Grateful Dead 50th in Chicago

[Drunk Monk]

The greatest concert for me so far. So good it hurts.

FOREVER GRATEFUL

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

How is it you are still alive, much less awake?

[Drunk Monk]

I will survive

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

I know you will, Ms. Gaynor.

[Drunk Monk]

The food, the museums, the street sculpture and music, the museums, Millennium Park, the architecture, the people. To Chicago - THANK YOU FOR A REAL GOOD TIME!

tg, I did see your tomb guardian and even took a pic of it. I'll probably post it to my facebook later. That was a good one. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.



Ms. Gaynor? Greg, that's from your fav Dead song, TOG.

[youtube]CgnQVjp3VUY[/youtube]

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Doesn't mean I can't stretch and call you, Ms. Gaynor.

I just hope you saw the Bean.

[Drunk Monk]

And I did think about you for a fleeting moment when they dropped ToG for their first final encore. I'm so glad that they didn't go out on that.

I think I even took a pic of the bean. I'll post those all later, once I sort them.

[Drunk Monk]

On the Monday after the GD50 shows at Levi's, I had nothing but a hangover. I never planned to go to Chicago at all. The budget is tight this summer and it seemed extravagant. The farthest East I ever went for the Dead was SLC and they paid me to go. I had already said 'fare thee well' during the Brokedown encore that Sunday night.

But GD karma is a trip, and I soon got offers from some dear deadhead friends - we have tix for you and a place to crash. One ticket is even a 'miracle'. Just get yourself to Chicago. I texted S and she replied with 3 words in lieu of 'i love you' - 'go for it'.

Next thing I knew I was on a red-eye out of SFO. The rest was kind of a blur. I used to habitually take notes at the Dead, songlists and random thoughts I hoped to keep - it was so I could write up reports which were part of my consultant job description with the ban. But I didn't this time. I instagrammed and facebooked a little, but for the most part, I just absorbed it all in - the last GD run - my greatest flashback so far.

Chicago was wonderful. This was my first trip there outside of OHare. Rain had been predicted, but in typical GD weather control style, the weather was perfect, sunny with a cool breeze, just lovely. I stayed downtown at the Kimpton Allegro in an extra bed gifted from my primary benefactors, two dear deadhead friends who I will never be able to repay. It was a swanky hotel and a colorful 2 mile walk down Millennium Park to Soldier Field. The place was swarming with deadheads. Chicago understood. Santa Clara didn't have a clue. Santa Clara was the warm-up. It was all about Chicago. Many of my east coast and midwest Deadhead friends have told me over the years that Californians were spoiled when it came to the GD. We got so many shows that we didn't have to work for it. The rest of the country were far more deadicated - they had to travel farther and go harder. I never understood that until now, the end. Chicago went GD in a huge way - special exhibits at the Field Museum, huge banners off the hotels, planes towing GD banners, a blimp with dancing bears and steal-your-face skulls, commemorative pizza boxes from the local chain, even the drug store clerks swapped their usual uniforms for tie-dye. I just stumbled into the Field Museum because it was right next to Soldier Field. They had a small yet delightful display, mostly of the GD50 decorated tickets and some rather trivial odds and ends, but they also had Tiger, Jerry's legendary guitar, displayed with honor in a museum case. The rest of the museum was fun - special exhibits on China and Vikings. I amused myself taking pix of swords scattered throughout their permanent collection, while checking back the the main court where the GD display was, chatting with other deadheads and admiring the displays.

Shakedown street was very formal - large canopies set up all over the lakeside greens of Soldier Field. An old friend, Benjammin, proprietor of Jamming on Haight (best tie-dye shop in the Haight Ashbury) had a major booth and had secured the tie-dye contract for uniforms for both Levi's and Soldier Field. There was a contingent of Rock Med deadheads and we were constantly texting each other, and aiding and abetting each other's mischief.

My seat were on Phil side (now Trey side) way high. I sat there for a few minutes but didn't stay long. Most of this show I spent roaming the halls, running into old friends, and squatting in their much better seats. I never did get to the floor. Nor did I make it to the club level or the boxes. Nevertheless I only missed 3 friends that I knew were there, and two were texting me (they were in the club level for the next two shows).

The show opened with Box of Rain - the finale song they played at Soldier Field 20 years ago, and the last one they played with Jerry. From there, the set took off. A smoking Wheel>Crazy Fingers>Music Never Stopped in the 1st, and then two of their most beloved jams Scarlet>Fire and Help>Slipknot>Franklins in the 2nd, and a surprising Ripple encore. Levi's #1 was the most psychedelic show of the run. Soldier Field was the most danceable.

Being an idiot, I let my iPhone run out of power from too much Instagramming. The problem was that I was to hook up with a buddy at set break who had my Sat ticket. Of course, I couldn't remember his number; it was in my iPhone. I tried emailing him from a friend's phone. It was stressful because it was a stupid stoner mistake. I should have saved enough power, or at least set up a meeting place as my power started to get low.

