All The Stars Are Gone But One

For the last twenty years, DeadHeads have been sitting on the proverbial porch watching the band in the sunset of their career. These last two weekends they officially went down and we got to see them shine as stars. They were brilliant in the night time sky. Perfect for lying on a blanket and staring up at. Getting lost at the enormity of all the stars. Each one shines for a purpose, each one shines for heat, and each one shines for light. Even in this light from these stars, we get something that can not be seen, measured, or quantified. From these stars we get the ability to love and receiving love makes us able to give love and our light back. 

It was hard to get back to real life after a surreal weekend. I figure that each night there was about 100,000+ people around Soldier Field and 70k got in for each show and I did not hear of any problems with people and the cops there. It's a pretty amazing feat. Everyone seemed to be there for the right reasons, except those cult people handing out their booklets after the show. The focus for everyone was the music. Some where lucky enough to be at all five shows. Some came for just Chicago. Others made flights and hotel reservations for just one night, regardless everyone who made the trip was rewarded with soul satisfaction from the wonderful music of the Grateful Dead. 

These five shows played by these seven guys far exceeded the high expectations that everyone had going into the two weekends. The anticipation built the night before the first show, with the soundcheck that was broadcast on audio stream on the mixer site. The soundcheck mirrored what would be the first night's action in Santa Clara. It was pretty shocking to see the setlist and realize that the newest song on the list was 45 years old. The second Santa Clara shattered the theorist expectations that each show would be an era of the Grateful Dead when they opened with Feel Like A Stranger. The show had a flow and feel like it was a show that was picking up where they left off 20 years earlier. The band was starting to act as a cohesive unit although there was still that Bambi on ice feel to the band. 

July second, I left work at noon and packed the family into the car. I drove from outside of NYC to Buffalo to drop the wife and kids off with my in-laws. The next morning I woke up an hour before my alarm, at 6 AM. It was show day. I got in the car, stopped at Tim Hortons for breakfast on the road and started my trip to Chicago. I pulled into the hotel around 2 PM and meet up with my friend. There had been lots of talk over the 5 day break about letting Trey and Bruce do more singing and less Bobby. These kids never heard the expression that "Bobby fans are people too."

It takes the young Superman time to learn and to control his super powers. At first he believes that he can just jump a building with a single bound but then he discovers that he can control the jumping and direct himself while in the air. Next Superman discovers control as he figures how to fly. The first night of Chicago the band learned how to fly. Soaring around the atmosphere and exploring the cosmos. As I laid it out in my blog the next day, the band had arrived. The second night was Superman flexing his muscles to get the criminals to surrender instead of using force. The fireworks of a setlist the night before was not there, but the execution of the vibe was just as strong this night. It was not what I was expecting when they started playing the song, but the Stella Blue might have been most heartfelt piece of music the band ever played. Bobby owned it (I told you we were people too) and Trey's solo was the most igniting and original take. Simply awe inspiring. 

On the fifth, I unplugged and went up to spend the day with my family in Evanston. It was a needed break and refresher before the final night. For the first time I tried to drive to the lot instead of walking or subwaying it, and it was a nightmare. Yet I got there early and prepped my blog for this show. Our seats for the weekend were in Section 351 Row 2, which was behind the stage. It was really loud back there and it was a good spying view, where we were looking over their shoulders at their interactions. Sitting there I got a call that my friend had a bracelet for the floor, which turned out to be the pit. Walking there I almost ran into someone who looked like George RR Martin, I found out later it was him. (What happened to Cold Rain & Jon Snow?) We got a nice little spot in front of Trey with a bunch of really great people. It was clear from the start that the band was going to throw out the bombs early and often. Each song was really poignant to a finale, "gonna miss me when I'm gone," "story teller makes no choice soon you will not hear his voice," "hoping love would not forsake the days that lie between," and of course "love is real not fade away." As I theorized, Touch of Grey was the night's encore. The top ten hit aside, the closing "we will get by" would be a nice close to these five shows celebrating the music of the Grateful Dead. 

