University of Connecticut - Go Huskies Collection

Officially licensed by University of Connecticut and the Grateful Dead - available exclusively through Class Trip. UConn might be known for hoops dominance, but while Gampel Pavilion never got its own psychedelic takeover, Deadheads in Connecticut didn’t have to look far. The band made plenty of stops in the state, playing Wesleyan University in 1970, Yale Bowl in 1971, and tearing it up at the Hartford Civic Center in 1977—a show still talked about in Deadhead circles. It’s easy to imagine Storrs swapping fast breaks for free-flowing jams, but even without a UConn date, the Dead’s music found its way onto campus. Whether through bootleg tapes, road-tripping students, or late-night dorm room sessions, the spirit of the Dead was alive and well in Husky territory.