Getting out was a mess. Dead-lock traffic, on foot no less. They sent us on a ridiculous path to get out of the stadium reminiscent of that scene in Spinal Tap where they couldn't find the stage. Then we were stuck in a mess 'o deadheads, cheering on other deadheads as they tried to hop fences with comic fails and pratfalls. I was still trying to connect with my ticket-holding friend, so eager to get to another friend's hotel room as they could power me back up. When I got there, there was a ton of texts that blew up my phone. S was at the vet because Jingles had a terrible reaction to some inoculations (at least that's what we assumed happened). He had a fever and was severely dehydrated. After some emergency IV fluids, he was better. Poor pom... and poor S having to deal with that in the middle of the night. I reconnected with my ticket holder and he was staying at another hotel just down the street, so we hooked up and made the drop. The hotel lobbys were nuts, crazy with deadheads, lots of n2o balloons.

Mind you, this was all after a red-eye where I didn't sleep at all. I took a short nap when we got in, but then hit the ground running and spent the afternoon enjoying Millennium park and the museum. We got in like at 2 or 3, and crashed until after lunch.

[Drunk Monk]

I laughed out loud when I saw this. Thanks for that. It's a really cool example of the form.

[Drunk Monk]

By the 4th, I had this nailed. I knew where I wanted to go and how to get there. I knew where to eat well on the cheap. Don't tell me this town ain't got no heart. Just gotta poke around.

As soon as I was awake, I made a bee-line to the Art Institute, and I'm glad I did because even though I spent almost the entire afternoon there, it was hardly enough. What a magnificent collection. So many piece that I had studied in school, so many works that inspired me over the years - nothing like seeing them first hand. I had some minor epiphanies standing before Hopper's Nighthawks, Van Gogh's Bedroom, a strange 15ht century Nepalese Tara statue, O'Keefe's Cow Skull with Calico Roses, and Albright's shocking Picture of Dorian Gray. It was very moving for me. Sometimes art can really affect me, especially now that I'm older perhaps. That, in context with this amazing miracle flashback journey I was on, just hit me like thunder. I was a little disappointed with the Arms and Armor exhibit. They are planning an expansion so it seemed small, not enough swords. Some magnificent pole arms and armor however. So glad I went.

My seat was in the very back, behind the stage, one row from the back wall. Actually, the sound there was really good, and the entire structure bounced when everyone danced, so it was a lot of fun. It was Saturday night, 4th of July, so the set was predictable - U.S. Blues encore, One More Saturday Night closer, Liberty...they played Jack Straw with the line 'born of the 4th of July' the night before so that was out. This was their pop set. if that can even apply to the Dead, it was also the most lackluster of the run of 5, but a lot of fireworks covered that up. Standing on the Moon was the 3rd song, and I burst into tears as soon as it came on. That was our wedding song, my dearest dead moment ever. That was the song Jerry soundchecked at the Kaiser, and played it directly to me and another Rock Medic who snuck into the soundcheck, looking straight at us for reaction - it was a new song, never played live before that run, my 3rd dearest dead moment (#2 was lion dancing on stage for Chinese New Year). I had sunglasses on, some R,W&B 4th of July ones another deadhead gave me, and I was way at the back, so my tears were hidden, but there were a lot of tears over the run from a lot of deadheads. I struggled to text Stacy and catch a little vid of the 'somewhere in San Francisco' lyric. I get a little misty right now thinking about it.

After hooking up with a few deadhead friends at break, I ditched them and spent most of 2nd set roaming the halls, and mostly dancing behind stage where the sound was sweetest and the dancers were the most ecstatic. I watched fireworks from the Kapow platform, which offered a stunning view of Lake Michigan.

I had getting out dialed. No crazy dead-lock this night. There was one small hitch - my escape route was blocked by more fireworks, but that was cool because we got a great view and once they were done, there was a clear path. I was out in front of the pack, back on the streets, long before any of my accomplice deadheads. There was talk of going to an aftershow show (there were dozens of these) but I headed straight back to the Kimpton. I'd been on my feet all day - not only the miles to and fro from Soldier Field, but countless miles through the labyrinthian halls of the Art Institute, and I needed to get my shoes off. A few minutes after I got to the hotel, my benefactors texted me and asked what kind of pizza crust I liked as they were picking up a pizza and just a few minutes from the hotel. They had already stocked the fridge with beer. Again, I don't know how I will ever repay them.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

I'm happy for you. End of era? We have those now? Blech.

I love that picture of Dorian Grey.

[Drunk Monk]

Determined to get a taste of Chicago deep dish pizza, I took the recommendation of the Kimpton staff and hit up Lou Malnati's. Of course, there was a huge line and wait, but fate smiled again and two seats opened up at the bar for me and a deadhead from OR. We chatted over many pints as we waited for our deliciousness to arrive. He was close to my age but completely missed Jerry. In fact, as Jerry has been dead for two decades, I met a ton of next-gen post-Jerry Deadheads, which I used to think was weird but now understand that they are our only hope for the future. Anyway, it was great. That pizza totally lives up to the legend. And the place was packed with deadheads - one guy was trying to sell commemorate GD50 vinyl turntable mats. Only deadheads...

