Grateful Dead: The Cambodian Refugee Benefit, 13th January 1980
CD453
- 1 CD
Golden Rain GRCD012, 2015
The
Cambodian Refugee Benefit
Oakland
Coliseum 13th January 1980
The Benefit Concert for Cambodian Refugees, held at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on January 13th, 1980, was headlined by the Grateful Dead with Santana, The Beach Boys, Jefferson Starship and Joan Baez also on the bill. The show was organised by Bill Graham for what was a most worthy cause. Vietnam had invaded Cambodia in 1979 in an attempt to overthrow the murderous Khmer Rouge, who had ruled the country since 1975. One of the results of the war was a huge refugee problem which emerged after hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fled to the Thai border in an attempt to escape the violence and the resultant famine. Humanitarian Relief, supported by this concert among numerous other fundraising activities around the world, allowed for the construction of a land bridge to allow the refugees safe passage into their neighbouring territory. Many, if not most, Bay Area Deadheads went to the show which was broadcast on KSAN-FM. In many ways, this home-turf gig was a final whiff of some long-gone formats. In the 60s, Bill Graham had put on a number of high profile benefits with multiple acts performing, at which bands like the Dead had usually played a shortened set. Although the Dead were the headliners by 1980, they still played just 76 minutes - a very limited time in comparison to the three-plus hours the group would usually play around this era and a configuration that would not occur at a major venue again. KSAN had broadcast many of the band's shows previously, but the station was wobbling with new competition and a new format. Yet for one night the clock was turned back for a final time. January 13th, 1980 was the last live Grateful Dead KSAN broadcast. An era was ending, although nobody seemed to notice at the time, rightfully so when the bigger issues of the day were hopefully foremost in most fans' minds.
TRACKS:
1. Franklin's
Tower 11:47
2. New Minglewood Blues 7:12
3. Tennessee Jed 8:20
4. Looks Like Rain 7:14
5. Don't Ease Me In 3:41
6 Playing in the Band 13:16
7 Drum Solo 4:42
8 Jam 5:09
9 Not Fade Away 9:32
0 Sugar Magnolia (featuring Carlos Santana) 4:52
Audio
CD (4 Dec. 2015)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Golden Rain
ASIN: B00000752W