My second show
I went to the first night of the Nov '78 Uptown Theater, Chicago run. It was because I had a car, and the guys wanting a ride were not in my high school, but heck yah! We had mezzanine seats. It was kind of hard to figure out what I had experienced. But, it was really fun, so the next day I had to work and didn't go, but a second friend was there working with me saying he so wanted to go. So, I went to the third night show. A third friend I knew from elementary school and I were scheming ways to make that happen anyways. My buddy scored 4 hits of some greendragon blotters at school. We ate them and headed into the city. By the time I got to the venue I was starting to really get off. We parked in the lot building thinking we were lucky. But, me being a youngster, I bought two more hits of Phoenix Rising blotters just in case. Got in line out on the busy city street sidewalk. Others were selling doses and got arrested right in front of us which was a total feakout. Then a homeless lady about 9 months pregnant was sitting on the curb with a sign that read "anyone want a baby" and an arrow pointing to her belly. Our suburban sensibilities were being tweaked. But, we got into the show because some disco dan and his debutant date that won free tickets on the radio didn't like the deadheads. My buddy got two hits of Mr Natural blotters in the bathroom just in case. We were not saying anything about the extra hits. But, we split them between us not knowing what Phoenix nor Mr Natural was? And we got to our 7th row center seats. 4 hits in my mouth was a bit much. We survived the first set. Man, that was huge! Then the 2nd set started. Scarlet Fire opener was how the bus doors opened. I really did have the telepathic experience with Jerry. He assured me everything was alright and Bobby singing Need A Miracle next confirmed it. Of course Jerry had to mess with me by singing He's Gone before they went into The Other One>Meltdown Jam. Yah, that was it. The Dead never got within 500 miles of me without me twisting and contorting my path towards them. I saw them somewhere in the triple digits worth of shows. Still seeing what's left of them (Dead & Co) at Ak Chin Pavillion PHX 2021 fall tour. It is still so much fun! Happy Trails Campers.
Re: Interviews With Dead Heads
Hello. I am a 21 year old deadhead. I totally understand if you don't want to interview someone who never got the see The Grateful Dead. However, I have been very much involved in the Grateful Dead scene since 2017. I've seen Dead and Company, Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros, Dark Star Orchestra, and JRAD live in concert and have been researching the Dead to improve my knowledge on this wonderful band and music that I love so much. If you are looking to get input from a younger deadhead, I would love to be apart of your series of interviews.
Interviews
I'd be glad to participate. I have an interesting story about my introduction to the Dead in 1976, and all that happened after that.
re:Interviews with Dead Heads
Would be happy to chat and share; although, I was somewhat late getting on board, with first show Sept '72.
We interrupt this program,
our regularly scheduled nonsense to bring you this important service announcement.
Remember to smile, relax, and be kind this extra insane holiday season!
Oh, yeah, and “wash your hands!” (That’s mom from the great beyond lol)
Garciasforest, check your PMs
interview with dead heads
I would love to do an interview with you. What is the best way I can reach you? I'm not too sure how to use this website lol
Outside The Stone late 80's
My friend Janine slept and didn't get Greek tickets. She said matter of factly "I'll give Jerry a card asking for tickets and I'll get them" So the JGB was playing The Stone in SF. We go to the show, she has the card with a Joint inside.
We walk out, just as Jerry is coming to the limo. I step up, thank him for the show and hand him the card. He thanks us back and off he goes.
She never got tickets. I can't blame Jer. The joint was horrible.
Phil on the F train!
I saw Phil sitting on the F train in NYC, I guess I was coming home from work? It was pretty crowded, I was certainly star struck, and he got off before I could overcome my inertia and just say "thank you." This was maybe summer 2015? Not positive, but there he was, on his own, just another face in the crowd :)
I smoked Jerry's Weed
It was 1974/75 and I was living in upstate New York at Albany. I was running weed from Jamaica. I tracked down Jerry w/ Merle Saunders at the Capitol Theater and met him at the hotel. I went up to speak with him to ask if I could soundboard record them with a new DBX compression device I had. He said, "Get in the limousine and let's talk". I made arrangements to go home and pick up my equipment promising Jerry that I had some great Jamaican weed. At home, I rolled three big blunts and put them in my front shirt pocket. When I got backstage, I asked Jerry is he wanted to smoke some phenomenal weed. "Sure", he said. I reached for my shirt pocket only to realize that I had changed shirts and had NO weed. I was flabbergasted and apologized to Jerry. "No problem," he said. "we'll smoke mine". And we did and all was well.
Interviews
Now would be a great time to compile a bunch of interviews from all the generations that have experienced the wonderful music and songwriting of the Grateful Dead. Honestly, when I went to my first show in 1987, I didn't know a single song, maybe Casey Jones or Truckin that might have gotten some airplay. But then I was hooked and now I can sing along with 90% of their songs and play/sing at least a dozen on my guitar.
Hell, John Mayer was a front man for the last 10 years or so and he wasn't born until 1977, and this is a quote from him on FB, "This music has made me a better player, and this band made me a better person. I was given the opportunity of a lifetime - to have access to the greatest songbook in modern music, and the deepest well of life memories shared by hundreds of thousands of Deadheads who extended their grace and acceptance to me?