When I was about 12 years old MTV was HUGE, my sister and I would watch for hours on end. One day a song called "Touch of Grey" came on from a band I had heard of but never actually heard, The Grateful Dead. I knew my Auntie Mary Lou was a "Deadhead", but I really didn't know what that meant at 12 years old. The song itself mesmerized me with it's catchy melody and uplifting lyrics, and the music video with the skeletons dressed as the band drew me right in. From that moment on I LOVED the Grateful Dead, and wanted to see them in person one day.
Once I became old enough to buy my own music, I purchased my first (of many over the years..) copy of Skeletons in the Closet. Scarlet Begonias, Truckin, Uncle John's Band, Mexicali Blues...Holy shit the album just blew my adolescent mind. The songs had such positive messages, and a sound I couldn't get enough of. A friend introduced me to the album American Beauty not long after this, and I discovered RIPPLE..That was the day I offically became a "Deadhead". The lyric, "Let There Be Songs To Fill The Air" would forever be a part of my soul.
When Jerry died, I felt I would never experience his greatness in person and it really sucked. I wore a black arm band for weeks. Even at 20, his music had made an impact on my life in a serious way. I still listened to as much Dead as I was exposed to, and life went on it's merry way. Then YouTube came along and changed everything for me.
For some reason, while I was a fan of the Dead, I was never exposed to the live recordings. Of course I had heard the live studio albums, but the infamous bootleg cassettes never crossed my path. YouTube changed all that with videos of all the old shows. I got hooked on 18 minute versions of Sugaree and 80's Dead almost immediately. Brent Mydland on the keyboards and his amazing chemistry with Jerry just blew my mind. There were audio recordings of shows that happened before I was born that I LOVED. I even found an app with EVERY Dead show from the 70's on. Live Dead became the shiznit for me..Then I heard of Dead and Co.
When I first learned about Dead and Company, I honestly shit all over it. I thought John Mayer was a douchey pop star, and couldn't replace Jerry in ANY way. I was convinced to give an honest listen, and I could concede that Mayer is a talnted guitarist. I fell in love with the band as a whole over the pandemic. I did a couch tour of every Mass and CT show, as well as suggestions from YouTube on other shows. I subscribed to a channel called "Something Like Mayer" and watched EVERY clip. Johnny really grew on me in a big way, he has a lot more depth and nuance than I originaly gave him credit for. I actually have versions of Sugaree that I prefer over Jerry's. At this point I knew the dream of a 12 year old girl was possible and HAD to happen, I had to go to a Dead show.
Of course the pandemic made this tricky. The original plan was to take the commuter train to Boston for the Fenway show. This tour was of course Covid cancelled, so once again man plans and God laughs. I was hell bent on seeing them live any way that I could. I had to experience Shakedown Street, be amongst other people who feel this music in their souls the same as you, that vibe you only get at a Dead show, I wanted to close my eyes and get lost in the music as it was being played live. When the 2021 tour dates were announced, I saw they were playing Hartford and knew THAT was my show. I got an oppoutunity to go and I took it...
To say the show was AMAZING would be a vast understatement. The boys played their hearts out, and I fell totally in love with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti as well as John Mayer. Dancing and singing along to China Cat Sunflower just brought pure joy, I almost cried. The people were just as entertaining as the band with every walk of life brought together by the music. The only true downside was that venue totally sucked. The 2 hr wait to get in made us miss the first set, there was way too much walking and climbing stairs, and they weren't taking cash, but every silver lining has a touch of grey, and I was elated to just be there. I still managed to buy both an official and lot t-shirt, have water, and eat enough carbs to keep from passing out thanks to my friend. Totally blown away by the entire experience to be honest, I fulfilled a dream I had since I was 12, a dream I thought was lost with Jerry. I no longer feel as if I'm not a "Real" Deadhead because I never saw them live. I closed my eyes and got lost in the music..Lost in the entire experience. I can't wait to see my next one...