My notion of the weekend was we were seeing Fare Thee Well, who were paying tribute to 50 years of the Grateful Dead music. Then the Attics of my Life happened. The band came back for the second encore and started paying tribute to the changing cast of characters that was the Grateful Dead. Pigpen, Keith, Brent, Vince, and of course Jerry got roaring applause from the crowd turning "when you had no wings to fly, you flew to me." Then the monitors transitioned into posting pictures of the current band members and that's when it sunk in on me. This was the core four members way of announcing Trey, Jeff and Bruce as members of the Grateful Dead. The reality that Jerry had not been here for twenty years and that's why we didn't have the Grateful Dead was replaced by the blissful peace that we got to experience the band, the songs and the state of mind one more time. The band didn't try to replace Pigpen, nor Keith and Donna and they most certainly didn't try to replace Jerry. They were celebrating the entity and doing so they eased my soul. Today we celebrate the final Grateful Dead show with Jerry Garcia, just like we celebrate June 17th as the final time Pigpen played with the band. 

If you've ever watched a sunrise, you notice that gradually the stars start to fade one by one as the sky goes blue. The stars are still there, it's just that we can not see them watching us. Daybreak on the land is the ultimate form of optimism and I feel like the Grateful Dead will alway be there, "the ship of the sun is sailed by the Grateful Dead." This a new era of life and perspective. The perfect bow on an old pair of shoes. 

I like bows. I do not want to trip on my loose shoelaces. So I like to thank my wife for dealing with this blog and helping edit it for me sometimes. It has been a pleasure the last 4 years to run write about the band I love and share their music with everyone. The thought never occurred to me to write a blog but Dan suggested it and I started this on a whim. "Daybreak on the land" is the bow to this blog. Thank you. "Fare Thee Well now let you life proceed at its own design."

The band played 82 songs that were not named Jam, Drums, or Space. They only repeated two songs, Truckin' and Cumberland Blues, which means they played exactly 80 songs. Now I know they did not play some common Grateful Dead songs like Going Down the Road, LL Rain, Peggy-O, So Many Roads, Ramble on Rose and Sugaree but they only played 5 shows and we got so many gems. If there were more shows, maybe some of these would be played. Maybe Bobby's new band with John Mayer might play some of these songs this fall. 

These are the SBD copies taken from the webcast of each night action, including the wonderful recorded music by Neil Casal for each set break. Download Night1, Night2, Night3, Night4, and Night5. Looking back on this 5 night run, I have to be happy that I experience the love of the event and not be sorry that it's not going to happen again.

Chicago, Il July 5, 2015

This post will just be the Setlist and a couple of lines about the weekend here because I have a long drive back through Buffalo to NYC area. After the dust settles and links to the audio files appear, I'll do another post. 

In the first encore the first night of Chicago, Bobby sang "if your cup is full may it be again." What was underrated at the beginning of this whole 50th anniversary tour, is that we "love what we love and we want that way." The announcement opened up the door to allow us all come funneling out of the wood work. Asking us to fold this country in half so we could because there "were no wings to fly, we flew to you." The hard part is asking us to now let it go. There may not be and more "leader of the band," but as long as we can "come here  Uncle John's Band." We'll be there to let it "melt into a dream." It's understandable that without darkness, we cannot see the stars, so I'm thankful for this weekend because without the Grateful Dead there would be no light to "shine shine shine shine let it."

I: China Cat Sunflower, I Know You Rider, Estimated Prophet, Built to Last, Mountains of the Moon, Throwing Stones

II: Truckin', Cassidy, Althea, Terrapin Station, Drums, Unbroken Chain, Days Between, Not Fade Away

Encore: Touch of Grey

Encore: Attics of my Life

I want Bobby's shirt! Organic men's small please.

