Twenty years ago, I was a 17-year-old punk wandering outside of Soldier Field in Chicago with some friends, hearing some strange music from inside and witnessing an even stranger scene in the parking lot, having no idea what a “jam band” was or the scene that it entailed. We never made it inside the stadium that night for what would subsequently become the last Grateful Dead show ever, with Jerry Garcia succumbing to a heart attack around a month later. The following summer of 1996 is when I discovered Phish, and I’ve been rolling with them ever since. As I immersed myself in the jam band scene though, there was obviously no ignoring the band that started it all – the Grateful Dead – and I started to retroactively discover all of their music and voraciously collect it through the years. I always regretted not making more of an effort to see that last show at Soldier Field (I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it anyway), but it’s funny how history sometimes gives you another rare opportunity.
So it was that I found myself two weeks ago on Sunday, July 5th, back at Soldier Field, but this time with a ticket in hand, to see The Dead with Trey Anastasio, lead singer/guitarist of Phish, in place of Jerry, doing his best to uphold the late singer’s legacy. And I thought, at least from my vantage point, that Trey more than held his own. The band came out on fire with “China Cat Sunflower,” “I Know You Rider” (yes, we’ll miss you when you’re gone), and “Estimated Prophet.” On more than one occasion, it seemed that Bob Weir, rhythm guitarist and the Dead’s other primary lead singer, passed the torch to Trey as they traded guitar licks with one another. I absolutely loved the “Samson and Delilah” during the first set and the fireworks and “Truckin” to begin the second set. “Terrapin Station” was of course amazing and, though there seemed to be a bit of a lull during the second set, they ended in fine fashion with “Not Fade Away,” “Touch of Grey,” and “Attics of My Life” (“I have spent my life/Seeking all that’s still unsung” is a priceless lyric).
I really debated whether to go see this show, considering that I had never before seen the Dead and fearing that I was probably taking that ticket away from a much more dedicated “Deadhead” than I. But then I thought that I had done my time (I’ve logged many miles and still counting) with Phish and I always wished I had seen the Grateful Dead when Jerry was alive – to me, this was the best it could get, and I’m so “grateful” I went.
It was touching and sad to watch the band members embrace each other and acknowledge their well-traveled fans after the show, but it was truly a goosebump-inducing moment I’m glad I didn’t miss. The Grateful Dead truly started a movement, not just of free-form improvisational music, but of a scene that is unrivaled. While it is really about the music, it’s also about bringing people together and reveling in the company of like-minded people, people who simply like to listen to great music, share a smile (and usually other things) with friends and strangers alike, and feeling that the world truly is an amazing place, at least during those three hours of music. I will always appreciate what the Dead started and what continues today.
Fare thee well indeed, Dead. Safe and happy travels and thank you for what you stood for and what you’ve done – this world is a better place because of this band’s spirit, and nothing will be seen like it again.