GD: Sikeston, MO, September 4-6, 1970 (CANCELED)

Grateful Dead
Sikeston, MO
September 4-6, 1970

TENTATIVE/PLANNED/CANCELED

Small-town America was not happy with the thought of hosting hordes of obscene, lawless, hideous, dangerous, dirty, violent and *young* rock festival-goers in 1970. One such festival  planned for near Sikeston, MO for the (Labor Day) weekend of September 4-6, 1970. Bands listed on an advertising circular included Three Dog Night, Grand Funk Railroad, and the Grateful Dead.

Apparently an injunction was ordered and the kibosh was put on the whole thing. It seems from the article referenced below that the groups had yet to be contacted, although it also says that the promoters had an 8/15 deadline for putting down a deposit to book the groups.

Looking at the GD's schedule from this time, it is pretty remarkable that they had no gig on Labor Day weekend 1970. Even considering that they were working on American Beauty around this time, that would seem to be a pretty lucrative weekend at which big outdoor concerts might offer a worthwhile payday. God knows the GD needed the money around that time, too, what with Lennie Hart and all that. So it does lead me to wonder if they indeed had planned on doing a gig that fell through.

REFERENCE:

"Rock fest promoters say time worst enemy," The Southeast Missourian, August 12, 1970, pp. 1, 8. Accessed via Google News.