The Quarter Note

This past weekend was the third time I died. Well, not actually. It was the third time I saw Bob Weir in concert.

The 77-year-old lead guitarist of the, now disbanded, psychedelic rock group the Grateful Dead is continuing to let the good times roll, playing shows for “Deadheads” all across the country with his two current bands Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros and Dead & Company.

As a senior in high school, most would probably consider it impressive to say that I’ve seen any artist or band three times. However, for fans of the Grateful Dead, answers with numbers in the high tens—even in the upper hundreds—are habitual when asked how many times most have seen them.

I was first introduced to the genius of the Dead at a very young age, as my father and aunt, along with a couple family friends, are major Grateful Dead fans. Having seen the Dead over 100 times between them all, with the earliest show being in 1985, Dead culture has been very much alive throughout my whole life, especially once I started getting into rock music and playing bass guitar in middle school.

The Grateful Dead circa 1970’s

Throughout my three experiences at Dead shows, twice here in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and once at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, I have been continuously mesmerized by how unique of a fanbase the Grateful Dead has. One quick stroll down Shakedown Street is all I needed to fall in love with the carefree atmosphere and beauty of these hippies who like to call themselves “Deadheads.” With how prominent of a lifestyle and culture the Grateful Dead’s music has created over the years, there truly is no other band or artist that has been able to keep a steady fanbase for as long—and as strong—as the Grateful Dead has.

“I remember the first time I decided that I was going to leave, [I hopped] on a bus to the next door. Maybe not a bus but a [Volkswagen] van.” explains Kristin Wolf, a lifelong Deadhead who has been following the music since 1989. “I was 14 when I saw my first show. It was at [Saratoga Preforming Arts Center] in Saratoga Springs, New York. It changed my life.” she continues. “That was when I knew I had to see as many shows as possible. I used to sell hair wraps, grilled cheese, and veggie burritos to get from show to show.”

“THAT WAS WHEN I KNEW I HAD TO SEE AS MANY SHOWS AS POSSIBLE.”

~ Kristin Wolf

While the Grateful Dead has always maintained their constant, yet aging, fanbase, their popularity seems to be being revived by my younger generation of music lovers. This new “reincarnation” of the Grateful Dead’s music is greatly owed to the modern guitar virtuoso, John Mayer.

Widely revered by Gen Z and Millenials, Mayer brought mass attention to this 60s hippie band once he joined Dead & Company as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Mayer ultimately assumed the position of founding member, Jerry Garcia in the band. Garcia is who most Deadheads would agree was the main genius of the group for his exceptional talent, charisma, and free spirit. Now deceased, Garcia is, and was, so highly praised amongst O.G. Deadheads. But many of the older generation Deadheads feel “replacing” Garcia with Mayer is just outright disrespectful. 

“I didn’t go see Dead & Co when they first started because the fucking audacity of John Mayer to think he could step in and step into Jerry’s shoes was beyond comprehension.” one older Deadhead comments.

“THE FUCKING AUDACITY OF JOHN MAYER TO THINK HE COULD STEP IN AND STEP INTO JERRY’S SHOES WAS BEYOND COMPREHENSION.”

With intense levels of fandom for any artist or band comes an element of a desire to preserve the past, having territorial tendencies over the music’s originality. However, the beauty of this specific band’s legacy is that, even today, it is so prominent and important that the demand to incorporate one of the most popular musicians of our generation was extremely necessary—and smart—to keep the Dead legacy alive.

Now that Mayer has been a part of Dead & Company for 10 years, many older Deadheads are starting to open their arms to this young addition to the music, as he has definitely proven himself to effectively fill Garcia’s shoes.

Mayer preforming with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2024

“DEAD FOREVER” is the name of the most recent leg of the Dead & Company residency at the Sphere. Similar to the actual concept of death as a never-ending experience, the Grateful Dead really is a never-ending band.

Circling back to the Bobby Weir show I saw this past weekend, hippies of all ages and generations showed out to the intimate Parker Playhouse venue, located right in my backyard here in Fort Lauderdale, to experience Weir and his everlasting songs once more. From it being my eight-year-old cousin’s first ever Dead experience to the guy who sat behind me’s 200th show, it goes without question that the Dead is still very much alive, jonesin’, & crankin’.