Grateful Dead, Patti Smith - SPRING FLING @ UMASS, Amherst, MA

Performers: Grateful Dead, Patti Smith, Roy Ayers Date: May 12, 1979 Venue: Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA Cost of ticket: $8.50 Oh boy, do I remember this concert! I remember how much it was anticipated by most of the students living at the University that spring semester. There were two types of students: those who couldn't wait to get a FREE Ticket to go see the DEAD (all we had to do was show a valid UMASS ID, and we got a free ticket) and those students that were dreading the Saturday that the concert took place and were high tailing it off the campus for saner accommodates for the weekend. As anticipated, the campus was taken over by Dead Heads. I had a die hard Dead Head friend come in from Lenox Massachusetts - one of my best friends in High School, Barbara. I got her a free ticket from a college mate who had no desire to go, but stood in line to get a free ticket anyway - and Barb and I went fully loaded to this concert. I remember liking Patti Smith, because I was such a punk. It was my first time to see the Dead. I did not know much about them except that they had an incredible following of dedicated fans. Indeed, the fans show up, camped out on the campus where ever they could find a likely place to do so, and the day was hot, humid and crazy!If anyone was at this Did you see this concert? If so, please leave your memories, comments, thoughts and ideas and I bet anyone who was there remembers the kid who walked the wall . . .