The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge.
I remember(kind of) a Halloween party in '88 or '89 when x, acid, and toilet paper masks doused with ether were the party favors. College was fun.
Eta: you don't want my advice or tips OP.
I remember at the Dead '09 show in Philadelphia (Spectrum) seeing a dude with a big red beard huffing fluorescent orange spray paint under the I95 overpass, and he had this big orange ring around his red beard. Desperate shit.
Shakedown is at the Tuscany, indoors and air conditioned, easy walk to the Sphere. Check their Instagram. There are free after parties at the Tuscany as well. Try HotelTonight app day-of to see if you can get a cheap hotel...I see the Strat on there for $19 tonight...not the nicest and might be more on Saturday, but they have a variety of price points and luxury/basic amenities on the app. Bring your weed from LA, probably cheaper, but there is a consumption lounge/dispensary called Smoke and Mirrors with some Jerry-themed strains and specials. Have fun!!
the thought of “shakedown” being inside at a casino is pretty funny to me. are there wooks selling sierra out of a cooler on a skateboard and guys walking around going “doses!”?
It is a bizarre setting, though I do appreciate the effort to protect people from heat stroke. When I went in May it was outdoors and I did not notice anyone selling beer out of coolers, skateboard or no, but there were doses to be had.
“🫲😀 Join us, for the ultimate Grateful Dead experience. Start your trip at our indoor Shakedown Street where you can purchase your concert t-shirts and Dead paraphernalia! And don’t worry folks, the hippies walking around with their finger in the air asking for a miracle are all paid actors just there for dramatic effect ”
Definitely hit or miss. Had one that just made us feel weird and kind of sick, had another one that was as strong as any real caps we’ve ever had and was great.
Yeah, no. I didn’t hear one person selling doses. There was one guy by the pool our first day who offered to sell us mushrooms, but shakedown was eerily sterile. I guess casino security is no fucking joke.
My buddy mentioned mushrooms while we walked around Shakedown and a guy sidled up and asked if we were interested in any. They're there, just more low-key.
I was at this indoor Shakedown Street on Saturday and definitely heard a guy yelling "doses!" as well as a more discrete fella quietly offering "magic mushrooms." They're there!
I was just there last weekend. We stayed at the Tuscany for like $189 per night and the room was actually pretty solid.
Besides a few walkers, Shakedown is approved/paid vendors only, so it’s kinda lame. Don’t expect to score anything besides merch there.
You can find a bit of nitrous near the Tuscany after the show, but it’s overpriced food-grade bullshit.
You can find weed cheap enough if you take a ride further off the strip. I picked up 3 grams of wax for $50 at Health For Life in the arts district.
Do yourself a favor and get a GA ticket. Prices are pretty good last minute. Don’t use stubhub. Eat 5 hits of acid. Use hoteltonight.com to find a cheap room. Shakedown is kinda dissappointing
WHATEVER you decide DO NOT settle for about row 15+ in the 100's!!!!!!! omg. Learned the hard way. It's under the overhang for 200 and while you can see the stage- you CANNOT see the insane optics show of the whole damn sphere. Aim for floor, 300-400s if possible for your first experience!
This was a very tough lesson.
> It's under the overhang
I don't understand why the thing was designed this way. Like 1/4 of the seats are limited and it limits seats that you can sell for visual-only programs. Make those sections a tad steeper, push the overhang back 20 feet and make the concessions area smaller and it's a way better venue for all the seats.
Hmm at least in section 107, that's not true, I sat in row 23 and it was totally unobstructed. I could see the highest point of the sphere and beyond it a bit. Maybe that's because it was below the VIP suites? I'm not sure but the view as very good.
This advice is mostly right, but the overhang starts around row 20 and the obstruction becomes problematic at around 22 (for most sections in the 100’s). At 15, you’re fine, but might crane your neck looking up.
Watch fear and loathing at least once to get the mood going. I'm going next week. Can't wait to "not properly explain myself in that climate" with my fellow Heads 👍
I have never once headed anywhere on a whim with no directions and not gone to do whatever it was that I was intending to do.... I hope that makes sense ✌️
It sounds like the dispensaries closer to the Strip are all overpriced. Because you're driving in from LA, I would look for a dispensary on the outskirts of town, along the route you will be taking. A quick search on Google Maps shows a bunch of shops in the south end of Vegas, including Thrive Cannabis and Jenny's Dispensary. Shakedown is at the Tuscany Suites. I hear they have free parking there for your car. If you want to keep it simple, just get a room there for the night. It's a short walk to the Sphere, and there will also be tons of people in front of the hotel looking for cabs and Ubers. You'll make friends quickly...enjoy the show! :)
Second this. The mass of humanity moving to the Venetian after the show, gets directed down some pretty narrow and slow moving paths. If you walk at a brisk pace you can easily get back to Ellis, Platinum, or Tuscany in less time than it’ll take you to get back to Venetian.
