"who are the Grateful Dead...and why do they keep following me?"

- sticker seen on many a VW microbus

 

 

I got into the Grateful Dead back in boarding school. But to tell you the truth, the music has been part of my family all along; it wasn't until I reached Salisbury that I identified with the music.

A large part comes from my cousin John. He took me to my first concert and first 'Dead Show', at Giants Stadium, on July 12th, 1987. Since then, i've seen the band over 45 times (to tell you the truth, I lost count). Every concert was different.. right down to the ticket stub! Check out my collection here.

Notable experiences for me:

First Indoor Show: December 29th, 1988. Oakland CA.

First time I taped a show: March 28th, 1990. Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY.

First New Year's Eve Show: December 31st, 1988 , Oakland CA. (the Dead on New Year's eve is a tradition in the bay area).

Last show: July, 1994 at the Franklin County Airport, Highgate Vermont.

The stories are legendary, and fans' stories, like mine, are even better.

I remember the time at Salisbury, we used a headmaster's holiday (that's a day when classes are cancelled so students can take a break) and convinced 2 teachers to take us to a show in New Jersey. Some of my classmates even planned their college visitations trips around the band's tour so they could catch a few shows! Devotion knows no limits!

During college, I almost failed out my sophomore year because I traveled to New York City for 6 shows. I skipped classes, ditched seminars, and blew off homework so I could catch part of fall tour.

That same year, I traded for a ticket to a show at Boston Garden, but I didn't have a ride. I scrounged together $100 and bought a bus ticket so I could catch the show. I met up with a friend from New York and crashed in his hotel room that night. The next day, I hopped on the bus and got back to college.

For 2 Christmas', I convinced my parents to make my sole present a round trip airline ticket to Oakland CA for the New Year's Eve shows.

 

Those who don't get it, probably never will, now that the shows are over. BUT, the spirit and the music lives on, thanks to DeadHeads all across the country.

 

Part of that spirit resides in these cool bands:

Phish

 From Burlington, VT. Psychadelic, like the Dead's early years.
Very jazzy sound. Their fans are the closest thing to DeadHeads.
Widespread Panic

 My personal favorite. Based in Athens, GA. Play a majority of their shows in the south.
Their style resembles the Allman Brothers.
Like both the Allmans and the Dead, they have 2 drummers.
Blues Traveler

 From New Jersey. Blues driven. Lead singer John Popper plays a mean harmonica (harp).
Sadly, the band has stopped touring since the death of their bassist.