Chicago, Il July 4, 2015

Tonight's show went off like with a bang. All the cues and direction that they showed last night was built on from the very opening notes of Shakedown Street to the closing crash of the nights fireworks. The band is real. They have solidified their position in the band.

Each member had their moment in certain songs like the force of Billy and Mickey were really driving songs like Shakedown Street, Cumberland, and Golden Road. Jeff really excelled on Brent Mydland's B3 organ on the Little Red Rooster, although he didn't take Brent's Neighborly verse. Bruce was all over the map tonight, but he was superb on Tennessee Jed and Deal. His relationship with Trey has taken off after last night. The two have beautiful music minds and I believe that this won't be the last time the two play together. 

It's ridiculous how much Shakedown Street is in Trey's wheelhouse. It's like Jerry gift to Trey. I believe that he could play the song for an hour if he wasn't brought back to earth by Bobby. Yet Standing on the Moon was clearly a song that Trey found a connection in all this Grateful Dead hysteria. The thick rich lyrical tone stuck a chord with him. It was shocking that he sang because Bruce mention in an interview short after the announce that Trey didn't know the tune when they did it at the Comes A Time event. Yet my feeling is that Foolish Heart will be the first song that Phish tries out this summer if any. The composition of the song, piano ends on a low note but guitar ends on high, the middle section jam makes it a unique enough song that they could try it out this summer. 

Phil really popped on Bird Song. He has constantly lead his bands through excellent version of this song for the last 15 plus years. Phil was in command of the song, which the band built up and then mellowed just to bring back to another crescendo. Bobby erased twenty years off his body and voice with the spectacular Sailor Saint. He was like a kid again as played his mates through his 80's combo. Then on the Saturday night closer Bobby jumped through the monitors to the front of the stage to show the audience some love. There is no way that any other song can be immediately played after a great Saturday Night, the audience is in a complete frenzy. It is such a great experience.

All this said, the highlight of the night was not the firework display that Phil and Jill masqueraded to on stage. The highlight was the painting a masterful Stella Blue. Bobby sang the song like his microphone was a rose and he didn't want to blow off any petals, until the break where he lit up. The chills are still going up and down my spine, as I reflex on it. Then Trey lit off on the solo. Cranking up to where he could have put the guitar down and it would have sparked on fire and been let to burn there. It might have been the spark that they used for the fireworks later. The band showed that even with the massive song list that they still could crush it on stage. Now we move into the final night and we know the songs that they still have up their sleeves, "gonna miss me when I'm gone," "sooner you will not heard his song," and what I think will be the encore "we will get by."

I: Shakedown Street, Libery, Standing on the Moon, Me & My Uncle, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, Little Red Rooster, Friend of the Devil, Deal

II: Bird Song, The Golden Road, Lost Sailor, Saint of Circumstance, west LA Fadeaway, Foolish Heart, Drums, Stella Blue, One More Saturday Night

Encore: US Blues

Chicago, Il July 3, 2015

The hallowed columns of Soldier Field that saw the shadow of Jerry Garcia leave the bright lights of the stage for the final time was awoken for these three nights of the spirit of the Grateful Dead. Though close to twenty years have past the Deadheads have not forgotten and in this celebration of the Grateful Dead the band proved that they have not either. The band resurrected the spirit by starting right were they left off, the final song the Grateful Dead played, Box of Rain opened the nights festivities. It was the band's affirmation or declaration that they were not missing for the last twenty years, they were exclaiming that they have been here all along. Based on the fan reaction to when the tickets were released and the cluster fuck and the ordeal that most fans went through for this weekend, there is the belief that we are all apart of something bigger and better then just going to a concert. It's a light that Deadheads are drawn to. Here is were we can "believe it if we need it or leave it if we dare." "Love will see us through."

