Grateful Dead

This is the biggest bunch of BULLSHIT I have ever seen. What a joke.

http://phish.com/tours/dates/sat-2015-7-04-soldier-field/ Enjoy your concert Phishheads! Why were these people alerted to the shows? Without name-calling dead fans elitist, tell me why? Isn't it celebrating the GD, not supporting Phishes next tour date? Really, whats the point of having all of our addresses since 1972 or whenever you called out to all deadheads on Live/Dead/asked 4 email addresses, now we are all in line with Phish heads and scalpers, and robots no doubt in regards to TM (the final call!) Scalpers!, enjoy your cash taken from some wanna-be 'heads' and heads on their death-beds, enjoy your field day(zzz). . . . . . . . . . .

According to a lot of you, nobody cool is going to this show now? Damn I better sell my tickets and hang back with all you name calling hate mongrels. It's so ironic how judgemental some Deadheads can be. Isn't it just that we should despise? Listen to yourselves. "I didn't get tickets, so now all of you who did are asshole rich people. And this whole concert is gonna suck because I didn't get tickets" . Yes everyone should have been notified, and TM is and has been a sham for a long time now. It probably really hurts too. I hope this thread turns to happier thoughts once the shows come around. Too many negs for me.

Exactly.....today I saw a FB post that said this.....and I immediately thought too bad I can't post it in this thread.....It goes like this.... Successful people build each other up. They motivate, insprie and push each other. Unsuccessful people hate, blame and complain. And as we were online for 40 minutes trying for tickets....we were nervous and hopeful, but at the same time...we were glad that it was almost over after being stressed out all week wondering if we were goin or not. We got lucky and got tickets, however.....we also started making other plans since my husband had to take those 2 wks off for some of his vacation(he has to take all of his time in weeks). We said if it's meant to be, it will be...if not....then we go do something else!!

I'm in the same boat you are. MO not cashed, no notification, no pinky. I'm waiting for my return envelope but until it arrives I will reserve a teeny tiny ray of hope that I'll be one of the lucky ones. They haven't posted an official notice. I'm waiting for THAT notice. There might be a few more golden emails they still need to send out. I may be reading between the lines but the messages GDTSTOO have publicly posted are somewhat vague. They did ask folks not to email them. They need to be left alone right now to finish up this momentous task. The automated response will get people to leave them alone. I'm hoping they are still processing and that there is a big box of envelopes they have pulled for tickets that they're working on and that maybe, just maybe, mine will be in there. A girl can dream, right? It's been a wild ride, yes?! So many of us, including myself are used to getting what we want. Hmmm I know there is a learning in here somewhere. Just don't know if I want to look at it right now.Peace...

"Hi Folks,We are still feverishly returning money orders to those not fortunate to get tix. All winners have been contacted by email. " Seems pretty cut & dry to me.

Give it a try. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dead50/

"A few bounced back emails are being processed and it will take us a few weeks to create a data base to match them up. No need to contact us until April, and, by then you will or will not have received your order back, so it should narrow the field."To me this looks like wiggle room, but I am a cup half full kind of girl. Also they have not made an OFFICIAL statement to the folks who have not sent them an email (as they requested). I believe there are a few people on this board that have indicated MO are cashed but no emails....Could it be they still need to send more emails out? I have a hunch that is the case.

love the way you're thinking.

I'm usually a cup half full optimistic type as well, and I'm also awaiting my money orders. Considering they have not made an official statement since Friday and left many like myself without the cash to even buy TM tickets, I don't really care if they don't want email from us. It's an auto response and apparently the only way to get any info from them. I do appreciate your glimmer of hope and think you should hold onto it as long as you can or at least until April.

