Venues I Have Known and Loved

[Pete]

What do Sting, Steve Miller, Traffic, and the Violet Femmes have in common? They all opened for the Dead at Buckeye Lake.  For the first in my short series of venue reviews there's no more appropriate place to start than the home of the Dark Star Jubilee, Legend Valley. Formerly known as Buckeye Lake Music Center, Legend Valley has hosted an impressive list of shows over the last 30+ years.  From Parrotheads to Juggaloes this place has seen it all.

 

When the music is playing everything else fades into the background but a nice venue can turn a good show into a great one. When you're getting three straight days of nonstop music a great venue makes the weekend magic. 

 

Dancing is fundamental to my concert experience and Legend Valley is a first-rate place to dance. No matter how much space you need to shake your bones you've got it. The open air dance floor is huge and totally unimpeded by chairs, bars, or potted plants. The gravel can be a little rough on those who eschew shoes but a rug or two sets the stage for dancing nirvana while keeping your tootsies safe from harm.

 

Most venues give you a choice between room to move and clear, clean sound. Not so at Legend Valley. The music sounds great anywhere and late risers can enjoy early sets from the comfort of their tent or rv.  The light show extends all the way to the trees behind the dance floor and the night sky beats any chandelier or smoky wallpaper. Even better, because the venue is BYOB the drink prices couldn't be cheaper. 

 

The highlight of Legend Valley isn't the room, the sound, or even Disco Pizza after a late night show. It's the friends I see every time I go. I get to listen to the music I love with my people, gathered together from all corners of the country. After the shows we giggle late into the night and sleep late in the morning before rallying for the next show.

 

Legend Valley easily makes my list of the best venues in the country, and while I have to sit this year out you can bet that sometime soon I'll see you at the Jubilee.

[Hardpan]

I gotta try to make it next year. Haven't been to a jam fest since 2005 but I may try and make it. Prime surfcasting time here on the east coast, tough decision.

[chuckvegas]

I certainly second the emotion of Buckeye, and when it comes to other fondly remembered locales for set and setting, Ohio offers another one: NLQP. The memories that I have made there (and actually remember) include the incomparable quarry, wandering the woods at the magic hours when "tonight" becomes "tomorrow" and it is all the same, and of course the dance space. It may not have quite as much acreage in front of the stage as Buckeye, but then it also doesn't have that fucking hill. Edge goes to the Ledges in my book.

Others will extol Black Mountain, and understandably so. I want to also include Paso Robles. There's only been the one show there, and admittedly the surface was concrete, but the space and sound were just exactly perfect. Old school runners-up include Jannus Landing (just because) and the Amphitheatre at Pompano Beach. The former makes up for in character what it lacks in space, and the latter makes up for in space what it lacks in a bunch of other stuff. Both have minuscule Shakedowns (or did).  

And there are other random interesting outdoor one-offs like Spud, Idaho and Lolo Hot Springs. 

No doubt a list of notable indoor ones is forthcoming.

 

[Tom Banjo]

We just did Penns. This list would be lacking without mention of the peak. 

[How Do You Do?]

Pete,

Legend Valley was "legend Valley" before it was "Buckeye Lake".  It history goes back at least 45 years!  Hosted Hookahville in 2007 with DSO playing several sets over the weekend including and acoustic set at midnight.

[Taper Ron]

For GD shows I have to name a few;

• Oakland Coliseum Arena for most "At Home Feeling".  I saw shitload of shows there,  not all of them GD.  Plus, 1st place I lived was 2 miles away. 2nd Place 5.5 miles (walking distance to Kaiser) & last place was 4 miles.
• Cal Expo, Sacramento for most pleasant show and best tape.  Perfect weather, good weed and good friends.
• Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR. I liked the venue, Great show good tapes.  Little Feat opened.  Last time I saw Brent play.  Everything else about that weekend SUCKED!  five of us rented a brand new Cadillac (so new it had temp tags), which was promptly adorn d with GD Stickers, We started out with a 4 car caravan.  What should have been an 8 hour drive was a miserable 13 hrs. To begin with someone had to stop at nearly every rest stop and several Bars.  Three people in the car were doing lines, I was  pretty much the straightest in the car, but they didn't want me to drive.  At one point the driver wanted a line of Coke he was setup with a line of Ketamine - I drove the rest of the way!  We got to the Motel (that my "friend" was supposed to have reserved) after midnight.  We ended up in a room full of Nitrous huffers.  I commandeered a bed.  Even with ear plugs I didn't sleep much.  The next two nights I slept in the car.  The ride home was pretty uneventful, not much conversation and what there was wasn't pleasant.  Two of them I didn't speak to for seven years.

