1985-1986 New Year's Eve

I grew up on the East Coast near Philadelphia. I had never been west of Chicago. The Grateful Dead had gotten my attention and I wound up with a New Years eve ticket to see them in Oakland.

Making and selling tie dyed shirts had been my source of income for several months at this time.

In those days one could board an airline named Peoples Express and pay with cash, $100 even , after take off. So I did, with only two more hundred in my pocket. I had $100 to return with and $100 to cover food and the cost of another ticket for the show the night before New Years eve. We had no credit cards or credit. There was no money for hotels so Jeff, a friend sharing the journey, and I were going to have to rely on the Universe to provide.

And It did.

I was twenty years old. The airplane was at least fifty percent full with people traveling for the exact same reason as I. The thought of how far the part of the city we were heading to was from the airport, never crossed our minds. Fortunately three folks that we met on the plane offered us a ride to the Psychedelic Shop that used to be on Market near 7th street. Many familiar faces from the shows on the East Coast were appearing at this location. Among them was Fred L. I knew of Fred through a group of guys I was hanging out with in Connecticut. We had noticed each other at several parties but had never clicked. Fred was accompanied by his girlfriend Suzanne. With them were two friends, Jen and Petey. Suzanne invited Jeff and I to stay with them across the Golden Gate bridge in Mill Valley.

The plan became to get up to Haight Street and catch a show at a the Full Moon Saloon then head up to Mill Valley for the night.

The six of us, after walking up to Haight Street and smoking a joint in Buena Vista Park, found that a band named Kingfish was playing across town at the Chi Chi club on Broadway...