Please I as all of you have been tied to this site waiting and seeing if my fellow dead lovers would be at the show . Guess what they are going. There are just so many tickets for the show. there are many reason people are selling their tickets and not going . It is a long hard trip for some to Chitown , they found out other Deadheads had a real need and want to go. when they look at the bills they owe , the car broke down , kids need things they realized selling was the best option for their families . Don't hate them feel sorry that life came in the way of what they really wanted to do , go see the dead once last time. No one is paying t the high price of after market tickets except people that have the money to spare and they wanted to go as much as you do, they just have more cash. That being said I did get tickets I am going , I also had 4 extra tickets which I resold at what I paid for them to two lucky guys . Please if you do go with out tickets show the love for each other that for 50 years we have always shown to each other . In fact the scene outside the show might just be better than in the show. Love ,Peace ,and Happiness just to be there seeing all the friends we always have made is what makes the Dead . Love Roadking

I know this isn’t going to make a lot of you who didn’t get tickets feel any better. But honestly, we are not really missing anything special. Do you really want see\hear Trey fumble through Jerry’s licks? Do you really want to deal with all the young Phish fans, selling bad drugs, Od’ing and bring the heat down on everyone? No? Maybe you wanted to hang with the suit and tie (Garcia tie no-doubt) crowd, and listen to them talk about “what big Heads they were while in college”, as they blast the Dead from the trunk of their BMW in the lot? Maybe you all wanted to deal with the inter-city sketchiness that is Chicago? I don’t think so. This thing will go down as one of the biggest cheese festivals in the Dead's history. The music will be mediocre, the crowd will be strangers and the scene will be hot as hell. I wouldn’t put it past the cornballs putting this thing on, to go as far as having a hologram of Jerry appear on stage. Just one big corporate dog and pony show. Hell, maybe there will be a guest appearance by Lady Gaga and some of her back up dancer. They only folks scrambling to get tickets to this thing are those not old enough to have seen the real thing, and those under the misconception that a little of that old time magic might happen. If you got tickets enjoy the show, and don’t except too much. If you didn’t please don’t be taken by one of these greedy online ticket vendors. A real Dead Head will let those seats go empty.

...is way over there, jhawk, and you missed it by a mile. cheers g

You're right j hawk, Jerry won't be there! Nobody that's going to the shows would have realized that without your astute powers of observation.The band and most of the fans that are hopeful a little of the old magic shows up are not all of the blind devotionist ilk. Whatever this turns out to be , there is a beauty in the finality of it all. It won't ruin my memories of some of the greatest times of my life.

The Phish bashing has got to stop! To say that all phish fans are drug-induced nightmares that don't contribute to society is mighty high horse to be on. And all deadheads are upstanding, straight-arrow, productive members of society? Really!? Please. Don't hurt yourself getting off that horse, it's a long way to the ground. And for the 'What Would Jerry Do?' crowd. STFU. To say none of this would have gone down if he were alive is naive at best. Got some news for you. Jerry was none of these things; an angel; spiritually pure; a person who made great personal and business decisions; Jesus; Gandhi; MLK. To Shapiro and crew: A video/audio feed will not appease, especially at any more that $10 a show. More to come...

Now let me run this scenario by you of what should have been. (Completely hypothetical) The surviving members of the Grateful Dead announced their 50th anniversary farewell tour. The band will play 5 nights only at the Columbia River gorge amphitheater. This will no doubt be an epic moment in the bands history, and a pilgrimage for the faithful. Camping is free and vending highly encouraged. (Keep in mind, I live in Virginia)

If you don't pay what they want for the video/audio feed, you won't get to see the hologram of Jerry on stage. Just pay them what they want. That's really what this thing is all about.

this whole thing was handled so poorly ...what a joke!!!! guess i just saved some money i cant believe how many tickets are on stubhub / online....a show with a bunch of suits im good....im sure half of ticketmaster corp will be at the show..along with broker scum...sick of this backdoor dealings with getting tickets...anyway its a shame not togo to the show as i cant really 1200 / ticket

Like so many - sitting here in Limbo. No pink slip, MO not cashed, no Email. Pretty disappointing they couldn't get folks notified one way or the other by Feb 28. I still have a glimmer of hope - don't know what to think of all these Elvis emails. Could be real or complete BS. I do know this - I scanned both Ebay and StubHub for MO type tickets (GA PIT). I could be wrong, but it appears the majority of tickets being offered were from the TM and CID sale. This lead me to the conclusion that most of the MO have not yet been filled, or they would be currently for sale also. Also, of all of the GDTS TOO email notifications being posted, I haven't seen an order # out of the 100's. Certainly GDTS has thousands of orders to fill????

