Anyone remember ancient concert at Great Gorge ski area in Jersey ?

[rdfisch]

Newbie here … I usually lurk but I joined to ask the question below. If this would be better placed in a different discussion, my apologies and please advise.

Does anybody remember any details about an outdoor Jimmy concert from the late 70's or early 80's at the Great Gorge ski area in Vernon, New Jersey (aka Action Park, Vernon Valley / Great Gorge, Mountain Creek, etc.).

I have googled and searched this forum and others (particularly the set list archives) and found almost nothing. I was beginning to question my sanity when my searching found a post here (by pfopma) who mentioned it casually in the "When did you get to know Jimmy?" topic back in 2003!

I'm trying to piece this together but the details are hazy … the concert would have (obviously) been in warm weather and I think 1978 '79 or '80 is most likely but I would love to pin this down. I'm also curious as to why it doesn't appear in the concert/set list lists.

- Rick

[urlcenter]

The only NJ show Jimmy performed in 1980 was in Holmdel at the Garden States Art Center on July 7, 1980

You can view the setlist here:
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/jimmy-bu ... 31f04.html

[rdfisch]

Here is a reference to the concert from the "When did you get to know Jimmy?" thread posted back in 2003 by member pfopma.

... The first time I noticed the Parrothead phenomenon taking off was at a show in NJ at the Great Gorge Ski area. Hawaiian shirts and leis everwhere and giant inflatable space shuttles bouncing around the audience (Somewhere Over China had just been released). ...

If pfopma is correct and the concert was shortly after Somewhere Over China was released, that would put it in 1982, a little later than I recall but certainly possible.

I have already poured over the set lists here and at the site you linked to, but I cannot find any reference to this concert anywhere, anytime except the above. It has been a long time, but Is it unusual for there to be "phantom" concerts that haven't been documented yet ?

[urlcenter]

Here is a reference to the concert from the "When did you get to know Jimmy?" thread posted back in 2003 by member pfopma.

... The first time I noticed the Parrothead phenomenon taking off was at a show in NJ at the Great Gorge Ski area. Hawaiian shirts and leis everwhere and giant inflatable space shuttles bouncing around the audience (Somewhere Over China had just been released). ...

If pfopma is correct and the concert was shortly after Somewhere Over China was released, that would put it in 1982, a little later than I recall but certainly possible.

I have already poured over the set lists here and at the site you linked to, but I cannot find any reference to this concert anywhere, anytime except the above. It has been a long time, but Is it unusual for there to be "phantom" concerts that haven't been documented yet ?

The show in question took place on July 9, 1982 as part of the Somewhere Over China Tour, Bonnie Riatt was touring with Jimmy during June and July 1982.

This link will take to the set list archive on another Jimmy Buffett site where the date and location of the show are listed but sadly no setlist:

https://tinyurl.com/y5ts8jln

[rdfisch]

Thanks so much urlcenter - I’ve been trying to piece this together for a while.

So the venue is listed as Action Park (listed in my aka’s). Off topic but for those unaware, Action Park was the name of a summertime water park built at the Vernon Valley / Gerat Gorge ski area. It is infamous as one of the most dangerous, has been parodied by Johnny Knoxville, and is the subject of at least one documentary (the trailer of which has recently been put on YT).

FWIW, my ISP thinks the “other” site with the info is potentially malicious and advised not to go there - so I visited on a phone. Following my ISP’s advice on my original searches is why I never found this.

Thanks again, I can rest easy and cruise on over to the blender now!

[lime rickie]

Action Park was awesome, went there many times as a fearless teenager.

Can't wait to see the new documentary.

[rdfisch]

Action Park was awesome, went there many times as a fearless teenager.

Can't wait to see the new documentary.

I was a little too old for it by the time Action Park came around, but I did take my niece once when she was visiting and I considered myself lucky to get out of the wave pool alive. Did lose some skin on my arm from tube burn, but that was commonplace.

[Touch O Parrotdise]

Don't remember what year it was, but the first time i saw Jimmy was at Great Adventure.. I remember him playing but I didn't know any songs and after a while we didn't want to wait for Margaritaville so we went back to the rides..