GD 50TH Reunion

[GoingBackTo Where....]

Pick and choose who u miracle. ..don't eat yellow snow...and Bobby phil love money as they get older and have less time to spend it...but organ do cost a life's wage!!!

Pay for view is bla....porn is nice but wouldn't rather be making it...maybe watching or dancing to it in a cheap blue light hotel....but not the same in a 2 dimensional screen. U loose the wonderful smell:)!! Hahaha......

Capitalism....capitalist.....tough on the rough for true heads...the music means so much more than the money...but the music could never go on with out capitalism....and the lots in the past with its rudimentary capitalism/ trade and bargaining is in essence the reason why there is a million dollar ticket for resale.......this shot is priceless...and many of us made it that way...feel complimented that you are part of the reason GD with trey is worth 6-7 figures.

He'll, I just see it that everyone is paying so much in hopes I will go and they can watch me dance:)!!!!!!!

Hahahaha...I crack me up.

[liquidsmoke]

Bot Wars

I didn't stand a chance.

http://www.newstatesman.com/economics/2013/08/bot-wars-why-you-can-never-buy-concert-tickets-online

I don't understand the need for this to unfold so rapidly..... Mail order seems so fair. This should be the revolution in the music industry's approach to big names. Mail order.

I am so thankful for DSO.

 

This bot crap makes my blood boil. You are right, we need big bands to get into mail order and get venues to dump their contracts with ticket master. I'm also so thankful for DSO. I've had a great time at big Other Ones and Furthur shows but I've seen DSO many more times much closer up and have had a lot more beyond description experiences at their shows. No offense intended to The Four.

 

Still, I'm glad some of you here got tickets. I genuinely hope you have a blast at these shows! Play hard and stay safe.

[Tea]

Shappy Update:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ chi-grateful-dead-peter-shapiro-20150303-column.ht ml

If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Grateful Dead fans who got shut out of tickets for the band’s 50th anniversary shows July 3-5 in Soldier Field, promoter Peter Shapiro has some good news for you.

“We’re going to try to create ways to experience the show outside the stadium, using technology,” Shapiro says. “Whether you’re at home, or out in the community, we’re working on a way to bring the show to fans who aren’t in Soldier Field with high-level audio and video.”

When Peter Shapiro, 42, was a teen studying at Northwestern University in Evanston when he attended a Grateful Dead concert at what was then known as Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena). It was a life-changing experience.

The format –- pay per view, online streaming, a simulcast -- hasn’t been determined, he says. “We’re exploring all ideas. But this is a way that technology we didn’t have in the '90s can really help make this event as Grateful Dead-fan friendly as possible. They couldn’t beam shows in the '90s into your house, your phone, another place where people gather. And we’ll have that.”

The double-edged sword of technology, the blinding speed with which more than 200,000 tickets could sell out three Grateful Dead anniversary concerts, preoccupies Shapiro. He’s upset that tickets are on the secondary market selling for thousands of dollars. “Those numbers aren’t real, and they have nothing to do with the music. …. (But) with the technology and bringing the show to fans who couldn’t get tickets, to enable them to see it, we want to do a reverse jujitsu against the secondary market.”

Shapiro, 42, was destined to help put together what is turning out to be one of the most in-demand concerts in rock history.

In 1993, while the New York City teen was studying at Northwestern University in Evanston, he attended a Grateful Dead concert at what was then known as the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena). It was a life-changing experience that he remembers in exacting detail, from the opening performance by word-jazz pioneer Ken Nordine to the multisensory experience inside and outside the show in the snow-ridden parking lot. It was so inspiring that the next day he began working on a documentary on the band and the community and culture it created.

Years later he became a concert promoter in New York City and has built the multicity Brooklyn Bowl franchise and owns the famed Capitol Theatre in Port Arthur, N.Y. He’s booked numerous shows by Dead spinoff bands led by Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, and forged a relationship that brought him into the band’s inner circle when Lesh, Weir, Hart and Bill Kreutzmann began discussing a 50th anniversary celebration. The core members will be augmented by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio and keyboardists Bruce Hornsby and Jeff Chimenti.

In a Tribune interview, Shapiro addressed some issues about putting together the concert and instant sell-out ticket sale, with tickets now on the secondary market selling for tens of thousands of dollars.