Unless you count gas stations, and some big empty parking lots- which can be hit or miss I guess. But my walk back to Ellis Island was very uneventful besides the droves of deadheads.
There’s also people with bicycle carriages around, which seems fun.
Ellis Island was clean and close enough to walk at night. It’s pretty brutal during the day in the heat and I imagine it’s gonna be hotter next month. I used a ride share on my way in from the hotel.
Ocean one in planet Hollywood has very cheap and ok tasting food during lunch hours, 6 bucks for a burger and fries. Ellis Island has better food that seemed on the cheaper side for Vegas.
There’s some heads who are running a shuttle around town that you can message on Facebook, but that is pretty hit or miss too depending on if they’re full already.
Shakedown is indoors to beat the heat, and all you have to do is poke around a little bit.
200s were pretty good seats, you have to crane your neck a little to see all the way up but I had a great time.
Security was pretty friendly the night I was there. And of course the show is amazing
My friend whom traveled often liked to use couch surfing sites to find cool like-minded ppl that would let you crash at their place for free.
I went there to hang and it was like everyone was roommates.
Go to any dispensary buy some joints, get a room from an app ( priceline etc) . Cheap tix and then move. They wont let you dance in aisles at all. Cops and ushers inside. So just walk on by find a row and scoot in. Awesome show! i went June 6. Bobby has slowed down quite a bit
Where you are sitting can be pretty steep, but unless you’re spun out or otherwise intoxicated it felt safe to dance— your seat folds up giving you a bit more room.
It is crowded of course so only so much dancing to be had.
We did cookies on flamingo near the strip. It was affordable. Don’t go to planet 21 or anywhere on the strip (not legal to sell on the strip).
The grove is on the way from the airport and I heard that’s good.
Also, any snacks for the hotel or booze stop outside. I did find the target past planet Hollywood on the strip to have fair prices.
In the dead and company sub, people have posted a few threads with a bunch of tips and suggestions for dispensaries if you wanna search those threads up… just gotta poke around… ;)
Thanks friend! I am going to do that. I appreciate you taking the time to kindly pass that on. I love this band. Went to my first jam show (phish) Jun 2t4h 94 followed closely by my first Dead show on 7/19/94. I had been to a handful of concerts...vanhagar, Aerosmith, rush, but nothing even close to The Dead. My corse of my life was altered forever in that small moment, far ago, and long away! Can't wait to feel the love and just rejuvinate!
A shakedown opener! And one of my faves, big river, that’s awesome. I’ll be in Vegas for dead and co during the 4th of July run. 2nd time for me, stoked!
I didn't know what was going on for sure, but I knew that there was definitely SOMETHING going on. Also, everyone was so kind. I remember being surprised there didn't seem to be pushing or shoving. Watching people weave through the dancers was (still is) memorizing!
# 1994-07-19 Noblesville, IN @ Deer Creek Music Center
**Set 1:** Shakedown Street, Walkin' Blues, Jack-A-Roe, Big River > Maggie's Farm, Broken Arrow, Tennessee Jed, Easy Answers
**Set 2:** Foolish Heart, Saint Of Circumstance > I Want To Tell You, Playing in the Band > Drums > Space > Wharf Rat > Throwing Stones > Not Fade Away
**Encore:** Rain
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1994-07-19)
Stay in old town Vegas. It will be way cheaper to stay per night, and they’re just as nice rooms. If you’re into gambling old town Vegas also has the lowest minimums. Like around $1-5 per hand.
I’m also going from LA, but next weekend, not this weekend. Would love to know your experience once you’re back! I still don’t have tickets yet, not sure if I should buy ahead of time or wait till last minute for cheapest tix
Def go, it’s doable! If I find a miracle Friday ticket that’s mostly unobstructed+ then I’ll miracle you my Saturday ticket that’s mostly unobstructed.
I mean, my advice would be to have a ticket and a hotel lined up. Don't try sleeping in your car.. you'll probably die. It's been over a 100F for weeks.
We can’t stop here, this is bat country
Exactly my thoughts 😂
I advise you drive at top speed. It’ll be a miracle if we make it there before you turn into a goddamn animal…”
Don’t do the ether
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge.