There was a bit of fan criticism after the two nights of Santa Clara. The Grateful Dead were always a band with a leader, in Jerry, who didn't want to be a leader at all, and yet he was followed. The group was a band of self-sustaining musicians. Each one wanted to be louder in the mix, yet each one focused on fitting their roles under what Jerry played. The first gigs were good but they were leaderless. Despite Phil's spirited take on Box of Rain, the band started falling into place as Trey Anastasio took the second leads on Jack Straw. The Santa Clara band with lovely tunes transformed as machine gun Trey started to blaze is fire all over "Jack Straw from Wichita." Leaps and bounds over the dim previous two shows. The fans got more of what they wanted when Trey took lead vocals on Bertha, and instead of him slinking back into the background, he kept control as a lead guitars should dictate. The spectacular Passenger ended giving the band and audience a chance to catch their breath after four rockers. 

They slickly pulled off a smooth segue between The Wheel and Crazy Fingers. In the Crazy Fingers, Trey lit up the reggae beats with a buoyant solo and then took a step cross the stage and signaled to Bruce to take over, it may have been accident but Trey here took over to be an de facto leader. A leader without wanting to lead. In that space he created, Jeff shone for the first time. Playing Brent Mydland's B3 organ, Jeff sparkled on the solo to Trey who continually sang "I tried" over and over as if he was singing from more then lines on the page. 

The set close with Trey stepping up again and filling those holes in Music Never Stopped with his electric finger. They assented the notes on the guitar as the crowd egged him on. Phil and Bobby clearly pleased as the band and audience reached a fever pitch. For the first time the atmosphere created such a crushing sound that my ears hurt. The Grateful Dead was fully awake. We walked into the light and prepare for the second set. 

The band started with some tuning as Trey cautiously started building the chord progression to Mason's. Right out of that came Scarlet Begonias. The place erupted. With the Candance light show in full effect the place seemed to be bubbling with emotion as this prized Dead song began and stepped us through the door to "get shown the light." Each solo turn was a new excuse for the audience to celebrate there revival in the song and the band feed off the energy and love that they got from us. The band then layer on textures and the created a base to keep the masses moving. A bit of relief was breathed as Bruce took the lead vocals on Fire on the Mountain. The thick groove filled this palace as we were all "dead to the core." Bobby cued the band into final singing of "Fire," which was supposed to leave space for the drummers to take over but the cue was partially missed by most of the band members. Mickey got the affirmation that he wanted from the crowd as beat a break into his firebird drums and stood with his hands over head. By the time Billy had worked his way over to Mickey's side of the drum kit the band members had started to find their instruments. 

Being that the band only played three songs before Drums, there were big expectations for the second half of the set. The band pieced together the Dead rarity New Potato Caboose. Slowly afterwards the band started building till Bobby signal Playin' like a lighthouse on a foggy night at sea. The crowd was re-invigorated by Playin' as they marched along with the band. As the band slipped off into the abyss of darkness that they gathered from the Playin' they individually followed their own calling till Phil started them down to a lull. This moment of quietness was the opportunity for the band to reconnect with each other. This is what they did by layering texture on top of texture till they broke it apart again. One more time they built and in the frenzy of the built jam they slided into Bobby gently strumming Let It Grow. The band lead us as we "raise and fall," in the moments with the band. (Of all the songs in the Dead catalog, Let It Grow is one that has never been the same since Jerry left us and that is still true.) Then the band briefly moved into a transition jam that I thought might have been back into Playin' but no. The band dropped the hammer on Help/Slip. Trey had a mind lapse during the verse but that was not a distraction to the band as they found the murky waters of the Slipknot section. Trey had firmly established his leaderless leading in this song and so once he shot a glimpse to Bobby to say take us home. Bobby's arm raised as he counted them down into the closing scripted section as Phil eased them into Franklin's Tower. In a moment of metaphysical musical cohesiveness, Bruce and Trey aligned as they complemented each other in the first solo of Franklin's. Every step Trey took, Bruce pushed the envelope further and further. Phil was crawling with emotion when he took over vocals. While Phil sang Trey strolled to his side of the stage to get Bruce's attention, Trey signaled that Bruce was taking the solo after "if you get confused listen to the music play." Bruce shrugged him off once but Trey persisted and Bruce went for it. Might not have been a bigger Bruce fan in the place than Trey as he smiled and cheered him until "some come to laugh the past away."