On the overwhelming demand for the shows: “It’s just nuts. This thing has taken on a life of its own. The response to these on-sales, both online and mail, shows the power the band had, and the music. It made everyone say, ‘Whoa.’ No one expected how big this has turned out to be.”

On the huge mark-ups for tickets on the secondary market: “I don’t think that’s real. I wave my hand at these prices. When you post (an asking price on the secondary market), it doesn’t mean you definitely have the ticket on you. Doing this in 2015, technology has its benefits and challenges. The benefits are that I hope we can share this show and many can experience it as if they were there. The challenge is the secondary market -- you create a false impression of what these tickets are worth. I can’t control it. We’ve talked about what we do about it.”

What about additional Grateful Dead shows? “I’m not going to go there. There’s no extra dates planned. For Chicago or anywhere else.”

On restrictions on the number of tickets available to mail-order fans because of Soldier Field deals with Bears season ticket-holders and Ticketmaster: “Solder field has ticketing deals. The (season ticket holders who have) personal seat licenses (PSL’s) get a right to buy a ticket for every event the stadium hosts. That’s part of a putting on an event at Soldier Field in 2015. There’s nothing I can do about that. As it was, we had a larger than normal allocation for the fan base based on the history of the band with the venue. I can’t go into details, but it was more than the usual 10 percent allotment for the fan base (requesting via mail order). Significantly more.”

On snafus with processing the 60,000 ticket orders that poured into Grateful Dead headquarters in California: “Part of my pitch to the band was to bring back mail order for these shows, and we used Grateful Dead ticketing, who did this originally. We tried to do it carefully and right, but it was a massive response. Most everyone was informed whether they got a ticket (before the online sale Saturday). And the band put up a notice that if you haven’t heard ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (by Saturday), try and buy a ticket (online).”

On configuration of Soldier Field for the shows: “It will be a GA (general admission) floor and a 360 set-up. The stage will be at one end zone, but it will be open and there will be seats behind the band. Those were the cheaper seats. The sight lines won’t be the same, but you’re in. They made a decision to get as many people as possible into the show. There will be (video) screens and sound back there.”

On why the band’s four surviving members decided to reunite: “They each wanted to do something to celebrate the 50th anniversary. To get them all to agree, that took a minute, but they’re all excited by this response. The idea of doing the shows on July 4th weekend, going back to where it ended (the band’s final shows were in Soldier Field in July 1995), bringing in Trey as the next generation, and Hornsby, who had been with them off and on for years, and doing something in the middle of the country enabling east and west to come, they all embraced it.”

 

My guess is that they will do simulcasts at a few venues so people can get their dance-on and get a larger screen experience.  In addition, the PPV may be as big of a cash-cow as what they'll end up making from the shows and the associated marketing of the lead-up.

 

What will the pay-per-view cost?   I think the PPV cost will be 19.99 per show or $50.00 for all 3.  Right or worng, Shappy will wring everything he can out of this windfall - even though they will announce in late July a 3-day run in December at Levi Stadium 

[HelpSlip]

Personally think it is a shame that the powers that be picked Trey. Because of this decision, I have no interest whatsoever in this massively over-discussed, now mainstream event. If it were JK at the helm I would be at least somewhat excited to hear what they will produce musically. I dislike Trey to point of hatred honestly..

Yet another enormous paycheck for Phil & Jill as they will continue to exploit deadheads til the day they die.

Jerry's rollin' over ..but he's rolled over so many times by now guess it doesn't really matter....anyway.....or maybe it "does"...last time he sang it 6.21.95 Albany sure sounds like it to me, you be the judge https://archive.org/details/gd95-06-21.naks.5971.sbeok.shnf

[Ammagamalin Crew]

I don't know, Trey can work up some interesting sustained crescendos and land right back in the middle of the song, it will get pretty intense those three nights. With Mickey and Billy reigning him in. I'm glad they're taking In consideration those of us who live by the lyrics of Hunter and crew.

[bs69]

So everyone with a PSL at Soldier field had the right to buy tickets prior to them going on sale to fans? I know in Cincinnati, that would equate to about 80% of the seats in the stadium. I can't go due to family obligations, but I have to ask how the hell they could pick a venue with such a situation?