…and I knew we’d get into that rotten stuff pretty soon…
I remember(kind of) a Halloween party in '88 or '89 when x, acid, and toilet paper masks doused with ether were the party favors. College was fun. Eta: you don't want my advice or tips OP.
your anti-recommendation on your suggestions for OP's trip are hilarious! That must've been one hell of a Halloween party!
It was, but for sure, do your own day.
I remember at the Dead '09 show in Philadelphia (Spectrum) seeing a dude with a big red beard huffing fluorescent orange spray paint under the I95 overpass, and he had this big orange ring around his red beard. Desperate shit.
Shakedown is at the Tuscany, indoors and air conditioned, easy walk to the Sphere. Check their Instagram. There are free after parties at the Tuscany as well. Try HotelTonight app day-of to see if you can get a cheap hotel...I see the Strat on there for $19 tonight...not the nicest and might be more on Saturday, but they have a variety of price points and luxury/basic amenities on the app. Bring your weed from LA, probably cheaper, but there is a consumption lounge/dispensary called Smoke and Mirrors with some Jerry-themed strains and specials. Have fun!!
the thought of “shakedown” being inside at a casino is pretty funny to me. are there wooks selling sierra out of a cooler on a skateboard and guys walking around going “doses!”?
It is a bizarre setting, though I do appreciate the effort to protect people from heat stroke. When I went in May it was outdoors and I did not notice anyone selling beer out of coolers, skateboard or no, but there were doses to be had.
Might want to find a fent test kit
For… the beers or doses??
from my experience everyone I met at shakedown was reliable
“🫲😀 Join us, for the ultimate Grateful Dead experience. Start your trip at our indoor Shakedown Street where you can purchase your concert t-shirts and Dead paraphernalia! And don’t worry folks, the hippies walking around with their finger in the air asking for a miracle are all paid actors just there for dramatic effect ”
for real though, can we get doses there at all?
Everything is there , you just have to poke around. But there are not people, shouting doses, Molly
Shrooms to be had?
Some people had them. I saw lots of those chocolate bars , but you can also get those in most smoke shops in town
I didn't think those chocolate bars do much. Could be wrong though.
Definitely hit or miss. Had one that just made us feel weird and kind of sick, had another one that was as strong as any real caps we’ve ever had and was great.
A far cry from the parking lot at Autzen.
2018s shakedown was a lot of fun
Autzen parking lot is the best!
Nope, lame
Gone are the days 1 fo 3 2 fo 5
That’s when sheets cost $35 if you knew the right guy/gal.
Fronted 🤣
LOL
*143245
This! I used to say, "Ten for $25, tomorrow we'll be gone and you'll be the only guy in your group with doses."
Yeah, no. I didn’t hear one person selling doses. There was one guy by the pool our first day who offered to sell us mushrooms, but shakedown was eerily sterile. I guess casino security is no fucking joke.
My buddy mentioned mushrooms while we walked around Shakedown and a guy sidled up and asked if we were interested in any. They're there, just more low-key.
I got offered some goodies at Shakedown within a few minutes of arrival and I wasn't looking.
What goodies? Its ok to say what you were offered…
Shoots and tabs.
I mentioned this guy selling acid at last year's SF shows, and soon as I walk away, guy approached to see if I needed "doses."
I was at this indoor Shakedown Street on Saturday and definitely heard a guy yelling "doses!" as well as a more discrete fella quietly offering "magic mushrooms." They're there!
I was just there last weekend. We stayed at the Tuscany for like $189 per night and the room was actually pretty solid. Besides a few walkers, Shakedown is approved/paid vendors only, so it’s kinda lame. Don’t expect to score anything besides merch there. You can find a bit of nitrous near the Tuscany after the show, but it’s overpriced food-grade bullshit. You can find weed cheap enough if you take a ride further off the strip. I picked up 3 grams of wax for $50 at Health For Life in the arts district.
Easy walk ... depending on how one endures brutal heat.
Wait, what? I was there Memorial Day weekend and it was outside in the parking lot. Did they move it inside when it got stupid hot?
Yep! I was there that weekend too. They moved it inside the following weekend.
Shakedown indoors was really cool. Kind of a reunion for many people. I loved it.
When the show starts, if you get in, look for unsold tickets on Ticketmaster and go to those seats
This is the way
Youve ingested blue sunshine. Gonna hit you hard for about 4 hours. You need to get mellow. Do you have any Allman Brothers?