Now for the good news, If you live anywhere near the Washington DC Metro area, or Virginia, West Va. and Maryland. DSO will be playing the ALL GOOD MUSIC Fest. in Summit Point, WVa 7/9 thru 7/11. Tickets are cheap, the band good and camping included. We can celebrate 50 years our own way.

I would love to get 2 tickets for any show- my husband & I met 21 yrs. ago at a soldier field dead show & were very disappointed to get our uncashed money order back on valentines day. we r stilling keeping the faith

Hologram of real jerry fake jerry or trey? I lost you somewhere? :-)

Trey Anastasio may not be the person you choose to hear play this July in Chicago, but you can not bash his credentials as a musician. He was top of his class at Juilliard and there is NO way he will fumble through the songs. I saw him this past summer, just him (not Phish), with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. The show would give anyone chills. He's an amazing musician. You can think what you want about his recreational behavior, but I doubt Jerry composed and executed his songs soberly. As for Phish fans, that shouldn't matter. . . They are not the ones paying through the nose to come to Chicago. I keep logging into this site to see if anyone has posted getting emails or any more info from GDTS TOO. Instead I am bombarded by a sea of haters. I feel for those who haven't gotten tickets, and yes, the process could have been handled differently, but who are we to judge? We aren't working at GDTS TOO. We don't know what was going through their heads when they set this up. here we are... playing with the cards we were dealt. As my parents always say "life isn't fair." Feel blessed by what's around you. I wish you all luck getting to the show. And Jhawk - if you went to KU - Rock Chalk.

YES!! keep hope alive. I'm still in limbo too. I got that bounce back from Elvis and thought it was their way to get people to back off. I do hope this is their way of wiggle room, and more tickets will be confirmed. Would love to see more people here get to the show. Pato Banton's Stay Positive keeps playing in my head.

Please remember that the Grateful Dead inspired the generation best known for familiar phrases such as "peace and love" into our culture back in the day... I am sad to see all of the negativity on here about the band and this event... I saw Bobby and Phil singing the National Anthem not too long ago for a baseball game and it made me cry to see them looking so old. We are so lucky that they are still around and willing to put together a show like this in the first place. I would have been happier if they had chosen another venue since Chicago is not my favorite place to hang out and the stadium doesn't hold as many people as other places... However this is not my decision to make. But...... This is the place Jerry played last. It only makes sense that it would be there in that respect. Whoever decides to bash the original members of the band or Trey for joining them has no idea what this is all about and has no business being there in the first place. I admire the folks at GDTSTOO for their hard work and diligence working through all of the mail orders... So many people could say "They should have seen this coming..." but in reality the most recent years of Further and the like had not drawn nearly the crowds of the Grateful Dead in years past. I saw them not too long ago and there was no chance of the show selling out. They probably really thought it would be kind of mellow since the scene had quieted down considerably over the years. I know adding Trey to the mix can tilt the scales a little, but quite honestly there's a ton of Phish Heads that don't like the Grateful Dead and vice versa so yeah, it's going to increase popularity some but I can't say I would have expected the turnout myself. We should be rejoicing in the fact that there are so many people that are excited to be at this concert. I am not one of the lucky ones in spite of our very best efforts to get tickets with every option that was offered... But that doesn't mean that I am going to turn my disappointment into anger towards the musicians I love and treasure most in the world.

Well said!

hope everyone has a great time, i am 62 not quite as old as the boys, keep your fingers crossed bobs shoulder doesn't start acting up and they cancel the shows as he did last summer, i know i had mail orders for several summer shows, it was a mess, good luck. be safe.

Today the frustration continues! Nothing in the mail, no email , (automated bounceback email from Elvis at GDTSTOO) and no hope. Airline tickets bought, hotel reserved, StubHub prices keep going up and now it's 43 days and counting - how can you not be frustrated?