Speaking of yummy snacks, I had some Mexican corn for the first time at Soldier Field, which was one of those 'how long has this been going on?' moments - corn, slathered with butter, mayo, sprinkle cheese and chili peppers. A simple snack that really appealed to my palette.

I got to the venue early and took my seat which was in the 400s on Trey side. I should note here that Trey did very well over the run, save maybe set 1, show 2 at Levi's. Bruce and Chimenti were good too overall. These seat were in a block with my benefactors, and I stayed there for the entire set plus break. China>Rider to open, as predicted. I wanted to hear my last Estimated and Terrapin, and they delivered. Days Between, a late Jerry power ballad that didn't get played nearly enough, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. After it, a young next-gen post-Jerry deadhead gal behind me that had noticed my tears, hugged me and said "Sometimes it's so good, it hurts." The ToG encore was predictable, as was the 2nd encore as they left without a final bow, but the 2nd encore being Attics was a total surprise and an excellent call. Attics is one of their greatest songs lyrically and was very underplayed over the years.

We took our time leaving. Everyone did. We straggled back to the Kimpton, and hung out in the lobby where there was a lost young next-gen post-Jerry deadhead, a tripping kid, glowing after his first show ever. His first was the last. I know my benefactors through rock med, so we bumper-carred him until we knew he was safe, and then went back to our room.

[Drunk Monk]

The next morning, Monday, with another hangover, I headed straight to ORD even though my flight was later that evening. I wasn't going to get in to SFO until midnight, and I planned to work Tuesday, then go to the Giants game. But the GD weather control was over and a massive storm was delaying flights and shutting down the airport. They started laying out cots - hundreds of them - for travelers that would be stranded that evening. I consoled myself with one more treat - Garrett's Cheese Corn. OMG. Chicagoans know how to eat. Gotta eat fat there to store blubber for the winters. So I stumbled all over ORD, smeared with oily cheese grease, munching on Garrett's and sipping coke to try to stay awake.

My flight was packed and two hours late. The flight attendants warned us that we might be stranded if the pilots didn't get there in time, before the lightning. The flight was half deadheads and one broke out his guitar and started playing dead tunes. It became a big singalong, spilling out past our gate, so much so that we had to be shepherded back a few times. That's the thing that's hardest to explain about the GD, the deadhead community. You've all been to deadshows, but penetrated that community is another thing. We speak a secret language, embroidered with lyrics and puns. We can spot each other from our attire, even when it isn't loud tie dyes, even when we're on the down low, just like spies and gays. We're all in on the joke, the cosmic joke, some psychedelic joke told by the merry pranksters some 50 years ago. It's supportive, reaffirming and enabling. To be back within that community again, that community in full force, was such a treat. I had forgotten. I followed the post-Jerry permutations of the GD, the Other Ones, Furthur, Phil & Friends, Ratdog, When they were just 'the Dead' and not grateful, all the way until recently. I didn't go to a run last year, just because I didn't feel like driving up to S.F. or Oakland. GD music had fallen out of my playlist. But now it's back, now I can't get enough, now I feel like wearing all my old GD shirts and waving that flag, waving it long and high. I'm so blessed to have been treated to this final run - it was bittersweet and heart-breaking and such a lesson in impermanence. I remembered Jerry's passing, and Bill's and Brent's, in all of its poignancy and sorrow. But it also reminded me of days gone by and how glorious and thrilling it all was.

I doubt the boys will play under the Grateful Dead banner again. They will keep playing, in all of their weird permutations, because that's what they do. And I could see the band reforming for some special benefit, or when one of remaining core four pass away. They signed off with class, with a staggering demonstration of what power they still hold over the loyalist fans you'll ever see. And there's no band in sight that can generate such a culture now, but we remain hopeful.

FOREVER GRATEFUL.

[Drunk Monk]

Texting was a whole new aspect of GD50 and we've maintained a text thread as sort of a post-GD50 support group. A lot of us suffered from this tremendous sense of loss after the show. The night prior to Redbell's passing, I was counseling one of my GD50 accomplices - an RN - she had a patient shot herself dead in the following week while she was on the phone with her, trying to talk her down. It was rough, of course, and there wasn't much more that I could do beyond be present with her over the phone. So I was quite down on sleep and emotionally drained prior to Redbell's sudden passing.

I leave on a Zen retreat next week, something that seems very sorely needed, and then to Reggae on the River, but I'll cut that short to come home and reunite with Tara.

I always say California summers are a wild rollercoaster ride but this year, I'm ready to get off already and it's still only July.

[King Bob]

DM is on Instagram? Am I the only one who was surprised by that?

DM - did they ever do New Speedway Boogie? One of my favorites that I only heard them do once. Your mentions of songs brought back a lot of memories I must say.

RANDOM DEAD LYRIC INSIGHT for DM:

In Stella Blue, it says "I've stayed in every blue light cheap hotel." Police stations and police call boxes traditionally have blue lights, therefore he probably means jail, which makes perfect sense with the next line, "Can't win for trying." I sent this to the annotated lyric guy (his explanation is esoteric and weak) but he ignored it. Jackass.