[Muddy Waters]

Not true that Bears season Ticket Holders got all the Pit GA...a friend of mine got 4 Pit GA's for all three nights through mail order...The whole ticket process was a night mare.  We still have two limbo envelopes out but we won the lottery with our Third for Sunday night. We were  1  of only 3 that scored among 30 people I know who  sent in.  So their  1 in 10 estimbate was accurate. The silver lining is, as referenced in the Trib Article, there will be plenty of access to this show.  Truth be told the view and sound might even be better.  My guess is there will be a set up somewhere like Millenium Park or Waverly Island as well as a few place like the Vic and the Riv...so no reason to stay away from Chicago in my opinion. Im no Phish head but do believe Trey really is the only choice here he is the only one with the gravitas to pull off something completely mind bending. It also could be a trainwreck musically but I really don't care in the end.  The ONLY thing that really matters to me and the ONLY reason I got so geeked up was and is emotional and nostalgic. Just wanted the opportunity to tip my cap. Really that simple.

[Dead duck]

Would love to watch simulcast at a campground somewhere. Throw some live music on stage before and after, then drop a screen and show the fare well stuff. No transportation worries. Still get to watch with people wanting to celebrate the 50th. The ledges would be nice. Beach it up during the day.

[Rude]

Not true that Bears season Ticket Holders got all the Pit GA...a friend of mine got 4 Pit GA's for all three nights through mail order...The whole ticket process was a night mare. We still have two limbo envelopes out but we won the lottery with our Third for Sunday night. We were 1 of only 3 that scored among 30 people I know who sent in. So their 1 in 10 estimbate was accurate. The silver lining is, as referenced in the Trib Article, there will be plenty of access to this show. Truth be told the view and sound might even be better. My guess is there will be a set up somewhere like Millenium Park or Waverly Island as well as a few place like the Vic and the Riv...so no reason to stay away from Chicago in my opinion. Im no Phish head but do believe Trey really is the only choice here he is the only one with the gravitas to pull off something completely mind bending. It also could be a trainwreck musically but I really don't care in the end. The ONLY thing that really matters to me and the ONLY reason I got so geeked up was and is emotional and nostalgic. Just wanted the opportunity to tip my cap. Really that simple.

Meant no GA during tickermaster sale. Had in parenthesis none available.

[PoetryGirl]

http://m.memegenerator.net/instance/59916742

[Tea]

http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-14082-ladies-and-gentlemen-not-the-grateful-dead.html

 

None of the info in this piece is earth-shattering, but it's an interesting read.  The monetization of many things we covet is a sad admission but also the grim reality of business and entertainment.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, not the Grateful Dead By Stewart Sallo

 

It has been almost 20 years since legendary Grateful Dead lead guitarist Jerry Garcia transitioned to the big acid test in the sky. And since Jerry left us the debate has raged over whether the remaining members of the band — Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart — could call themselves the Grateful Dead. That question was answered definitively with a resounding “NO” this past weekend as some 500,000 fans logged on to the Ticketmaster website in an attempt to purchase tickets to the “Fare Thee Well” shows, scheduled for July 3-5 at Soldier Field in Chicago. You heard it here first: Even if these shows go down as the greatest in the history of rock and roll, this is not the Grateful Dead.

 

Many of the 500,000 hopefuls had already engaged in the ultimately futile exercise of participating in the mail order presale, thinking they were participating in a revival of the beloved tradition that marked the band’s commitment to its fans by selling tickets directly, rather than through third-party agencies. Unbeknownst to the true Deadheads who put their hearts and souls into decorating their envelopes and sending off large sums of money on Jan. 20, back-room deals had already been made with big music industry players, such as Ticketmaster and a Philadelphia-based V.I.P. package provider called CID Entertainment (with options ranging from $519 to $2,198, plus “service fees”), to cash in on the genuine love and appreciation that is still alive and well among those who have never been able to replace the Grateful Dead as a source of joy and inspiration in their lives.

 

The capacity of Soldier Field for these shows is 210,000. According to Grateful Dead Ticket Sales, some 60,000 mail order envelopes were received representing 300,000 ticket requests, more than the capacity of the venue. However, based upon those numbers, odds were favorable, as about two-thirds of the requests could have been fulfilled. But rather than announce that the on-sale date to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster had been cancelled, due to the shows selling out through the mail order, the on-sale date was postponed to Feb. 28. The explanation on the dead50.net website read: “In order to give the good folks at GDTS (Grateful Dead Ticket Sales) TOO time to sort through the 60,000 (!) envelopes received so far the new public on sale is Feb 28th @ 10 a.m. CST via Ticketmaster.”

