Only a few people know this, but I was a Deadhead from 1987 to 1991. I was introduced to the Grateful Dead by a fellow science fiction and fantasy fan and during my tenure I went to eleven Dead shows. The By-Product will now be showing my tribute to the Deadhead experience, with these sketches which were done at a show in Washington, DC's RFK Stadium on a moist night in March, 1991.
Believe it or not, I didn't smoke or drink anything when I attended Deadshows. The thick atmosphere in the concert arena was enough for me. I had my sketchbook with me as always and a song list as well. I'm not really a rock or country fan - I enjoyed the Dead concerts more for the spectacle: the fan crowd in their colorful attire, their stoned milling about the parking lot smiling and sniffing, and their neo "Gypsy" caravans.
Their guiding spirit, the immortal Jerry Garcia, is no longer with us, but the remaining band members still get together for concerts with guest players. The parking lot scene was folded into outdoor music festivals rather than at big urban arenas. And I was too involved in my art career meeting deadlines to continue Deadheading.
I'll always remember the loose, vaporous charm of Deadhead society, where no one hassled you and you could make instant friends. I hope you enjoy my Deadhead drawings, which will be interwoven with Current Art.
Black tech pen on sketchbook page, 5" x 8", March 20, 1991.
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