...but it is pretty funny. I'll give you that.the Lady Gaga crack IS comical.But, and I am NOT a phish head and only a casual phish listener...your comments lumping them all together are out-of-line. Are all Deadheads unemployed burnouts who eke out $5 a day selling burritos so they can make it to next show? We all know the magic and music will not be the same, but thanks for the reminder. One last thing: what is wrong with people who used to really enjoy the Dead, but have other interests (like careers, family, etc.) that preclude their being a devout follower, and shelling out a few extra bucks to relive some of their "college days"? I wish I could make myself spring for it but won't. Anyway, you have a pretty good sense of sarcastic humor but you don't need to beat up on everybody with it.

the only way scalpers make money is if people pay their high prices. if most people hold off paying their prices, than they will go down. they go down drastically right before showtime. (of course not having a ticket is emotional torture and it only takes money to make the torture stop.) right now, there is no incentive for scalpers to go low on their prices. there are months until the shows and they can just wait for people to make the torture stop. if you wait, the prices will go down (torture the scalpers economically). there are also possibilities of bad weather, etc. that would drastically drop ticket prices, but only in the days before the show. also, I had tickets to Veneta in '92. still have them, they say VOID. people get sick and shows get cancelled. if you pay more than face value, you lose that when the refunds go out. I think that $215 per night is huge money and I would not consider paying more. myself and all in my travelling group got lucky with mail order. we were willing to pay the high prices to have good seats to sit in. the best part of this whole experience for me is reconnecting with old friends. that has happened with the mail order, and I am sure more of that will happen at the shows. I am sure the music will be fine, but we are attending for more than that. looking forward to seeing the artwork on the mail order tix. I bet that very few of them change hands for more than face value. too scarce and they are in the hands of many very deadicated people. we need someone on the inside of ticketmaster to expose the real way the tickets get sold. SCREW THE SCALPERS. we all need to be appreciative towards the musicians and crew that are making this happen. they don't have to do this. they are doing it for our enjoyment among other things.

Just read the concert promotor's announcement via Mickey Hart's post on Facebook...Very sweet, just what the doctor ordered...see it's going to be alright...and I think that within days you will see prices on Stub Hub come down some...this changes everything.

Fare Thee Well co-promoter (and Relix / Jambands.com publisher) Peter Shapiro has revealed that plans are currently in the works to bring the experience to as many people as possible. Citing concerns about the high price of secondary market tickets for the event, Shapiro told the Chicago Tribune, “Those numbers aren’t real, and they have nothing to do with the music. …. (But) with the technology and bringing the show to fans who couldn’t get tickets, to enable them to see it, we want to do a reverse jujitsu against the secondary market.” As of now, the format of the broadcast—whether it will be pay per view, an online stream, a simulcast—has not been confirmed. Shapiro elaborated on the plan, saying, “We’re going to try to create ways to experience the show outside the stadium, using technology… Whether you’re at home, or out in the community, we’re working on a way to bring the show to fans who aren’t in Soldier Field with high-level audio and video… We’re exploring all ideas. But this is a way that technology we didn’t have in the ’90s can really help make this event as Grateful Dead-fan friendly as possible. They couldn’t beam shows in the ’90s into your house, your phone, another place where people gather. And we’ll have that.” Speaking about the high demand for the shows, Shapiro told the Chicago Tribune, “It’s just nuts. This thing has taken on a life of its own. The response to these on-sales, both online and mail, shows the power the band had, and the music. It made everyone say, ‘Whoa.’ No one expected how big this has turned out to be.” Regarding the high price of tickets on the secondary market, he added, “I wave my hand at these prices. When you post (an asking price on the secondary market), it doesn’t mean you definitely have the ticket on you. Doing this in 2015, technology has its benefits and challenges. The benefits are that I hope we can share this show and many can experience it as if they were there. The challenge is the secondary market — you create a false impression of what these tickets are worth. I can’t control it. We’ve talked about what we do about it.” Shapiro also gave some details on the stage configuration for the shows, saying, “It will be a GA (general admission) floor and a 360 set-up. The stage will be at one end zone, but it will be open and there will be seats behind the band. Those were the cheaper seats. The sight lines won’t be the same, but you’re in. They made a decision to get as many people as possible into the show. There will be (video) screens and sound back there.” Additionally, Shapiro explained the band’s reasons for reuniting at Soldier Field, noting, “They each wanted to do something to celebrate the 50th anniversary. To get them all to agree, that took a minute, but they’re all excited by this response. The idea of doing the shows on July 4th weekend, going back to where it ended (the band’s final shows were in Soldier Field in July 1995), bringing in Trey as the next generation, and Hornsby, who had been with them off and on for years, and doing something in the middle of the country enabling east and west to come, they all embraced it.” When asked about the potential for other core four reunion shows in the future, Shapiro responded, “I’m not going to go there. There’s no extra dates planned. For Chicago or anywhere else.” As previously reported, the core four surviving members of the Grateful Dead will reunite for a three-night run at Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 3-5. They will be joined by Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby and Jeff Chimenti.