I guess that rant really belongs in a "Road Trip Tales" thread.

For DSO Shows,

• The Fillmore, SFCA.   Went in while band was setting up, got to wander all around the venue.  Sitting in the same room as The Dead, Janis Joplin, The Airplane......had sat.  Got to meet Melvin Seals and his backup singers.  Met and sat and talked with Carolyn "Mt Girl" Garcia.  Magical Nights!
• Tipitina's Uptown. NOLA Friendliest show ever, when I was taking pictures people not only moved out of the way they got others.  This was the first  place I went backstage. met "Mean" Willie Green
• Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, CO  Just liked the "vibe" In Poudre Canyon on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River.
• el Rey, LA,CA  Tiny (the road manager) had a platform placed behind the sound board.  I set up a camcorder on a 13 ft tripod, I took the video from it to a VCR and audio to it from the Soundboard.  and monitored it on 13 in TV.  Different Times!!

When I think about it there something special at most of them back then, but times changed!

 

[Ammagamalin Crew]

Hands down the Frost and alpine valley for the dead, The stone and eel river for JGB. Agree about mishuwauku for DSO, but Nelson ledges was my favorite, Legend Valley had the most difficult lot to find your car after the shows, right up there with Blossom 

[Pete]

How Do You Do? is right, it went Legend->Buckeye->Legend. I have heard great stories about the Ledges and hope to make the trek someday.  

As Chuck said, Vina Robles Ampitheater in Paso Robles, CA is the other great outdoor venue I've seen DSO at. It's nestled in the middle of a vinyard on the central coast and everything about the place is really is just exactly perfect. I suspect some of the local crowd didn't know what they were in for but they seemed to enjoy themselves. The venue is fairly new, having opened in 2013, but it draws an impressive lineup of shows every year considering the somewhat remote location. I'm hoping the DSO bus makes another stop soon so we have an excuse to head back.

[LangeradoSoul]

Legend valley is one of my favorites. I saw Mickey hart, Merle Saunders, Melvin Seals, Black Uhuru, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly there on 7/31/1999, but it was called Buckeye Lake Music Center still I think. Saw Bob Weir & Ratdog play there for Spring Hookahville on 5/26/2000. 

I liked Alpine Valley, but not the hill or the parking lots. I liked Lakewood amphitheater in Atlanta, and shoreline in Mountain View.

 

[Ammagamalin Crew]

Alpine was great when they let us camp there over night after shows. You're right that hill is steep. The 2 & 3 day camp out shakedown streets stretch from lot to lot. A mountain bike was the key to finding the best food and music. I liked Annie's in Cincinnati for dark star, what a blazing sunset for that second set Scarlet Fire and my first St Stephen. The old Cosmic Charlie's was sweet. Haven't been to the new one yet, but looking forward to checking it hopefully soon. Rainy hard in cincy town today. Hope it clears out for all you jubileers.

[2muchfun]

For Dead it was Alpine & Cal Expo....and Palladium

Ledges for DSO...Bluebird in Bloomington IN for intimacy

[LangeradoSoul]

1 hour ago, Ammagamalin Crew said:

Alpine was great when they let us camp there over night after shows. You're right that hill is steep. The 2 & 3 day camp out shakedown streets stretch from lot to lot. A mountain bike was the key to finding the best food and music. I liked Annie's in Cincinnati for dark star, what a blazing sunset for that second set Scarlet Fire and my first St Stephen. The old Cosmic Charlie's was sweet. Haven't been to the new one yet, but looking forward to checking it hopefully soon. Rainy hard in cincy town today. Hope it clears out for all you jubileers.

The new Cosmic Charlie's is very very nice.

[Blindman]

Oakland Coliseum and the Warfield.  

Two venues I saw the most GD and JGB at based on my age and touring years.  

Will also hold a place in my heart.  

[Island Bro]

Cal Expo for sure. 

Eugene, not so much for the stadium but for the overall vibe and the camping scene that was allowed there even after the camping era had ended most everywhere else. I fondly remember the Little Feat opener that Ron referred to and also really dug when the Indigo Girls opened two shows a year or two later.

And for DSO I would add the Capitol Theater in Olympia, WA,,,those were some fun shows and great vibes.

[acududeman]

The Dead - Fox Theater (Atlanta), Frost Amphitheater (Stanford U.)