The sing along Ripple was the fitting topper. The band has completely transformed. The band is now the best band ever assembled for five gigs. This was their half way point and their high water mark. As Neil Young's Cortex the Killer played over the PA, I feel like I have been transported 20 years back in time. There is a spring in my step. I've awoken fully dead. 

I: Box of Rain, Jack Straw, Bertha, Passenger, The Wheel, Crazy Fingers, The Music Never Stopped

II: Mason's Children, Scarlet Begonias, Fire on the Mountain, Drums, New Potato Caboose, Playin' in the Band, Let It Grow, Help on the Way, Slipknot!, Franklin's Tower

Encore: Ripple

Santa Clara, Ca June 28, 2015

Set I

Feel Like A Stranger

New Minglewood Blues

Brown Eyed Woman

Loose Lucy

Loser

Row Jimmy

Alabama Getaway

Black Peter

Hell In A Bucket

Set II

Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodoo

Wharf Rat

Eyes of the World

He's Gone

Drums (with Sikiru Adepoju)

I Need A Miracle

Death Don't Have No Mercey

Sugar Magnolia

Encore

Brokedown Palace

There were some people who theorized after the first night's 66-70 time frame that, each show would be a different era of the Grateful Dead. Well this mix of songs dispelled that rumor. The opener was from 1979, the next song was debuted in 1965. So things jumped around. With each song the band has seemed to gain more confidence and play to each other's strengths. 

Now there is waiting for the next three in Chicago. If you do not have tickets, keep trying. If the stage doesn't take up as much room as they predicted, there should be some floors popping up. Hope to see you there!

Santa Clara, CA. June 27, 2015

Set I

Jam                              

Truckin'                                                    

Uncle John's Band           

Alligator>        

Cumberland Blues

Born Cross-Eyed

Cream Puff War

Viola Lee Blues 

Set II

Crypitical Envolopment

Dark Star

St Stephen

The Eleven

Turn on Your Lovelight

Drums

What's Become Of The Baby

The Other One

Morning Dew

Encore

Casey Jones

The "newest" Grateful Dead song on the list is "Truckin'" which debuted on 8/18/70. "Born Cross Eyed" was never played by the Grateful Dead live but was on their 1968 album "Anthem from the Sun." By album they played 3 songs from their first album, 4 from their second, 2 from "Aoxomoxoa," 3 from "Live/Dead," 2 from "Workingman's," and one from "American Beauty."

Soundcheck June 26, 2015

For those who were luck enough, we got to hear most of the soundcheck last night thanks to Agentphish on Mixlr. The setlist from Levi's Stadium is as follows; Althea, Brown Eyed Woman, Truckin', UJB Reprised, Alligator, Cumberland Blues, Born Cross-eyed, Cream Puff War, St Stephen (with William Tell bridge), The Eleven, Lovelight, Space, and Drums. The picture below is the stage setup arriving at Soldier Field. "There's a band out on the highway, their high stepping into town."

Run Me Out

Well it was 20 years ago that I saw my final Grateful Dead concert. By all means, it is more than a bit surreal that they are booked again as the Grateful Dead. I never thought that I would see the day. It is wonder some to think that these show are the bands final send off.