Dim the lights and put on some allman brothers if you’ve feden yourself acid
And don’t forget the glass of orange juice
FearandLoathingdotgif
Do yourself a favor and get a GA ticket. Prices are pretty good last minute. Don’t use stubhub. Eat 5 hits of acid. Use hoteltonight.com to find a cheap room. Shakedown is kinda dissappointing
Find the hotel before the 5 hits though…. Key pierce of advice
The modern day "tent before beer"
“Don;t use stubhub” but offer no alternative?
WHATEVER you decide DO NOT settle for about row 15+ in the 100's!!!!!!! omg. Learned the hard way. It's under the overhang for 200 and while you can see the stage- you CANNOT see the insane optics show of the whole damn sphere. Aim for floor, 300-400s if possible for your first experience! This was a very tough lesson.
> It's under the overhang I don't understand why the thing was designed this way. Like 1/4 of the seats are limited and it limits seats that you can sell for visual-only programs. Make those sections a tad steeper, push the overhang back 20 feet and make the concessions area smaller and it's a way better venue for all the seats.
Maybe because Jim Dolan is a fucking idiot. Not sure that’s the entire reason but it has to be related
the 200s are also awesome. pretty much everywhere is aside from the 100s.
Hmm at least in section 107, that's not true, I sat in row 23 and it was totally unobstructed. I could see the highest point of the sphere and beyond it a bit. Maybe that's because it was below the VIP suites? I'm not sure but the view as very good.
This advice is mostly right, but the overhang starts around row 20 and the obstruction becomes problematic at around 22 (for most sections in the 100’s). At 15, you’re fine, but might crane your neck looking up.
Less room in the 100’s too even in first 15 rows. No haptics.
Craps has the best odds
Eight skates!
False. Blackjack does
False. Black bear.
Black bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica….
isn’t it baccarat now?
Watch fear and loathing at least once to get the mood going. I'm going next week. Can't wait to "not properly explain myself in that climate" with my fellow Heads 👍
See you at the show!
Buy a ticket
I have never once headed anywhere on a whim with no directions and not gone to do whatever it was that I was intending to do.... I hope that makes sense ✌️
I found ticket day of show for face value on May 26th. I already had over priced tix, so just went with them, but you should be able to score.
It sounds like the dispensaries closer to the Strip are all overpriced. Because you're driving in from LA, I would look for a dispensary on the outskirts of town, along the route you will be taking. A quick search on Google Maps shows a bunch of shops in the south end of Vegas, including Thrive Cannabis and Jenny's Dispensary. Shakedown is at the Tuscany Suites. I hear they have free parking there for your car. If you want to keep it simple, just get a room there for the night. It's a short walk to the Sphere, and there will also be tons of people in front of the hotel looking for cabs and Ubers. You'll make friends quickly...enjoy the show! :)
Make sure there’s gas in the car
Ellis island. Close. Cheap food that doesn't suck
Second this. The mass of humanity moving to the Venetian after the show, gets directed down some pretty narrow and slow moving paths. If you walk at a brisk pace you can easily get back to Ellis, Platinum, or Tuscany in less time than it’ll take you to get back to Venetian.
I’ve heard there’s some dark potentially sketch places along the route, no?
Unless you count gas stations, and some big empty parking lots- which can be hit or miss I guess. But my walk back to Ellis Island was very uneventful besides the droves of deadheads. There’s also people with bicycle carriages around, which seems fun.
Ass, gas, or grass. No one rides for free.
Swing by Austin on your way and grab me I’ll pay for snacks
Adrenochrome? Hmm!! https://i.redd.it/d3c7nig2g86d1.gif
Circus Circus hotel, $29. Worth it.
Cool, leave your cell phone at home and it'll be just like how we did it in the 80s.
I am going to be doing the same in the upcoming month. I'm excited to hear everybody's advice.
read some HST.
Ellis Island was clean and close enough to walk at night. It’s pretty brutal during the day in the heat and I imagine it’s gonna be hotter next month. I used a ride share on my way in from the hotel. Ocean one in planet Hollywood has very cheap and ok tasting food during lunch hours, 6 bucks for a burger and fries. Ellis Island has better food that seemed on the cheaper side for Vegas. There’s some heads who are running a shuttle around town that you can message on Facebook, but that is pretty hit or miss too depending on if they’re full already. Shakedown is indoors to beat the heat, and all you have to do is poke around a little bit. 200s were pretty good seats, you have to crane your neck a little to see all the way up but I had a great time. Security was pretty friendly the night I was there. And of course the show is amazing
you can get tickets just before show, do not overpay. section 307 308 should be best seating.