 

Huh? You’ve received payment in the form of money orders from true, envelopedecorating, tradition-following fans for 300,000 tickets, have only 210,000 to sell, and you’re still going to be selling tickets online through Ticketmaster? In other words, you’re going to sell some of the tickets that have already been purchased by true Deadheads so that Ticketmaster can receive its cut. Nope, this is not the Grateful Dead.

 

But it gets worse when you examine just how many tickets were held for Ticketmaster and other middleman partners to sell. It was announced through multiple sources last Wednesday, including the Chicago Tribune and Billboard Magazine, that only 10 percent of the mail orders are being filled out of deference to the need to save tickets for sale through Ticketmaster, et al. Let’s do the math: 300,000 tickets were purchased through the mail order, but they’re only going to sell 30,000 of those tickets so they can sell 180,000 tickets through other avenues that more generously line the pockets of big music industry players.

 

Most suspicious of all is the way tickets mysteriously became available on eBay-owned StubHub immediately after the Ticketmaster sweepstakes ended. As of press time, literally thousands of tickets are available through StubHub in virtually every section of the venue for prices ranging from $600 (behind the stage with no view) to $3,500. Where did StubHub get all these tickets? They certainly didn’t get in line with 500,000 people to buy them from Ticketmaster! And if the inflated ticket prices on StubHub are unaffordable, you can purchase a parking pass for the modest price of $180 and enjoy the show from the parking lot at Soldier Field. Once again, where did StubHub get parking passes to sell?

One answer may lie in the inexplicable choice of Chicago as the site of this quickly souring last stand. Despite having developed loyal followings across the country and even internationally, the Grateful Dead were first and foremost a West Coast band. The band members lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, as did the most longstanding fans of the band. Against that backdrop, why Chicago?

 

That question becomes amplified when considering the fact that the Chicago Park District’s agreement with Chicago Bears season ticket holders entitles them to purchase their seats to all events that take place at Soldier Field. This may explain the sudden appearance of thousands of tickets on StubHub. The massive hype behind these shows had reached the radar screens of Bears fans, most of whom couldn’t care less about the Grateful Dead, but who saw an opportunity to make bank by turning a $199.50 purchase into a $3,500 trip to Puerto Vallarta. The party line that Soldier Field was chosen because it was the site of the last Grateful Dead concert on July 9, 1995 rings more hollow with every passing scalped ticket purchase.

 

And then there is the perplexing choice of Phish lead guitarist Trey Anastasio to join the band. Since Jerry Garcia’s death, several notable guitarists have performed as a substitute for Garcia in various post-Grateful Dead bands, such as the Other Ones, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Phil Lesh and Friends and, most recently, Furthur. These include Widespread Panic lead guitarist Jimmy Herring, who was a founding member of the group Jazz is Dead, and who played in The Dead and Phil Lesh and Friends; John Kadlecik, the founding lead guitarist of the Dark Star Orchestra who has been playing in the band Furthur; and Warren Haynes, who has played in the bands Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers Band, and who has been a part of The Dead and Phil Lesh and Friends. In many ways Haynes was the sentimental favorite, due to his creation of the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration concerts, in which a large portion of Garcia’s musical compositions were committed to score and performed nationwide with a rock band, featuring Haynes on lead guitar, and backed by local symphony orchestras.

 

All three of these fine musicians have studied Jerry Garcia’s music in a way that qualifies them to fill his enormous empty shoes. Not so with Anastasio, who has made appearances with Phil Lesh and Friends but was quoted last month in Rolling Stone as saying, “I never really sat and studied what Jerry actually played, until now.” It now appears that the choices of Chicago and of Anastasio were not made in the spirit of providing the truest Grateful Dead experience for the fans but, rather, to fulfill the highest possible financial gain for the promoter, Peter Shapiro in association with Madison House, and their corporate cronies. Centrally located, Chicago offers the best combination of logistical convenience and the big-city trappings that are needed to attract an audience who can afford “secondary market” ticket prices. And the addition of Anastasio piles on the interest of an auxiliary audience of “Phish-heads” to the mix, thereby increasing the available pool of wealthy spectacle-loving (as opposed to music- or Grateful Dead-loving) ticket buyers who can chunk down $600 to $3,500 for tickets that were originally priced from $59.50 to $199.50.

