The day began early in the morning in Florida, a day after my brother got married. I quickly ran to the airport where I could hurry up and wait for my flight to San Francisco. I was picked up from the airport for a quick pit-stop, some dinner and a change into my costume as one of the Blues Brothers. The best costume of the night was worn by Oval Al as Batman. As he came out of the bedroom he asked, “Do you think anyone will recognize me?” I answered, “Don’t tell me, you are the Caped Bowling Ball.”
Breakfast was handed to us as we left in the early morning hours. I have no memory of how I found my friends or the car, but somehow, I must have.
Party preparations completed, we piled into the Bat Mobile for the journey to Winterland. We were greeted at the door by Willie who loudly proclaimed, “The Blue Brothers have arrived again!” Heading in we set up perhaps one row of bodies back from the rail in front of Jerry’s spot. In later years, I switched to the Phil Zone, but that is another story.
The warmup acts were spot on and the partying was timed to coincide with the arrival on stage of the Dead. No need to repeat just how good that show was, as reported by many others. Without a doubt, it was, along with the 4/28/71 show with T.C., one of my two out of 200 best Grateful Dead shows. Breakfast was handed to us as we left in the early morning hours. I have no memory of how I found my friends or the car, but somehow, I must have. I never missed a NYE show after that, even with babies and toddlers in tow in the later years. Thank you, Grateful Dead, for leading me on A Long Strange Trip!
~ Marty Katz