The Grateful Dead at Madison Square Garden

The Grateful Dead are one of those bands that stand out from their peers. For decades they have amazed audiences with their work in the studio and their incendiary live performances. The band has certainly been different since the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia in 1995; the “Grateful Dead” has gone under several different names as the original members have occasionally toured over the past two decades. This past summer, the band was set to play three “Fare Thee Well” shows in Chicago with Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio – many thought it was the end of an era. Thankfully, “the end” of the Dead was postponed for a little while longer. This past weekend the Dead (slated as ‘Dead & Company) performed at Madison Square Garden. Despite Phil Lesh being replaced by current Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbridge and Trey due to conflicting schedules, the “New Dead” performed two nights of unforgettable music. I was lucky enough to see the Sunday show.

I was brought up listening to the Grateful Dead. Both my parents constantly listened to scratched up CDs of American Beauty and Skull and Roses (two of the Dead’s most famous studio and live albums, respectively,) at home and in the car, so from a young age I was somewhat of a Deadhead. I didn’t realize my true appreciation for the band until last year, however. Nevertheless I jumped at the opportunity to see some of my idols perform at the Garden before it was too late.

I had heard stories from my mom and dad about the “Deadheads,” the zealous fans of the Grateful Dead who back in the old days would follow the band as they toured the country. As soon as I stepped out of Penn Station, I was swamped with old hippies, tie dye shirts, and even a few tarot card readers. Before the concert even started, I was enamored with the whole Deadhead scene.

The actual concert was exceptionally phenomenal and oddly spiritual. Within ten seconds of the first song, I could see lighters spark up across the stadium and smoke billowing around the crowds. In typical Dead fashion, the band played several elongated versions of some of their hit songs. But what was greater than the music was the environment; never have I seen such a mass of people swaying and singing in general harmony. The “vibe” of the show was contagious, and everyone present was infected. The major lineup change for the night (apart from founding member Phil Lesh not being there) was guitarist John Mayer taking Trey Anastasio’s place. At times Mayer seemed a bit out of sync with the other members, but his soloing on “Bertha” and “Fire On the Mountain” solidified his place on stage. Every other member, from Bob Weir to Mickey Hart did an amazing job – quite a surprise for how old these guys are.

Apart from the pungent smell on my shirt, I came home from the show feeling a sense no other concert could ever give. I had witnessed history, I had been with the Deadheads and seen (half of) the Grateful Dead. It only goes to show that the Grateful Dead is an experience that has and will last as long as the spirit of the music and fans lives on – the Dead will not fade away.