 

All of this reveals a brilliant, even diabolical, marketing strategy. Choose a central location and a musical line-up that attracts the widest, wealthiest possible audience; create huge buzz through the Grateful Dead mail-order process to establish unfulfillable demand; and then let our friends at Ticketmaster, StubHub and other players in the “secondary market” (talk about euphemisms; we used to call it scalping) have at it. And here’s the kicker: Now Shapiro and Madison House are planning to create an entire industry around this weekend, including after-show concerts, audio and video recordings, and even a “pay per view” cable TV event. In short, get hundreds of thousands of people excited about an event they can’t get tickets for, sell their tickets to people who can pay aftermarket prices, and then charge the “losers” to watch it on TV.

 

One of the most fundamental truisms of life is that we are remembered for the most recent thing we did. It’s worse than a pity — it’s an outright tragedy — that perhaps the most beloved band in history has put itself in a position to be remembered for participating in what may go down as the biggest money grab in music history. On June 7-9, 1977 the Grateful Dead played three shows at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco to close out their legendary Spring 1977 tour, a period many Deadheads believe was the best in the band’s history. On June 7, having already purchased tickets for the closing night but with the thought in the back of my mind that there was a show that evening, I suggested to my sister, Janet, that we drive up to San Francisco from Santa Cruz to see if we could get in. About five minutes prior to the 8 p.m. showtime, we arrived at Winterland, walked up to the box office, purchased two tickets for $5 each and entered just as the band was playing the opening to “Bertha.”

 

That was the Grateful Dead. And that’s the Grateful Dead I want to remember, not a cover band that happens to have some of the original members, and certainly not a musical spectacle that serves big-moneyed interests, such as Ticketmaster, StubHub, eBay, the City of Chicago and whatever other corporate entities are in on this colossal rip off. The Grateful Dead built their brand on their commitment to the quality of their music and to their fans. They became famous and enormously successful for innovations such as their focus on touring and live performances, rather than selling records; building their fan base by allowing fans to tape and freely share their performances; and by creating their own ticket agency, rather than allowing corporate middleman entities to control their scene, as has happened with these “Fare Thee Well” shows.

In a 1967 interview with the Grateful Dead, conducted by CBS’s Harry Reasoner, Jerry Garcia said, “What we’re thinking about is a peaceful planet. We’re not thinking about anything else. We’re not thinking about any kind of power; we’re not thinking about any of those kinds of struggles; we’re not thinking about revolution or war or any of that. That’s not what we want. Nobody wants to get hurt; nobody wants to hurt anybody. We would all like to live an uncluttered life, a simple life, a good life, you know. And, like, think about moving the whole human race ahead a step or a few steps, or half a step, or anything.”

 

With each passing day since these shows were announced, it has become clearer that the “Fare Thee Well” concept bears no resemblance to the Grateful Dead. There is nothing peaceful or forward-thinking about misleading people with hope in their hearts, and thousands of loyal fans have been hurt in the process. As difficult as it is to articulate the Grateful Dead philosophy, it’s not difficult for anyone who loved the band to come to the conclusion that this is not the Grateful Dead.

[gr8fulpair]

This is the answer to the question "what has this world come to..."

[Daddy-O]

Where is Robert Hunter in all of this?

[Island Bro]

Where is Robert Hunter in all of this?

Probably grieving deeply

[Blindman]

Come on starheads. Ignore the interwebs. The music will be good.

Last in, first out...

[Tea]

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/124339/Report-Grateful-Dead-Members-Considering-Additional-Shows

Billboard is reporting their sources have confirmed discussions are taking place about possible concert(s) featuring Grateful Dead members performing together at either Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California or at AT&T Park in San Francisco the weekend prior to the Fare The Well three-night stand at Chicago’s Soldier Field over the July 4th Weekend.

