern Washington
10/27/78         Performing
Arts Pavilion, Washington State College JGB
George Washington University
04/03/76         Lisner
Auditorium, George Washington University    JGB
02/12/80         Lisner
Auditorium, George Washington University    JGB
11/07/81         McDonough
Arena, Georgetown University  JGB
Glassboro State College
02/15/81         Esby
Gymnasium, Glassboro State College    JGB
Hartwick College
12/03/77         Binder
Physical Education Center, Hartwick College JGB
Hofstra
11/21/77         The
Playhouse, Hofstra University      JGB
Humboldt State
11/13/76         East
Gym, Humboldt State University            JGB
Ithaca College
09/18/76         Ben
Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College           JGB
Kean College
02/28/80         Wilkins
Theatre, Kean College         JGB
11/15/82         Wilkins
Theatre, Kean College         JGB
12/13/83         Wilkins
Theatre, Kean College         JGB
Lehigh
02/05/81         Stabler
Arena, Lehigh University        JGB
Loyola Chicago
11/17/78         Rambler
Room, Loyola University      Bob Weir
& Friends
Northwestern
03/12/76         Cahn
Auditorium, Northwestern University   JGB
Oberlin College
03/13/76         Finney
Chapel, Oberlin College          JGB
Orange County CC
08/15/84         Orange
County Community College   JGB
Penn State
12/11/77         Recreation
Hall, Pennsylvania State University         JGB
11/16/84         Eisenhower
Auditorium, Pennsylvania State University         JGJK
Rider College
11/08/81         Alumni
Gymnasium, Rider College    JGB
Rutgers
12/04/77         The
Barn, Rutgers University  JGB
02/22/80         The
Barn, Rutgers University  JGB
11/10/82         Livingston
Gymnasium, Rutgers University    JGB
San Diego State
05/20/89         Open
Air Theater, San Diego State University           JGB
SFSU
03/03/82         Barbary
Coast Room, San Francisco State University            JGB
SJSU
10/17/69         Loma
Prieta Room, Student Union, San Jose State University           NRPS
04/25/92         Event
Center Arena    JGB
Seton Hall
09/17/76         Walsh
Auditorium, Seton Hall University       JGB
Sonoma State
11/04/73         Gymnasium,
California State College Sonoma          OAITW orig 10/7/73
Southwestern College
08/02/92         Devore
Field, Southwestern College  JGB
Stanford
10/03/71         Frost
Amphitheatre, Stanford University        JGMS
07/09/88         Frost
Amphitheatre, Stanford University        JGAB
SUNY Brockport
11/01/81         Tuttle
North Gymnasium, State University of New York        JGB
SUNY Buffalo
01/29/72         State
University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo HWJG
11/30/77         Center
Theater, SUNY JGB
SUNY New Paltz
11/29/77         Elting
Gym, State University of New York      JGB
SUNY Oswego
02/17/80         Laker
Hall, Sate University of New York (SUNY) Oswego      JGB
12/11/83         Laker
Hall, Sate University of New York (SUNY) Oswego      JGB
SUNY Stony Brook
12/09/77         Gym,
S.U.N.Y.  JGB
02/24/80         Pritchard
Gym, S.U.N.Y.          JGB
12/04/83         Gym,
S.U.N.Y.  JGB
Syracuse
01/22/72         Crouse
Auditorium, Syracuse University        HWJG
02/19/80         Landmark
Theatre      JGB      not on campus, but put on by Syracuse University Union Concert
Board
Temple U Ambler
06/11/73         Temple
Festival Theater, Temple University-Ambler            OAITW
UC Berkeley
07/23/69         Bear’s
Lair, UC Berkeley         NRPS
08/01/69         Bear’s
Lair, UC Berkeley         NRPS
08/01/69         Bear’s
Lair, UC Berkeley         NRPS
01/19/70         Pauley
Ballroom, UC Berkeley           NRPS
06/21/70         Pauley
Ballroom, UC Berkeley           NRPS
01/19/74         Pauley
Ballroom, UC Berkeley           JGMS
08/30/87         Greek
Theatre, UC Berkeley   JGB
07/10/88         Greek
Theatre, UC Berkeley   JGB
08/26/89         Greek
Theatre, UC Berkeley   JGB
08/05/90         Greek
Theatre, UC Berkeley   JGB
UC Davis
08/30/74         Freeborn
Hall, UC Davis         JGMS
11/12/76         Freeborn
Hall, UC Davis         JGB
08/07/81         Freeborn
Hall, UC Davis         JGB
UCLA
04/16/93         Pauley
Pavilion, UCLA JGB
04/17/93         Pauley
Pavilion, UCLA JGB
UCSB
02/05/77         Campbell
Hall, UC Santa Barbara      JGB
U Illinois Chicago
08/18/84         UIC
Pavilion, University of Illinois, Chicago    JGB
U of Iowa
10/20/73         Fieldhouse,
University of Iowa            JGMS   CXL
U Maryland
11/06/82         Ritchie
Coliseum, University of Maryland      JGB
UMass Amherst
02/20/80         Fine
Arts Center Concert Hall, University of Massachusetts JGB
U Nevada
02/21/87         Lawlor
Events Center, Univ. of Nevada          JGB
U of New Haven
02/16/80         Charger
Gymnasium, University of New Haven         JGB
U of Oregon
12/15/74         EMU
Ballroom, University of Oregon            LOM

University of San Francisco
10/31/74         University
of San Francisco, War Memorial Gymnasium      JGMS

U Vermont
11/14/81         Patrick
Gymnasium, University of Vermont   JGB
Villanova
01/23/72         Villanova
Field House, Villanova University   HWJG
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
11/15/74         Alden
Memorial Auditorium, Worcester Polytechnic Institute          JGMS
Yale
10/22/75         Woolsey
Hall, Yale University JGB

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19 responses to “Garcia’s College Gigs”

  1. Grateful Seconds Avatar
    Grateful Seconds

    Thanks for putting this together. Interesting that after banning the Dead at the Greek in 1989 which was written about around the US, Cal let Jerry play there again in 1990.