The show, I'm talking about is the second night of Giants Stadium in 1995. I saw the previous night and thought it was magical, until the "Wharf Rat." Somehow Jerry's brain thought that he was playing "Stella Blue" but his mouth was playing "Wharf Rat" until the song coda, when he caught up to himself. Regardless the show was a magically experience for me and my friend as things seemed to line-up for us. This lifestyle, this band, this music was something that I was looking at investing my time and effort into and there was alinement in my trajectory with the band. Even though I was pretty silly of me to be proud of dancing through all of Drums and Space. Yet at the end of the night, I had just seen my first show on LSD and Jerry sang "Lucy in the Sky," so I was taking away from it that there was a mystical connection.
The next night, I saw some of these connection dissolve into uncertainty. For this night I was on the floor, instead of in the 300's. I thought that the first set of this set had more energy than the previous night and was hopeful that the second set would kick it up a notch. The "Aiko" was a fun opener and then the band slowly build into a request the previous night. Before the second set the night beforehand the audience in the 100 level started a long chain of interlocked glow sticks, as a way of requesting "Unbroken Chain." This night got the "Unbroken" but the song was spoiled by Jerry's guitar going dead right as the instrumental break came through. Steve Parrish was running like a madman around Jerry's rig as he fumbled with his guitar and petals. People found it odd a couple of years ago, when Phil plowed through "Unbroken" with Furthur, when Bobby went down, but this was a similar type of deal. The show must go on.
Jerry didn't appear on "Space" and he missed half of the "Other One" with more guitar problems. To me that, "Stella Blue" was a heart felt note. A brilliant apology to the evening technical problems. Then Jerry topped off the show with a fond Fare Well.

Yet there is some regret when I look back on my last show, not because it was my last show but because it should not have been. My buddy was going up to Albany for the two shows at the Knickerbocker Arena and I was going to go with him until my mom talked me into going to my Senior Prom instead. Her comment was, "The Grateful Dead has been around since I was young. You'll have plenty of times that you can go see them." Turns out she was wrong. So when she tries guilting me into not going to Chicago, I remind her of this and continue my obsession with the first weekend in July.
So my hypothesizing over the last month made me reflex on the 20th anniversary shows the band played on 6/14, 15, and 16th of 1985. The shows were full of the GD standards like "Scarlet/Fire," "China/Rider," "Sailor/Saint," and "Terrapin." But the band also took time to nod to the future by debuting out "Keep On Growing." As well they took time to pull out some gems from their years past, such as the first "Comes a Time" in 5 years. Then brief resurrection of "Cryptical Envelopment" which had not been played since 1972 and had only been played once since then.
So this Fare Thee Well, 5 show run, what will be the curveball. When Phil came back to the stage after his liver transplant in 1999, the revival of "Viola Lee" literally came out of no where. I don't remember anyone calling that one. In the years since them "Viola Lee," "Golden Road," and "Weather Report Suite" have all seen the sunshine on a regular bases. I have called "HC Sunshine" as an opener on 7/3 because one of the first interviews I read, Trey mentioned listening to shows from 1973. Then in the Wall Street Journal article Bobby and Trey talk about having about 90-100 songs charted. At between 18-20 songs a show, that means no repeats for all 5 shows. Happy, happy DeadHeads.
Like it or not "Drums" is going to played all 5 nights. I can't see the set up Mickey and Billy have been posting online just being there for "Stagger Lee" and "Ramble On Rose." This also means there will be late set transitions to those dreamy Jerry ballads each night. Five nights, five different songs. "Dew," "Wharf Rat,""Stella Blue," "Days Between," and "Standing on the Moon" could be the five ballads. But what if they open with a "Dew?" Or slide a "Standing on the Moon" as a first set closer? Out of a "To Lay me Down?" That would make room for "Comes a Time," which might make me hit the moon. I also think that there is a rare song that is similar to some of the slower Phish ballads and that is "If I Had The World To Give."
That would pretty much blow peoples mind. Yet I do not think that that would be the gem that gets revived in this atmosphere. The bust out song that I'm going to predict for the weekend in Chicago is "Blues for Allah." I believe that it will fit in the middle of the set and be one of those "Blues for Allah>Drums>Blues for Allah" type jams.
I can honestly say that I'm already thinking about Fourth of July weekend more than I should. I am driving there and back from NYC area. I have family there and hope to do some yoga each day at Cyoglab there. I love to meet up with as many people as possible, best way is twitter HERE or email playingintheheartofgoldband@gmail.com. And we will be "dancing in Chicago!"