Billboard cited early rumors posted on hypemusicfestivals.com and confirmed with their own sources that the core four remaining members of the Grateful Dead -- Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart -- are exploring adding at least one show the weekend of June 27 -- 28. Billboard's sources speculated Fare Thee Well promoters Peter Shapiro and Madison House would put on the West Coast gig(s), however, both declined comment. It is not known whether the same lineup employed in Chicago - the core four with Trey Anastasio, Jeff Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby - will play the potential California shows.

Shapiro had previously stated "There’s no extra dates planned. For Chicago or anywhere else.” Tickets for the three Chicago shows have officially sold out.

[Published on: 3/13/15]

[Tom Banjo]

I'm in for California if it happens. Seems like a way better scene then chicago

[Island Bro]

Makes a heckuva lot more sense for them to gather together and make some music in the vicinity of where it all started...

[Brian NJ]

This is disgusting and probably planned for some time now. I would not support this type of money grabbing hypocrisy if I could. To quote an old starhead " very un~dead like " They can play in my backyard (won't surprise me if they do ) and would not go if a miracle fell in my lap. I will not sell out and be a part of this manipulative wheel. This makes me embarrassed to claim deadhead status. I have much love for what the GD brought to this world

[Tom Banjo]

Jerry was the grateful dead. He's the tour kid, a non political hippie. Bobby a rock star. Phil a music snob. I still want to go for jerry and I never saw him play. Testament to the fat man

[vbf3]

Definitely planned shows, more so perhaps as warm-ups for the Chicago shows, than anything else imho. The prospect of even more shows being announced would not surprise me.

[Tom Banjo]

That experience I spoke of in jamaica could never happen with the core 4 and Trey. Just saying.

[Mango]

If Cali happens I'll try for tickets but not stressing over It

[Tea]

Here's a dissenting opinion to the Sallo article by Dave Melamed:

http://liveforlivemu...s-50th-reunion/

Some valid points but he's trying way too hard IMO to legitimize many of the decisions that have left a bad taste in more than a few Dead Heads mouths:

 

-----------------------------

 

Ever since the initial "Fare Thee Well" announcement last January, the 50th anniversary concerts have become something of a hot button issue among the jam band and live music community. As the editor of a music media publication, I remained objective for as long as humanly possible, reading (but not commenting on) countless insulting and derogatory messages. Some directed at Trey Anastasio. Some directed at Pete Shapiro. Some directed at the "Core Four" themselves, declaring the reunion to be nothing more than a "money grab."

 

And then, I came upon this article, written by Stewart Sallo, that first ran in Boulder Weekly, and was later re-posted in Huffington Post. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Not The Grateful Dead." The headline is sickening, and now I've reached my breaking point.

Jerry Garcia's legacy is absolutely extraordinary. As a casual musician, I find inspiration in Garcia's playing style, but what he left us is much greater than just guitar playing. Garcia and the Grateful Dead taught us that music, or really any business, doesn't have to be run through the industry machine to be successful. Live music should be a passionate celebration; it should push the boundaries and inspire.

With these ideals, Garcia humbly led both the band and a thoroughly-devoted following for thirty years.

From my perspective, it seems that fan-base branched into two distinct groups after Garcia's passing. One group clings to the past, lamenting the death of their leader a full two decades after the fact. It's an understandable position, as losing a loved one is never easy, and it's evident that Mr. Sallo is in this category.

 

On the other side, however, is a community that continues to embrace Garcia's message in new and exciting ways. Perhaps the most popular of them is Phish, thus creating the artificial rift between the two fan bases, but there are dozens of bands and organizations that continue to embody the Grateful Dead ideals.

 

Perhaps no one in the industry understands this more than Pete Shapiro. The owner of Brooklyn Bowl, The Capitol Theatre, LOCKN' Festival, and Relix/Jambands.com has worked tirelessly for the past 20 years (since his days owning The Wetlands) to promote and encourage live music. We're all working towards that very same goal: to support musicians and their craft.

Towards the end of 2013, New York Times broke the news of a promotional deal between Shapiro and Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. At the age of 73, Lesh had grown weary of touring, but never weary of the music. The agreement seemed pretty beneficial to all - instead of touring, Lesh would play isolated runs at Shapiro's venues, and would continue to perform at Terrapin Crossroads, the Lesh-owned venue in San Rafael, CA. It's the perfect plan for an aging musician who still has music in his heart, but perhaps doesn't have the stamina in his body for long road trips.

