By AC Hall

Bill Graham, a famous music promoter in the 1970s and 1980s, said, “They’re not only the best at what they do, they’re the ONLY ones who do what they do…” They are The Grateful Dead. 

The Grateful Dead in 1987. Photo credit: Herb Greene via flickr.

Dead and Company, a top-rated rock band that was formed by John Mayer and members of The Grateful Dead in 2015, announced on September 14, 2022, that 2023 would be their final tour. The Grateful Dead, commonly referred to as The Dead, was originally formed as a quintet in 1965 out of San Francisco, California. The New World Encyclopedia describes the band perfectly: “It was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelic rock, and gospel—and for live performances of long musical improvisation.”

The Dead dissolved in 1995 following lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia‘s death. The founding members of the quintet were Jerry Garcia (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Weir (rhythm guitar, vocals), Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (keyboards, harmonica, vocals), Phil Lesh (bass, vocals), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums). Initially, The Dead were known as the Warlocks; however, their name changed after seven months when they found out another group shared the same name. The Warlocks formed from Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, a Palo Alto jug band. They made their first public debut on May 5, 1965, at Magoo’s Pizza Parlor in Menlo Park, CA. The band played constantly and began their journey to becoming what we know today as The Grateful Dead.

Dead and Co. Left to right: John Mayer, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart. Photo credit: Julio Enriquez via Wikimedia Commons.

The Grateful Dead signed with Warner Bros. in 1966 and released their first album the following year, on March 17, 1967, called The Grateful Dead. Drummer Mickey Hart joined the band in September 1967. Although the album consisted mainly of covers, its success paved the way for The Dead. 

The Grateful Dead performed heavily in 1965 and 1966 and began touring nationally in 1967. As music critic Gene Santoro puts it, “Grateful Dead was one of the most successful touring bands in rock history despite having had virtually no radio hits.” The Dead quickly improved, as they were performing live all the time. The live performances were what gained The Dead such an involved following.

Followers of The Dead refer to themselves as Dead Heads. The Dead Head craze began in earnest in 1971, when the band started a mailing list, which informed devoted fans who would receive updates on the band’s upcoming tickets and tours. Dead Heads were known to follow the band and attend multiple shows in a tour. Some of The Dead’s followers devoted their lives to following the band and attending as many shows as they could in a tour. The Dead were known for rarely repeating a set list, so truly, every show was different, and it was hard to get tired of listening to them. The band also prolonged their songs with jammed improvisation within and between them, which resulted in a different variation every time.

Wall of Sound, Hollywood, 1974. Photo credit: Mary Ann Mayer via Wikimedia Commons.

One aspect of The Dead’s later era, starting in the late 1970s, was the Drums and Space segment of the show. People have various opinions on this part of the show. Originally started as a drum solo segment for the two drummers, it soon evolved into a psychedelic “DrumSpace” segment of sound, which can last from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. This time acts as an intermission for some; for others, it allows a deeper connection to the music. 

Like the opinions on the Drums and Space portion of the shows, fans also have opinions on the band’s various logos. The Dead is most recognized by dancing bears, terrapin turtles, and the”Steal your Face” logos. The dancing bears “are a reference to Owsley ‘Bear’ Stanley, who recorded and produced the album upon which they appear.” Bear was a crucial band member; he funded their early years, he recorded many of their live shows, and he created the innovative Wall of Sound. The terrapin turtles became associated with The Dead when they released the album Terrapin Station in 1977, and the terrapin turtles are commonly found on band merchandise. 

Steal Your Face logo. Photo credit: Zoooma (Flickr).

The Steal Your Face logo has many theories of origin. At first, the logo was referred to as The Grateful Dead logo, not Steal Your Face, or “Stealie.” The fans named it, as they “took the ‘steal your face‘ lyric and album title and applied it to having your ‘face stolen’ by the music, meaning that the Grateful Dead (and specifically, Jerry Garcia) are blowing your mind with their improvisational jams.” Others believed that the lightning bolt in the logo is “symbolic of divine inspiration and intervention, of epiphanies and transformative experiences… Many Deadheads would agree that this is true of the music of The Dead as well.”

