by Max B

Most of you guys have probably heard of em: that dumb hippy band that your dad used to listen to. They have always been somewhat of a niche group with a stigma surrounding them to non-dead heads.To the un indoctrinated, it can seem like a strange phenomenon, and even a carry similarities to Christian rock, in that there is such a huge culture around it. For Dead Heads, it is not just about the music, it is a way of life (although it is important to note that they are much better than Christian rock). The Grateful Dead were so much more than that though; their music gives you a new outlook on things, a different view on life. This is why millions of people flocked to their shows following them around everywhere; it was the magical environment that the band and the people attending the concerts provided. The group of people that followed the Dead around, show to show; tour to tour otherwise known as Dead Heads where widely known for being some of the kindest, most caring people in the world. At every single show they would create incredible vibes that could literally be seen in the air (if you were on lsd).

Now that I’ve covered the audience, I’d like to cover the incredible musical talent that literally every member of the band had. Lead by Jerry Garcia on Guitar and vocals, the Grateful Dead would play in beautiful unison at pretty much EVERY show. Although there where periods of time in the 80s where the band did not sound amazing due to Jerry’s struggle with addiction, you can find beauty in almost every song played at every show. My favorite period of time is 1987-1993, in my opinion all the shows in this period where perfect. I also really enjoy all music from around 1972-1978 but I don’t think anything will beat the late 80s and early 90s.

Last but not least I’d like to discuss the affiliation with drugs and the band. At every single show from day one you would easily be able to find a cornucopia of drugs ranging from some rarer psychedelics like mescaline, all the way to some of the harder drugs like heroin and cocaine. The majority of the people at shows where under the influence of something whether it was alcohol, marijuana, or LSD. Drugs were a huge part of the scene and definitely the reason that SOME people went to the concerts. Being a Dead Head did not mean that you were a “drug addict” necessarily, but people were definitely more exposed to drugs at these concerts.

I hope you guys learned something by reading this article. Make sure you check out the band and don’t just listen to one song and say that you don’t like it. It took me months to get into them but now that I’ve been a fan for a while I’ve gotten very into the culture and music. It’s something to be proud of not something to hide!