[gmchart]

Went to our nephew's wedding a couple of weeks ago in upstate New York. Great time, maybe half the crowd was in their 20's. Asked Ben (the groom, who was running the music) Hey, you got one Grateful Dead tune in that mix for your old crazy uncles? His answer: No.....Nobody can dance to the Grateful Dead, and nobody wants to watch people who think they can dance to the Grateful Dead. But... show up at the "after party" and we might have something for ya.

[DHM]

the operative word is "old"...truth is those whippersnappers don't know what's good...

My kid and his girlfriend came by about 420 one afternoon...after a bit I got talking about how we did things in Madison Wisconsin circa 1970...and I put on "American Beauty"....they didn't get into it...said it sounded "sloppy"....

Don

[NSP]

after a bit I got talking about how we did things in Madison Wisconsin circa 1970...and I put on "American Beauty"....they didn't get into it...said it sounded "sloppy"....

Don

Hey Don, The vibe is still alive and well here in Madison.

I can certainly see an argument for folks that don't know better to call the boys sloppy, but American Beauty, really? geez that's about as polished as it comes...darn kids.

[jackr]

There are many many young kids getting into our "old" music. Many of nieces and nephews ( I have 32 of them) are into the Dead, Hendrix, Led Zepplin and more.

I know there was no way i would listen to my father's music. I know that many kids are into techno and "dance" music but they will grow out of it someday!

[ebick]

Went to our nephew's wedding a couple of weeks ago in upstate New York. Great time, maybe half the crowd was in their 20's. Asked Ben (the groom, who was running the music) Hey, you got one Grateful Dead tune in that mix for your old crazy uncles? His answer: No.....Nobody can dance to the Grateful Dead, and nobody wants to watch people who think they can dance to the Grateful Dead. But... show up at the "after party" and we might have something for ya.

It just doesn't work in those settings. Not everyone gets the Dead, and I have always found that when it is presented in a setting like that, there are lots of comments like "what the hell is this", and "can we change this music please".

Stick to "I like that old time rock and roll"! lol

[Pete B.]

I played a Dead Head Wedding a few weekends back.
Everyone "got" it, and there were plenty of non Dead heads there from both families friends/relatives.
The last song was Ripple, which tuned into a huge sing along with the family sourrounding the bride and groom in a big "dancing circle of love" while they danced in the middle. It was also cool because it was in the same place we got married, at The Edgefield here in Oregon.
Scott Law sat in for the entire show.
From Scotts website: "...He has played Jerry Garcia’s “Wolf” guitar at Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh’s invitation..."

On the other hand, I was once in a band that threw on Blues For Allah at the band house one time while I was not there. When I cam back, they said, "Man, we tried to listen to your tape, we had to turn it off".
With all due respect it was a cassette recorded from the album and I had just finished listening to Music Never, so they heard Crazy Fingers, Sage & Spirit, and I'm pretty sure Blues For Allah drove them over the edge ( I can't listen to that one either).

[FretfulDave]

...Nobody can dance to the Grateful Dead, and nobody wants to watch people who think they can dance to the Grateful Dead...

Don't tell my wife that. As a dancer, modern dance specifically, she will tell anyone that if you can't dance to "The Eleven" then you are not a dancer! Both my daughters (in their 20s), who also dance and teach and perform will agree.

[TI4-1009]

It was also cool because it was in the same place we got married, at The Edgefield here in Oregon.

interesting- their website contains a familiar avatar....

My daughter is out in Portland for a wedding this week.

[Tennessee Jedi]

yeah man I would like to start a grateful dead wedding band someday
and
I never
Dance

At the shows in hockey rinks I would often sit behind the stage and chill and listen
but one
thing
about
todays scene I like
Is all the hoop chicks
Watch that all day longgggggggggg

[easytoslip]

I played a Dead Head Wedding a few weekends back.
Everyone "got" it, and there were plenty of non Dead heads there from both families friends/relatives.
The last song was Ripple, which tuned into a huge sing along with the family sourrounding the bride and groom in a big "dancing circle of love" while they danced in the middle. It was also cool because it was in the same place we got married, at The Edgefield here in Oregon.
Scott Law sat in for the entire show.
From Scotts website: "...He has played Jerry Garcia’s “Wolf” guitar at Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh’s invitation..."

On the other hand, I was once in a band that threw on Blues For Allah at the band house one time while I was not there. When I cam back, they said, "Man, we tried to listen to your tape, we had to turn it off".
With all due respect it was a cassette recorded from the album and I had just finished listening to Music Never, so they heard Crazy Fingers, Sage & Spirit, and I'm pretty sure Blues For Allah drove them over the edge ( I can't listen to that one either).

bah ha ha haa!! great use of smileys and fwiw, Blues for Allah was the first GD album I bought.. but it was Cornell '77 on a sunny day in the Honda and album version of Truckin that got me interested and hooked.

[Pete B.]

It was also cool because it was in the same place we got married, at The Edgefield here in Oregon.

interesting- their website contains a familiar avatar....

My friend created that (he works there), and I used an avatar creater to snip it.
The real thing is blowin' in the wind out there, on top of a place called Jerry's Ice House.

[gmchart]

Is it possible that I've seen that logo on a poster for a party at McMinnemin's ( I'm sure I spelled that wrong) a bar in Portland?

[Pete B.]

Is it possible that I've seen that logo on a poster for a party at McMinnemin's ( I'm sure I spelled that wrong) a bar in Portland?

Quite likely.

[mgbills]

Those who don't dance to Grateful Dead music are missing out on one of the Great Eternal Joys granted at the beginning of time.
Just my opinion...Man!

I started boogying a couple years into the Big Bus Trip...maybe '83. I remember some outdoor gig, tons of people. I think at that point I was still inclined to stay in my seat . I may (likely) have been inebriated, and it probably wasn't Miller in a cup. All of a sudden my butt was going back and forth of it's own volition. I don't think I noticed it at first. After a while I thought..."Self you probably look like an idiot." Feeling very self-conscious I looked left and right, down long rows of happy hippies. I do believe (honestly) to this day that as far as I could see ...every single butt was doing the same exact dance. The butts were a myriad of different shapes and sizes, but ...( ) they were all doing the same thing.

Ultimately it set me free and let my Freak Flag Fly. Nobody gives a fuck what a 6' tall- 210 lb- hairy beast is doing, unless the sweat is actually invading their personal space, or the elbows are causing physical pain. I was never going to challenge Brad Pitt for the cover of Vogue anyway, so WTF. So now I dance at weddings. This was a disturbing event a year ago when my younger son got married. Likely his in-laws found it deeply disturbing when my side got up and began dancing like crazy people to Scarlet>Fire, and sang Wild Rover (The Pogues) at the top of our lungs. We're all hard-working & job holding folks. I occasionally even make meetings in a tie, although a t-shirt & shorts is my preferred work attire. But we do have this one odd behavior...or maybe more than one.

RambleRamble....Dancing frees the Soul. Dancing to Jerry nourishes the soul. What better way to celebrate a wedding. And those who don't get it...are missin' out!
Peace
M

[strumminsix]

Sounded like a not so nice response to a vague request (maybe coulda asked for a specific song?). But i'm sure it was all nicer in person.

Got married a few years back and we had the DJ play Shakedown Street and Sugar Magnolia and nobody seemed to care. The dancers danced and the talkers talked. Then again we were all mid-30's and up so don't know what 20 somethings would want.

I think the Dead are a great dance band. But that's the thing; "dance band" is a thing lost on many folks under 40 who associate dancing with a drum machine pumped 4/4 all night, looped tracks, vocal pitch shifts, and boybands, etc....