 

So, when Lesh said to Anastasio, "This is the last time I'm doing this" (about the Dead reunion shows), you can see where he's coming from. Lesh, who turned 75 last weekend, is the oldest member of the band. He still wants to play the music, but doesn't want to be in the camp of Dead fans who can't let go of the past. New musicians come through his Phil & Friends project on a regular basis, yet the "Core Four" have only reunited once in the last ten years.

In his article lambasting the Grateful Dead, Mr. Sallo uses this quote from Anastasio, "I never really sat and studied what Jerry actually played, until now," to predictably peg Trey as a poor choice to play lead guitar with the band. Honestly, while any of the choices that the article mentions, Jimmy Herring, John Kadlecik, Warren Haynes (and of course Steve Kimock, who was notably absent from Mr. Stewart Sallo's rant despite his longstanding connections with the Dead) would have been fantastic choices, Anastasio is certainly worthy of the selection.

 

Aside from the blaring fact that all four members agreed and asked him to play, Anastasio's quote simply refers to the fact that he hasn't studied Garcia, like one would study for the SATs. The whole interview pegs Anastasio as someone who has been inspired by Garcia for many years; as someone who is honored to participate in these concerts. Why do you think, Mr. Sallo, that the band chose Anastasio? He's a fresh face, giving them an opportunity to explore some uncharted musical territory - that's what the Grateful Dead have always been about!

 

The assertion that Anastasio was chosen to "fulfill the highest possible financial gain for the promoter" is absurd and shameful.

 

Guitar playing aside, the other major issue surrounding the shows has been the tickets. All four members, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, and Phil Lesh, wanted to do something. They didn't want to draw it out, because they're all working on new projects and collaborations (again, the heart and soul of the Dead), but to not honor the 50th anniversary of the legacy would have been a mistake. So what did they do? They chose to play three shows, over a holiday weekend, in the middle of the country, in a football stadium.

 

They made all of these choices to maximize participation. Considering another proposed alternative was headlining sets at Bonnaroo and Coachella, it's reasonable to assume that the band wanted to do something that focused and honored the legacy as best as possible.

 

Naturally, the demand has been high. Mr. Sallo's article will hit you with a barrage of misleading statistics, designed to enrage. Even if only 30,000 tickets were sold via mail order, that's 30,000 more than any band has ever given to their fans via mail order in recent memory. At no point was it promised that the mail order would be the only chance for fans to get tickets, and despite the "back-room deals" that Sallo alleges were made, I honestly can't think of an artist who hasn't sold tickets on Ticketmaster in the past 20 years.

 

I consider the mail order to be just one instance among many of the band and their promoters doing all that they can to accommodate as many as possible. Here are some other ways they're trying...

-Adding additional seating behind the stage (which will probably be a fine view in the end)
-Opening up the floor to GA standing room, to fit more people and to have more of a vibe
-Offering webcast and simulcast options to watch at home or at venues (these haven't been officially announced yet, but Shapiro has promised them)
-Considering the addition of more shows
-Playing in Chicago, a central location to consider the band's East and West Coast fan bases

 

Mr. Sallo, your article "Ladies and Gentlemen, not the Grateful Dead" is a disgrace. You are obviously out of touch with the community, bitter because you weren't able to get tickets to the shows, and perhaps even bitter that Jerry Garcia left this world before his time. You're calling the Grateful Dead money grabbers because a half million people tried to get tickets, but is that anyone's fault? Really?

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Grateful Dead in 2015. The band has grown from the San Francisco counterculture movement into the inspirational champions of the jam band/live music scene, and it's no wonder that so many people want to take part in the magic. If you want to relive the 1970's, go catch The Who or The Eagles on their latest farewell tour. If you want to see seven musicians creating something passionately unique, then perhaps you're ready for "Fare Thee Well."

-Dave Melamed

[Tom Banjo]

Article seems like a personal attack on Mr. Sallo.  Why directly respond to his article?  Do your points not stand on their own?  I don't think the Core 4 needed a journalist to defend them.  I'm sure they're used to controversy.  Maybe the writer should get used to it as well.  No matter the choice or the situation someone somewhere would be complaining.  I'm a natural contrarian.  I've been known to play devils advocate and bitch about points I don't even agree with.  I found this guys article to be a waste of time and yes that is also a personal attack.