Thirteen years ago this summer, the Grateful Dead played right here in Washington County, on the scenic shores of Star Lake in Hanover Township.

It turned out to be the last time I saw Jerry & the boys, mainly because I had to work when they played their last-ever Pittsburgh show in late June 1995, just a little over a month before Mr. Garcia's demise.

Anyway, the Star Lake show I attended was on a Tuesday. The Dead also played there the night before and performed some of my favorites, including "Ramble On Rose," "The Other One" and the primo "Scarlet Begonias/Fire On the Mountain" medley. When I found out I had missed those tunes, I went into Tuesday with a bad attitude, knowing full well they wouldn't repeat those the next evening.

Sure enough, I was disappointed with the song selection at the time, although listening to recordings of the show nowadays, I'm not certain why. I guess I wanted to hear old favorites rather than new songs like "So Many Roads," "Way to Go Home" and especially Bob Weir's "Corinna," a funky number that has yet to appear on a legitimate release (unless it's on a "Dick's Picks" archival set - I'll have to look that up).

Anyway, when the band came out of its mid-second set drums/space jam to strike up the chords to the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time," I remember taking that as an omen that I'd never see the Grateful Dead again. Sure 'nuff ...

PIX:

1) Actually, I don't own this or any other tie-dyed shirts anymore.

2) My buddy Doc Ellis (real MD) checks out some wares sold by one of the merchants in the Star Lake lot.

3) Here's some of the stuff you could buy in the summer of '92.