Deadheads And Excessive Police Force
Full Name:
Philzone Refugee
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rYijSXAyPJ4
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6knIRtxp-HU
April 3, 1989
Pittsburgh Civic Center
I missed this show, which was the last at the Civic Center. Later Pittsburgh shows were at Three Rivers Stadium to accomadate the larger crowds. This was the same year Adam Katz died at the Meadowlands under suspicious circumstances. Deadheads weren't as integrated into society then as now, and some suffered for it.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
I was there. I went in early
I was there. I went in early the 2nd night so I was completely oblivious to what happened outside. I just knew that the floor was WAY more crowded during the 2nd set than it was for the 1st set. Afterwards I was still oblivious to what had happened, but it was obvious there was a way more tense vibe in the air than when I went in before the show. We were told in no uncertain terms to pack up our stuff and get on the road. Ouch. I kind of thought we could all just crash here again, maaaaaannn. NOPE. That was a looooonnnnnggg drive home.
Great shows, shitty scene outside. Ain't no time to hate, please don't crash the gate.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
^was there too, thought the
^was there too, thought the gate crashing happened the first night
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
No, the first night was
No, the first night was nothing but a good time inside and out. It was definitely the 2nd night.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
i've see a motorcycle
i've seen a motorcycle helmeted cop punch someone in their face at oakland while he was walking down his bus's stairs.
i had 2 black cops in DC offer to bust my head open...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
Never had a single
Never had a single altercation, or anything remotely resembling something like that in all my years.
We create our reality?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GravyTrain
>>We create our reality?
>>We create our reality?
A bullshit copout from a position of privilege. Tell it to the civil rights marchers who took billy clubs to the head.
Police in some areas are bigger dicks. They look for trouble and prey on easy targets.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
Fuck the Pigs.
Fuck the Pigs.
That being said, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at these shows. In and out of Igloo we went, without any trouble.
Good shows. Big time Shakedown on 4/2. Bahhh...bam.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
Louisville '90 Cardinal
Louisville '90 Cardinal Stadium was the worst, most aggressive, policing of a parking lot I personally witnessed. It was like in '89 they took notes, and in '90 they launched their assault on the parking lot. It was the only time I ever saw undercover narcs with guns drawn and aimed, and I saw that more than once that day.
Still...I had a blast.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved
Nothing worse than coming out
Nothing worse than coming out of the Spectrum with a headfull and dealing the Philly's mounted police.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
Lance didn't attend any GD
Lance didn't attend any GD shows, correct?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger
Shots fired.
Shots fired
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Fly
yup yup and yup. Got chased
yup yup and yup. Got chased away from many a lot for being too wookish I believe. Let's not forget Charlotte or Orlando. Awful, scared, ignorant cops on overtime. No Donut.
And I was one who told others not to gate crash.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger
What was it like way back
What was it like way back when going to shows without tickets? Why would anyone do that? Weren’t tickets cheap back then?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Fly
Well, i guess how far back is
Well, i guess how far back is way back? the times I went without tickets were usually on a stop on tour that was popular. I just wouldn't go in and just hang mellow till next stop. Others, not so much. 10 dollar tickets in 85, not so by 90. No one else got the tear gas at Orlando?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
Orlando 91 was chill.
Orlando 91 was chill.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
If a position of privilege is
If a position of privilege is having a ticket and being respectful of the event, venue and staff then I guess I'm privileged.
Obviously every situation is different, and sometimes bad things happen to good people for no good reason, but generally I think blaming others for what happens to us is a copout, one that most of us keep as handy and ready to use as the cell phone we carry in our pockets.
I can't comment directly on specific individual situations others have experienced (which is why I used a question mark) and there is no question that police will use excessive force at times, but if you knowingly and openly ignore rules and break laws you're asking for trouble and you're bringing trouble to those around you.
For me personally, I saw a number of gate-crashing situations at GD shows, and also quite a few ugly episodes in the lots where police ultimately became involved. Every one of those incidents were provoked by a selfish bunch of shitheads calling themselves deadheads.
I'd say privileged is one way to describe their attitude.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Cops have been beating up
Cops have been beating up hippies since there were first hippies. Saw some people getting whooped by the cops at Shoreline and they hadn't been too rowdy or out of hand. I think they had been vending and mouthed off to the cops when they got shut down.
A buddy of mine jumped up on stage at Robert Plant in Laramie Wyoming during the encore, high fived Robert, and then quickly ran off stage. Although Robert was laughing about it (he had been pointing to our group on the rail all night pantomiming smoking a joint) the cops didn't think it was funny and beat the crap out of him with their nightsticks and threw him out back where we found him with a concussion.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
The only time I had a problem
The only time I had a problem was in Providence walking across the street in front of the civic center with a beer in my hand. Cop tackled me to the ground slapped cuffs on me and dragged me away. I was in the paddy wagon with all the other unfortunates when the cop asked for id's. I still remember him looking at my ID and saying your 16? I answered yes and he said "Get the fuck out of here". I guess he didn't want to do the paperwork, and I didn't wait around to find out.
I did see the undercover narc with long hair dressed all in tie dye hanging with the cops. Good lesson to learn at that age.
The mounted police in Nassau and Maryland were intense, but that probably had more to do with my state of mind at the time.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Cops have been beating up
Cops have been beating up hippies since there were first hippies.<<<<
We're no strangers to profiling, despite our "privilege". Maybe things are changing a little as the original hippies are aging out.
For me personally, I saw a number of gate-crashing situations at GD shows, and also quite a few ugly episodes in the lots where police ultimately became involved. Every one of those incidents were provoked by a selfish bunch of shitheads calling themselves deadheads.<<<
I hear you Lance. Storming the gates and breaking down barriers to get in was artless and violent, and pretty much was ending the scene on that final '95 Summer Tour. Just look at what happened at Deer Creek. Death threats, a cancelled show? C'mon.
I can see how challenging being responsible for the safety of crowds that large was.
You may not have seen it as much as we did at 80's East Coast shows, but there were certain venues where you always encountered a strong police presence. The Capital Centre in Maryland with it's mounted cavalry cops, Nassau Coliseum, where the rumor was that they kept going every night of shows there until they hit their quota of 200 busts.
Nowadays, most of us "privileged" folks are older, and targets mostly of marketers and scammers, but we should be able to relate to those who are still being targeted among us today.
The anniversary of MLK's death got me thinking about how far we've gotten towards achieving his dream.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
BTW, I'm speaking
BTW, I'm speaking specifically about going to Grateful Dead concerts in the '90s.
In the larger social reality I acknowledge that as a white man I'm privileged twice, with no effort of my own to earn those privileges.
My effort comes with trying hard not to do stupid or selfish things that can & do fuck up those privileges.
Carry on.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: |-|/-\|_|_
"certain" deadheads could
"certain" deadheads could drive anyone to violence.