Please don't be fooled (again and again and again) by this clown. He already offers a stream for almost every one of the shows from his venues, usually at $20 per night. So the light bulb just suddenly came on AFTER the massive sellout as we're going to do something new???? No, he now needs to figure out how to exploit everyone who was shut out at prices far above what planned. I predict closed circuit streams to theater-like venues at no less than $50 per person per night. I love the positive vibes people try to keep on here but its time to wake up and smell the marketing BS for what it is. A promoter given the green light by a generally non-caring, retired remaining four who have people in place to make share they get their cut. Fans be damned...

At the beginning I was prepared to spend close to $600 or $800 for my son and I to see Grateful Dead in Chicago for the 3 nights ($200 per ticket tops was the budget limit), add the money for the travel and the money for the hotel and the food...it was going to be tight but I was willing to spend the money...if I could get tickets...well I wasn't surprised that I wasn't able to get tickets from Ticket Master and I tried for an hour and 45 minutes and was very disappointed when I could not score the tickets. But here is my point, this trip when you look at everything could have cost $2,000 including the gas...if they come out with something where I have to spend some money to see the shows in a theater, or pay per view, or even in a stadium with fees for parking...I'm still willing to spend the money to participate in some way to see the shows...like Jerry used to sing (it all comes down to this) "nothing comes for free" (and this may not be around for very long) so my feeling is if they're going to dust off the rusty strings one more time...I'll pay the money and be grateful for it...that's just how I feel.

I agree with the $200 max. I can see some paying more but I will say it again. I have spoke to close to 40 peeps with 100's if not 1000's of shows in there past. 5 hour drive away. No way any of them are paying $500 for a ticket. Most wouldn't pay $200

Today's Chicago Tribune says the Park District won't allow any overnight parking at the show or it's surrounding parks. Also the police are planning to empty the parking lot within an hour after the shows. Not good! Don't know about anyone else but I like hanging in the lots after shows - "dodging lions and wastin time".

Thanks for the kind words. I certainly have access to various live Dead recordings from over the years, and the funny part is up until less than 2 months ago, I never really expected I would get closer to the Dead than these recordings. I may not have a ticket to the show but in the end I'd still say I'm still better off than a large portion of my generation who doesn't have a clue who the Dead are. Thanks for the heads up on Dark Star Orchestra. I had heard of them before, but never looked into them until now. It doesn't look like they're heading up north anytime soon but I'll keep them on my radar. Stank

