Jerry Garcia vs. The Man

mars · Post by **mars** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:25 pm

Jerry Garcia dies and things slow down, Dead shows become more manageable again. It's sad, but the wheel is turnin' and you can't slow it down, can't go back and you can't hang on...

The Man burns and the damn event keeps growing. And the next year, there he is, arisen from the ashes, standing again. (He's gooone, and someone always brings him back!) The crescendo of people reminds me of Dead shows in the 80's.

And now that I've reeled you crazy ol' deadheads in here--let's chat--how do you experince BM in relation to your experience with GD?

Mars

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:28 pm

I dont know........never been to a dead show.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:50 pm

how do you experince BM in relation to your experience with GD?

Lately it seems more akin to a tailgate party at a Raiders game.

mars · Post by **mars** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:12 am

Lately it seems more akin to a tailgate party at a Raiders game.

But is that ALL it seems like? There's soooo much there, that can't be ALL you see! One familiar experience at BM that I relate to having at Dead Shows is the humor. Like seeing a sign that says "Save the Man" and thinking back to the "Let Phil Sing" campaign. And how on New Years Eve, the wait for Bill Graham to show up in some crazy costume and release the balloons (often with some kind of technical difficulty) from the ceiling and everyone dancing crazily into the wee hours of the morning followed by the treat of free bagels and oranges. Anyone remember that? And how similar that is to watching the Man burn(often with somekind of technical difficulty), setting off an all-night frenzy that includes dancing and gifting.

And then, of course, there's the traffic in and out! But even that can be fun, watching all the crazy bikes and vehicles and equipment. It reminds me of entering into the dead zone and seeing the crazy bumper stickers that would make you crack up as you sat in traffic on the way to the show.

I can think of lots more comparisons...can you?

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:06 am

oh my christ I can't stand that music

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:46 am

How about the differences --

-- Standing around passively consuming noodly jams versus burning shit in the desert;

--Drugs not hugs versus drugs, hugs and anything else;

--Tie-die as a unique personal and political statement versus truly creative and meaningful costumes;

--cooler food versus The Tuna Guys;

--pavement versus playa dust;

When Larry starts shootng herion, all hope is lost.[/b]

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:53 am

one more -

--open-minded, wide-eyed "tuned in" "awareness" (which looked a lot like a stoned blank stare, btw) versus open-hearted, sharp-eyed wide-awake connection.

mars · Post by **mars** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:21 pm

Some of the similiarities and some of the differences I have seen at both events:

For example, I have seen stoned out zoned out people at both and I have seen present, actively creative people at both.

I have seen snobbery and inclusivity at both events.

I have seen life in the parking lots at both events.

I have seen the connection to and the destruction of nature at both events.

For me this isn't about one being better or worse than the other--I'm hoping to find the people out there who can relate to the positive that was/is in both environments. Though, in the meantime, I find the exploration of the negative quite interesting, so I'm not saying to stop it. (Hope that statement doesn't water down anyone's flame, though).

Mars

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:39 pm

Once in the parking lot after a show, we started drumming on my car. It was a mustrad yellow 4-door corolla. Soon there were about 30 people standing around and when it was finished everybody clapped.

It's not a flame just becasue we don't see eye to eye.

mars · Post by **mars** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:08 pm

Once in the parking lot after a show, we started drumming on my car. It was a mustrad yellow 4-door corolla. Soon there were about 30 people standing around and when it was finished everybody clapped.

Awesome!

Force · Post by **Force** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:21 pm

The thing I liked about dead shows was the feeling that there was an element of magic to them, like I was slipping into a somewhat different world. I always had an adventure at every one, for good or ill.

And I can't stand most of their music either. So it was a lot cheaper for me since I didn't need to buy a ticket to get the party...

Donita · Post by **Donita** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:40 pm

Christ. How did I miss this one? I confess -- Donita is a Deadhead.

My first show was at Watkins Glen, New York. July 28, 1973. 600,000 people attended that show. Bigger than Woodstock. The Grateful Dead performed for 5 hours, the Allman Brothers (with Dickie Betts!!) for 4 hours, and the Band for 3 hours. Talk about one hot fucking show!!! http://www.superseventies.com/watkinsglen.html

My stepdad took me and my stepsister. I was 15. We took Orange Sunshine for the first time. We ditched my stepdad. (Sorry, dad!) It was hotter than hell that day. We found a waterfall somewhere and got nekkid and danced under it like little faeries. I lost count of how many Dead shows I went to after my 80th show. What I loved about it all was the sense of family, love, gifting, giving, free hugs, beautiful children, babies in tie-dyed diapers, old people, young people, nakedness, and dancing in the grass (and waterfall). It always felt like a big family reunion picnic.

I can see the similarities in Burning Man. I can also see the differences. I love both.

Peace & Love...

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 6:09 pm

Never saw a show! Closest I got was the parking lot in Memphis one week after I had met the ex (that was the weekend he moved in, btw; we left memphis, and I left behind my life as I had known it to be). Jerry Garcia died shortly after that.

I always liked hte music, sometimes more than others, but was intrigued with the whole thing of it........just never had the gumption to walk away from what I thought I was supposed to be doing.......going to school and racking up student loans.

Anyway, what was the question? Oh, I see now that I've totally rambled off the topic and really have no business posting here at all, as I've never been to a show or a burn.

ooops, carry on!

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:23 pm

I didn't get to see nearly as many shows as I would've liked...we went through a long financial dry spell, and then Jerry died a week after my husband was diagnosed with cancer.

I actually used the Dead experience to try and convey the energy of the Burn to my husband, who followed the band on tour for a year....

"Take the parking lot of the Oakland Coliseum, during, say, the Chinese New Year run."

"Yeah?"

"Multiply that by about 5 and put it in the middle of fuckin' nowhere."

"Okay. I can see that."

Magikal · Post by **Magikal** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:56 pm

Donita wrote:Christ. How did I miss this one? I confess -- Donita is a Deadhead.

My first show was at Watkins Glen, New York. July 28, 1973. 600,000 people attended that show. Bigger than Woodstock.

Watkin's Glen?!?!? Holy shyte, didn't think anyone had ever heard of that place outside of us Nor'easterners! Next yer gonna be telling me you've been to Ithaca!

mars · Post by **mars** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 3:45 pm

"Take the parking lot of the Oakland Coliseum, during, say, the Chinese New Year run."

"Yeah?"

"Multiply that by about 5 and put it in the middle of fuckin' nowhere."

"Okay. I can see that."

Good One!