Grateful Dead

More Alpine Valley 2002 memories: Bobby at the end of the RatDog set: A stagehand points to the stage clock to signal that time is up. Bobby looks and then screams in to the microphone “I’m gonna tell you how it’s gonna be. Your gonna give your love to me”. Robert Hunter telling the audience “would you hold it against me if I said, I LOVE YOU” The interview tent: Q&A with Mountain Girl, Steve Parish (who was so gentle and kind to an older woman who kind of rambled on (like me?), and Bob Weir (who explained the hand signals he uses on stage to indicate key changes). The set break 2nd stage at the top of the hill (by the interview tent). The Other Ones certainly had their finger on the pulse of what was happening in the Jam Band world of 2002. Great artists: Donna the Buffalo, Disco Bisquits, Robert Randolph, Jorma Kaukonon, Warren Haynes, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. The big “what will the first song be?”. Who guessed a He’s Gone tease, The Other Ones, and then Birdsong. I read Jerry hated that the deadheads took lyrics out of context, but on that night it worked nicely - Phil singing: “all I know HE sang a little while and flew on).

I'm loving this! It feels like Alpine Valley 2002 "Family Reunion" all over again! Remember the discussion board "deadnetcentral" (I think Robert Hunter owned it)? By the weekend of the 2002 reunion over 25,000 posting! For 2 months before the shows the reunion was already on with postings by interesting people with names like Krispy, Peace, DireWolf, m'larkie, JennyJenkins, lookyloo, Dave, fractalgurl, BlueJayWay, Tim(SUNDOG)Corcoran, Gina, Doo Dah Man, and many many more cool peeps. My favorite Doo Dah quote: On viewing Jerry's 1968 amp at the Alpine museum - "Drool City for this Primal Man". All of you folks kept me going that summer! (BTW, my user name was "On the road again" - a minor contributor to be sure, but did post a link to a Tripod site with my Alpine '89 lot pictures - post#10263). The 2002 Alpine Valley museum was so well done - special thanks to Steve Parish and the late, beloved Ram Rod Shurtliff (who upon being thanked for all he had done, replied “Shit man, I’m just lucky to have a job”) Big Steve had Jerry’s last stage used pick in his pocket along with picks used by Phil and Bobby. One might be (evilly) temped to snatch them from his hand, but that would be suicide and Instant Karma as well - whatever is worse. Mickey’s 1990 drum kit, Phil’s 1974 bass, Master tape boxes (I feel confident that the actual tape reels were in the vault back home), the huge painting of Jerry from the 1995 Golden Gate Park Memorial, the big drums from the early ‘80s, and more on display. Alpine would have been near perfect for this summer too. But, you know what? In Chicago, most of us will be within walking distance of each other in our Hotels. We will see each other in the afternoon walking the streets, in the restaurants, the bars, or, for me anyway, at the Friday (and possibly Sunday’s time TBD) Cubs game. At Alpine most of us were in tents at camp sites scattered all over Walworth County, WI (or for the fortunate few, a hotel in Lake Geneva). I can’t wait for our 2nd Reunion! The Deadheads are the kindest, most intelligent people I have ever met! (Posted by just another geeky guy who first’s Grateful Dead experience was backstage at St. Paul in the afternoon of 1978 (but for almost impossible to believe reasons did not attend that evening), first actual concert 1981 St. Paul, and last concert 1994 Soldier Field, with 14 shows between Mpls/St. Paul and Alpine/Chicago mixed in.)

I joined yesterday to say we true heads are getting screwed here.