The Grateful Dead 50

So word was officially announced today, the core four will reunite for 3 shows in Chicago at Soldier Field. The site of the final Grateful Dead show will host them on July 3rd, 4th, and 5th. These are billed as the final performance by Billy, Mickey, Phil and Bobby. This is also the first time in 20 years that they are using the name The Grateful Dead. So forget about that time in November of 1995, in the St Lawrence dinning hall that CNN flashed a video of the band's Radio City gig and proclaimed that the band released a statement that they would no longer play gigs as the Grateful Dead.
The core four will be joined by Trey Anastasio on guitar, Bruce Hornsby on piano and Jeff Chimenti on keys. A very interesting band for the celebration.
Here are the links you'll need; dead50.com, gdtstoo.com, and the video announcement by Trixie Garcia via YouTube. After watching that check out mail order instructions HERE. Then check out this first interview with Trey and Bobby HERE.
I'll be at the shows, its what a DeadHead does, and will try to post reaction and pictures of each of the shows.

Grateful Dead in 1965

In 1965, Pigpen convinced the other members of the Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions to leave behind their acoustic instruments and evolve into an electric blues band. The other members, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Jerry Garcia and Dana Morgan Jr, were all more than willing to participate. Though they went electric, most of their material did not change. Their song repertoire consisted of traditional covers that now became louder.

They lined up a bunch of gigs at a suburban San Francisco pizzeria named Magoo's Pizza Parlor. They played there on a weekly basis then would practice at Dana Morgan's Music Shop. One of these Magoo's gigs was attended by Phil Lesh and his girlfriend. After reconnecting with Phil at the gig, Jerry approached Phil about learning bass and serving as Dana Morgan Jr's replacement, despite the fact that it meant they would lose their practice space. Phil was a trumpet player but was known to have perfect pitch. Phil agreed to join although he thought that he was going to be playing rhythm guitar because of what he was hearing in the Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." There is no record of Jerry asking Bobby, Pigpen, or Billy before asking Phil to join the band. After practicing the bass for a few weeks, Phil played his first gig with The Warlocks on June 18 of 1965 at Frenchy's in Hayward, California, their first gig not at Magoo's Pizza Parlor in Menlo Park. 

While flipping through records, the newest member of the band discovered that there was another band out there that had the name The Warlocks. This New York band lead by Lou Reed, had gotten the name published before the San Francisco Warlocks. So the band without a name had studio time in November as singer Jon Hendricks' backing band. As a bonus they got to record some of their demos after completing his song "Fire in the City." The boys used the temporary moniker of The Emergency Crew for this recording. They decided on the name in the studio. These recordings were put out as the CD "The Birth of the Dead" in 2003, although "Fire in the City" was the B Side for Jon Hendricks in 1966. 

As the legend goes, the band was sitting around throwing different possible band names around, when Garcia took an Encyclopedia Britannica off the shelf. Flipping threw the pages, he focused on The Grateful Dead. It was in the encyclopedia as a folklore of a spirit who karmically repays the person responsible for taking care of their burial. No one else in the band hated the name, but nor did they love it. Yet much like their previous name of The Warlocks, there is a mystical and spiritual energy that surrounds the name. 

Around this time, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters started posting signs around San Francisco asking, "Can you pass the Acid Test?" The band member attended their first Acid Test as participants before being asked to be the musical guest. The band made their first known appearance as the Grateful Dead at the San Jose acid test at Big Nig's House on December 4th, 1965. To say they "played" the Acid Test is being generous. More they brought their instruments, drank the Kool Aid, and let what ever happen for the next 8 hours. If you think about it, the phrase "anything can happen at a Grateful Dead concert," stems from these experiences at the Acid Test. Not only that but the friendships that the band had with the Merry Pranksters, Mountain Girl, Rock Scully, and their soundman Owsley "Bear" Stanley, all originated from the early Acid Test.

