[jenkins]

does anyone know how big the dead were in the 70's? It seems lik they played in a huge mix from arenas to festivals to smaller clubs.
I mean they were playing the boston garden in 74 and the fox theatre in atlanta a few years later.

did they play mostly arena shows or club shows?
To me it looks like half and half, it seems like their popularity grew and feel thoughout the 70's.

Also, does anyone know about the lot scene back then? Some older people I talked to said that the lot scene as we kow it today did't get going until the mid 80's

The 70's was the best era for the dead musically in my opinion. everything from 71-79 is so tight. seemed like the dead was very focused that decade

[Chuckles]

does anyone know how big the dead were in the 70's?

I count seven members tops.

[ronster]

I started going to shows in 1977 and at that time they were mostly playing the sports arenas which would hold 5k to whatever the spectrum would hold. Sometimes they would play smaller 3,000 seat or so venues but not often and no club shows. Shows would normally sell out the day of the show but not always. The parking lot scene was the same as the latter years just to a smaller scale and much less hassles with cops and heads that were assholes. Around 1987 a larger younger crowd started hanging out at shows and the scene changed. Also back in the 70's heads were much more prone to share whatever they had with you as opposed to trying to sell it to you as was the case in the later years.

[bucketorain]

. Also back in the 70's heads were much more prone to share whatever they had with you as opposed to trying to sell it to you as was the case in the later years.

This is very interesting. I like hearing about the sharing aspect of the tours...

I would guess that selling part of it was due to the fact that the popularity grew and more people toured to see them and subsequently had sell stuff to cover the travel expenses...

[bobbybobbob]

THis is a good question. I never had the chance to see the dead (with Jerry) and have always wandered this:

Outside of the jamband/hippy/people who enjoy good music scene, how popular and wellknown were the dead? And not just the 70s, but the whole spectrum

[deadguise]

They were known but not popular. Shows were not pricey back then, and it was easier to get tickets, so the Heads could go to every show when the Dead came to town.

[Chuckles]

THis is a good question. I never had the chance to see the dead (with Jerry) and have always wandered this:

Outside of the jamband/hippy/people who enjoy good music scene, how popular and wellknown were the dead? And not just the 70s, but the whole spectrum

With the caveat that I didn't start seeing them till '78... you didn't see the trendy hangers-on (touch-o heads) coming out until mid-late '80s... though they did gain more an more popularity as new people got turned on to them over the years. Unlike so many bands that have a short shelf life, the old Heads were still around as new ones climbed on the bus... making the playing of more and more larger-venue shows necessary to fill the requests for tix.

[frankielee]

Saw the majority of my shows between 71>77...mostly on the east coast...In NYC it was a street scene outside of the venues...Fillmore,Acadeny Of Music, Felt Forum...also they were still playing at collegesiin upstate NY. In Jersey City they Played The Stanley Theatre an old movie palace circa late 20s early 30s(hear DP11)...the streeet scene was pretty different from the parking Lot...A lot of hustling,trading,and also freebies were pretty easy to come by...Tix back then usually maxed out at arund 5 or 6 bucks...My first out door show was 7/16/72 at Dillon Stadium in Hartford Ct..and many shows at Roosevelt Stadium also in Jersey City...If I remember correctly the parking lot scene back then was pretty similar to what it was in the later years...Back then the boys would role into town every couple of months...Saw some great shows...My favorite 8/1/73...Jerry's Birthday...Dark Star>El Paso>Eyes>Morning Dew...Listen to it quite often and it still holds up...

[amyjared]

With the caveat that I didn't start seeing them till '78... you didn't see the trendy hangers-on (touch-o heads) coming out until mid-late '80s...

True, tho we called em In-the-Dark heads (cuz for the most part, they were!) I started really seein shows in '80, and they weren't as popular. Tickets were pretty easy, folks all seemed cool and shows were pretty mellow events. Then it seems (to me, anyhow) that the frat scene discovered the boys and in '87 or so, it was lots and lots of clean cut college folks and they played big shows. I didn't mind because they were buying my shirts and beers and helping me get from show to show! 'Course, Europe in '90 was back to some smaller venues cause they weren't as popular there.

[bucketorain]

In the Dark Heads? Understand that some of them only discovered the dead at that time because of their age....not likely they knew what was going on in 1979 at the age of 9.

Just like in 67 or 77 those kids in high school were just starting to discover and understand music like the 17 year olds in 87. Unless you folks were heads then thats different.


My 1st show, 3-30-88 and proud of it...coincidentally the same day i got married 7 years later..

[Django]

They played some fairly small venues around here in the late 60's - first half of the 70's, including the Music Box in Omaha and Pershing Auditorium in Lincoln; and as late as about '76 I saw them in a very small auditorium in Kansas City, Kansas.
I can't say they were "popular" around here, of course 'Truckin' got radio airplay. It was kind of an underground thing to be a Deadhead. At those shows there was no parking lot scene as it later became. My attendance was spotty though. The first and best lot scene I remember was in KC Missouri at the Starlight. You know, you could buy or trade homemade tie-dyes or posters, or just watch the hacky sack players and walk around smiling at everyone!

[Tennessee Jedi]

My jam buddy,Fretful Dave,has got some great 70s stories.
Dave where are you?
Must of been great times.
My 1st show was 86.
Glad I got on when I did.

[amyjared]

In the Dark Heads? Understand that some of them only discovered the dead at that time because of their age....not likely they knew what was going on in 1979 at the age of 9.

Just like in 67 or 77 those kids in high school were just starting to discover and understand music like the 17 year olds in 87. Unless you folks were heads then thats different.


My 1st show, 3-30-88 and proud of it...coincidentally the same day i got married 7 years later..

Sorry if I ruffled some feathers, that was not the intention. I am not referring to any of you, or any of the folks that actually got into the dead and the scene, but rather the ones who jumped on the bandwagon when it was fashionable (or for the drugs or party or whatever) and then jumped back off. The ones who yelled "Hell in a bucket!" at shows not realizing how often they play or don't play songs, the ones who were "in the dark" about the whole scene and pretty much remained that way. Not trying to diss anyone, so sorry if I did.

[Tennessee Jedi]

No probs here AmyJared
I'm just glad I got on the bus.

[warrenMFKNhaynes]

Lol "how big WAS the dead in the 70s"