As everyone knows by now, the Grateful Dead was like having the circus roll into town. This was my first foray delving in to the Grateful Dead universe and while the music appealed to me on a number of levels, I was no Deadhead. The crazy scene in the arena hallways with the drug assisted dancing and spinning, and some of the most high individuals you could imagine to encounter, was interesting but ultimately not my bag. Also, and although I sort of got it much later, the interminable drum solo portion of the program did not do it for me.
I had been contemplating going to see the Grateful Dead again when they were scheduled to play Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands but it was not to be as Jerry Garcia died before that could happen. An excerpt published in Rolling Stone magazine from a book, that highlighted Jerry Garcia’s drug addiction came out some time later was startling and a bit frightening. I have seen Dead and Company and the Phil Lesh Band since and it is fun to see the Grateful Dead catalog performed, and to watch the always interesting audience, but I remain not a Deadhead.

Dark Star

Rock on!

GQ