This reminds me in a way the ticket battle to get Red rocks tickets back in April and may of 1982. Once word was out that they were playing 3 nights at Red Rocks we all wanted to go But had no way of getting tickets. Times were different and ticket master could sell nation wide but it was time consuming chance to take waiting in line at ticket master outlet. I had decided to forgo the whole ordeal and take my chances after they sold out. We were lucky to get the 1st two nights from a guy here in Boston. Never forget the day we met him he was an older guy maybe 50 ? ( older then that myself now ) Anyway we met up bought our 1st two nights and were satisfied with taking our chances on 3rd night at the shows. Even back then the hotline would say something to the affect of if you DO NOT HAVE A TICKET please do not come to the show. We already had our Ventura tickets for 10 days before so coming from east coast I was comfortable with taking the chance at the shows. of course those shows all turned out great , the 1st two shows at Ventura county fairgrounds and Red Rocks first 2 nights were off the charts, 3rd night we seemed to all get in. Times were sooooo different back then we had the leader of the Band in Jerry and the boys. year after year they seemed to get more popular and yea after year we got into the Red Rocks shows. Then came the Telluride shows of 87 AGAIN a PANIC set in amongst heads no ticket no entry. DO NOT BOTHER coming was the message well that year turned out to be a breeze the shows basically became free once within the town of telluride city limits. This fiasco however is way out of line for me. Would I like to be there yes for the music itself? Not really because there is no way they can capture what we had back in the day. What they can capture is the fellowship of us that toured together and the fellowship of other generations coming together ONE last time. I wish everyone good luck with you ticket search and ticket wait. I do hope a year from now we can all look back on more good time with Brand name Grateful Dead in name only though. Cherish our moments and relive another time forgotten so long ago. A time that never goes out of style for me. The clothes have changed the hairs short but the SPIRIT lives on EVERYDAY.

Great stories hockey-john, how old were you when you went to RR in '82?

Happy full moon.

July 2, 2015 will be a full moon, too. Close enuf for this Moon-child.

Had a lot of moneyHad a lot of friends They had a lot of big ideas About my money And how to spend Party til the money runs out If you want to know who your real friends are Party til the money runs out ~Ed Volker~

I mean really gang - WTF are we gonna do? Fore those of us who struck-out on M.O., CID and TicketBastard, how are we ever gonna get in the building? I guess the sobering reality is that after 50 years, there's a bunch of Grateful Dead loving fans that have wheel barrows of cash and if you have the money, well, you're show-bound. http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/03/media/grateful-dead-tickets/

First saw the Dead back in '72 in Long Beach when I was in high school. Not because I was a fan of the Dead, but because we liked to go to concerts. Plus the Dead by that time had been playing for "forever", and this was surely one of the last times they would play as they were obviously over the hill... Only songs I was familiar with at time were Sugar Mag and Casey Jones (and they managed to play both that night.) After the music stopped and the lights came on, we headed out the door, satisfied. Luckily some older guy came running after us screaming "Wait! That was only the first set!" WOW! You mean there would be MORE?

Theater of the absurd. http://www.merriweathermusic.com/event/803283-dear-jerry-celebrating-mu…

Great to hear it, Stank. Sounds like you've got the attitude of a real Deadhead ("Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile"). For myself, I'm glad younger folks are getting into the Dead. And I hope their music will still fill the air long after I'm dust. Not sure you mentioned where in Canada you are, but might want to keep your eyes peeled for a DSO show close to the border. Nothing beats a road trip with your friends, especially when Dead music is involved! Though if you do, mind the border--remember: "Law come to get you if you don't walk right". May many great shows be in your future! Bearbait

lol the funniest post on this site. "wait.....that was only the first set". priceless...

lol the funniest post on this site. "wait.....that was only the first set". priceless...

This is the one to be at, thanks guys, my faith in you is restored. Skip Chicago and trey, go to Jerry Fest, the real party will be there, then the peach fest will be the other one to go to. See ya all there.

Between the Peach Festival in PA in August, the Jerry event in MD in May.. and the Fare Thee Well shows at Soldier in July... What is next? This could turn out to be one of the more interesting years, with all these Dead-related bands coming together, along with original members, to celebrate the music one more time... This is much better than a 30 city tour of the "Dead", right? Been there, done that. Bringing together all these bands that wouldn't even be bands if weren't for the dead, is an extraordinary way to celebrate the music and legacy that is so rich. I just can't wait to see what is next....