    Reply
  2. Light Into Ashes Avatar
    Light Into Ashes

    Interesting list!
    There's quite a spike of college gigs in the mid-'70s, declining in the '80s. In lieu of analysis, I wonder if this college binge from '74-84 is due more to the smaller venues, assured college-age audiences, campus demand, or all three… Did Garcia's manager have any intentional Dead-style policy of college bookings to increase Garcia's audience, or did they head to colleges because a Dead-friendly audience was already there?
    Outside of California, there doesn't seem to be a lot of overlap with the colleges the Dead played.

    I'm also curious about the '67 spike on the chart. My eyes may be failing, but I didn't spot any '67 shows on the list.

    Reply
  3. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    1967 is an anomaly, probably doesn't belong, and is possibly mistaken: it shows the two jam sessions allegedly occurring at Monterey Peninsula College on 6/17 and 6/18 on the margins of the Monterey Pop Festival.

    I don't think there are any other jam sessions like this in the data, which might be another reason for not including them, even if they did happen.

    Reply
  4. Grateful Seconds Avatar
    Grateful Seconds

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  5. Unknown Avatar
    Unknown

    I enjoyed looking at this list. I went to three shows here:
    11/07/81 McDonough Arena, Georgetown University JGB
    11/06/82 Ritchie Coliseum, University of Maryland JGB
    12/13/83 Wilkins Theatre, Keane College JGB

    Here are a few notes from those three shows, all which seemed normal and not fitting any distinct pattern that I could see at the time.
    11/7/81 – Garcia changed his shoes after the first number to what looked lke cowboy boots. Weird. Patrick Ewing and teammates entered the gym through a side entrance dressed like they were going to practice. Our seats were right above the door so we had a good view. they looked at the swirling mass and smoke and Ewing literally scratched his head and they left.

    11/06/82 This was a tiny gym with dorm rooms above it. Among the smallest places I saw Jerry on the East Coast. Virtually no security.

    12/13/83 – An early and late show. Rick Danko opened both,a nd Richard manuel came out for the second show with Danko. This place is also pretty small. As the show closed, my friends wanted to saw goodbye to the band who they met on tour. We ran around the back and when the band came out, y firends were talking to them. I was pretty young and dumb and since I didn't know them, I just hung back next to a school bus. I saw the back door open and Jerry took his overcoat off a coat stand and picked up his briefcase from a card table and made it out to the bus, which happened to be the school bus I was standing next too. Nobody else around. Seemed like a guy going home after his shift was done, but smiling.

    I realize this may not add anything but thought I would share.

    Reply
  6. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    On the contrary, these recollections are awesome. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  7. Unknown Avatar
    Unknown

    Great. One last thing I noticed about this list. JGB played Stabler Arena at Lehigh Univ 8 months before the Dead did. I am not sure if there is any college venue where that happened.

    Reply
  8. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Actually, there are six of them, by my count!

    http://jgmf.blogspot.com/2018/01/gd-and-gots-shared-venues.html

    Reply
  9. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Which is massively disproportionate, i.e., colleges are disproportionately likely to have seen Garcia first, then the GD. 6/11 "Garcia first, then GD" gigs were colleges.

    Reply
  10. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Should be Kean, not Keane, for that school.

    Reply
  11. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    And, BTW, thank you, thank you, thank you librarians! I have already gotten so many helpful replies.

    Reply
  12. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    1/29/72 was actually at the Century Theatre in Buffalo, not on campus.

    Reply
  13. Jerry's Brokendown Palaces Avatar
    Jerry’s Brokendown Palaces

    Your list has 57 colleges where Jerry performed without the GD….I count 91 with the GD totaling 148 colleges.

    Reply
  14. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Pretty cool. For a long while it was a key part of the whole economy, as Corry has helped me to understand.

    Reply
  15. Suzanne Avatar
    Suzanne

    You should add 11/22/70. Middlesex County College Gym. NJ. I was there. I passed a joint to Jerry Garcia.

    Reply
  16. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    This list does not include GD or NRPS-GD gigs, which is what that was, I think. I assume Jerry took the J … any other recollections?

    Reply
  17. Suzanne Avatar
    Suzanne

    Yes he took it. It must have been ok, as we never got it back. You’re right- it’s was NRPS/GD show, so I guess it’s not relevant to your research. The show was unusual, as there wasn’t a real stage, maybe just a low platform about six inches above the floor. No chairs upfront, we sat on the floor.

    Reply
  18. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    And had a great time, I hope!

    Reply
  19. Suzanne Avatar
    Suzanne

    Absolutely! 🙂

    Reply

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