Besides the officially released recording, there isn't much recorded history of The Warlocks or The Grateful Dead in 1965. Songs like "You Don't Have To Ask" and "Can't Come Down," the first recorded song by Jerry Garcia, were extremely rough around the edges and therefore abandoned shortly after their conception. Yet in 1965, they chose some of their Jug Band songs that would last all 30 years of the Grateful Dead history and beyond. "Cold Rain and Snow," "Don't Ease Me In," and "I Know You Rider" were all traditional songs that the band played in 1965 that lasted to the final tour in 1995. It's pretty remarkable that the band kept those songs current in their lineup. If you look at Bob Dylan's "30th Anniversary Concert," none of the songs at that show were on his first album. Actually in 1965, the band played two Bob Dylan songs; "She Belongs to Me" and "It's All Over Now Baby Blue." The latter was a song that Jerry sang until February 19th of 1995. 

Although the San Jose Acid Test was the first appearance by The Grateful Dead, the first concert wasn't until December 10th. The band played the Fillmore Auditorium with Jefferson Airplane, Great Society, John Handy Quintet, Mystery Trend, and The Gentleman Band. Bill Graham who put on the Mime Troupe Benefit, was not keen on the new band name and printed the poster as saying; "The Grateful Dead (Formerly The Warlocks)." This would come into play much later on in Grateful Dead history. The band that started as a Jug band over the course of the year, grew into a drug band who appeared in three Acid Tests in December of 1965. All in all 1965, was a period of growth by the band. There was some form of direction that they had, even though it was still immature. 

GD 50

Twenty five years ago, the Grateful Dead rang in the New Years from Oakland Coliseum Arena in fine style. The band is coming off a fall tour which some see as the best tour of the decade. This New Years run picks on this energy and runs with it. The fall tour and this run also saw Garcia do something that he hadn't done in 10 years, he came to stage with a guitar other than the Tiger. Jerry started playing the Tiger on August 4th, 1979 and played it exclusively till the fall of 89. The supped up Wolf made sporadic appearance starting on Bobby's birthday, which would later be released as "Nightfall of Diamonds." The night beforehand Jerry played the Wolf but then went back to old reliable for New Years. Download the SBD of this New Year show HERE.

 Bob Weir comes to the microphone after New Years to joke, "I hear this is the start of a new Dick-aid, I mean decade." A collective grown lets out as the drummer play him a clap. As most are aware, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead and also the 20th anniversary of the loss of Jerry Garcia. The fans have been impatiently pointing fingers at the core four to put their differences aside and dust off those rusty strings one more time. Rumors have been bouncing around but nothing has been confirmed, except from Phil who has put together Grateful Dead retrospectives at Terrapin Crossroads. He is planning to play Grateful Dead material from a designated year for each different night. A cool concept but what about the other three original members. Well last night's season greeting from Mickey Hart might have shed some light on the rumors that have bounced around. In his statement Mickey wrote, "The bird gave me the word. 2015 will be even better. Our long strange trip continues."All DeadHead's know "Bird Song" was written for Janis Joplin, and in the years since Jerry passed, it was common for them to sing "All I know HE sang a little while than flew off." Is Jerry that Bird, metaphorically speaking. We'll be waiting. We'll be ready to fly off.

I: Sugar Mags, Touch, Woman, Big Boss Man, Memphis Blues, Shakedown

II: Countdown, Iko, Victim, Dark Star, Drums, Space, Fantasy, Hey Jude, GDTRFB, T Stones, NFA

E1: Brokedown, SSDD E2: Midnight Hour