Tales of a Deadhead

Because I couldn’t get into Boston University I got stuck at good Ol’ Ithaca College.

No offense, but another cold winter after a couple of years in the Berkshires freezing my butt off in High School and here I was stuck with a bunch of Long Islanders in the middle of nowhere.

In 1985 The Grateful Dead came to nearby Rochester and I jumped at the chance to go.

My brother from another mother -literally- lived in Northern California and was a big Head. I remember hearing “Uncle John’s Band” from his front room in our house when he was in High School. I was six or seven and thought it was secretly about me.

When Jerry Garcia died in 1995 I had seen over one-hundred shows. You’re either on the bus or off the bus but one must decide and my decision had been made long ago.

Twenty-four years later from that fateful day in Rochester New York, I’m back on the East Coast – in bloody New York City with a knockout wife and a beautiful blond four year-old little girl after five years in Santa Cruz and ten years in Venice California.

The Dead minus Mr. Garcia are not The Grateful Dead.

Much has been written since Jerry died;
much of it dreck.

I’ll never forget that *piece* that that woman wrote in the New York Times when the leader of the band left the stage.

But after all these years Mr. Hart, Weir, Kreutzman and Lesh can still bring Madison Square Garden to its knees and this very authentic cover band with original members did just that Saturday Night in the Big Apple.

Man o’ man, I hugged Avril ROSE extra tight the next day.

SETLIST- THE DEAD
April 25, 2009

Set I: Cosmic Charlie, China Cat Sunflower > Shakedown Street, Ship of Fools, He’s Gone, Cassidy, Sugaree
Set II: Drums > Cryptical Envelopment > The Other One > Born Cross-Eyed > St. Stephen > The Eleven > Uncle John’s Band > Unbroken Chain > Gimme Shelter > One More Saturday Night
Encore: Brokedown Palace
Only “Ship of Fools,” Only “Gimme Shelter”

PHOTOS: Jay Blakesberg

Peace,

JT