Drug use was long associated with the band members and their followers. According to Derek Pyle of furious.com, “No other band and no other fanbase has been as immeshed in drug distribution as the Grateful Dead were with LSD.” This led to major drug use at the concerts, not only by the fans but also by the band. Many of the band members eventually struggled with substance abuse and addiction. Their participation in author Ken Kesey’s “Acid Tests” in their early years helped establish their improvisational philosophy on the music. LSD was very common in the crowd because the lyrics, as described by blogger Lucas Pietrapiana, were “the perfect trip companion.” The band’s primary lyricist, Robert Hunter, was known for writing many of his songs under the influence of LSD, including the well-known “China Cat Sunflower” and “Dark Star.”

The merchandise booth at the Dead and Company show in Bristow, Virginia in July 2022. Photo credit: AC Hall.

The Grateful Dead has inspired both tribute bands and offshoots, with Dead and Company probably the most widely known. There are over 300 Grateful Dead tribute bands worldwide. Dead and Company includes Grateful Dead members Weir, Hart, and Kreutzmann. Along with the original members are John Mayer (guitar and lead vocalist), Oteil Burbridge (bass), and Jeff Chimenti (keyboard).

Dead Heads come from every path of life. As The Grateful Dead did, Dead and Company attracts followers from all social classes, backgrounds, and ages. There is no feeling of judgment at the concerts, regardless of whom and how you associate yourself. Everybody is at the concert for the same reason: to enjoy the music and have a good time. When looking into the crowd, you will likely see all different people wearing the same attire; tie-dye, flowers, loose-fitting clothes, and graphic t-shirts.  

Dead-related merchandise, specifically their t-shirts, has been tremendous to the band’s popularity. Grateful Dead t-shirts specifically are a staple for many teenagers, even in the 21st century. The best merchandise can often be found on Shakedown Street, which is the traditional name given to the parking lot area at the shows, where vendors sell merchandise. The concept began in the 1980s and was named after the Grateful Dead song.

The time before a Dead show is when you interact with fellow fans the most. It is captivating to walk around Shakedown Street and soak it all in, and you can meet fascinating people.

The Dead were still touring regularly when my dad was a kid. My dad, Sam Hall IV, was born in 1972 and grew up loving the band. He loved going to their live shows and even received concert tickets as a high school graduation present in 1991. He also collected t-shirts and now has an extensive collection of merchandise, ranging from loud graphic tie-dye t-shirts to modest needlepoint belts. Most of the time, my dad has some form of Grateful Dead attire on. My love for the band stemmed from my dad’s obsession with The Dead growing up. Every time I am in the car with my dad, he plays The Dead; he bought Sirius XM solely to listen to the Grateful Dead Channel.

My friend and I at the Dead and Company concert in Bristow, Virginia in 2022. Photo credit: Sam Hall.

When I went to The Dead and Co. show in Bristow, Virginia, last summer, on July 8, 2022, my dad and I did not have much time to spend on the street and outside of the venue, which we both heavily regretted. This year, when I attend the same show with my dad, I plan to arrive even earlier and spend more time meeting people and looking around Shakedown Street, as it will be our last time there together, given the fact that this is their final tour.

Now, over 50 years after the original band was first founded, there is still an extensive gravitation toward The Dead that stems from curiosity and love. Followers of The Dead either come from previous exposure or curiosity of the band and the followers. Many kids my age are followers of The Dead, which they have likely discovered through friends, family, or the internet. The environment at the shows and the vibe from the fans are so welcoming. Once you attend a show, it is hard to stop listening to the band. 

At the show I attended last year, we met two girls and their dad. The girls were in their twenties, and their story was similar to mine. Their dad got them hooked on the band, and it was an experience that they loved sharing with him. This was their eighth show, and one of the daughters told me, “At my first show, I did not know any of the songs, but the energy from the crowd and the connection it created between my dad, sister, and me has brought me back every year. And now, at my eighth show, I know every song that they are playing on the setlist.” After that show, my dad and I made a promise to attend a show every year.

Sadly, this year is The Final Tour for Dead and Co., and likely the last Dead show my dad, and I will get to attend together, but I look forward to still listening to the band every car ride and wearing all of my Grateful Dead attire with pride. The band members will hopefully continue to play through other projects, such as Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros. Although the Dead and Co. era is over, the band’s music and legacy will undoubtedly live on forever.