Playin’ Dead in the Park
GD 60 was three days of revelry in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead, 60 years from when they started. With support from headlining opening acts; Billy Strings, Sturgill Simpson, and Trey Anastasio; Dead and Co. laid out a weekend of greatest hits, big love, and LOTS of jamming all the way to the bank. The jam scene for all it’s laughable components is always such a great body of water to swim in. All smiles, all accepting, good drink, good drugs, good high fives, big laughs, and always great for photos ops. It’s just always a big good time.
I was only able to go on the final show, because I was photographing the accompanying concerts on the other side of town but Sunday was really the only day I wanted to go because Trey was opening. The Sunday show was a sure fire greatest hits set which made it better for me and they covered “Broken Arrow” out of no where and I friggin’ love that song.I’ve always appreciated the music of the Dead but it’s not always a go-to for me. However that whole weekend I was inundated with their music and it hit me differently this time. Maybe because it was so much all at once, maybe because it was this San Francisco music being played in San Francisco, or maybe because…well, who the fuck knows or cares…it just hit me different that weekend and has stayed with me. I get it more now than I ever did before. I understand more what it has meant and how it has shaped an entire ecosystem.
Anyways, enjoy the pictures. If you’ve never been to a Dead, or Phish, or Widespread Panic, or String Cheese Incident, or any number of jamband shows maybe this will give you an insight in to the good times that can be had at them. The jam scene too is always celebrating birthdays, big on them, in case you’re wondering, “What’s up with all the balloons?”
Camera - Chinon 3001
Film - Kodak Ultramax 400