DSO - State Theater (Falls Church), Legend Valley, Music Farm (Columbia)

[DesertDead]

Greek in Berkeley - enough said.

Alpine Valley - like stepping back in time.

Deer Creek - I saw every show held there, and it never disappointed.  1990 was the best year there, no contest, btw. 

Of all the indoor venues, I enjoyed the Hartford Civic Center and MSG both a lot.  We did whippits during the Edie Brickell space at MSG.  You could walk around naked in that place if you felt like it.  A free-for-all.  Hartford was just fun so it might be that I just liked the shows that I saw there so much.  The Pyramid was neat, too.  Both the structure and so close to the Mississippi.  Beale Street after that first night was a complete spectacle as you can imagine. 

For non GD shows the "other" Greek - in Griffith Park in L.A. - is an absolutely gorgeous scene.  Saw Neil, Phish, SCI, WSP and more there.  

Red Rocks is obvious and everyone here should see something there at some point, but it is slightly overrated for my money because of the setup of the concrete steps.

For JGB I'll go Poplar Creek.  I met Bill Graham so it was just a tad special that night.  

For DSO only I would second Jannus Landing.  The sound there was visible somehow.  And because I was with my bro and the list was off the fucking chain, I shall add City Winery in Napa.  If you were there, then you know.  What a throwdown.

[DesertDead]

6 hours ago, Blindman said:

Oakland Coliseum and the Warfield.  

Two venues I saw the most GD and JGB at based on my age and touring years.  

Will also hold a place in my heart.  

Gonna be tough to argue with this post right here, gift of sight or not.

[vbf3]

I enjoy DSO almost anywhere, but have to admit Brooklynn Bowl to be my favorite. As for Dead show venues (in order) Greek theatre Berkeley, Merriwesther Post Pavilion, City Island Harrisburg PA and Deer Creek (except for the last years when it got so crazy).

[bs69]

Springfield has to be at the top for DSO and of course it was special at the Ledges. For the Dead, I would have to go with Alpine over Deer Creek because you could camp on site. They were always in a big hurry to shoo you out of the lot at Deer Creek after the show and we always ended up camping 20 minutes away.

[Island Bro]

Jerry Band at the Eel river was other worldly,,,

I also remember the unusual one timer DSO show at the Admiral Theater in Bremerton, WA as a beauty.

Also Cuthbert Ampitheater in Eugene where DSO did a mid week gig a couple years back...lovely space in the middle of a huge park along the river.

And for a large outdoor venue the Gorge Ampitheater out in the middle of WA state on the rim of Columbia River is phenomenal and often compared to Red Rocks (to which I haven't been YET)

[Tom Banjo]

Cuthbert was nice. I love the armory in Ashland. 

[Tea]

Highgate in VT had the chance to be special.  That '94 show was a stinker for the ages tho!

I ended up staying in Burlington for a few extra days to catch bread-and-puppet.  Then headed over to Heletts Landing, NY and illegally camped at a quarry where the old mountain dew rope swing commercial from the mid 80's was filmed.  Good times!

My favorite GD venues:

One offs:  Oxford Plains Speedway + Greek Theatre (only saw 1989) + Compton Terrace Tempe, AZ

Regular rotation indoor:  Knickerbocker + MSG + Boston Garden

Regular rotation outdoor:  Deer Creek before 1995 (would've been Alpine but only saw 1989) + Cal Expo (I loved that they always did GA)

Honorable Mentions:  Copps Coliseum, Dean Smith Center, Silver Bowl, Las Vegas

Worst:  Cap Centre in Landover (by a landslide)

Favorite DSO stops/venues (besides Jubilee + NLQP - I saw Ekoostic Hooka there):

Dunegrass Festival, Black Mountain, Penns Peak, Dewey Beach, The Egg, Dirty 930 (for the sound)

Travel safe to Brigadoon - I mean Jubilee!

[franknkeene]

GD

1. Heaven -> Olympic Arena, Lake Placid, NY  (one and only once)

2. Saratoga (SPAC)   -  (3x)

3. Syracuse Carrier Dome - Not necessarily for the sound, but for the FUN  (2x)

4. Cumberland Arena, Portland ME

5.  The gigantic Nassau, Long Island parking lot was fun (2x)

DSO

1. Colonial Theater Keene, NH 

2. Governors Island (But only the the green grassy courtyard - year 1)

3. Hampton Beach (But only with hotel in walk-able distance - No driving afterwards!!)

4. The Lebanon Opera House

5. Jay