Looking back at New Jersey’s biggest concert, September 3, 1977

It was billed as a “Summer Ends Concert”; and the main attraction was no other than the iconic Grateful Dead. Warm up acts were The Marshal Tucker Band and The New Riders of The Purple Sage.

It was held at the popular New Jersey attraction, Raceway Park, in Old Bridge on Saturday, September 3rd, 1977, with a rain date of Sunday, September 4th.

The Grateful Dead at the time was extremely popular back in the late 70’s. The Raceway Park Show was the first show back after a three-month hiatus for the group because their drummer Mickey Hart suffered injuries in a car accident. This was going to be and was a big show.

Ticket sales skyrocket

The tickets for the show sold out at over 102,000. That was the largest ticket concert in North America at the time. The crowds for the concert estimated by police, Old Bridge authorities and Raceway Park authorities at over 150,000, possibly as high as 175,000 people. People got into the venue without paying and gathered outside in mass.

Stipulations almost cancelled this show

According to Live for Live Music,  the big concert almost never occurred with a New Jersey state law that required a permit for any concert lasting more than 18 hours and over 3,000 attendees.

Another significant prerequisite for the concert to occur was that local officials had to be assured that The Hell’s Angels would not be providing security for The Grateful Dead.

Park your car like Woodstock

With parking that could not accommodate 150,000 people, cars parked for a fee on neighboring Old Bridge family yards, and driveways. Residents were thrilled to collect a few dollars for parking. Many attendees walked miles to the Old Bridge venue.

Food for thought

Reports from that day state that over 300,000 cans of soda and 18,000lbs of hot dogs were sold at the famed concert.

Police and Raceway Park officials state that concert goers were patient standing in line and were courteous to those selling products.

The set list was impressive

The Grateful Dead put on a show, with a killer set that included Truckin’ which they had not performed at a concert in over two years. The Dead opened with Promised Land a

Chuck Berry cover, and the concert included popular versions of Terrapin Blues and Mississippi Half-Step Toodeloo.

It was a great concert; The Dead Heads were happy to be there as the smell of marijuana wafting through the air along with the sound of music and plenty of smiles and head bobs.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

Report a correction 👈