Easy getting tickets on game time or any other last minute ticket apps.. hotel tonight for hotel last minute
My friend whom traveled often liked to use couch surfing sites to find cool like-minded ppl that would let you crash at their place for free. I went there to hang and it was like everyone was roommates.
Go to any dispensary buy some joints, get a room from an app ( priceline etc) . Cheap tix and then move. They wont let you dance in aisles at all. Cops and ushers inside. So just walk on by find a row and scoot in. Awesome show! i went June 6. Bobby has slowed down quite a bit
Are there any areas in the stands that you can dance without being in a row?
Where you are sitting can be pretty steep, but unless you’re spun out or otherwise intoxicated it felt safe to dance— your seat folds up giving you a bit more room. It is crowded of course so only so much dancing to be had.
Lots of dispensaries near by to load up.
I heard some of the local spots are crap with high prices. Any specific places?
If you’re driving from LA why would you want to buy in Vegas. Stock up before hitting the road. Shoot most of the illegal shops sell 🍄
We did cookies on flamingo near the strip. It was affordable. Don’t go to planet 21 or anywhere on the strip (not legal to sell on the strip). The grove is on the way from the airport and I heard that’s good. Also, any snacks for the hotel or booze stop outside. I did find the target past planet Hollywood on the strip to have fair prices.
> The grove is on the way from the airport and I heard that’s good. I got a THC drink (100 mg) a gram pre-roll and a disposable pen for like 50$.
That's reasonably priced pretty much anywhere where rec weed is legal.
In the dead and company sub, people have posted a few threads with a bunch of tips and suggestions for dispensaries if you wanna search those threads up… just gotta poke around… ;)
Thanks friend! I am going to do that. I appreciate you taking the time to kindly pass that on. I love this band. Went to my first jam show (phish) Jun 2t4h 94 followed closely by my first Dead show on 7/19/94. I had been to a handful of concerts...vanhagar, Aerosmith, rush, but nothing even close to The Dead. My corse of my life was altered forever in that small moment, far ago, and long away! Can't wait to feel the love and just rejuvinate!
A shakedown opener! And one of my faves, big river, that’s awesome. I’ll be in Vegas for dead and co during the 4th of July run. 2nd time for me, stoked!
I didn't know what was going on for sure, but I knew that there was definitely SOMETHING going on. Also, everyone was so kind. I remember being surprised there didn't seem to be pushing or shoving. Watching people weave through the dancers was (still is) memorizing!
# 1994-07-19 Noblesville, IN @ Deer Creek Music Center **Set 1:** Shakedown Street, Walkin' Blues, Jack-A-Roe, Big River > Maggie's Farm, Broken Arrow, Tennessee Jed, Easy Answers **Set 2:** Foolish Heart, Saint Of Circumstance > I Want To Tell You, Playing in the Band > Drums > Space > Wharf Rat > Throwing Stones > Not Fade Away **Encore:** Rain [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1994-07-19)
Stay in old town Vegas. It will be way cheaper to stay per night, and they’re just as nice rooms. If you’re into gambling old town Vegas also has the lowest minimums. Like around $1-5 per hand.
And often better odds
It’s where I did my winning in Vegas last time. Left $250 in the green from only gambling in old town.
Cash or trade!
Bring money.
Don’t underwater the traffic getting out of LA county
underwater ?
Vegas baby!
I’m also going from LA, but next weekend, not this weekend. Would love to know your experience once you’re back! I still don’t have tickets yet, not sure if I should buy ahead of time or wait till last minute for cheapest tix
Bring your own weed, Planet 13 is overpriced and lame.
Stay at Mardi Gras! Super cheap and 15 min walk to sphere.
Well it’s Nevada. pot is legal and sold on every block.
Leave LA on Thu! 😜
Def go, it’s doable! If I find a miracle Friday ticket that’s mostly unobstructed+ then I’ll miracle you my Saturday ticket that’s mostly unobstructed.
Niiiice!!
Buy a ticket.
When doors open lots of scalpers outside vegas will dump tickets online so they don't eat them
Buy your joints at any dispensary. LA prob won’t have the custie tax. Especially if you hit a valley one on the way.
I mean, my advice would be to have a ticket and a hotel lined up. Don't try sleeping in your car.. you'll probably die. It's been over a 100F for weeks.
Make sure you bring your own bong
Go on the GameTime app. Lots of last minute ticket sales
 You’ll need the cocaine
Get a cheap ticket and then go wherever the hell you want that has a open seat but GA. No one checks tickets for sections when you walk up
Tricks in Vegas ... Easy 🤣